Real-Life Communication -- Solution
Here's what you could tell the family:
I'm
glad you've come out to our farm, and I appreciate your interest in our
stallions.
In the past 20 years, I've matched up many pairs of
horses. As I'm sure you can appreciate, not all horses make good matches.
It's not a specific reason, usually, but a judgment you build over time.
I'm
afraid I don't think any of my 14 stallions would be suitable for your
mare. I would like to recommend a couple other farms, though. I think you'll
find a much better match with one of them. I'll go get some brochures
you can look at.
The above statement might let you off
the hook in a tactful manner. Of course, the family might press the issue
and you'll have to be more blunt.
Animal breeders value their
reputations. It's a competitive field, so they have to be tactful when
communicating with customers to set themselves apart. Competition also makes
standards of genetic excellence all the more important.
"You can't
say, geez, this is a dreadful mare and should never be bred," explains champion
horse breeder Marianne Alexander. Instead, she says, you should use your communication
skills to gently turn them down.
"You don't get
a reputation of good foals if you don't breed with the best mares in
the world."