This message is from: Kathleen Spiegel <[email protected]>
The downturn hit all horse breeders I think. I do the Coggins testing for many of the vets in SE Idaho. Over the last three years, it seems a large portion of the horses were marked for export to the Canadian Meat Packing plants ( Idaho borders Canada and Montana, routes to Canada). I was doing 2-3,000 coggins a year just in this area. Luckily I did not see Fjords come through. this dropped the price of good horses of all breeds to a ridiculously low range. I have seen an upsurge in interest recently and have sold three nice offspring ( all in the 4-5 year range) at relatively low prices but to good homes, but due to the markets have not been breeding any for about four years. I still have a Gjest/Maryka Stallion and four brood mares and am considering breeding one or two this year. All things are cyclical but when it come to it horses are a luxury and in a poor economy are not in demand. I do not think it is a function of the breed, just overall bad times. Hopefully the rising economy will bring interest back. On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 10:50 AM, Ursula Jensen <[email protected]> wrote: > This message is from: "Ursula Jensen" <[email protected]> > > > With the economic decline and the passage of time the number of Fjords > being > foaled each year is down. Europe has been experiencing similar declines in > their foaling rates. > > A noted Western trainer mentioned to me that a lot of good Western Fjord > stallions are now gone or gelded. Prominent Western Fjord breeders have now > retired and sold off their mares. > > Two of our most active brood mares are nearing the end of their career, and > some of our Fjord family are approaching retirement. This all a natural > progression with time but gives me pause to think about the Fjord future as > a breed, in America. I am hoping for a new younger generation of Fjord > owners and breeders to step forward and continue on with the breed. > > Just an observation-------------food for thought. Brian Jensen > > Important FjordHorse List Links: > Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e > FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw > FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
