Raising Thoroughbred Horses

A famous movie star decided he would increase his considerable fortune by raising thoroughbred horses. He bought a ranch in Kentucky, bought several promising young horses, and hired some experts to raise them while he followed other pursuits.

He quickly found, however, that the money flow was only in one direction -- out of his pocket. He decided to make a surprise visit to his ranch, and found to his horror, that he had been financing a gentle retirement home for lazy race horses.

Each horse gave clear evidence of living a wholly sedentary life. The horses were grossly overweight. Moreover, they were so unused to moving rapidly that many small birds had built nests in their hair, and these birds were busy raising their young.

He was incensed and fired all his ranch hands. Next, he grabbed a ladder and garden rake, and he started cleaning up his horses, ripping the bird nests from off their backs. In his anger, he gave these now immortal instructions to his new helpers. . . .