The Second Race

I live in an area of Pasadena, CA where there seems to be an overabundance of squirrels. I am situated not far from the San Gabriel Mountains and perhaps through several generations these furry creatures have found their way to living in the old pine trees in our neighborhood. I am a beach girl, as in the "O.C" and I didn't see them growing up.

All this to say that squirrels amuse me. Well maybe not so much, but who would think that this morning one of these scampering rodents would teach me something.

Squirrels need "tools" in order to survive. That got me to thinking much like the squirrel that uses my roof line to travel quickly from tree to tree gathering his food source, using the tree and a rock or other tools at time to crack open the meat of a delicious nut, The Second Race needs tools to sustain itself.

When The Second Race was originally envisioned in 2009, it was to be a national network, a private for profit business. It was not going to be a "rescue" of any sort and it was not going to take in horses (for at least three years into its growth). It was going to help those that already did that work facilitate the growing trend of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blog Posts and Online Communities) to more quickly place horses into new homes. It wasn't going to be a wide net for all horses, but a specific niche that I felt was missing in the market (all race horses and those bred to race would be eligible for assistance). And a there was going to be a tool (that I still don't want to discuss), that would be unlike any of its kind to help those looking for horses find one in need.

The Second Race in 2009 had a 10 year business plan. An online community was created (and still is paid for but never launched). Facebook was utilized to gauge interest and a website was created. Twitter, still in its infancy didn't seem to click with me personally, my thought was it was a bunch of self absorbed people that needed to alert anyone that was just as self obsessed of their every move. I didn't see the value of it three years ago for what we were going to do. (We recently returned to Twitter and use it for specific purposes--but not placing horses).

The funny thing about a business plan, its as good as the time given to make it happen. Its as good as the tools used to implement it and its only as good as the paper its written on. If the squirrel doesn't climb that tree to get to the "fruit" of its labors, its all for not. A business plan, any business for that matter must stay a step ahead of its competition, it must listen to its customers and it must be able to redirect and reinvent itself to stay relevant in a fickle world.

The Second Race answered that need by opening itself up to taking in horses, this was done by a complete leap of faith, that has had its hiccups along the way. Lots of lessons have been learned since that time and continue to be learned. Mistakes made and feelings hurt. Egos run rampant in this industry and we have had our detractors. But we have had solid alliances from the start. The Second Race had to change its path and unfortunately many of the original initiatives and goals have been shelved. The Second Race had to begin the process of becoming a non profit. Not having a large source of income to spare to file our paperwork, I did it myself. As much as I believe I am a bright accomplished person, we can't always do everything and should have used financial resources and legal help. So because I didn't I had to re-do my paperwork several times. In the process of redoing it (our filing) we had grown so much that we re-did our mission, included new board members, and created an advisory board of race horse trainers to assist us. All the while not a non profit, but taking in more horses. We absolutely put the cart before the horse in this case. And as the squirrel knows that he has to store lots and lots of nuts in the ground to sustain him through the winter, our pending non profit status will help us feed itself so that we can go back to using our mental resources in growing The Second Race to the next level. To return to our original intent which was to be a national network to quickly and efficiently help those that help ex-race horses of any breed re-home their horses and move on to helping the next.

That squirrel that I watched this morning scurry from branch to branch with a frenetic but calculated purpose made me remember why I started The Second Race and what will help us succeed for the long haul. We have to have tools in our arsenal, just like the squirrel needs the assistance of the earth, the tree, the nut working in unison, we too need to work in tandem with many sources to help us increase our brand and sustain our dream and mission.

In the first 90 days of 2012 we are going to do what we can to finalize our non profit status, we are going to do everything we can to re-home the horses we currently have under our roof, and then we are going to dust off our original business plan using the tools of the knowledge and experience we have learned in the past 2 1/2 years and we are going to get back to the basics thereby able to replicate ourselves in several ways to help many more horses in 2012 which all along was our goal when we started The Second Race in 2009.

The auctioneer quickly said " $ 1,000, $1,000" over and over again and over and over again I would look up at the large plasma TV screens at the Barrett's January sale and see $ 900 posted as the opening price. $ 900 meant no sale, another pregnant mare that didn't meet the minimum price. Another mare (two actually went through the ring with their foals born just days earlier), with a foal inside of her unwanted. Both born and unborn, deemed not worth the $ 1,000. needed to conclude a sale. Now I know that is probably harsh to say but that was my impression attending my first sale of mares and yearlings.

I had been told to avoid this sale. "It will break your heart Sharla", said my friend Teresa who in years past had come home with some of them, she knew no one would want. The economy has certainly dictated the price of reproduction. The breeders are feeling it, the market is feeling it and California in particular seems to be losing out.

But my thought as I sat on the rail for hour and hour was "what will happen tomorrow to these girls?" Who will care what happens to them? Do they go back to the consignor to find them a home or are they off to another sale? Is an offer outside of the minimum going to come, or will someone come up after hours and offer to take them for free?. The peril that they can find themselves in, stayed with me for several days.

I was contacted by two owners and a consignor to find homes for a yearling and five mares (three were in foal) while on the premises. Within half an hour, I had spoken to my foster in Valley Center that also breeds race horses and asked if she would take the yearling colt in for me. The answer to my surprise was "yes, sure the more the merrier". But by the time I had called back the owner, he said he had just signed the release for him. On one hand I was happy, I really wasn't in the position to take him on, but at the same time, wondered who had taken him. What would happen to him?. He is only a hip number, his name hasn't been registered with the Jockey Club, there is no way to track him that I am aware of. And more importantly, why does that matter so much to me?.

The mares too all found homes before the sun had set on Tuesday. I was surprised and a bit dumbfounded that the mares were placed so quickly, when no one offered even $ 1,000 for them in the ring. I don't want to believe that anything untoward would happen to them. I know one the consignors personally, and know how much they care and how hard they work to track their own breeding/racing stock. I heard her wistfully say " I hope I found them good homes". Time isn't on the side of these mares during the aftermath of a poor sale. At least that was the feeling I left with. In fact I left early because I sensed that I would be burdened with finding even more homes. In fact a prominent trainer said "Hey Sharla, how many horses have you been given"?

I went home that night and realized that in this economy there is an under served market in rescue/retirement for broodmares. I am aware of Our Mims in Ohio, and one in California that is trying to re-open, but pretty much beyond those two that came to mind, who takes in these mares as their mission statement?

While at the sale I heard the people giving their opinions on the different mares being offered; "I won't buy a mare that hasn't earned $ 100,000 on track", " I won't buy a mare after her third or fourth foal-- the womb isn't as strong", " I wouldn't buy a mare from that line ever", " It never makes sense to buy a mare who is going to deliver late in Spring, means I don't have time to cover her and she would be open for a year". On and On....I know it's a business, and I understand pre-conceived ideas in purchasing your mares, but it seemed that many where already off the radar hearing the comments around me before entering the ring.

The yearlings fair somewhat better, those that do not sell. An owner, farm or consignor can take them back, turn them out in the paddock allow them to continue to grow and develop and try again. But the mares, the dear mares, the ones that like all women everywhere are needed to perpetuate "the race", are tossed aside, devalued and left alone. So sad.

The Second Race will find a way to help some of these mares out next year and every year hereafter. I will have a trailer, stalls and future homes for the mares and yearlings that I know will become available before I arrive. It's the only way I know of to help those that won't meet the reserves, won't measure up and won't be wanted after the auctioneer says "$ 1,000"?