Age Limit for Broodmares being sold

[Rachel Alexandra]

........If you ever attended a sale, especially the Nov. Sale at Keeneland, usually by the end of the sale, old, worn out mares that have no business being there are dragged through the ring to only to dragged back out because she couldn't even fetch a $1000. These are the mares the auctions are trying to discourage sellers from bringing and they have every right to.

Poppycock. It COSTS $1,000 to put a horse in the catalog, and through the ring at Keeneland. Plus prep, consignor, sales commission if the horse goes above a certain price. What sort of fool would pay about $2500 out of pocket to put a mare through Keeneland and not expect to get at least $3,000? You could as easily try to place her, along with a tax deductible donation of about half that, with one of the TB retirement places. That said, I have picked up just AMAZING bargains at Keeneland. I am quite HAPPY that sellers brought those bargain mares for me to pick up. I say leave the status quo as it is.

BTW NOTHING going through the ring at Keeneland looks the least bit tired or worn out.[/quote]

Really? So are you trying to say there have never been horses that go through the Keeneland ring that can't even get the minimum bid of $1000?
How many sales have you worked? I have lost track of the sales I have worked, and I have seen a fair amount that had no business being there. Mares, stallions, weanlings, all of them.
Try attending the Nov. sale the last few days. I remember one year some idiot brought a trailer full of old broodmares and weanlings from Montana. They looked absolutely terrible. Their coats were dull, hooves in bad shape, manes long etc. Needless to say, the idiot took them all back home. There are just some people out there that want to say "I sold my horse at Keeneland".

[Rachel Alexandra]

If you ever attended a sale, especially the Nov. Sale at Keeneland, usually by the end of the sale, old, worn out mares that have no business being there are dragged through the ring to only to dragged back out because she couldn't even fetch a $1000. These are the mares the auctions are trying to discourage sellers from bringing and they have every right to.

This is not a good description of KEE Nov. and it begs the question: Have YOU been to that sale?

KEE is not an inexpensive sale for the consignor. If you have a horse that you feel no one will want, you're not going to bother running her through KEE.

Second, why can't the buyer make the decision as to what s/he wants to purchase? If you think the mare is too old, don't raise your hand. Simple as that.

If we're going to use the logic that the sales companies have a duty to protect the buyer, then should they also stop the bidding once it reaches fair market value to protect the buyer from paying too much?

Oh sure so the sales company can deprive themselves of a hefty commission.
It's called "integrity" and some sales are trying to promote it. It's not like the back yard auction houses that can care less if the horse was shot up with banamine to hide the limping, before it goes into the ring.
So really, exactly how many sales have you worked????

[reenci]

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I think you are supposed to feed your older mares until they die of old age or infirmity.

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What a novel idea Madelyn

my god ...you expect people to do the right thing....are you nuts? we live in a me me world ...why would anyone want to do the right and decent thing? hell,.. grind that old girl up into dog food and move on . ..... what comes around goes around.

[barbfool]

I for one I'm disappointed with the age limit. I am a small breeder and owner, currently my wife and I have 2 horses in training from these 'unwanted' type of mares.
In 2006 we bought a 21 YO mare in-foal to Vicar for 3K, the mare is the grand dam of Curlin. My point is that it allowed us to purchase a much high level of bloodline then buying a younger mare or yearling with the same pedigree, which would have been in a price range that we are not willing to spend.
The 3YO Vicar filly won first out in a MSW and the now 24 YO mare is out of production, but will always have a home. This age limit takes away the chance for these mares to find the farm willing to give these mares a place to live out their remaining years.

[jrgators]

Congrats Barbfool!

I'm glad you have the mare with a 4ever home, and that the offspring is doing some good for you guys as a bonus.

Continued sucess!

Theo

[reenci]

the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few......is that not the way it should be.....................apply that to horses and society and we would all be better off.