Buyers Be AWARE~
Informative post based on MY experiences:
PLEASE note ~
When purchasing horses from auctions OR kill pens ( as well as often private sellers, but more so the auction/ Pens) there are a few things you should take in to serious consideration.
I. What you ‘see’ is not always what you get. ( This happens OFTEN.) Unfortunately, there are FAR too many people who bring horses to auction/ kill pens who will tell you a most beautiful lie to sell a horse for a better price. Sadly, this often also consists of ‘drugging’. Yep, you heard me. ‘But he rode so well in the ring’! ( I cannot say how many times I’ve heard that, only to for said buyer to receive a horse that went bananas when it wore off.) DO NOT BLAME THE AUCTION HOUSE for this . MANY a ‘seller’ will bring them in this way for a better sell unbeknownst to the auction house. (Sad, but true.)
This is particularly irritating, for it not only is disappointing but can be( and has been) highly dangerous to the new owner.
Also note when buying from kill pens they are often telling you either:
A. What they were TOLD by previous owners.
B. What they THINK
C. How the horse is for THEM. Often they have not had these horses long and simply do NOT know.
Build a relationship of trust with WHOMEVER you are purchasing from for a better outcome. (Obviously some pens are better about this than others . Research, watch, and ask questions.)
II. BE PREPARED. If you are NOT prepared to deal with ‘problems’ ( IE Lameness, lack of training, behavioural issues, mis-information regarding age, sex et al) then I STRONGLY urge to buy only ‘In Person’ after meeting your intended horse, handling them, riding them .
WHY? Disappointment and hurt feelings aside, this can often be dangerous and is ALWAYS disheartening for the buyer. It is also a VERY large contributing factor to ‘Horses in the auction/ Kill Pen Pipeline’.
Believe me, I get it. So please take in to consideration the ‘long haul’ and what you are willing to deal with.
I have purchased stallions sold as geldings, ‘Kid Safe’ horses you could get NOWHERE near when the sedation wore off, terribly lame horses and more.
III. If you are new to this, please try to purchase locally , at least at first. I have seen FAR too many people spend thousands for an out of state horse, hauling, and more only to be heartbroken to receive a horse they simply cannot handle, is NOT what they wanted, or extreme medical bills. I am in NO way discouraging auction nor kill pen purchase, but simply stating a few things that may be helpful when considering doing so.
A few things TO do:
Have someone you trust there in person to assess the horse.
Use reliable quarantine , veterinarians, and transport.
Ask questions, and talk to those who have been through this rodeo a few times.
I cannot tell you how many times the ‘Oh….my…..Gawd’ has happened to me when bailing/ purchasing. I am ALWAYS prepared for it no matter how fantastic they ‘look.’
Thought I would share this with all of you. Happy Bidding/ Bailing!( Be smart, folks.)
Until next time~
Randi
Buyer Be AWARE
