|
|
Member
Posts: 36
Location: Austin, Texas | In November of 2013 Ms. Juli S Thorson, editor of Horse and Rider Magazine wrote an editorial titled Income Inequality . It was an excellent editorial that posed some interesting questions and some really interesting facts about wealth and horses. She asks the questions: How else will this new level of income inequality play out and affect the horse world, now and years to come? What evidence are you seeing yet, if any, of the phenomenon at work? And what do you think it means for you and your horses?
Between 2009 and 2012, income of the top 1 % of Americans grew by 31.4%, yet for the bottom 99% of Americans, income only grew 0.4%. In 2012, the top 10% of earners ( those earning $114,000 or more) took home more than half the country's total income.
I think each and every one of us that attends big barrel races with lots of added money we see income inequality at its best. It is front and center at every big barrel race in Texas. I think we can all name at least 20 kids from just the last 10 years whose parents go out and buy horses that cost more that the top 10% of earners mentioned above.
Ms. Thorson also points out in the editorial that the income inequality issue arose many many years ago in the horse show world. Many show-group rulebooks, to this day, include a dictum that silver show equipment may not be counted over unadorned gear. This was one of the first things to be decided for the good of the order, way back when Western horse shows were a relatively new activity. A display of wealth was not to count over demonstration of skill and talent.
I agree with Ms. Thorson that income inequality is just one of those facts of life from which the horse world isn't immune. |
|
| |
|
 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
   
Location: In the Hills of Texas | We sure have seen a lot of people go out of the horse business and others sizing down drastically. 10 years ago, I could feed 3 horses for what it cost me to feed one today.
Edited by Nevertooold 2014-09-05 5:39 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I have very expensive 1D horses that we bought for our girls. They no longer ride so I started riding them. I can't ride worth cr@p so we are in the 3D locally. My friend bought a $3500 horse off craigslist and ran a 17.3 on a standard. My friends 9 year old ran a 17.1 on a 6 year old that her mother bought relatively inexpensively and trained herself. My point is if you have talent in the barrel racing industry you don't always have to buy the best horses out there, you can make them, then sell them for big bucks for parents to mount their kids :). Yes, there will always be wealthy parents who can mount their kids to win but there is also more talent out there winning then just money getting the job done. I also don't discount what it takes to ride and win on those top horses. Income inequality is an issue for our country but if you are blessed to be able to afford the care and upkeep of horses I think you are doing OK and shouldn't worry about the price of other peoples horses. Horses are a luxury no matter what the purchase price.
Edited by rodeomom3 2014-09-04 6:52 PM
|
|
| |
|
Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I'm a capitalist. If you are finding ways to make money and can afford those expensive horses, then more power to you. I certainly can't, but I still found my dream horse and my sister's proven 1D horse for well under $10k. I'm not going to begrudge someone for being successful despite the horrible economy satan aka obama has given us. |
|
| |
|
 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | cpo61 - 2014-09-04 5:44 PM In November of 2013 Ms. Juli S Thorson, editor of Horse and Rider Magazine wrote an editorial titled Income Inequality . It was an excellent editorial that posed some interesting questions and some really interesting facts about wealth and horses. She asks the questions: How else will this new level of income inequality play out and affect the horse world, now and years to come? What evidence are you seeing yet, if any, of the phenomenon at work? And what do you think it means for you and your horses?
Between 2009 and 2012, income of the top 1 % of Americans grew by 31.4%, yet for the bottom 99% of Americans, income only grew 0.4%. In 2012, the top 10% of earners ( those earning $114,000 or more) took home more than half the country's total income.
I think each and every one of us that attends big barrel races with lots of added money we see income inequality at its best. It is front and center at every big barrel race in Texas. I think we can all name at least 20 kids from just the last 10 years whose parents go out and buy horses that cost more that the top 10% of earners mentioned above.
Ms. Thorson also points out in the editorial that the income inequality issue arose many many years ago in the horse show world. Many show-group rulebooks, to this day, include a dictum that silver show equipment may not be counted over unadorned gear. This was one of the first things to be decided for the good of the order, way back when Western horse shows were a relatively new activity. A display of wealth was not to count over demonstration of skill and talent.
I agree with Ms. Thorson that income inequality is just one of those facts of life from which the horse world isn't immune. Maybe I am the only one who feels this way, but who really cares? I would drive myself batty if I worried about what everyone else spends on thier horses.
I'm happy if I have all my horses in the trailer and the correct children in the truck when I leave the track or arena. Dang kids get so dirty I can't tell 'em apart, who has time to worry about what everyone else does, lol.
Edited by Barnmom 2014-09-04 7:33 PM
|
|
| |
|
Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| its not mybusiness who spends what |
|
| |
|
 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | There will always be people who have and those who don't
. Me, I wish more people would just learn to sit a horse better. |
|
| |
|
 Baby Blue's
Posts: 7306
Location: Texas | Tough sh/it is what I say. Maybe if parents pushed half as much for the future success of their childrens' careers and a little less on the bs extracurricular activities (yes, barrel racing included but also sports, dance, etc), the income gap wouldn't be quite as large. Can you imagine? I mean, as a parent, how much money, time, effort, and emotion go into stuff that at the end of the day, isn't what should be the focus.
For instance, people in my town are psychotic about baseball. Their children play year-round (starting at age 6/7), have private lessons to the tune of AT LEAST $100/wk in addition to the other expenses, and every weekend are tournaments. EVERY WEEKEND. By age 12, 70% of those kids won't be playing and by age 27, one or two of them may be on an evening softball team. I'm not saying cut it out - those things are what being a kid is about - but jeez. People need to get a flipping grip. |
|
| |
|
I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | When I was a kid I had the $100 ugly horse with the $50 busted saddle. All the people with the 90k horses and 5k saddles would turn their nose up high and make nasty comments. Now I am 40 and have worked hard for the expensive horse and custom saddle and nice rig but I still get the ugly comments but now the ugly comments are about me buying the ability to win. fancy doesn't make you ride better and cheap doesn't make you ride worse. Really all that matters is how you feel and how much fun you have. People will see other people the way they want to see them it doesn't matter how much or how little someone has!!!!! |
|
| |
|
 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | This thread illustrates the typical mindset of the progressives who are striving to convert this great capitalist society into a socialist utopia. This kind of thinking is what started the Bolshevik Revolution.
To the OP: what are you suggesting? What's your solution? |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1561
| If you cant see we have a problem now that needs to get ironed out one way or another then I think you're being disingenuous, a 4 year degree doesnt mean shit anymore and im truly concerned about the future. While I dont believe in wealth distribution at all, but allowing illegals to come in here and push down the wages of plumbers and electricians then seeing CEOs making record profits is disgusting.
I like the people that ruin a nice high caliber horse then pull another LG branded horse out of the trailer a couple weeks later and pretty much repeat the cycle. When will people learn its more in the training and not the papers? |
|
| |
|
BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Itsme - 2014-09-05 9:30 AM If you cant see we have a problem now that needs to get ironed out one way or another then I think you're being disingenuous, a 4 year degree doesnt mean shit anymore and im truly concerned about the future. While I dont believe in wealth distribution at all, but allowing illegals to come in here and push down the wages of plumbers and electricians then seeing CEOs making record profits is disgusting. I like the people that ruin a nice high caliber horse then pull another LG branded horse out of the trailer a couple weeks later and pretty much repeat the cycle. When will people learn its more in the training and not the papers?
Not many people disgree with your sentiments regarding illegals.
What do you suggest should be done about those disgusting record profits those CEOs are making? Should their salaries be capped?
Have you asked yourself why CEOs make so much money?
It's easy to say what you did about CEOS....again, I ask, what's your solution? |
|
| |
|
 Ima Fickle Fan
Posts: 3547
Location: Texas | Just because you can buy it, doesn't mean you can ride it. If people have the money to buy it, they usually lack the time to make it. I will never own a high dollar horse, but I don't know that I'll ever be a good enough rider to stay aboard a 1D horse.
As for illegals pushing the wages down of plumbers, etc., I'm going to call BS on that. You have to be licensed to be a plumber, electrician, etc. And anymore, a 4-year degree can help you get your foot in the door. What you do with it is up to the individual. Success isn't determined by a diploma on a wall or years spent in school. Sure a degree may help, but it isn't the end-all, be-all that allows a person to generate wealth. |
|
| |
|
Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | This thought just came to me - why do we want everyone equal?
Explain that one OP?
|
|
| |
|
Baby Blue's
Posts: 7306
Location: Texas | Itsme - 2014-09-05 9:30 AM If you cant see we have a problem now that needs to get ironed out one way or another then I think you're being disingenuous, a 4 year degree doesnt mean shit anymore and im truly concerned about the future. While I dont believe in wealth distribution at all, but allowing illegals to come in here and push down the wages of plumbers and electricians then seeing CEOs making record profits is disgusting. I like the people that ruin a nice high caliber horse then pull another LG branded horse out of the trailer a couple weeks later and pretty much repeat the cycle. When will people learn its more in the training and not the papers?
A four year degree never meant shit. Nobody ever graduated and was handed a job and if they were, tough. Life's not fair.
I know I pay my plumber and electrician a pretty penny. I just moved into a new house in June and had several contractors doing various things - clearing land, building fences, surveyors, appraisers, etc, etc. Not ONE (ONE!) of them performed to par. They were all white (not that I hired them b/c of that, just ended up that way). People can wallow in the self-pity from illegals but here (and I'm in Houston so there aren't many places with more), the people that WANT to work, make damn good money. I'm tired of people that whine but don't actually do anything constructive to make the situation better.
And CEO's - who cares what they make? Do you know what they do? What they bring to the table? What about the already rich that invest well and make more money in a day than most people will see in 10 years? We didn't bring those people up. That's not fair either, right?
What I think is outrageous are those skinny, model women that can eat Cheetos everyday and not gain an ounce. Now that, my dear, is not fair.
|
|
| |
|
BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Those wealthy people and those CEOs are what drives the economy in this country to a large extent. Everyone has the potential opportunity to work hard, be imaginative, take risks, and succeed in this country. Few actually reach that pinnacle of success, but it is possible. That's what equality of opportunity in America has to offer, more than any other country on earth.
Class warfare and envy is an insidious process and we can become consumed by it.....even in something as insignificant as barrel racing (in the grand scheme of things).
|
|
| |
|
 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | HotbearLVR - 2014-09-05 9:43 AM Itsme - 2014-09-05 9:30 AM If you cant see we have a problem now that needs to get ironed out one way or another then I think you're being disingenuous, a 4 year degree doesnt mean shit anymore and im truly concerned about the future. While I dont believe in wealth distribution at all, but allowing illegals to come in here and push down the wages of plumbers and electricians then seeing CEOs making record profits is disgusting. I like the people that ruin a nice high caliber horse then pull another LG branded horse out of the trailer a couple weeks later and pretty much repeat the cycle. When will people learn its more in the training and not the papers? Not many people disgree with your sentiments regarding illegals.
What do you suggest should be done about those disgusting record profits those CEOs are making? Should their salaries be capped?
Have you asked yourself why CEOs make so much money?
It's easy to say what you did about CEOS....again, I ask, what's your solution?
HAHA-SPREAD THE WEALTH DOWN TO THE MEASELEY MANAGERS!! |
|
| |
|
BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | LMS - 2014-09-05 10:14 AM HotbearLVR - 2014-09-05 9:43 AM Itsme - 2014-09-05 9:30 AM If you cant see we have a problem now that needs to get ironed out one way or another then I think you're being disingenuous, a 4 year degree doesnt mean shit anymore and im truly concerned about the future. While I dont believe in wealth distribution at all, but allowing illegals to come in here and push down the wages of plumbers and electricians then seeing CEOs making record profits is disgusting. I like the people that ruin a nice high caliber horse then pull another LG branded horse out of the trailer a couple weeks later and pretty much repeat the cycle. When will people learn its more in the training and not the papers? Not many people disgree with your sentiments regarding illegals.
What do you suggest should be done about those disgusting record profits those CEOs are making? Should their salaries be capped?
Have you asked yourself why CEOs make so much money?
It's easy to say what you did about CEOS....again, I ask, what's your solution? HAHA-SPREAD THE WEALTH DOWN TO THE MEASELEY MANAGERS!!
Bingo....there you go! Spread the wealth. I think the Obamunists refer to that as "social justice". For those who deem this approach attractive, I say be careful....you just might get what you asked for. |
|
| |
|
 Saint Stacey
| I just love this new term "Income Inequality". Maybe we should talk about work ethic inequality or how about work load inequality? Sorry but there is no such thing as "equal". We are all born into a different set of circumstances. You deal with the life you have and YOU change it if it isn't working. Why should someone that's a slacker with zero work ethic make the same as someone that focuses on the job and gets it done in half the time? If someone can afford a $100,000 horse, then good for them. That isn't my circumstance so we will just have to outrun that $100,000 horse on the little homebred my daughter made. Oh wait...guess we are already there, lol! |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| What I think is outrageous are those skinny, model women that can eat Cheetos everyday and not gain an ounce. Now that, my dear, is not fair.
Just had to say this made me chuckle!! |
|
| |
Folks on-line