>>> I had two yearlings that I considered taking with me but changed my mind >>> when I realized how much it would cost to fill up my truck with gas and >>> pay the evaluation fee of $75.00 for each filly. I expressed these >>> concerns to the German lady who was judging and she said that as soon as >>> next year, she would be taking a road trip around the country, stopping >>> at people's farms to evaluate horses. Evaluations on Wheels!
And...she's going to do this for free...? I doubt it. I'm sure there will be airfare from Germany, then airfare to each US city, then a daily fee (anyone know how much?), then hotel, rental cars, meals... If they REALLY wanted to "educate" the people about conformation, they'd (and by "they" I mean the USIHC or FEIF) could produce a video explaining what to look for, what defines the breed standard. Those who have been on the list for a few years will remember how many times I suggested it, so that it could sold to people who really want to study it in detail. There were a thousand excuses not to make such a video, and it never happened. It still hasn't happened, even in the age where every $100 digital camera makes videos. After a while, I realized why. In the meantime, I can pick up free manuals on conformation and judging from the 4H offices. I can buy conformation books and videos by Dr. Deb Bennett. Before she died, I could pick the brain of Lee Ziegler via e-mail, and thankfully she got her book written before her death. And we still have Liz Graves. The difference with Lee Ziegler and Liz Graves is that they don't simply judge your horse for you - they give (or gave, in Lee's case) us the tools and information to judge our own horses. Information that holds up to scrutiny and that is based in science. I really think that's the issue with the FEIF, the USIHC, and the whole evaluation system. They don't want owners to be empowered to make these judgements ourselves. Karen Thomas, NC
