Worth

You've probably watched horse jumping events such as the Spruce Meadows Masters where the horses have a 'value' more than the entirety of what many people own.  Prospects can start as high as $250,000 or more.  Some stud fees for race horses run $500,000-  This is half million dollar sperm.
Does a million dollar horse know that it's a million dollar horse? Does an auction-mart special, know that it's an auction-mart special?  Are either one of these horses more or less trainable or lovable or powerful?

Every eye opens to a soul

Good friends of mine, cow folk, country folk, middle-of-nowhere folk, took a chance and pursued a dream venture of breeding and raising race horses.  People told them that they were crazy, that their poe-dung operation would be a failure.  That they were nobodies, bush-riding, quarter horse fanatics who invested the farm into race horses.  They asked my advice- I said they were crazy, but most folks think I am crazy to climb aboard a colt that has never been ridden... I told them "Go for it."  And what happened? Success.  They have produced winners.  Even owned a North American top rated Thoroughbred stud (Suave) at one time.  And still they are bush-riding quarter horse fanatics and proud of it.  They produced race horses in the cattle pen, just as good, if not better than some polished-glowing-white-fenced-paved Kentucky farm.  Did they let it go to their head? No, they said "well that was fun" and went back to their 'normal' lives.  I have even seen them herding cattle with a two year old, fresh off the track Thoroughbred- who by the way, was more cowy than some of the cows.  

This horse may be priceless to one and worthless to another

The point is, horses do not know their 'worth'.  Worth is a number, a commodity name tag, a brand, a waste.  I have not always believed this, however.  As a child and young girl, a horse was a horse was a horse.  When I began training and doing research into bloodlines, I slowly became a snob of sorts and am guilty of looking down my nose at horses who were not 'well put together' or 'well-bred'.  I also allowed myself to believe much of what I was told by so called experts.  For example- This horse isn't 'bred' to race or work cows.  Now, in a more enlightened period of my life, I haven't forgotten the bloodline info, I just appreciate the heart and soul of every horse.  Some of the 'better' horses out there couldn't win a halter class even if you drugged the judges.  But still they are protectors, saviors, best friends, leaders, teachers and heros- Priceless.


Worth, when it comes to horses, is strictly a human term.  They all are valuable in one way or another.

To view a winning farm-bred race horse: http://vimeo.com/15722030