Dave tells everybody that I’ve been promoted to “colonel,” whatever that is.

Anyway it seems my job of guarding is about the same.

What Dave says is that I don’t make faces at other humans or dogs like I used to.

After the last things I told Dave to write about in the last newsletter there were some humans who talked to Dave on the phone thing….(trust me, I have no idea how to use it). They wanted me to get my pals and go bite a bad human.

Because I can’t seem to understand human thoughts on the phone there really wasn’t much I could do. Besides, running more than the length of my property is not my idea of a good time.

However, sometimes I get thoughts from other dogs, (I suppose), who are way far away…(Maybe they can go bite the bad human if I thought about it hard enough).

…are on the upswing here at NAES and I am concerned about a growing number of horse owners who are looking for a more than optimistic assessment of the horse.

Thinking the appraiser can get you out of a financial pickle by “just inflating the valuation” is asking for trouble.

Remember, folks that the appraiser is the one who signs page two of the IRS’s Form 8283 “certifying” that the value is correct.

I now require a veterinarian’s statement as to soundness and that date establishes the effective appraisal date.

The appraiser does NOT want to be on the receiving end of government scrutiny owing to inflated prices.

The pressure seems to be mounting in varied horse sale areas to actually inform the buyer about the horse being bought.

Jess Jackson, of Kendal-Jackson Winery fame, has even been to Capitol Hill attempting to inform Congress about the weak information process in the sale of race horses.

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, (TOBA), even has very good material designed for the first time horse buyer.

Kentucky’s interest in making sure that an agent works for either buyer or seller, not both, is not altogether altruistic since bad press about shoddy sales practices was not good PR for the state’s huge horse business.

It is no excuse by the owner to claim that the actions by their vet were taken independent of feedback by you.

How maddening it is to read about vets that knowingly perform illegal tail blocks in Quarter horses or nerve a slightly sore performance horse knowing full well that its going to show in FEI competition, (where neurectomies are strictly prohibited).

Always make sure your vet has absolutely the latest vet guides relating to any association in which you show…its your responsibility but realistically his or hers to know the association rules. Mistakes in this area can mess up a very good show horse.

I’m often told of veterinarians who question the prospective buyer about the purchase price including questions on intended use during the pre-purchase exam of the subject horse.

With all due respect to the veterinary practice, it is really the job of the buyer’s trainer to determine the suitability of the subject horse; not the veterinarian’s.

Perhaps if the veterinarian has a considerable background in the horse’s intended job, (such as a jumper, dressage or reining horse), then the questioning may be interesting but still is unwelcome.

However, it IS the trainer’s job to assess the horse/rider combination and the vet’s job to evaluate only health issues and point them out to the buyer and their trainer.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, (AAEP), in fact, states that the vet neither “pass” nor “fail” the horse, since suits have been filed against vets with either opinion.

The AAEP states that the pre-purchase exam represents a “snapshot” of the horse’s health. The vet counts on a truthful and complete disclosure of vet records by the previous owner and then couples such results with their current examination.

Dave started NAES more than 10 years ago with an eye to making sure all horse owners and those interested in horses could depend on NAES for the straight scoop on horses and prices.

In addition, Dave is one of the busiest horse activity experts in North America.