with these posts about "equine rescue"

Well it could underline reasons for inexperienced buyers as to why they shouldn't buy the other 2 Lots?

It could also suggest the level of inexperience at the auctions?

It could encourage anyone who might consider going to an auction, to take someone experienced with them?
smile.gif
 
the meatmen are easy to identify....it's not rocket science...

they are the guys who bid on their own ponies at the front of the auction to bump up the price...and they aren't bothered if they "buy" back their own pony...it will just go to the next market......

as what has been learned from this thread....hopefully DONT buy the tatty/old/bad confo/poor pony because you feel "sorry" for it....because te seller probably has at least 12 more ready to sell on...

DONT BUY BECAUSE YOU "FEEL SORRY" FOR IT.
 
'It could encourage anyone who might consider going to an auction, to take someone experienced with them? '

Not everyone has a friend who is au fait with horse sales/auctions though do they?
 
[ QUOTE ]


Not everyone has a friend who is au fait with horse sales/auctions though do they?

[/ QUOTE ]

well they shouldn't IMO be buying a pony/horse in the first place!!!!!
 
Well all I can say is that I have been to two auction sites on several occasions and have so far been unable to identify the 'meatmen'.
I am usually very aware of my surroundings and very nosey too and yet I have not distinguished who they are.
I have sometimes seen individuals who I have believed to have been related to the seller or have a financial interest in the horse/pony that is being sold.
Tbh I believe someone 'connected' drove the price up at the last minute when we bought Mcfly but obviously I could not prove it because at the time we were too busy sorting out a vetting procedure and transport for the horse once the hammer went down on the final bid.
Had we not really wanted the horse I would not have gone the extra £50 but we did and now we have a fantastic horse.

I can understand what you are trying to say though and I also agree with you about not buying the 'sorry cases' at an auction.
It is very hard though especially for an animal lover like myself but I can wholly understand the terms supply and demand and therefore profit.
Buying such individuals is thus creating a demand and the 'meatmen' will be happy to supply.
So I do know where you are coming from about this and I would have posted on the other thread when other members were trying to make the same point but I didn't want to get my head bitten off.
I do understand that as an individual we cannot save them all and that cruelty and neglect will always go on no matter what efforts we take to try and put an end to it.
Organisations like the ILPH and EMW have the sense to act responsibly and don't take on cases they cannot afford to and are also campaigning actively against the transport of horses for slaughter.
I am in full support of both charities and clearly believe that in the bigger picture supporting organisations like these will do more good for the welfare of horses than buying sick and aged horses from sales etc.
However I will openly admit that in the future I cannot say for certain that I could totally look away from a horse that could be given a long and happy life with us than end up on a slab.
Caroline
 
It could encourage anyone who might consider going to an auction, to take someone experienced with them?

That is your view but from my point of view when we bought our horse it was the first horse sales we had visited. However I asked plenty of questions from a friend who has been to sales and also 2 friends who have bought racehorses from sales ( to race) as well.
I also researched the venues I was thinking of attending. Researched points to look out for when buying a horse. Purchased books and read magazine articles on the subject.
I contacted the auctions direct and asked for information from them including explanations of the terms and conditions.
I had previous sale reports and catalogues emailed to me or else researched on the internet.
I looked to see if certain names popped up time and again against the lots.
When getting the catalogue in advance I cross checked it with previous sale reports/catalogues and did indeed find one horse that had failed to sell at a previous sale a few months earlier. This horse which was cold backed did indeed sell when I was there and I would certainly not have paid the money that it sold for and I doubt the buyer knew it had been listed before and how different the description was second time around.
We crossed off several in the catalogue that were possibles and went to view them at the auction. Gave them a good going over and asked the sellers numerous questions.
So even though I was a newbie to horse sales I did plenty of research before attending. Maybe we got 'lucky' with our horse I don't know.
I just know that I did not see any horses that looked in particular bad health at that particular auction which was Leominster.
 
Leominster is, IMO, a well run, well attended sale.

i, too have rarely seen anything, other than the odd pony with bad feet, put through there looking poor.

the sales i was/am referring to are the now defuct Southall,(thank god!) exeter, taunton, reading.....



in answer to Dusty....i wouldn't of thought so..but it was half-term!!
 
I would definitely agree with you about Leominster as it is the main reason we attended there with a view to buying.
My yo told me to go there to look and not buy lol bit daft telling me that as I had already had a feeling we would be coming home with one that day.
TBH I liked the place it was very well run. Facilities seemed good and the sellers that I spoke to seemed genuine and were very helpful as well. We could have quite easily returned home with a couple that day lol but I only had the cash for one and as I already had a horse at home as well I knew I was in no financial position to be able to afford another long term.
The horses seemed to be in good condition as well.
There was a lovely black heavyweight hunter type that seemed nice but I didn't like the fact it was being trotted up and down numerous times before the sale and also myself and a few others noticed it had sores around its mouth which looked like it was caused by the bit rubbing or the rider being heavy handed.
We also liked an appaloosa/strawberry roan mare that looked sensible and had been brought back into work after having a foal or two. Sellers seemed genuine but she had an injury on one of her hind fetlock joints which was puffy and there was a scar there too.
When I asked the seller they said she had been kicked by a stallion during covering. I don't know if that is true or not because I always thought it was the mare who did the kicking, hence mare covering boots being used.
I was worried about the leg even though she seemed sound as she was being ridden. My concerns were potential problems later in life and also that due to the presence of a former injury on the leg it may have been an insurance 'write off'. She went for £2,100 which for me personally I believed was too much for a mare I would not be using for breeding ( just riding) and there was the injury to think of as well.
I have been to Beeston twice and both times I have seen a few horses which have seemed to be in poor condition or being poorly handled.
I had also heard of a few horror stories of horses being bought from there. One was a pony on my yard ( there before I arrived) which had been bought as a quiet sort suitable for a child. It must have been drugged up because I was told it was wild the next day and went beserk and ended up being sold on again.
I went to Leominster because they had a vetting procedure at the sales. Only basic but if there was something that would cause it to fail it would be noted there or else you had a short time scale to have a further vetting and blood tests done by your own vet once home.
Mcfly passed the vetting fine and his nature was as good the following day as the day we got him home. He had travelled sweetly and was a little gem. We decided not to bother with the drug testing but if he had showed anything out of the ordinary we would have done but his nature was sound and he walked and trotted sound afterwards too.
I'm glad you say that sale is now defunct.
I have read a few horror stories myself online about sales and it has both angered me and brought tears to my eyes.
Without the attendance of charities like EMW many of these poor horse's neighs would be unheard
frown.gif

Caroline
 
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