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Mistakes Not To Make
Original article written by Cheri Stewart posted 3 months 1 week agoDear new players.... this has been a very rough year for me. I'm writing this as I chuckle at myself because real life happens and it's been wild. I've been neglecting my SIM account. Thus, the article to scrape some funds together before I go completely broke. But I also want to tell you a few mistakes I've made in the hopes that you can avoid them.
You see, this is my second time playing this game. I played it about 12 years ago and just forgot about it for that long. I should've known what I was doing. But, alas, I goofed. So, here we go!
Ask for help... I can't bring myself to do it. I don't know why. Pride. Shame. Stubbornness. I won't do it after this either! But ask for help, because this community really is wonderful and more than willing to guide you so you don't have to learn things the hard way.
Write articles from the beginning. Even if it's just race recaps. You'll learn more the deeper you dive into subjects and then you can write about those too. I was writing articles about freshmen sires before my daughter was born. I learned quite a bit about some bloodlines and I've logged that information away to use later. I even bred a couple of allowance gallop yearlings using what I was reading while I was typing up articles! Which leads me to my next point . . .
Don't breed horses right away! Whoops. Oh well. If your horse isn't great, geld it. Don't try to keep it as a stud. If your mare is dismal, but the rest of her pedigree is awe-inspiring, there's a slight chance she could throw good foals. THAT SAID, it is expensive all around, and until you're established, focus on getting rich. You're not going to get rich breeding horses that can't make money for 2 years.
Don't buy 500 horses. Yes, I'm exaggerating, but I have way too many and it's just ridiculous. This is such a first-timer mistake, that I'm a little embarrassed to have made it. Again. You can build your stable numbers later. Ask around and see if somebody has a good horse they're looking to get rid of. Don't snatch a bunch because they're cheap. Look good and hard at their workouts, their pedigree, the person who's selling them, and whatever information is available on the sale page. Invest wisely. Quality over quantity and all that. Do NOT assume you can just sell them. You can't always sell them in a timely manner! Don't count on it being a quick turnaround if things don't work out.
Time flies. Things get more expensive as you "age" so learn what you can while it's cheap! Don't spend silly money asking the vet if your horse is rested enough every day. Look to their sire and dam's weather preferences, track surfaces they won on, etc. You can get a darn good guess what your horse's likes and dislikes will be based on that! That's all we had back in the day!
Use the SIMperior. Seriously. It's a free game, yeah. But what's $5 every so often if you don't want to have the SIMperior account ALL the time? Heck, coffee costs more than that. Invest a little. It will pay off.
Lastly, browse the forum often. There is an infinite amount of good information there and it's a good place to ask for advice, meet players, learn new things, keep track of updates, and sometimes just get a good laugh. The community is amazing.
I'm far from having this game figured out. But, if I can help keep you from making some rookie mistakes, I'll do it! Best of luck to you, and don't forget to have fun!