First time at a horse sales - tips

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Ranyhyn

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It will be my first time buying at a horse sales next Friday @ Brecon.

Can you give me any tips or advice when it comes to it, my oh has been before as he's a part-time farmer ;) so takes his sheep and lambs etc but a first time for both of us with horses.

Looking for one maybe two, companion mares for Big C :)

Any help or tips would be MUCH appreciated!!
 
oh do be careful - I think temptation would rule my head at an auction! Take a good strong friend to keep you focussed in buying what you went for!!
 
I don't think I could trust myself not to buy the sorry looking one's. I have a friend who goes to Builth Wells, he always asks me to go, but I refuse. I know I will come back with some frightened looking foals.
 
Both times I`ve been to sales had no intention of buying, both times I`ve come home with a new horse :)

Have you been to Brecon sales before? If not go with an open mind, the few times I`ve been it`s been quite horrid! prices were low, low, low when I went, we`re talking £8 for Sec A`s.

Have a look at them before going into the ring, if there is nothing that catches your eye dont wait for the sale , you`ll be tempted to buy one of the one that gets beaten into the ring!

I went to Llany last week, came home with a mare and almost came home with another two after watching bullying scum bags beating them onto a lorry...luckily oh dragged me off!
 
Look at everything you like, then look in the pens either side. Anything remotely snotty/poor close by then scrub that lot and look for something else.
 
Work out exactly how much money you have to spend. Check there are no extras back to the auctioneers to bump up the price. Can you get access to a catalogue to at least mark up those you are interested in before hand? and set perimeters..

I have bought twice at Ascot sales which requried a fair amount of prep, not least ensuring I could actually get all the necessary cash out of my account at the time as I had no intention of wandering around with £2K plus in my pocket!.

Also its a good idea to search to find out what sort of money these horses go for as well. Look forward to seeing the pictures!
 
OH is in charge of the money and he's endlessly shrewd, I am a massive soft touch!!

I've never been to a sales before, well actually I did ride one for a seller at Llanybydder when I was about 15 - but i didn't really pay much attention to what was going on!

I haven't got a great big list of what I want, a mare, small ish and sweet around 5-10 years old, broken or unbroken makes no odds but must be handle-able :) Not prepared to buy big bucks as this pony is coming to live the life of riley as a paddock ornament :)
 
Steel your nerve and be prepared to see things that tug at your heart strings.

Above all else do NOT buy something just because you feel sorry for it.....you will be fuelling the trade in bin end breeding. Know in advance what you are looking for and if its not there put your hands in your pockets and walk away.

Seek out BakedBean.....she will be an invaluable source of information and guidance.
 
Weve bought a few times at Llanybydder, ive never been to Brecon though. If you do see anything you like try & give it the once over as well, my sister bought one from the sales 3 years ago & it came down with strangles not long afterwards. Also dont get carried away, i bought one for my daughter last November & ended up coming home with 3 instead of 1! To be honest if it was me id wait & make the trip to Llanybydder at the end of the month as youve alot of choice & can usually pick some nice youngsters up for not alot. Also Carmarthen sale is on tomorrow as well. Catalogues online for both sales.
Carmarthens will be online later today, so keep checking back.
http://www.bjpmarts.co.uk/
Llanybydder catalogue will be on the Wednesday before the sale.
http://www.evansbros.co.uk/evansbroslivestockmarts/default.htm
 
Carms is tomorrow - oh pants I didn't know! That would have been perfect - the reason we chose Brecon is that the pony is for a companion for my riding horse and we kind of needed to shift quickly as i want the mare home asap! will take a look at your link!
 
There is a little pali section A ive seen on FB for £50....it is a colt though & its in Ammanford i think, if thats of any use? Or you can always travel a bit further & buy my lovely section D yearling lol!!
 
No tips specifically for the sales, but I would take care to buy something that has some resale value - decent age, nice looking, sweet temperament - ideally broken to ride - just incase you decide having C at home isn't for you, decide to move back to livery and sell the companion ponies on.
 
Good point Spiral :) i had kind of come to that conlusion this second myself :)

Thanks navaho but I think we'll stick to a single sex group for the mo :)

You selling a section d for £50? ;)
 
BoolavogueDC said:
Good point Spiral :) i had kind of come to that conlusion this second myself :)

Thanks navaho but I think we'll stick to a single sex group for the mo :)

You selling a section d for £50? ;)
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God no, that was the section A the was £50, i want alot more for the D lol!! Though im sure at the moment you could easily pick a D filly up at the sales for not much more than £50! Friends of mine bought a 3yr old section D filly last month for £140.
 
Well well well...what a shame but also a good deal for them :) Will deffo post pictures of our new friend(s) once they're home and munching!
 
BoolavogueDC said:
It will be my first time buying at a horse sales next Friday @ Brecon.

Can you give me any tips or advice when it comes to it, my oh has been before as he's a part-time farmer ;) so takes his sheep and lambs etc but a first time for both of us with horses.

Looking for one maybe two, companion mares for Big C :)

Any help or tips would be MUCH appreciated!!
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Remember that the horse is yours at the fall of the hammer so make sure it's what you want when you are bidding. If it is sold without warranty, it's your tough luck if it turns out to be dangerous, won't load, only has three legs etc, etc!
 
or, if it is just a companion you are after, have you thought about contacting the charities such as Blue Cross? that way you know you will have a pony that is healthy and won't bring any nasties home, plus which if its a companion you won't have any guilty pangs that it could be doing something else..

and you can then spend the pony money on something else!
 
As per Luci07. Or perhaps get a loan? (Lots ppl trying to off-load grazing costs of retirees in this climate...)

Also saves the trouble/worry of re-selling it if you need to move C later.

Anything older (I think you said 5-10?) wd probably be quiet difficult to sell to a decent home if you can't say that you at least hack it out safely and so forth.
 
I would get something that potentially you could ride, so if your current horse goes lame, you have a backup. Nothing worse than 2 grass munchers (or more) and nothing to ride.

That is, even if unbroken, of adequate size and temprament that it could be worked with. A friend broke her companion pony into harness, mostly to keep him fit, as he was tubby.
 
bakedbean said:
Eh?

so how is the OP going to pay for her pony then?

Believe me, cash is king at most bin-end sales...
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She gives the auctioneer the money to hold for her, either by bank transfer or cash on the day [he puts it in his safe]
I am used to Bloodstock sales, not local ones, If I want to buy a horse I have to buy a catalogue and introduce myself to the auctioneer, and he would rather see some cash than take a bid from someone he has never seen before and may never see again.
 
Yeah I have browsed their websites, it's still in the back of my mind tbh ( going to a charity) but tbh its the time frame that's constraining me really!

Thanks Bakedbean, think I am going to be needing a dose of your reality come next Friday. Bring earplugs, I might blub :D
 
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