anyone bought or sold at auction ?

nothing is selling around me. even with lower reserves on horses, they are no where near getting met, not even worth trying to sell. but on the other hand if you are looking to buy and the owners are desperate to get rid there are quite a few decent horses going for cheap.
 
I bought Donovan at the Fayre Oaks Sale at Builth Wells in September. He is a welsh sec B, 12.2hh, 4 years old, and we paid £750 for him. He was one of the higher prices paid on that day, most of the others we saw went for much less. But then, we did buy perfection!!!:D;):D
 
I bought my ex-racer Handy from Melton Mowbray sales in June for £900. Lots of different types there, many irish horses who have come over. Some real desperate cases.
I bought handy before he went through the ring (they were starting to stick numbers on bums!) Lots were entered on the day. Most cobs/native types.
Did get a catalogue, which had about 20 horses in. There were about 50/60 horses there. One lorry turned up, opened back ramp and about 10 coloured ponies came flying out! obviously unhandled.

Didn't hang around for sale itself as decided to head home with Handy as had 4 and a half hour drive back to essex. As we were waiting to leave someone tried to buy handy off me! Was told in a polite way that he wasn't for sale :D never will be :D
 
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Bought 2 weanlings at Builth Wells in Oct. Both turned out to be well handled,lead well and tie up and groom. I am absolutely delighted with them both, they are Sec D x . To mature 15 hh ans 15.2 respectively. paid £210 for one and £400 for the other. Both microchipped and passported with the Welsh cob society.
 
I bought a sect A filly foal at Fayre Oaks in september, had a budget and got her within that, I wasnt looking for a bargain, i wanted one that ticked my boxes for breeding, conformation, colour etc.
Fayre Oaks is slightly different to regular horse sales as it is for welsh sect A & bs and their crosses, entries have to be made way in advance. For welsh enthusiasts it is a bit like being in a sweetie shop as you get to choose between so many of the same age and type in one place, ponies are well prepared for the sale and go in the main with decent reserves.
 
Use a sale that is selling with a warranty - that way you can return the horse within a set time period if all is not as it should be - usually five days. Some genuine horses are sold without warranty though as the buyer has to let the horse go and is not in a situation to have it back. If for example it is sold to disband a partnership, or a riding school closing down.

I would be happy to buy at auction - some very good deals at the moment, but if you think you can be a little hot headed it may be worth asking a knowledgeable friend to come along and make you sit on your hands!

Selling is not so much fun - usually a last resort for those that haven't been able to sell privately and I know some people worry about where there horse is going. That said, you can't guarantee the perfect home even if you do sell privately!
 
Ive bought at auction & helped a friend sell at auction recently. Selling i would never ever do myself & would always aim for private homes, sadly out of the 8 that we took to the auction for our friends 4 went on the Turners lorry. It was horrible experience & not one i whish to repeat any time soon. Buying...well thats a bit of a mine field, generally ive not had any problems, but one that we did buy in the ring we looked at after we had bid on him & it was very obvious he was a cribber which wasnt declared in the ring, we had the sale cancelled & bought him again later in the day for a fraction of what we had bid on him earlier. My sister also bought one a couple of years ago for the grand sum of £10.50, a week later we had one very ill pony with strangles which went through the entire yard & ended up costing around £1000 in vets bills.
 
We bought my coloured mare from auction many years ago for 1000gn (£1050) and she was fantastic, a superb mare in every way and bred a fantastic colt before she died of cancer 7 years ago. I also bought a lovely Sec A colt from Derby Market, I paid 100 gn for him and sold him a few weeks later for £600 to a private home. I want intending to sell him really, but the offer was made and had to be taken.
I think sales differ greatly, Builth and Fayre Oaks (and the sports horse sales I would assume) are regulated and you tend to have a fair idea of what you are getting...Derby, Beeston and others like that which are pretty much glorified cattle markets are a general free for all where you have to know what you are looking at and know that for every bargain to be had there are 100's of 'wrong-uns'.
I like markets to see what there is on offer, and also to see if I can pick up a true bargain, but they arent the nicest places in the world, and you have to harden yourself to it all when there are foals going through for a fiver obviously terrified and just off their dams.
I could easily come home with a lorry full if I wasnt careful - and my family wouldnt kill me if I did!!
 
One of my horses was originally bought from an auction by a riding school who thought they could use her for RDA lessons. She was too forward going and nervy so the riding school sold her to a private seller and we got her a year later. She passed a 5 stage vetting with flying colours and is a great horse. It would be nice to know more of her past history which you don't get when horses are sold at auction.

If I had my own land I would definitely take a risk and buy from auction if could, they have some nice youngsters and seem very cheap.
 
I've taken horses to Brightwells sales in the past but I only ever sold one in the ring for more than the reserve (and she failed the vet afterwards!!). I have bought quite a few at auction- bought 2 lovely tbs at Henley sales (*shudder*) a few years ago for peanuts. I have also bought recently at Ascot sales, quite sad to read the catalogues and see how much money the horses have won then to see them sold for £400 odd quid. At least at a racehorse sale you have the peace of mind that even if someone does pay £400 for the horse that they have been looking for a tb and shouldn't be too inexperienced (crosses fingers and hopes for the best!).

If you have the experience to brazen it out if the horse gives you trouble and you have the strength of mind to not raise your hand for every 18yo empty brood mare that gives you the "soft eyed" look then it's a great place to try. Or if you have a huge expanse of land and lots of money of course and can buy everything!
 
I had a moment of COMPLETE insanity and bought at an auction! Despite going to York Sales all the time and feeling the odd pang as something that caught my eye was sold, I've always been very restrained. However in September I went with the idea of possibly, maybe buying a lead rein pony for my niece to ride. There was nothing suitable, so we stood by the ring to watch as per usual. Into the ring comes Dots, 12.2hh ish of 2 year old colt. He was lead in by a young girl who was bawling her eyes out and he had a spotty bum! :D I'd never even seen him till he came in the ring. Some sort of insane compulsion came over me and I bid, and bid again, I actually tried to outbid myself at one point *the shame* I'm not sure at what point I would have stopped, all I knew is that Dots was coming home with me and sod what it cost. Very sensible, not! :D

However I bought Dots for a whole £155! Hes now 13.3hh and a total gem. I've never met a horse so child orientated. He just adores kids! Ignores adults in order to give them kisses! <3 He still has his boy bits, but they are scheduled to come off as soon as we have a forecast of no snow/frost etc. And for Christmas I signed him over to my niece as they adore each other. Its not an ideal match, a 6 yr old child and a 3yr old colt, but some how it just works! I've managed to loose 2 stone so I will back him and ride him away this summer in between him doing 10 minute lead rein hacks with my niece. Next year when hes 4 she will do more with him and gradually take over the ride.

Hes not a fab example of selling at an auction as he made pennies, but he has a really good home with us and i really, REALLY wish I could track down the girl who sold him to tell her that hes now a much loved pony whos future is secured. I can still clearly picture her bawling while she led him through the ring :(
 
I bought Bob at York auction, by Condios out of Timoney's girl (tb), he was so so thin, full of rainscald and mud rash, very weak, deyhdrated, cribbing (nightmare indeed) but he was but he was by Condios and I had a colt by Condios' sire Coriano. I felt incredibly sorry for him and saw him ridden in the trial ring before the auction with a young lad, legs and arms everywhere, poor horse was dead in the eye. But there was just something, and I thought he might make a quiet hack if he lived. The dealer had brought him from Ireland the night before the auction. He told me he'd worked in a riding school and had been hunted but wasn't suitable as a jumper as 1m was his limit..... He cost £290

Big do's and little do's he got fatter, stronger, fitter..... some pics. I'm thrilled. Hack he is not, superstar jumper - just maybe ;)

when he arrived (after 1 month)
bob1.jpg


May:
bob5-1.jpg


May:
bobjump.jpg


September
random081.jpg
 
I used to buy from Southall market years ago, rescue really. All mares all quirky but good for the right pilot. I brought a mare from Thainstone 4 years ago same.

I wouldn't dream of selling at auction. Would rather PTS but with these god awful winters I suspect there will be alot more normal horses just there because their owners can't afford them.

I have my own land so I don't go anymore, I'd be sure to come back with some. Interesting point about the strangles too - never thought of that.
 
I bought a welsh d x for £700 and sold him 10 days later for £2,500!
Have bought a reg welsh sec d for £300 and sold for £1500 and a 13hh welsh x for £400 and sold for £1,300
I have just bought a TB from Ascot sales for £500. He is 6 yrs old and in 1 month is working in all paces on the bit, jumping coloured and xc fences and has started some lateral work, we are hoping to event him in the spring.
Never had any problems with any, just go with an open mind.
 
Thank you wonkey-donkey. I think he's special too :D Just shows there are some lovely horses that go through auctions. My friend bought a mare too, nice breeding, kwpn passport, age 12 - been in army for a few years - £675.
 
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