DMG> Hello, from Calvert, Texas!
 DMG> This area has really lost alot of people that had these horses.
 DMG> We had a very dry summer that caused hay and feed prices to go up.
 DMG> Many people in the horse bussiness are gone.
     They're not a really popular breed, probably due to the perceptions 
people have of the old-style Appaloosa with the jug head and broomstick tail. 
 And attitude.  The good news is that they are about the cheapest breed you 
can buy in Arizona, closely behind Arabs.  You can pick up an Arab in the 
Phoenix area for less than $1000, that's with papers and rideable.  Appies 
are close behind around $1500 on up right now.  I never see one for over 
$4500.
     We lost a lot of horse people when the tax incentives went bye-bye years 
ago, but feed prices have remained stable here for years.  Oh, you'll pay 
more for alfalfa and bermuda in the winter time, but pellets are the same 
price year-round.  You just learn to buy a ton or two at the end of the 
summer while it is still CHEAP.  
 DMG> Is there any Appalosas horse farms in your area?
     A couple; I don't hang with the Appaloosa people but I can see that 
popular studs right now have Impressive breeding.  One of mine was a ranch 
horse whose father was AQHA and mother is unknown - but he's hardshipped in 
as he is obviously an Appaloosa.  ApHC will hardship in Appy geldings and 
spayed mares for $25 or so.  My other one, a near-leopard mare, was bred by 
"backyard breeders" who raised about 5 colts a year.  She's a 
great-granddaughter of Prince Plaudit with color and can-do attitude anyone 
would be proud of.  She just isn't (admittedly) very bright; I attribute that 
partly because she was an unbroke brood mare when I bought her when she was 
five.  
     Do you have Appies or any other horses?  I'm admittedly partial to them; 
I love a challenge.  But I have owned several other breeds and the two Appies 
I have now I just kind of fell into; I would've bough both of them if they'd 
been just about any other breed or color.
     Have you heard about the Nez Perce Horse that the tribe is breeding to 
raise themselves up financially?  (Guess there are no Indian casinos in 
Idaho.)
They're half Appaloosa and the other half is something odd - I think Turkish 
Arab or something like that.
--- Maximus/2 3.00
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