So what would you suppose is wrong with this picture (other than it is a little blurry)?
While you check it out, I am going to describe my concerns with posting a horse in a sale this way.
As part of a family ranch that works very hard to promote the American Quarter Horse in Canada this ad challenges all that we do.
Have you picked out the problems yet?
OK....Here we have a horse advertised as a grade QH....what exactly is a grade QH? For starters if this horse had an AQHA registration certificate with the current owner listed it would be able to advertised as an AQHA Sorrel Mare. Clearly the horse was not registered or the proper paperwork like transfers and DNA testing was not carried out by the seller so how do you even know if it is actually a quarter horse of any kind. I ride with many people who have different breeds that often look no different than an American Quarter horse to those of an untrained eye. So lets assume for a minute that it is in fact an unregistered quarter horse which means that the proper paperwork was not submitted to the American Quarter Horse Association or the lineage was unable to be confirmed by AQHA. How do you actually know for sure that the lineage that is indicated in the ad is truthful or even remotely accurate? How do you prove that the horse has an accurate birth date? You could by rights be purchasing a hefty looking paint horse (I have no problem with other breeds as I like all horses) which really means that you are willing to take the word of the person selling the horse. Now do not get me wrong as there are many truthful and honest people in the horse business but I think everyone knows a few that are not. It is those that are costing reputable breeders, and more importantly making it very difficult for new buyers to make an informed decision. Purchasing a horse that suits a family or an individual should be made as easy as possible.....
So here is what I think the ad should have for information:
- The Lot number
- The consignor
- The name and age (looking at the horses teeth will help determine this) of the horse
- A Title that reads "Grade Sorrel Mare"
- A description as to the level of training and other important traits like disposition and confirmation qualities with no reference at all made to any kind of pedigree anywhere in the ad.
I will not address the comments in the ad that indicate the horse is "ready to go in any direction" after only 30 days training as that is a completely different post although I do appreciate the seller indicating that some important basics have been completed like "Easy To Catch" and "Loads Well".
AQHA requires all stallions and mares to be DNA tested to verify future lineage before any offspring will be allowed to be registered for breeding purposes. There is no question that a registration certificate proves lineage (believe me when I tell you that they will catch you if you make a mistake which can happen in larger herds when you try to register a mare to be bred that has parents that were inaccurately indicated on the registration certificate) which provides additional value to the registered American Quarter Horse, particularly to those buyers that are looking for a certain quality based on that pedigree.
I think it is time that sellers take responsibility for their equines by selling the horse based on provable genetics through a pedigree by taking the time to properly register that horse so that they and other responsible and reputable breeders are looked upon as producing horses with added value. For those that do not see that importance I would kindly ask you to desist from trying to sell your grades with an AQHA pedigree beside them.
Marc Garner
AQHA and CQHA Director for Alberta and Always AQHA Proud.
