The Money Pit Column written by Tax Lawyer Leonard Smith

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Photo of Ivory Pal by Cheri Prill Tennessee Walking Horse Issue August 2010

FATHERS, DAUGHTERS & HORSES

Approximately 14 years ago, my then 5 year old daughter wanted to ride horses. As an active father, I took her daily to the riding academy. A short time later, we purchased our first show horse “Prime Time”. He was a well season show veteran, taught my daughter a lot, and of course won shows. Eventually, my daughter outgrew “Prime Time” and we sold him to another child.

At that time our trainer advised me the reason Fathers buy horses for their daughter. She explained the bonding process between the horse, child, and parent. We discussed when my daughter was a teenager, she would go to the horse barn as opposed to the mall. That has been true.

As I watched my daughter ride, I decided to join her. After all I was athletic and not a bench warmer. I purchased our second horse. Being an aggressive entrepreneur, why could not I succeed in horses. After all, I now knew how to post, had been in my first schooling show…etc….LOL. I was even alive after my first show. Of course, that says little about how sore I was.

We bought our first ranch and 21 horses. We hired our first trainer and began a horse program similar to that which my daughter had been in.

Our 21 horses were for resale. Of course, I knew nothing. Our new trainer was useless. So I reasoned, it cannot be that hard to work with all these 21 three year olds. I bought a tape on how to train my horses. I contacted an Equine Vet, and a farrier. We began to learn and grow.

We sold those 21 horses. YUPPA, they were PRETTY Pintos. That was about all I knew. Frankly, that is all the purchasers cared about. Our incoming phone calls, were “What color horses you got?”

That developed to a larger ranch. Then a Dude Ranch, Horse and Tack Auction, lots of shows, several riding programs and then breeding.

Now some 14 years later, I understand the issues which I elicit. I still use a trainer, consult with experts, enjoy horses, consult and publish. Enjoy.