$4.25 DIESEL

$3.75 UNLEADED....GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.....

IS THIS GOING TO KEEP YOU HOME MORE THIS SUMMER ???...DO MORE AROUND THE HOMESTEAD .....

ARE YOU GOING TO GO TO AS MANY SHOWS AS YOU HAVE IN THE PAST ???

DOING A QUICK SURVEY HERE....I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR EVERYONE'S INPUT ON THIS PLEASE.....

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE !!!!

 We are NOT in a recession.......

However, I am not going to large class A arabian shows. It would be a 4 hour haul and just isn't fun when I wonder how I am going to pay for it. So we are going to local open shows pretty much every weekend which is ok with me- they are less expensive, gives me a chance to see where the horses are training wise and I spend less time traveling. I just got back from a local show- it was huge, incredible numbers-410 enteries on saturday. Remember, we are not in a population dense area either. People came out to show- this is what we spend our winters and money wanting to do. I overheard people saying they are going to show, just close to home.

There will come a time fuels prices will ease up and start coming down, in fact, many experts in the oil markets are predicting just that towards the end of the year. BTW- there are record crowds at the Disney theme parks both in Orlando, and out in Los Angeles. hmmmm.......

Anyway- start complaining to your congressmen- we need MORE oil from this country- stop banning oil drilling,start bulding refineries....

1 Recession-A decline in economic activity (GDP) that persists for at least two quarters

That has not happened. Despite the energy prices and mortage loan crisis, the GNP in the last two quaters have grown 1.6 and 1.7%. Weak by most stands, pretty good all thing considered.

The ecomony isn't great but it could be alot worse if we get a president in office who thinks the problem is we don't pay enough taxes or we aren't regulated  enough ( IE liberals or gutless republicans)

Here is some good news-

(AP) The Labor Department says the number of workers filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell sharply last week. New claims totaled 365,000, which is a drop of 18,000 from the previous week.
(AP) Some retailers saw a bit of sales relief last month, capping several months of dismal sales. Consumers were focusing on discounters and wholesale clubs, still shying away from stores selling clothes.
(AP) Stocks are mounting a tentative recovery effort after yesterday's 206-point drop in the Dow. The key averages have been higher since the opening bell.

In the past, I never thought twice about loading up on a Saturday to drive 1 1/2 hours to trail ride for the day, but a few weeks ago, I did that and it cost me $90 in gas.  I drove 2 hours, rode for 3 hours, and drove home and burned through a full tank of gas.  Nope, I won't do that again.  It's still eating at me that I wasted that much money on a 3 hour ride.  I'm getting to know my farming neighbors real well and have started riding around home on their land for some variety. 

I drive 7 hours south into Missouri to attend the CCTR in Eminence in October and will do whatever it takes to afford the gas to get there.   

As Alan Greenspan said...IF IT WALKS LIKE A DUCK...

Call it what ever you want.

Housing prices have seen the greatest  reversal in the last 12 months since the Great depression.

Building Permits are off 40% from March 2007.  Which was off from March 2006.

Every bank has an inventory of homes they have foreclosed on. They are short selling those homes at 60-70% of their cost to build.

The price of materials to build a home have continued to increase.  Steel alone jumped a total of 40%  since February. ANYTHING tied to crude oil has increased in price. ( Plastics for carpet fibers or plumbing pipe, asphalt, shingles, tar paper).  I build a home and then have to sell it for $30,000 less than it cost me to build it. Or else eat the interest if I sit on it.

Since you can't sell a home today, there is no new work. So all the construction industry is on minimal hours. I get calls daily from crews looking for work.

When the recovery comes, I will have many many fewer competitors as they folded.

Past years, I didn't think twice about loading up the horse and driving a couple of hours to ride a new trail. I bought a new horse trailer and new equipement the last few years. Spent money. I'll do none of that this year. I'll make do with what I have.

I love to ride.  I will continue to ride (trail ride, I don't show) because riding makes me the happiest.  I just won't do other things, like eat out or shop as much.   My old tack will have to get me by for a few more years instead of buying that new set of biothane gear that I want.  I'll just cut costs in other places, but my riding schedule will stay the same, if not be MORE rides because of my new trailer.  Heck, if I'm paying for the truck, trailer, and horses.  I'm USING THEM!!!

Amanda

I am actually going to more shows this year since I have a yearling filly worth showing.  Have alot already invested in training, so still moving forward.

I do believe these fuel prices will be spreading the gap between the haves and have nots. 

I also believe the stupid bio fuel thing is going to make food prices (anything that uses corn), and hay prices sky rocket.  I am seein'g ALOT of farmers that normally have hay tilling up their fields and planting corn now.

I am staing out of the politics discussion, I just agree to disagree and keep my thoughts to myself, doesn't do anything but garner high bloodpressure...lol..

Read your post to yourself a couple or three time out loud!!...

the stupid bio fuel thing ....the stupid bio fuel thing ......and keep my thoughts to myself.....and keep my thoughts to myself ...the stupid bio fuel thing ....the stupid bio fuel thing ......and keep my thoughts to myself.....and keep my thoughts to myself, LOL!!!

I am about to leave to pick up a dressage horse in training and it will cost me about $135 in diesel to make the trip.  So, I'm taking two lessons on her and staying in the trailer overnight.  I had already decided to NOT do recognized shows this year for a variety of reasons but I thought I would be going and doing more.  Well, I am still riding, but at home or really close by.  Paul, I'm lucky that I already had my scores, but I don't really think it's going to be much of a problem with the changes from the first couple of drafts.  Our problem is going to be that shows become more "inbred" and you don't compete against people that are staying closer to home.  It's sort of hard to get a good perspective on your riding or training that way. 

I for one am not able to do much this year.  Had high hopes of doing some camping and showing, but I cant even afford to drive to work, home and to the farm and keep 2 places up.  I guess my horses might be glad, but I sure would rather be riding somewhere beautiful than looking at them in the pasture.  Dont y'all know not to argue with farmbabe by now.  Geez. 

So are you a Silver or Gold Medalist in the USDF?

Well, this is where we'll be this coming weekend...

http://www.neda.org/Education-SpringFling.html

We are lucky in that are Region 8 is real small...

Region 8 States: Connecticut; Maine; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New York; Rhode Island; Vermont

and we also are involved with Region 1 States: Delaware; Maryland; New Jersey; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Virginia; East West Virginia; Washington, DC

Finally, In our case...we have DEVON in SEP...with plenty of USEF quality competitors...