They're useless. We 'gave away' the old mare with a 'buyback' clause in the contract. Pretty much its a long term lease that cost $1. The mare cannot be bred, sold, or shown. If she is unable to care for her, she comes back or is euthanized. It's all going well, we stop in and get updates. She rides once and a while around the pasture in a halter, but mainly she's there to babysit the mule.

Getting a few weeks off from school in order to tear open piles of presents from a magical bearded fat man
=
pretty damn awesome