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What Matters? "Hope-Foal-Ness" Matters.

"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring."--Bernard Williams 

No matter where you live, you have probably started to enjoy a few warmer afternoons, longer days, birds welcoming the morn with their songs, and the first of our foals hitting the ground. These are the beginnings of spring, earth's warm welcome to the perpetual season of new beginnings.  

Every spring, we see the hopes of people, businesses, and our future carried by four long and wobbly legs. From the minute a foal is welcomed into the world, they are the culmination of exceptional care and planning that embody a breeder's aspirations for their legacy. As we read, in the American Saddlebred Registry's “Bits & Pieces: What are the Numbers Telling Us?”, the past ten years has been one of significant changes for our breeders.  

In those ten years, we have seen our primary breeding operations change, diversify and disband. We have witnessed veterinary medicine make monumental advancements that have created a reproductive playing field like never before. We have seen new incentive programs developed to encourage breeding and options for American Saddlebreds. With all of these, one thing we have seen remain the same is the hopefulness for a brighter future for the breed and the people that love them.  

So why does “hope- foal-ness” matter? Our breeding programs whether they produce one foal or fifty foals a year matter. Those hopes and dreams that motivate breeders to get up early and stay up late to see the remarkable birth of a foal come to fruition matter. These efforts to breed and raise American Saddlebred foals are essential to passing on the hopefulness to the life of a new owner, career of a trainer, and legacy of a bloodline. 

It matters that our members know about the First Time Breeders, Futurity, Sweepstakes, Sport Horse & My Meadows Programs. It matters that when we have people buying and selling young horses, they educate themselves and others on keeping these horses nominated and eligible for the profitable prize programs. It matters that members know of the opportunities these prize programs offer in the performance, pleasure, and hunter country pleasure divisions for young horses. It matters that we recognize all disciplines and collaborate with our sister affiliates to provide award programs for sport horses, endurance horses, and half-saddlebreds. It matters that these foals have a place to grow up and be competitive, useful, and valued in any division, or discipline.  It matters for the future of the American Saddlebred. 

As we celebrate the arrival of spring and the beautiful foals, take a second and look past the literal things of sunshine and cute babies and look at what that new life represents, the welcoming of fresh opportunity, dreams, and hopes for the future.  It is from the seeds of hopefulness that the potential for a Saddlebred Strong future grows and gives us all the chance to chase our #asbdreams. 

If you are the proud breeder or caretaker of one of the many adorable American Saddlebred foals, we are welcoming into the world in 2020 to join the ASHA in our upcoming celebration of Foal Fridays and submit your photos and videos to [email protected] today!