Buying a horse from a sales

[Tiarella]

Would you ever/never do this? If so why?
Went to my local sales last week and there were the typical poor gypsy cobs and shetlands and a few stunning warmblood/ish types, all these went for below £1000. There was a lovely oldenburg there that had done BD/BSJA to foxhunter that went for £850, I kicked myself after as I have been saving and saving for this sort of horse for a long time, yet theyre going for £850 at the sales?! Is it worth the risk? Obviously Id see the horse trot up etc etc, but why spend £7/8k when I could go to the sales and find something for under £1000 that is there for a genuine reason. Sorry for going on and on, and week has passed and im still kicking myself. The new owners of this horse say he is too good to be true, I missed out!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

You win some, you lose some. A woman I know us and sells. She ought a fab warmblood type, seemed fine at the sales, turns out he might have kissing spine. Another she bought has been fabulous, gorgeous, no issues.

Luck of the draw, I guess. You just don't know if they're doped, underfed, whatever.

 

[starryeyed]

Not after the last one!!
I knew he seemed too good to be true & that it was a bad idea, but still did it - there was definitely a reason for him being there!
We paid for the sales vet to check him over, not sure how much he really looked though because he seemed to miss everything. Horse had also not been given water for a few days beforehand to wear him out, this way nothing would show on blood tests if he was checked for any kind of sedative. There's no way in hell he'd stand around at a sales in his "normal" mindset!

I think it's very risky, we went with experienced horsey people and still got a very dodgy horse. We've had him for 7 years now and it hasn't really got any easier, he has so many behavioural and medical problems and I completely understand why he was sold at a sale for next to nothing instead of being sold privately, he's well bred & absolutely stunning and if he was vaguely sane I'm sure he'd have been sold for a fair amount - which really should have set alarm bells ringing at the sales but I stupidly fell for the long, detailed story I was told at the time about him.
Saying this, I know of people who have had to send their perfectly lovely horses to sales because circumstances meant that they simply couldn't wait for a sale, they had to go instantly - at the same sales I got my boy from there was a lady there absolutely sobbing her heart out with her arms wrapped around her horses neck because she had no choice but to let her go - she'd had her since a foal and I felt awful for her - wish I'd bought that one instead! Good horses are out there, but so are dodgy ones, you have to be so careful.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

You win some, you lose some.

I quite agree.

It is a risk buying at auction but you can get some truly super horses from auction, my late Seren was purchased at auction, had 19 wonderful years, she was my horse of a lifetime, she was 2years old at purchase.

We also bought another cracking mare from the same auction, she was a 4year old Dales x Cob and she was absolutely super, a beautiful kind nature, very safe and steady, a lovely forward going but easy mare.
Plenty of real good, genuine horses are sold at auction.
Would I do it again? Yes, but I would prefer to buy a younger horse very time

 

[Bikerchickone]

I agree with MM, I'd buy from sales but it would have to be an unbacked youngster every time. Despite the fact that some of them can be there for a genuinely good reason the majority are there because they can't sell them anywhere else. Cynical I know but once you've bought them and become attached it's too late.

 

[Natalieshort]

I bought an absolutely stunning show pony from an auction and I thought it was too good to be true too! She was described as a first ridden lead rein pony. She hasn't even been broken!! She is absolutely stunning and a real show pony.. IN HAND! I still have her after a month but sadly she's for sale :-( annoys me how sellers can say such crap when it could be very dangerous also!

 

[Oldenburg27]

I always told my self i would never buy from a sale!! Only if is was a youngster and untouched!!

But then on the 18th April 2012 ( not the best of sales in the world) i went to a sale and fell in love most of the time it is out of feeling sorry for the poor things!! But i dont know i had a feeling about him!! And here hs is

He is not your normal find in the sale i got him from!! But he is 100% star he not to keen on hacking on his own and gets a bit stressy and i dont mind this as i have had a lot worse and paid 10x the amount of money for them!!

But be very careful as the main reason horse are put through sales as they are not saleable anywhere else and the sellers can lie with no come back!! I am just very very very lucky to have fallen over my boy when i did!!

 

[Jonesy]

I think buying from a sales can often be no riskier than buying privately - though you may get to try the horse out more than once and with good facilities.

For sellers, sales are almost a guaranteed way of selli g a horse - though when looking at last months leominster sales results most were withdrawn or not sold....those that did sell.were mainly under 1k so possibility of bargains to be had.

I think you need to go with eyes wide open, chat to vendor where possible and as you would when looking at a private advert - do read in between the lines, if there is very little written there is probably a reason why!