If you have plans of purchasing a horse at an auction, you will need to be armed with the ability to tell quality horses from the horses with problems.

In auctions, all horses are sold as they are, you are not provided with money-back guarantees and you hardly have any legal protection. In cases like this, it would be a big loss if you end up with a horse that is problematic. You will need to be knowledgeable in identifying which horses are worth your money, and which ones are not.

It would benefit you to arrive early on the auction day so you will have ample time to examine the horses. Observe them as they walk and move about. Healthy horses should be able to show overall good condition and should be able to easily walk with no signs of limping. With the noisy environment of an auction, a healthy horse should be able to act alert and a little nervous. If the horse is passive and indifferent, they may be sick or drugged.

You should also pay attention to how the owners treat the horse as they unload them. If they are gentle and sad about selling their horse, then you can deduce that the horse has been taken good care of. But if they treat the horse roughly and find no difficulty in whipping and hurting it, then you can assume that it has been abused or neglected in the past.

Observe how they are stabled. Carefully watch how the horses behave and eliminate those with abnormal behavior. Check them for any scars, blemishes and other signs of injury or abuse. By this time, you have already come up with a short list of possible horses you would consider to buy. Meet with the owners and ask them to tell you about the horse you are interested in. Do a research about the horse’s history, problems, health, bad habits or behaviors. Find out how they have been used and kept.

If you are satisfied with the horse you checked, add it in your final short list. If you do not find any horse that you are completely satisfied with, do not bid at all. Remember that the purchasing price of a horse is only the beginning. The costs of keeping a horse is very substantial so do not be easily tempted by low prices. Keeping a horse is a big commitment.

Once you have your final short list, make a price limit for each of the horses you have considered. Auctions can get you carried away, so you should be prepared to keep yourself in your own set budget. Before you bid for a horse, be sure that you are already prepared to take it home. In the case that you still aren’t, you can ask the auction staff if they have other options for you. At this point, you are prepared to bid for a horse.

{ 0 comments }