How NOT to Lead

CHAPTER 10Choose Your Horse Wisely…

A thoroughbred racehorse can go from 0 to 40 in a matter of three strides. It's exhilarating; the feeling of power underneath you is incredible. I love to learn what makes a thoroughbred tick.

—Chris McCarron

When I moved to Virginia, seeing all the horse farms was terrific. One thing you find out about horse farms is that although the owners want to educate and help folks learn how to ride, a horse farm is a business first. And just like everyone else in business, horse farm owners are always looking for a way to gain an edge over the competition. Owners of horse farms will do anything to own the best horse they can and, at some point, sell that animal to whoever else is willing to buy a new pony.

There was a horse farm down the road from me whose owner typically had horses used for jumping and pageantry, which is a solid business. He was content with the money he was making, as he was selling horses that were pretty good at what most folks bought those types of horses for. He got married, and his new wife thought there was a way to do more business and sell horses that were not just for pageantry but also for work on cattle farms. What she meant by “work” was that ranchers would use those horses to do things like cut cattle, herd cattle, and generally be cowboy horses.

That concept makes sense and sounds like an excellent way for a horse farmer to do more business. The problem is, horses typically only do one or two things well. You can't ...