| I buy and sell horses on the Internet. In this time | | | | slide because the manager's horses were trained |
| of electronic technology, most of us use every | | | | and no outside income was coming in. |
| tool that we can in order to maintain our business. | | | | In six months, we were grossing around $10,000 |
| And with increasing frequency, there is someone | | | | a month but the need for more income than the |
| who is determined to acquire assets without | | | | place was capable of producing began to drain the |
| paying for them in the coin of the realm. | | | | participants, physically and emotionally. |
| The e-mail that always interests me is the one | | | | The other party decided that he should receive |
| that wants to know my lowest price, has funds | | | | an exact amount each month, much more than |
| coming from someone else and a shipper who will | | | | he would have received under the original |
| handle everything. I have never got beyond that | | | | agreement. I refused politely and moved out all |
| point. They imply that the check or money order | | | | the horses and clients. One thing led to another |
| is good because it is in US funds. | | | | and eventually the original owner repossessed the |
| I have sold horses out of the US and it is not | | | | barn. |
| inexpensive. The board for the waiting period is a | | | | Certainly, the tale I hear most often is the one |
| huge cost plus the veterinary expenses of | | | | where one party tries to take advantage of the |
| quarantine here and abroad. The air freight bill will | | | | other using various means to accomplish their |
| make most astute buyers think twice before | | | | personal agenda. The object seems to be on |
| importing or exporting a horse. | | | | acquiring most of the assets of the other party |
| But the scam has been around longer than the | | | | while investing little of your own assets in the |
| Internet. It has been presented to me in the past. | | | | way of self, time or money. |
| Once, I received a letter from a person in | | | | For whatever reason, they may have, it boils |
| different part of the US wanting to buy a stud | | | | down to this. You may have the talent and ability |
| that I was standing. During the ensuing period, the | | | | to be successful in the horse industry. They have |
| letters became more insistent that I ship the | | | | neither but they do have the desire to be |
| horse to them and the payment would be | | | | perceived as such. One of my business associates |
| forthcoming. I resisted, figuring that as long as I | | | | in a venture wanted to be involved in the |
| had the horse in my possession, that I would not | | | | business but was unable to move on beyond the |
| be out of the property and the funds. | | | | local level. They just could not get out of the box |
| Another time, the potential buyer told me that he | | | | that was so comfortable for them and expand |
| had just purchased a horse property and was on | | | | the business using new techniques and methods. |
| his way to pick up and pay for the animals that | | | | They were successful as long as someone else |
| we had agreed to sell him. First, he had to pick up | | | | made the horse, the classes were small, the |
| his new trailer and he would be right down. And | | | | judges knew them and the breed they showed |
| then, the story started. He broke down and had | | | | was not high on the popularity list. They could not |
| to go back. His sister was ill but he would be | | | | understand why beyond the small area where |
| down in two weeks. And on and on. It went on | | | | they were situated, that they were just another |
| for six to eight weeks before I set some | | | | person involved in horses. |
| deadlines. You know, he never did show up. And | | | | This is an industry where you have to learning all |
| the horse property showed up as being for sale | | | | the time. You have to willing to adapt to other |
| again. He forgot to pay for that as well. | | | | training methods or types of horses in order to |
| One of ventures, I got into was to take on a | | | | be competitive. If your mind is made up that a |
| barn in exchange for half of the gross income. I | | | | certain breed or type is the only animal that |
| was approached on how to turn it around and | | | | people should invest in, you will succeed on a very |
| presented them with what turned out to be a | | | | limited basis. |
| very lucrative proposal for every one. The other | | | | Good horses and good people come in all shapes |
| person had bought a horse at high priced sale | | | | and sizes. There are more good than bad ones so |
| when the other party didn't show up to outbid | | | | it is a waste of your time, ability and money to |
| him. He went out and bought a horse facility for | | | | deal with the few bad ones in hopes that they will |
| $10,000 down and very high payments. He then | | | | change. You must realize that the deal or animal |
| hired a manager, who brought in his own horses | | | | (human or horse) will not do any good for or to |
| and trainer. The manager paid the trainer | | | | you and move on. |
| handsomely and the place went into a downhill | | | | |