The Business of Raven

There were 3 phone calls yesterday on Big Sally. Two people wanted to trade and the third was a man that bought a yearling Friesian stud colt and is looking for some mares to buy for his business. He thought Sally was a purebred Friesian but also wanted to ask how we got into the business and strategies for his yearling. He told me how expensive the Friesian fillies and mares are so he was going to buy a bunch of TB and Standardbred mares to cross with their yearling. They can be picked up sometimes for just a few hundred dollars or sometimes even free if they are lame. My answer was this is really not a good idea. I told him he really wants the best quality mare possible. After all most of our business is return customers, word of mouth or because someone saw a Raven foal out competing. A Raven foal has such a good disposition, beauty, height, and movement, when they are taken out in public they are NOTICED. Once a business starts putting out junk horses they will be OUT OF BUSINESS quickly. The cost of keeping a mare is the same whether she is quality or junk.
My day will be very busy. This morning a couple of classes from a school in Eureka are coming over to see the farm, play with the babies and ride. Then Mark and I need to get the tables set up in the Fellowship Hall for the Benefit dinner. HUGE job, Anna has kindly offered to come help. At 7:15pm we need to be back at the Fellowship Hall for our final recording.