I usually defend "end users" who claim these types for $5k in the hope that they can keep them togther or maybe help them find some of that back class. Those horsemen don't make much (if anything) and work hard.
I do think it sad that a man like the owner of Ibboyee, a member of the NYRA board and a man of significant means, when unable to arrange a stud deal would simply unload such a horse. He's not an end user, he is the man that this horse earned that money for. Clearly the horse has no (or a very low) reserve. A better option might have been to geld him and arrange for retraining, if he was fit. Surely a man in his position could have made such arrangements? If he was too sore (or unsuited by temperament) to be used for riding how about arranging for retirement at one of any number of places that house retirees. To be honest, if the horse was a real mess I'd prefer humane destruction over sending a horse off to an unknown fate.
__________________
RIP Monroe.
|