The Thoroughbred business is always a challenge, but
in a tough economy, it’s even more important to make sound decisions that protect your investments. This is not the time to be cutting costs by eliminating the
experts who provide advice to keep you from making stupid mistakes. Use your advisors: trainers,
bloodstock agents, pedigree consultants, farm managers, veterinarians, blacksmiths, nutritionists and whoever else has expertise in their respective fields
that you do not.  

In pedigree consultancy, don't confuse expertise with
the ability to look up a "nick rating" on the internet.  
In my opinion, the recent war of the nick ratings has done more to damage the field of pedigree study than anything in recent memory. A good advisor knows
that nicks are just a part of the equation, and not the answer. A good advisor knows that pedigree and conformation are inextricably linked, and has a solid understanding of both as it applies to the horse standing in front of them. A good advisor doesn't baffle you
with pedigree mythologies that have no basis in reality. A good advisor considers your goals, your budget,
and your preferences, and will work within your parameters or recommend when they need to be realistically revised. A good advisor of any kind is
honest and objective.

A good bloodstock agent or trainer with an eye for a horse is a wonderful thing, but don't presume because your agent bought you a great-looking yearling that they possess all the tools to provide you with appropriate mating advice for your mares and stallions. I've dealt with agents that are so territorial about their client base that they won't recommend an outside pedigree consultant to cover the gaps in their own knowledge.

It's important to realize that breeding Thoroughbreds is an exercise in genetics - knowledge of the gene pool and how the traits are passed on. We are breeding racehorses, which means we are breeding for performance, inspecting the best runners and sires will quickly show you that perfect conformation is not a requirement for excellence. With all the factors that need to be weighed and balanced, Thoroughbred breeding is as much an art as a science; an intellectual exercise at its best and a crap shoot at its worst.