1963-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1963 October Voice

October YOUR ROVING REPORTER BY CHARLES R. GOLDSWIG Route 1, Clayton, Ohio Are vve overlooking a new market for the Tennessee Walking Horse? One of our readers believes we are. Some of his ideas are original with him, others are contained in an article he read by General Kester in the Arabian Horse News, some of which seemed to be per tinent to the Walking Horse. He points out that there are a great many people who are interested in the Walking Horse but because of the cost of the quality-bred horse, the Walker is eli minated as a companion animal, and is too costly for the average person to own and to ride. This is not to detract from the necessity for top quality breeding stock, but not every animal turns out to be of such quality. Yet many are good enough to give pleasure to the new comer who wants a Walking Horse. Some Breeds Top-Heavy Some breeds, he goes on to say, are top-heavy with stock that will only sell for what the buyer is willing to pay for a pleasure horse. A breeder’s mar ket is attractive and exciting while it lasts. “Brother-in-law” buying at breeder sales — the practice of “you buy a high-priced one at my sale and I’ll buy one at yours” — gives the im pression of high averages and a rising market. Good for some, bad for others, because sooner or later prices must level off to meet the economic cap ability of the consumer. In the cattle industry it’s the meat market; in the horse industry it’s the race tracks and the growing numbers of people who ride and own horses for fun — com panion animals for pleasure and re creation. 9 Fortunately, the Walking Horse has never been put through this artifical WALKING HORSE LOVERS process of boom and bust and has never been plagued with unrealistic Here is the “FREE-and-EZY" Bit ... . high prices. This is good, for if we are designed for the Tennessee Walking Horse. to expand the market for the Walking • Floating Mouth-piece rotates 360 degrees Horse maybe we should emphasize how • Easy on mouth and tongue • Stainless little a Walker costs rather than how Steel • 10 yz Shank • 5" Mouthpiece • much. Our correspondent asks: Can this be done? Currently groundwork is being laid for a breeder expansion. Practically all mares are in, or are going into, production — many of these of such quality that they would do more good for the breed as pleasure horses rather than as breeding stock. The same is true of stallions. While excess stallions do not contribute to excess production, many of them would do more good for the breed as geldings in the hands of someone who could enjoy using them, thus advertising and perhaps selling more Tennessee Walking Horses. ‘A One-Way Road’ This bit will assist in getting your horse The breeders seem bent on produc OFF the bit . . . will help set his head and will increase natural motion. Tried and ing and promoting more and more proven at the Celebration. Get yours today! stock to sell and exchange among PRICE $25.00 themselves, or contribute to producing Postage prepaid when cash accompanies more breeders and more breeding order, or can be shipped C.O.D. and more breeding stock. A one-way road to an abrupt end, our correspon ©lb lEnglistj t?alljpr £>fjnp dent goes on to say, unless greater 194 Decatur Street, S.E. Atlanta 3, Georgia energy and effort is exerted in placing _____________ MUrray 8-4361_________________ “using Walking Horses” in the hands of interested people who do not now Available Also From own Walking Horses for their own NATIONAL BRIDLE SHOP pleasure. Lewisburg, Tennessee The growth or quick expansion of any breed based primarily on a breeder demand and market leads only to dis aster. In a short while the market ap comers who buy want to do something proaches saturation, buyers become with that new horse and do it now. Get Horses Ready To Sell more sophisticated and only top quality animals sell well. Soon even these stop What can we do? Many things! We selling for what it costs to produce can get our horses ready to sell before them; the breed declines for years and they are put on the market. They those who get hurt most are the breed should be well gentled and in satis ers themselves who contributed to factory physical condition. Colts should developing the wrong kind of market. be casterated when necessary and those How soon this will happen in the old enough should be well broke to Walking Horse breed is anyone’s guess. ride and ready for sell to someone to Some think they see signs of it now. use. We can sell our horses to the right The history of the auction sales would indicate that the market is good people in the right spot. Put the best and perhaps getting stronger. However, ones where they will, do well, will be these have been breeders’ sales and i t seen and will advertise the breed. Next question is, Who? The answer is the breeding stock that has sold well — a high percentage going to new and is, obviously, each Walking Horse prospective breeders. One thing is evi breeder. Each must accept and fulfill dent — animals that are obviously his responsibility. No one can and no gentle and broke to ride sell much one will do this job for us. We as in better. Even brood mares that are dividuals must get out and do it We are indebted to our correspon physically fit seem to sell, better if usable as pleasure horses. Again, it dent for an interesting and though- gets back to the fact that most new provoking letter. Thanks—write again. use

1963-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1963 October Voice | Page 9