My first horse auction/sale

[Jenz]

I went to my first horse auction/sale this week. It was just the strangest place.
But I really didn't get it. There were horses going for a few hundred that had roach backs, parrot mouths and twisted legs, yet very sweet little section A colts and fillies that went for £15 and £20. I was told the meat man wasn't there anymore, but for that price and they going to be passed onto one? I wanted to bundle them in the back of the car and take them home!
Also I couldn't believe how many of them were very obviously doped. But I suppose my little guy is quite easy going but he would've refused to be calm being in the holding bay then chased around the auction pen, maybe doping is necessary rather than trying to pretend they're placid?
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was an odd place and I just found myself wondering about who was buying what and what kind of home they were going to.

 

[Jenz]

By Beeston Castle in Cheshire

 

[BFG]

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By Beeston Castle in Cheshire

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That is the only sales i have ever been too and wouldn’t go again it is too upsetting.

 

[Jenz]

Oh! Is it not a good one? I imagine you could get a bargain youngster, but anything older you wouldn't know what you were buying underneath the dope and bute. I'm sure there were some genuine reasons for sale, but equally some definite 'issues' went into the pen!
Are not all sales like that then? It was quite sad and as I said, the whole time I was just watching who was buying and wondering why they were buying such eclectic types of horses and who they were going to sell to and equally who was going to buy from them!?

 

[Equestrian92]

Most sales are like that, I know this is not the same as every case but youve got to think why they are at the sales and why dont they sell privately????
People would pay cheap outside the sales too!
Obviously some people have their personal decisions and reasons but how can anyone who actually cares about their horse take and sell in an auction when they dont even know the potential buyers, where they live, what theyre going to be doing...anything? Its ludacris. I would never sell a horse without vetting the home, because I care. But as I say some people have their reasons which is fair enough but when you see the same people everytime it makes you wonder....
I just feel for the horses