You are at the point in your life (and equine education) that you want a horse of your own. You have studied breed standards, taken riding and ground lessons, and fully understand the care, feeding, housing and medical needs of an animal as big as….well, a horse! You have a support staff, including veterinarian and farrier waiting in the wings. You know exactly what “job” you want your horse to do, and you have narrowed your “want” list to the breeds that can best do that job, or discipline.
Now where do you begin to look for your perfect first horse? Horses can be purchased at auctions, directly from owners, breeders, or from a reputable horse dealer. Talk to people, check classifieds ad, both online and in print. Visit your local feed stores and tack stores, most have bulletin boards for sellers to post ads onto. Be prepared to look at a lot of horses, and really look, not just sweep a glance over a herd in a paddock.
At horse auctions, you are very likely to see a large number of animals, and unless you attend a breed-specific auction, you will likely see a wide selection of breeds or breed-types. At some auction yards you may also see a “meat pen”, surrounded by bidders, hoping to pay bottom dollar for the horses that no one else wants. This is not for the faint of heart, nor is it usually the place to find a good quality, healthy, sound “first horse”. Unless you have experience rehabilitating a horse rescued from the auction-yard and the meat buyers, the rescuing is best left to someone else.
This does not mean that you must rule out every horse at every auction, but it is best to take along someone with above-average horse judging abilities. It is also advised that if you find a promising horse at an auction, use the services of the auction-yard veterinarian and have the animal examined, for a fee, prior to the horse going into the ring. Disreputable sellers, who can remain virtually unknown to the buyer at an auction, may attempt to cover soundness, health or behavior issues in their horses with medications.
A horse purchased at an equine or livestock auction almost never comes with a return policy, a money-back guarantee or a warranty. It is also up to the buyer to make sure that any registration papers are properly issued, up-to-date, and match the horse being purchased. It is imperative that you receive a dated receipt for the full purchase price, along with the necessary health papers required by your state, or any state that you may be traveling through.
At most auctions, you must be prepared to take your purchased horse from the site by the end of the auction. A sturdy, extra halter and lead rope in the truck may also come in handy as, with most horse transactions, your beloved new equine friend will have a very limited wardrobe. As with any purchase, consider the weather, and plan accordingly if your horse will need a sheet or blanket while traveling.
A well-prepared first-time horse buyer, who has the assistance of a well-educated, and experienced horseperson, along with a veterinarian’s services, may be able to find his or her beloved and never-forgotten first horse at a breed or livestock auction.
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