My trip to Doncaster sales...

madhector

madhector

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Well, what an interesting experience!


Went up last night and stayed over, getting there nice and early this morning to make sure we had time to look at everything we wanted. Out of 275 horses I only found 4 I would take home if I could afford them! (picky - me? never!
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First one I like in was a lovely 4yr old chestnut gelding, unbroken and a super stamp of a horse. Went 2k over my budget though


Next was a grey gelding, again 4yrs old, broken and riding quietly. Wasnt 100% sure about this one, and decided not to bid as wanted to wait for the next one (my fav) anyway, it came in the ring and I changed my mind and decided to bid if it was under budget by a bit.... horse then went for £11500
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Next was my little bay french horse, now I really really wanted this one, such a super little horse which I had compeltly fallen for, didnt recognise his breeding and he didnt have any winning relations so thought we would be in for a good shot. He came in the ring and my heart was going like mad! The bidding then started a double my budget and he ended up at 11k and unsold as reserve not met!


Final horse of the day was another grey, 6 this time and very compact looking, again, way over my limit and sold for nearly 8k


So, we have concluded a few things...


1) I have VERY expensive taste

2) I am far too fussy for my own good

3) Some people are actually insane spending over 50k on an unsound horse
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So, came home without one sadly, and not sure where to go from here, know what I want, just dont seem to be able to afford it! (And it wasnt like I was going with the idea of buying a cheap project, had a decent enough budget for what I was looking for IMO)

Any suggestions of where I can find a decent 4 or 5 or 6yr old TB which lives up to my high standards?


Thanks
 
what are you looking for?
i geuss with sales like that there are some people with a lot of money ready to spend, spend, spend....
possibly you could lower your standards??
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possibly..?
 
Oh dear
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Ascot would be a cheaper sales but they'll almost all be out of racing, not just freshly broken in. Next sales are last Tuesday of August.
 
Some did, some still went for silly money.

I stand by my standards though, wouldnt have taken home anything else today no matter how cheap (apart from some very nice 3 yr olds and older ones that I wasnt looking at)

All I want is good conformation, excellent feet and a nice outlook, seemed to be quite rare today!
 
Yeah, I went today too, and was quite suprised at the sort of money they were making, especially as I keep hearing how the horse industry is going down! I had about 150 earmarked in my catalogue! Having seen them in the flesh that was narrowed down to about 5! But again they all went over what I was willing to pay, which isnt a lot anyway! I always just go straight to trainers but thought Id have a look and see what was there anyway. What a buzz though.
 
Oh dear what a shame
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Have to say that I have found the same sort of dissapointments, it is absolutely gutting as you really set your heart on what are absolutely beautifull horses, but then the bidding goes sky high.

I will ask around for you here anyway, the jockeys always seem to know of something- however their version of a nice horse seems to be completly different to what ours would be, but sometimes we do agree on some horses!!
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What is your budget? Actually, I will PM you a photo of a horse that might be for sale at the right price
 
Try Exeter sales lots of exracers and other types. I think you might need to not lower but reconsider your standards a bit because if you buy something that looks nice it will fetch a nice price ideally to make a profit you need an underweight but good confirmation horse that you can build the condition on. My last 2 projects looked like rspca cases but just blossomed given the right care, and imo i think horses who are poor that you bring back to health have a nicer more grateful temperament, but I might be imagining that!
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hhhhmmm....*scratches head* the only other avenue I can think of is to call local race yards to see what they are chucking out... I know of a 2 yr old bay filly just out of racing £500 to me so guessing you could get it for the same looks sweet I justt cannot cope with another one. Is that too young?...
 
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excellent feet

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I've identified your problem...
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Tb and excellent feet don't belong in the same sentence do they
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I would of thought if you rule out bad feet while looking for a tb you'd be ruling out quite a lot of them!! I've had a cuple with less then ideal feet but basic good quailty just poor shape and growth so with TLC they had lovely feet
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then ideal feet but basic good quailty just poor shape and growth so with TLC they had lovely feet
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Sorry, poor shape and growth doesnt ever = lovely feet i am afraid
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Anything thats going to go even halfway up the levels without significant heart ache and ££ has GOT to have good shaped feet IMHO !!
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then ideal feet but basic good quailty just poor shape and growth so with TLC they had lovely feet
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Sorry, poor shape and growth doesnt ever = lovely feet i am afraid
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Anything thats going to go even halfway up the levels without significant heart ache and ££ has GOT to have good shaped feet IMHO !!
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Totally agree - hence why anything I get has to have perfect feet, and thereare plenty of TBs out there with great feet its just finding them!
 
Hope you find something soon. I know how you feel. I've been looking for a horse since the beginning of June and after trawling through the thousands for sale on the internet the only 2 I've been to see haven't even been advertised and have been through word of mouth. I didn't like the first but loved the second and have everything crossed that she passes the vets on Thursday.
 
Try the malvern sales in sept, I picked up last yr a smart looking 3 yr old for 1500. Has turned out to be pretty nice. There were a few in the sale that went fo 2000 just under and they looked like nice sorts.
 
I was going to suggest Malvern September sales. Some nice stock goes through.
 
Hmm, I guess it was good experience but blimey, I thought we were in recession?
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Have you considered going to Ireland? Even just for the trip
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My understanding is theat the Doncaster sales tend to be the NH bred horses & tend to be much more expensive. To fetch the prices that you've seen today, they must still be in racing & been sold to continue their racing careers.

I really would suggest Ascot as they will be cheaper. There will be more flat horses than NH & more chance they've finished their careers.

If you go onto the Brightwells website you can see what went to auction & the prices paid...
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I hope this helps

Don't give up...try Ascot!
 
I'm not talking silly shapes but personally think that yes with a decent farrier they can be turned around as long as the horn is of good qauilty. Growth can improve heaps with diet. I just think with £2k the horses you will be seeing are likely to be in poor condition so their feet aren't going to be thriving. Both Parkers and Spiders feet were pretty shocking, decent grub and farrier and now people comment on what great feet Spider has... Yes Parker is never going to have a matching set but it's never effected him. Just think one has to keep an open mind. Good luck anyway : )
 
Sorry - disagree!

Flat feet will always be flat feet, sure you can improve them with careful shoeing, but you cannot change them dramatically. Feet like these are detrimental to the ligaments and tendons in the foot, meaning it is very unlikely the horse will stay sound with hard work
 
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Sorry - disagree!

Flat feet will always be flat feet, sure you can improve them with careful shoeing, but you cannot change them dramatically. Feet like these are detrimental to the ligaments and tendons in the foot, meaning it is very unlikely the horse will stay sound with hard work

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i agree MH- my TB has crappy feet, it came up on his vetting and i thought "how bad can that be...surely i can just get them sorted out" (i had never bought a horse before)- a few years down the line i am much wiser, poorer and have a lovely happy hacker
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out of interest, how come you are after a TB? if you have a decentish budget could you not consider something slightly different and might be more likely to get good feet?
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I'm surprised you couldn't find anything you liked, as looking through the results there was definate value to be had.
TBH, if I was looking for a pleasure horse I wouldn't even look at the breeding - i'd just look at every horse the right age and see if anything took my eye.
I'd try Newamarket autumn sale, the horses there will be more towards what you are looking for (rather than big, lanky, NH types). Ask someone experienced to cross out any that will definately be over budget so you don't waste your time.
As for TB's having crap feet - IT IS A MYTH. Anyone who doesn't believe me feel free to come over and take a walk round.
 
My coach was there yesterday with some of the syndicate boys, think they brought 3 or 4 home - get to see them tonight! He's brought back an unbroken 3 year old though
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, told him I will not be crash test dummying for him!
 
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Im not fussed about breeding, but I dont want a pleasure horse, so really there wasnt anything suitable in my budget.

Actually quite like the big NH horses, wanted something with a bit more substance

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By pleasure horse I mean for anything apart from racing.
Sprinters have a lot more substance then stamina bred horses.
 
You obviously just have far too expensive taste, not such a bad thing
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Ooooh let's go to the sales in Ireland, I'll come
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The pound has even picked up a bit this week so you wouldn't get 'quite' as screwed on the exchange rate
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I'm still waiting for details on that warmblood btw - my contact has gone on hols, hence the silence...
 
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