To the right or to the left, no matter where your political inclinations lie, there’s no getting around the fact that our economy’s green shoots have dried up and shriveled in the past few weeks. Talk of stimulus and enthusiastic consumers has been shouted down by the reality of lost jobs, a depressed stock market, global security issues and a dollar teetering on the edge of being taken seriously.

Yet, in the horse business we’ve got to keep smiling.

We acknowledge but don’t dwell on concerns about devaluation, less disposable income, fewer buyers, diminished demand for vendor goods, lighter entries and, of course, decreased ad dollars. We depend on each other in this industry, and remember to view the glass as half full, versus half empty. We stay positive, even after flipping on the news first thing in the morning to see, again, the futures for the Dow Jones Industrial down by double digits – then some.

On some days, I feel like turning off the news, tuning out reality and simply putting my head in the sand.

At the end of the day, regardless of the business headlines, our industry survives – the horses are still there; shows still take place; and the riders, owners and breeders are still excited about what’s to come. Heck, even people from Venezuela, a country controlled by a determined dictator who nationalizes personal property at will, are still busily buying good horses here in the United States.

I’ll never be the sort to turn off the news, tune out reality or stick my head in the sand. I prefer to look up and at least see what’s coming toward the performance horse industry. The headlights might be blinding, but so it is.

I suggest you read the following article, one published by the New York Times concerning the challenges of sponsorship dollars for NASCAR. Although I don’t have hard figures to back up supposition, my guess is that performance horse associations are finding it difficult to secure the kind and size of cash sponsorships that were common in years past. It’s amazing that NASCAR, with its incredible prominence, popularity and raw spectator figures, must now make adjustments and relax standards in order to attract sponsor dollars.

Kind of puts the performance horse business in perspective, as to its importance to the sporting world as a whole.

Sponsorship money is the fuel that ignites our industry – what adds to the purses, funds the fun, keeps the trainers going, bolsters sale prices and builds stallion records. Sure, there would be a performance horse business without sponsor dollars, but it wouldn’t be one we recognize. And this is why we, not matter how dreary our private outlook may be, must stay positive and work even more diligently to portray our industry in the best light possible.

Outside opinions count.