Bridleless riding

Here, Cathy's post: Broke horses

I hate the word 'broke'. Your job shouldn't be to 'break' a horse or even to 'train' a horse. This isn't a dog or a monkey that you 'train' to do tricks - if you are riding a horse, your goal should be to develop said horse into a balanced individual (who is calmer/braver/smarter) and to establish a working partnership with them. One in which they have a say as well*, not where they are simply trained to execute certain maneuvers or respond to specific cues 'because you said so'. No one should ever be 'breaking' a horse - the horse should do what you ask of them because they want to, not because you 'broke' them down into doing so.

So when someone says that the roping horse in question, featured on Cathy's blog, is 'broke', I squirm a little. I hope not! I hope the horse is simply so in tune with the rider and that they have such a solid partnership, that they can work bridleless, but not because the horse is trained to robotically do as its rider asks. It is the difference between seeing a 'push-button' horse being piloted around a course by its rider who is simply 'pushing buttons', and a horse who is responding as it should - according to its rider.

I will start off by saying that I am neither a 'snaffle only' person. However I do not believe in using bits for control. Let me extend upon what Cathy said in her blog and ask you if you can take everything off your horse. OTTB or not (btw, they are not as 'psychotic' as people portray them!). If you took everything off your horse's face, what would he or she do?

I am even going to be as bold as to say that if you can't ride your horse bridleless, that you can strive for better - good, better, best, never let it rest. The rider should be continuously striving for better.

Bridleless riding is not some sort of trick, nor is it the result of 'breaking' a horse. It is the result of a strong partnership and intimate communication between horse and rider. Horse and rider are in tune with one another. Or rather, this is what it should be! When it is just a 'trick', the result of a push-button horse, it can easily fall apart, yet when it is the result of a partnership, you can take and apply that partnership to all aspects of your riding, of your work with that horse! Your trail horse is not spooky and your show jumper is not refusing jumps. Your horse is following your leadership. Your dressage horse is relaxed and has that swinging back...it all falls together as a result of that partnership. There is a balance of trust and respect, and both horse and rider move together as one. How many upper level show jumpers do you see struggling to get their horses under control before the next jump or combination? How many times do you see these horses take down a rail as a result of this tumultuous relationship between horse and rider? Would it not be so much better if the rider developed the horse in such a way where their partnership were harmonious? Where horse and rider worked together with the horse respecting and trusting the rider's leadership in full?

So don't just downgrade bits, get down to the simplest bit or hackamore (ie, a flexible rope hackamore or bitless bridle, not a mechanical hackamore or a bosal) you possibly can control your horse in. Rather than focusing on specialization - jumping, dressage, reining, cutting... focus on the foundation. Foundation before specialization. Get control without having to use a bit (use the bit or hackamore as a safety net only), then work your way up through the bits for refinement!** You should be able to halt or slow your horse, or move it up into a higher gait, using only your seat. You should be able to have your horse change direction simply by using your legs and seat and torso. You should have full control without relying on your equipment. Only then should you be using a snaffle for bending and lateral work, and a curb/leverage bit for subtler communication and straightness. The result will be a more relaxed horse you are not fighting for control over, with whom your work is harmonious and enjoyable. The ultimate test will be when you can ride your horse at complete liberty. The ultimate result will be greater success in your discipline because your horse is fully working WITH you.


*You'd be amazed at what can happen when you actually allow a horse a say in what you do, rather than fighting them to do what you want them to do. When you allow them a say, they start to want to do what you ask, what you want, and they start offering up suggestions and questions. Horses can certainly enjoy being ridden - using themselves athletically, partaking in particular activities (jumping, dressage, cutting, reining), and working in partnership with their rider. The proof? Well, if you take everything off that horse's head and he still sticks with you and does what you ask, willingly and happily no matter what you ask, isn't that proof right there?

**By refinement, I mean subtler aids and more intimate communication between you and your horse. That means that while perhaps in a snaffle you had to open or close your hand, in a curb you might only have to wiggle a finger. Or that in a spade bit, you only have to 'breathe' over the rein. If you use your bits in such a way, you understand what I mean. You put that curb bit in for the first time and wow, you can communicate so much, detail-wise, to your horse! It's so subtle and so refined. So much potential accompanies this subtle communication.

How to create a frame

I see this question a lot: how do I get my horse to round it's back, lower its head, and work from behind? Actually, a great deal of the time people forget to ask the latter ("and work from behind"), not realising that it is not about the head but rather about the hind - that the head will follow the hind naturally and that the head really does not have to be 'played' with.

To start off, I highly recommend the following for your own further research into collection - how it is achieved, why it is achieved, and the involved biomechanics of the horse:

Sustainable Dressage - this blog contains a wealth of information I have yet to fully tap into thanks to the absolute overwhelming multitude of information presented!

Tug of War: Classical Versus "Modern" Dressage by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann - it is extremely enlightening and reveals a great deal of knowledge of collection via understanding the biomechanics of the horse. This is a vital part of any horseman's library.

Progressive School Exercises for Dressage & Jumping by Islay Auty BA, FBHS - this is just another of those simple books that contains a great deal of progressive exercises, but it is encompassed of exactly the types of exercises and patters that I use and recommend when teaching the horse collection.

In my opinion, I believe the comprehension of 'correct' collection (developing one's eye), the biomechanics of the horse, and how to achieve 'natural' collection are of the utmost importance to any rider/trainer/horse owner, regardless of the discipline. Regardless of discipline, it pays to teach our horses to use themselves efficiently. Firstly, such benefits a horse in relation to their soundness. Horses are not made to carry the weight of a rider and teaching them to carry themselves in an efficient and correct manner ensures they may carry the weight of a rider with little or no detriment to them physically. Second, teaching a horse to use itself in a correct and efficient manner better enables them to succeed in their chosen discipline. The cow horse, cutter, or reiner, benefit from collection in that they are balanced. With their weight shifted off of their front and onto the haunches, they may better be able to - with a freer front end - thrust forward into a gallop and slide into a stop or change direction rapidly. The jumper with its weight shifted onto its hind will have better propulsion over jumps, better scope, and better form.

The method(s) many riders are taught neglects taking into account the whole horse, the bigger picture, and instead focuses on individual physical aspects. Particularly, riders will almost obsessively focus on the head and on teaching it to drop, often via use of a martingale or draw reins or by bumping or see-sawing on the horse's mouth. There are many variations to this but ultimately a false frame is created whereby the horse is not fully engaged from behind. In lieu of the aforementioned, the rider needs to focus on the HAUNCHES. As the haunches are developed and the horse increasingly engages, the back rounds and lifts, the front end lightens, the horse raises its neck from its base, and the head drops into place according to the horse's level of training and strength.

The focus in developing true and correct collection in the horse should be on encouraging the horse to carry himself efficiently, by his own means - classically. This means patterns and exercises where the hands are light and guiding and the legs are quiet, that essentially 'enlighten' the horse as to what to do, but do not directly tell or force the horse into a particular frame. In this fashion, they only 'frame-up' as per their current training level and strength and their frame is one that includes relaxation. Furthermore, their frame is 'correct' and efficient. In such a way, the horse will simply 'come together' naturally, with guidance and refinement from the rider: the horse will start tracking up and loading bent hocks, tipping his pelvis. He will commence lifting his back, and his head will come down and he will reach forward to actively seek the bit. The rider's seat should be balanced and independent with no pushing so hard that the rider is leaned way back (as is often seen) and there should be no pulling back or holding of the horse's mouth. The hand closes as appropriate, and opens as appropriate, without moving. In such a way, the energy may be channeled and recycled through the horse - without actually creating or damming the flow through aids; the flow is already established by the horse and is simply guided through their body.

This is also where the Dressage Training Scale is vital, regardless of your discipline. Dressage is a foundation and regardless of your discipline, a strong foundation is a strong foundation - dressage offers that possibility for a strong foundation that will enable success in any direction later. The Training Scale is as follows:
1. Rhythm
2. Suppleness
3. Contact
4. Impulsion
5. Straightness
6. Collection
It is a progressive 'ladder' that is designed to be applied in that specific order, albeit each step will feed into and build off other steps. Place those six building blocks into a pyramid with collection at the top and rhythm at the bottom, you can begin to see how it is progressive and how each 'block' builds upon another. Keep in mind too that to have rhythm and suppleness, one requires relaxation. Thus one of the first goals in developing the horse should be to develop relaxation.

Relaxation is required for rhythm - the tense horse will be constantly increasing and decreasing its rhythm and tempo. To achieve such rhythm and relaxation, the horse must be both mentally and emotionally relaxed, which will then automatically reflect in a physical sense (barring any physical issues).

Once rhythm is established, we also find suppleness - the looseness and flexibility of the horse. Suppleness is comprised of both lateral and longitudinal components: lateral being sideways and bend along a circle (such as in the ribs), and longitudinal being along the horse's length from jaw to tail.

With suppleness achieved, the horse begins to seek contact. Where before the horse is expected to accept contact (ie, not evade the rider's hands), the horse who increasingly engages from behind and is relaxed and supple will start to actually seek the bit and chew it from the rider's hands with further progression of the training scale. This also requires a very forward thinking horse, hence the importance of developing and encouraging forward in the horse from the very start.

With contact we can begin to refine what we have and establish further impulsion, where the horse steps under himself further (engages) and sends power through the hind end to the rider's hand and to his front end (which lifts). Impulsion appears as a forward moving horse who is loose and supple; the hocks are engaged and bent (loaded) as well as far-reaching beneath the horse's barrel. This is achieved through willingness on the horse's part and not through constant nagging on the part of the rider. Impulsion should be thought of as THRUST. With thrust, the horse will increasingly seek the rider's hand - contact.

With the requirements of 1-4, straightness is mostly achieved naturally and ultimately is when the hind hoof steps in the line of the fore hoof (in collection though the hind may step slightly to the inside, but not to the outside, which would indicate the horse is traveling with its hindquarters in on the circle = crookedness). Straightness is achieved when the horse is supple and conditioned equally laterally (both sides are equally loose and strong).

With all preceding five building blocks established, we naturally achieve our golden goal of collection - it is not made or forced, but rather is the ultimate and simple result of the building blocks of the pyramid. The horse reaches further under but by engaging the hocks actually takes shorter steps and compresses its frame. The pelvis tilts and the croup drops, and the forehand lightens so that the horse appears to be traveling 'uphill'. Since collection is not made, the rider should ultimately be able to, on a fully and 'correctly' collected horse, be able to drop all communication with the horse (legs and hands), and the horse still finish the movement. This test is the result of the horse initiating collection and carrying itself; the rider is not creating the collection nor are they carrying the horse themselves. In such a manner, the rider may then further encourage and guide the horse to the highest level of collection.


The following exercises and patterns may be used in the context of the training scale to help develop the horse toward collection:

Rhythm
To achieve rhythm we first of all want the horse forward-moving, relaxed, and loose in its movements. This is partially achieved through the rider maintaining rhythm themselves (ride to music, to a metronome, or simply relax your body and ensure you create an example of rhythm the horse can then follow), in their riding. This means that at the trot, the rider posts in a rhythmic manner and allows the horse to move forward; if you have trouble keeping out of the horse's mouth, ride on the buckle - if you do not feel safe riding on the buckle, you've got work to do! Initially, you can have an instructor/equine-savvy bystander also longe you and your horse if you have trouble riding your horse on a loose rein; as such the individual on the ground can have control yet you can allow your horse the opportunity to relax and develop rhythm. In my experiences rhythm is often best achieved working along straight lines as opposed to circles, yet circles tend to relax the horse because horses move in circular patterns when stressed (check out Temple Grandin's work); this is where figure-8's along the long side of the entire arena can help because they include both long straight lines and some circular lines (plus, it is a specific, distinct pattern, which is also comforting to the horse according to its instincts). Rhythm is established through mental and emotional relaxation in the horse, which will result in physical relaxation and thus rhythm. I develop mental and emotional relaxation in the horse on the ground first, developing respect and trust, and teaching the horse to be calmer, braver, smarter in general. Under-saddle, patterns and exercises in general are calming to the horse, as are patterns and exercises that are circular in nature (as previously mentioned). Relaxation and thus rhythm are established through a general mindset and method on part of the rider, which might require a professional to help. Above all, it is established with soft, light aids, and patience and good leadership on part of the rider. The rider must remember to have very elastic elbows and a following hand.

Suppleness
This is obviously develope-able only when relaxation and rhythm are achieved. The next step then is to develop suppleness Travers, shoulder-in, side-pass, half-pass, leg yield, bends along a straight line (ie. come down the long centre-line and have your horse bend without leaving said line, using the least possible amount of leg and especially hands), circles, figure-8's, serpentines, spiraling in and out on a circle at the w/t/c - all great exercises to encourage and increase bi-lateral suppleness. The exercises should be done with light riding and should be refined to the point of little interference and guidance by the rider, where the horse is soft, accepting, and supple. The exercise book I mentioned at the start of this blog has some fabulous exercises to create suppleness, and an instructor usually has a number of exercises and patterns up their sleeve! Jane Savoie has a plus/minus poll-suppling exercise I will iterate at a later date: I highly suggest reading her books and purchasing some of her educational material and using the suppling exercises she describes.

Contact
The horse must be soft and supple and accepting of contact - meaning they are responsive to the rider's hands and are light, soft, and relaxed. With development and progression through the training scale, the horse will start to seek contact - he will push into your hands with a soft mouth and chew the reins into a lengthened frame if you allow him the lengthened rein. It is not up to the rider to establish 'on the bit', but rather the horse, when they are ready; if the rider progressively schools through the Training Scale, they will find the horse will not only grow to accept contact, but it will also actively pick up the bit in its mouth.

Impulsion
The primary exercise I use to develop forward and to start to introduce impulsion is the point-to-point exercise; I find it works brilliant with horses who are inclined to shorten and elevate rather than lengthen and move forward, as well as for those horses who would normally be classified as 'lazy'. This exercise was taught to me by Jonathan Field, who is a fantastic horseman. Another method of specifically developing a desire in the horse to move forward is to just move the horse out long and forward - drop contact and allow the horse to move forward in an extended trot (slight push with your legs, but [important!] do not nag the horse, or by posting higher in the trot) and/or gallop. You may also use jumps or hacking out to encourage forward. Giving a horse a job to do whereby he is naturally inclined to be forward can be greatly beneficial. Establish that forward thinking. To be clear, forward is different from impulsion, but one requires forward so as to develop impulsion. Forward is the horse moving out forward willingly and freely, in front of the rider's leg. The horse should stride out with momentum and energy. Impulsion requires the horse to THRUST from behind. To land with a bent hock and push forward with its haunches engaged as opposed to strung out behind him. A specific exercise that may be used to develop impulsion is one I learned from Mette Rosencrantz while watching her conduct a clinic last year: start out on a 20m circle, set up with 4 pairs of cones dispersed evenly along the circle. Start out by trotting half the circle and walking the other half the circle, sharpening the transitions, then progress the exercise to trotting through one set of cones (the horse has to go through the pairs of cones, no going around them!), and walking through the next, and so forth. Lastly, Rosencrantz had the riders trot the 20m circle, slowing through each second set of cones, then, once rider and horse had a good grasp of that, slowing through each set of cones. The horse was already forward-moving and the rider did not pull back to achieve downward transitions and a slowing in pace. They simply relaxed into their seat, tensed their abs, and closed their hands. When asking for an upwards transition or to increase the pace, they were asked not to use leg but to open their hands and to pick up their energy. The rider should not have to use leg because the horse should already be forward thinking. With the latter part of the exercise, the horse was asked to slow to a near-walk, without actually walking, then to pick up an upbeat trot. In such a way, the horse was naturally balanced onto its hindquarters and would gather and compress itself, without losing forward momentum. Once the exercise was completed successfully on the 20m circle, it was then completed on a 10m circle, which you will find much more difficult! The key in developing thrust from behind is developing strength in the haunches (ground poles, jumps, hills, trot work all especially target this) and transitions transitions transitions.

Straightness
Is achieved through achievement and development of the prior building blocks of the training scale and can also be further refined through exercises such as the shoulder-in. An instructor can provide one with additional exercises to work on that will further develop straightness in the horse and to be a person's eyes on the ground (particularly as you develop the feel for when your horse is straight versus crooked)!

Collection
The goal and ultimate result of achieving the first 5 components of the Dressage Training Scale. Once the prior components, and thus collection, is/are achieved, all that is left is to refine and further shape what you have, to continue along a continuum of increased collection.

How to make money training horses

Yes, possible as well...when done in a smart, business-sense fashion. I'll describe a couple of criteria/scenarios where it can work, and where it will not work. While I do not believe that someone can earn a sufficient income training to fully substitute say a high 5-figure or low 6-figure career, I think someone can easily earn a supplemental income training horses, if done in a specific, market-savvy way. Not only is this obviously beneficial to you, but you are usually also providing a second chance to a horse that deserves it but might not otherwise get it - the horse that just needs a little help up to find a good home. In my experiences indicate that most people do not understand how to train, so if you have the talent and expertise, use it, because there is a niche for you.

Own your own facility
Or train at one that allows you discounts (etc) for training horses there (or better yet, who pays you to be there and allows you to bring in your own horses for a reduced fee). You'll probably need arenas (or at least open space, preferably fenced), round pen, barns, paddocks/pastures, and good footing!

Client horses do not make you money
Usually, and especially if you have to board them out! You'll make very little and though you'll think you can count on say $2,000 a month profit for four horses...something always comes up. You'll spend more in fuel, you'll have to get some additional or new pieces of equipment, etc, and by the time you're finished, you really were not paid much, if anything, for your time. If you're a BNT who can charge a thousand or more for showing and training at your own facilities, well maybe you are making some money then. Usually though all that happens is you end up working your fingers to the bone without much to show for it. On the other hand, client horses are an excellent way to get your name out there (WOM is invaluable) and to gain further experience. Just be prepared to always be professional and to have a thick skin.

Have an eagle eye
For the deals out there. The gems for sale people do not realise they have, the horses going for cheap or auction who only need a little special touch to turn their luck around, the horses who are going for cheap because their owners have no interest/opportunity to turn them around for a higher dollar (ie. racehorses off the track often go for meat price but could be flipped for anywhere from $1,000-$7,000, even in this market), for the 'problem horses', etc. Keep one eye on the market and watch for the exceptional deals out there to buy, (re-)train, and sell later. If you've got the property, buy low in the fall/winter and sell high in the spring/summer. Put some show experience on your project and make it versatile (ie. trail rides, rides both english and western), in addition to furthering it in its particular discipline. We purchased a Thoroughbred off the track for meat price whom we could definitely have sold high immediately afterwards - his original owners and breeders just didn't want to put the time into him. He has fantastic dressage movement, also has hunter potential, and is, as a coming-six-year-old now, packing around beginnger/intermediate riders (including an 11yo girl). He packs well in the mountains and could be shown easily. I know of one individual who would regularly pick up lovely registered Quarter Horses and turn around and sell them, at times without touching them, for much more than she had paid - sometimes double or triple what she had paid, without even investing any money into them at times. I also know of several barns that buy horses off the track cheap and re-sell them as hunter/jumpers for much more than they put into them. I have been offered horses I knew I could easily have flipped had I had the time and money at the time. One was a 5yo imported Dutch Warmblood gelding. The owner was having difficulties with him and offered him to me for a mere $5,000. This was back when the market was good, too. He was well over 16hh and was an absolutely gorgeous dark bay with beautiful movement and plenty of athleticism. He was not a true problem horse, he was simply too much horse for his middle-aged, fearful owner - she needed and wanted something quieter. She had the money to spend and did not mind practically giving away a horse for a fraction of his true worth (once he was tweaked further). Another example is our Paint horse, Cody. I originally took him with the intent to flip; he was given to me when his owner ultimately decided he was too much for her. He had been abused in the past and was extremely fearful and distrustful of humans. In the end though, he ended up too good to sell so he is with us to stay, but a solid palomino Paint with good looks, a willing attitude, and an incredible saddle horse - he is priceless (I have already had offers on him, actually). We recently purchased a Hano-bred jumper filly (coming 3 this summer) and were able to get a good deal on her - her owner passed on the good deal they originally got on her. I have the feeling she will be worth more come this summer as she fills out, and I know with absolute certainty (by researching what is comparable out there) that she will be worth double what we paid once I start her under-saddle. Of course we do not plan on selling her, however she would have been a good investment to flip as well. The deals are out there, you just have to know what to look for and to have the eye for a good horse.

Choose wisely
If you choose project horses to train, you need a good eye, experience, and/or a mentor to back you up. Choose horses you would want yourself. Choose good minds and temperaments, athleticism, good conformation, and a horse suitable to its chosen discipline (yes, even according to the latest fads such as colour and movement/body type). The friend I spoke of who flipped Quarter Horses always chose horses she was drawn to - beautiful, solid buckskins, palominos, etc. I swear those horses always sold within minutes. They were never on the market long. Choose what others are drawn to and what you would love to have standing in your own barn.

Be prepared
If you work with project horses, fair warning: do be prepared to have to keep the horse longer than you anticipate. Sometimes shit happens and the horse does not sell for whatever reason. Budget to figure out where you stand, what you can spend, and what is your lowest selling price. Keep a close watch on your finances and the market. Also, make sure you have the experience to flip horses for a profit and always be prepared to take the horse's best interests into account. Apprentice if you can, observe/work with/learn from other trainers in your area first, then take on some client horses, preferably with help first. Take on the young unstarted horses first, then move on to problem horses if you have got the expertise and the touch.

Compete
Most people are looking for show horses they can eventually compete on, so the more competition you've got under your belt, the more potential buyers will trust you, and the more competitions your sale horse has got under its girth, the more valuable he becomes. Even old broodmares. Horse & Rider featured an article last year on a broodmare whose owners tried to sell a few years back. The mare did not sell immediately so they decided to try her out under-saddle. She turned out to be exceptional under-saddle, so they started showing her. She won multiple national championships and the mare worth only a few thousand to start (and not selling) was now worth something in the 5 digits. It pays to compete and by competing you not only get your name out there, but you also get your sale prospect's name out there.

Give your horses the edge
Teach them everything you possibly can, from standing under tarps to trail riding in the mountains, a reining/dressage foundation, jumping (if applicable), clipping, bathing, shoeing, showing, etc. Make them amateur and youth-friendly. Most people buying horses want a versatile horse they can compete on but also enjoy out on the trails, who is not spooky, and who has a lot of experience under its belt. They want more bang for their buck. Make your horse stand out with additional experiences and training.

Marketing
Learn how to efficiently and effectively market and sell your horse. Learn what sells and what does not.


In short, there is money in training horses - if you do it the smart way. Most of the time this is not by taking on client horses (though doing so is still important), but rather by taking on projects with the intent to sell. The key is to have an eye for good projects, horses who have a low purchase price but who will have a high marketability later - horses who allow for the least amount of risk possible. Start out small as you learn the ropes!!

How to make money breeding horses

Disclaimer: this is just my opinion, based on what I have observed and discussed with successful breeders. This blog is written with the intention of maybe enlightening a few, particularly those who are struggling to breed - maybe here are a couple tips that might help you tweak your program, from I have learnt thus far.

Ok, first off, yes. It is possible to make money at breeding, contrary to what some naysayers will tell you (don't believe me, just go talk to some of the successful breeders out there and you will find ones making money who worked their way up from the bottom). I am not saying that breeding horses will ever fully provide you a proper income, particularly if you have a family, but they can certainly pay for themselves, your ranch, and earn you a little profit. Are you ever really making enough money to cover all your time? Probably not. However we donate our time to such endeavors not because we want to be rich, but because we can make enough money and because we love the lifestyle and being around our horses. I do not have enough fingers to count the farms out there who obviously are making money at breeding horses, including friends of ours. The key is to do it intelligently and according to the market. This usually means you are breeding high-end, in-demand horses such as (but not restricted to) Warmbloods, Sportponies, racehorses (as per the current market), and western performance horses (ie, cutting and reining). Racehorse breeders who are making money though are ones who are already established, who put in great investments over the years, and who are raising the great horses - I definitely do not recommend the average person go into horseracing intending to make money because you most likely will not. The successful ones are out there, but as I said, they already had the start-up money and are well established in the industry so the gambling risk is lower. As it pertains to breeding Warmbloods, while I am not knocking the Clyde/TB, Perch/TB, etc 'Warmblood' or 'Sporthorse' crosses (love them, actually), most individuals are not going to make money raising these horses - it becomes instead an expensive hobby. To make money, you really have to cater to what the high-end market demands. Figure out a niche and what the high-end market demands, and you've got it made. So on that note, here is the criteria I have drawn up, that is necessary for one to create a profitable business:

1. You have your own property and facilities
Facilities that include, as the bare essentials, good fencing, paddocks, shelters, and preferably, a barn. Sufficient grazing pasture and hayfields is a plus that will greatly increase your profit margin and that could make the difference, dependent upon your area and local hay costs, between making money and not. On a related note, the ones who are paying for these $50,000 or even $10,000 and $20,000 horses are coming to your place expecting a place appearing 'worthy' of raising a $50K horse, regardless of whether or not your place is just as suitable to raising such a horse as a multi-million dollar facility. If you have just the bare essentials, consider boarding your sale horses out locally at a nice facility that creates a good impression. Good fencing, shelters and barns that are in good condition, etc, are a must.

2. Breed only the best to the best
With the goal of creating a foal better than its parents. You might not have the dollars to invest in a 50K or 20K mare to start, however you can start small and 'breed up'. Start with what you can afford but invest in the best quality possible - well-conformed mares suited to the discipline you intend to breed for (ie, Thoroughbreds to breed to Warmblood stallions). You can also choose older mares who can be purchased at a deal at the end of their breeding career, but who still have a few years left to produce a few premium foals for you - choose broodmares who consistently produce high quality foals. Choose stallions who are in vogue but also who have the bloodlines that count and who have proven to pass on their abilities, who have progeny successful in their respective disciplines and who test well in their registries. Keep back the best and breed those to the best. Don't be afraid to cull a mare if she proves she cannot successfully produce high quality progeny - do NOT settle and accept less! Eventually your goal is to obtain fillies with breeding at the top of the game, whether initially bred by you or not. By 'breeding up', you ultimately create a decent broodmare band for yourself and you create horses who will sell for a decent dollar and thus afford you the ability to go out and buy the quality mares who are worth top-dollar. Pay attention to current trends and what is winning in the rings. Talk to BIG successful breeders to gain wisdom as to what bloodlines mix best, which are the most successful competitively, etc.

3. Make your horses stand out
This includes picking the best bloodlines carefully, the bloodlines others are going for and maybe cannot get. Watch the up-and-comers and get foals out of them before others do (this takes a good eye and a lot of knowledge!). I know breeders who put in orders on quality semen of top-of-the-line stallions who have recently died, just prior to said semen becoming unavailable. They pay attention to the market, much like a stockbroker would, and buy what is 'in' and purchase semen that will increase in value quickly. They either sell the banked semen later or breed their mares later for a foal out of "So and So" who is now deceased, whose foals are in demand.

4. Compete
The best way (maybe the only way, at least when you are first starting) to make a profit is to do this yourself rather than paying others to do it. Compete your horses - your mares, your progeny, everything. Get your own name out there, your farm's name, and your mares' names and those of their foals. Take your mares and foals to the top of their discipline, if possible. This means winning multiple Championships, Grand Prix, etc.

5. Breed for amateurs
While your foals might have what it takes to make it to the top, most of your purchasers are amateurs and that means breeding good, amateur-friendly minds. You or I might be capable of dealing with the difficult, challenging horses, but if you want amateurs - which make up the majority of your market - to purchase your horses, they have to have solid, easy-to-train-and-ride minds and temperaments a.k.a. rideability. They need to have solid basics, which means your foals are handled throughout their time with you. For your babies 0-2 years of age they should be used to being clipped, bathed, shod, trailered, stalled, asked to stand in cross-ties, blanketed, tacked-up, touched all over, etc. They should be well-behaved, mannerly, respectful, quiet being longed, used to weight across their back (2 and 3 year olds), free-jumped (if applicable and age-appropriate), and should lead and tie well. They should also be registered and tested/inspected in an appropriate registry, accustomed to the show atmosphere, etc. Make them stand apart or at least on par with other high-quality babies their age.

6. Look for the deals
Like quality proven broodmares who can no longer be ridden and who are going for a decent price, quality mares who are being sold cheap because their owners do not realise what they have, quality mares who are being dispersed because their owner went under, 'problem horses' who have great temperaments underneath but have simply been mis-handled or mis-managed. Foals in-utero or on the ground or weanlings that are going for a more affordable price (say, 5-10K) but whose value will increase exponentially later.

7. Gather the knowledge
You need to have knowledge of the industry(ies), have a good eye for horses (and for the potential in horses), and know your bloodlines. You need to know your business inside and out. This is not a business for the faint of heart, the inexperienced, or the non-equestrian. Do your research, do your time in the industry, and consult with the successful and wise.

8. Buy only the best
Buy the best you can afford and work your way up. It costs just as much to feed and train 'crappy' and non-marketable mares as it does the quality ones, so feed and train up the quality ones who are going to earn your money back.

9. Do not try to use your own stallions
As a whole, and not at first. Eventually you might produce something of exceptional quality, but your best bet really is to sell it to someone who is going to make use of that quality and make a name for you (or do so yourself). Unless you are going to take that stallion to the Grand Prix or Olympic ring, there will always be another stallion better than him. Furthermore, there is no absolute guarantee your stud will pass on his talent. Instead, breed to the stallions who are proven, have top-notch bloodlines, and who have strong competition records. If you are going to compete a stallion and he does decently well, you can of course still be successful (and save some breeding fees), however your room for error and your profit margin will be smaller unless you have absolutely outstanding mares and your stallion somehow really stands out. You want to breed to stallions that complement your mares specifically, which will likely require outside stallions. If you are going to stand your own stud, make sure he is outstanding!! As in, he possesses all the aforementioned qualities and can command a high stud fee because he is in demand.

10. Be prepared
This includes being prepared to put in a financial investment and being okay with not seeing your return for awhile (it will take many years for the average person to build up a quality self-sustaining herd that actually turns a profit), as well as surrounding yourself with the appropriate mentors, contacts, and people who will and can help you - people who are successful themselves. It pays to be personable and to be a sponge open to learning! Research your market - watch advertisements of horses bred and sold within the market you intend to target. Take note of not only what is offered for sale, but what sells - take note of what type of horse sells and at what price. Budget your costs to raise your foals and plan accordingly - choose your focus according to what is successful in the current market.

As in any business, the best way to make any money is to do all the work yourself - the breeding, the training, the raising, the marketing, the competing. When you consider all the time you put into it you really probably do not make enough to cover all your time however most people do not expect to be paid to do their hobbies anyway! If you can make enough money to pay for your farm and live comfortably, you are doing a great job. Another thing to consider is professionalism: it's a small world, so it pays to always stay professional and be honest, and to make a good impression on those you meet.

A couple of successful examples I wanted to provide:
Some family friends of ours worked their way up from the bottom. She competes all her horses and currently has horses who sell in the high 5 figures, including foals who sell in-utero and on the ground for $10,000-$20,000. She started with Thoroughbred mares and gradually bred into the Warmbloods. She now has some of the top foals at inspection in Western Canada and some outstanding foals who are bred to the hilt and worth their weight in gold. These horses pay for their ranch and for the purchase of the next broodmares.

Another friend currently breeds sportponies. She stands her own quality pony stud who is not only accomplished himself, but is also very marketable (ie. in colour, temperament, type, etc) and breeds him to quality Thoroughbred and Warmblood mares for sportponies that sell for 5 figures across North America.

If you think about it, if you purchase, just for example, a mare for $10,000 who throws a $10,000-$20,000 foal next year, she has paid for herself by year one. By year two she has paid all her upkeep expenses and possibly has also caught up on her foaling and vet expenses. By year three or four, she is potentially earning the profit to help build your herd. By the time you have built up a quality, established herd, you are turning mostly profit. Be prepared for it to take a lot of years though, this is not a business that turns a quick profit, but rather an investment with long-term profit goals and benefits.