auction etiquette

mightyhijames · Postby **mightyhijames** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 4:40 pm

i'm thinking of bidding on a horse at auction for the first time and i have a couple of questions. first, i assume i should arrive w/trailer in tow? are horses sold on the spot or is there some sort of grace period? second, is it proper to contact the owners in advance for information as to the horse's soundness? thanks.

ageecee · Postby **ageecee** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 9:47 pm

1-Yes

2-On the spot once the hammer falls

3-No

Fireslam · Postby **Fireslam** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 5:16 am

Its fine contacting owners prior to the sale to ask any questions that you have. I dont know what type sale you are going to, but at a lot of sales, there are xrays either you or a vet can look at. If not, and you are a serious buyer, you can pay for xrays yourself.

Bohemia · Postby **Bohemia** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 7:30 am

If you don't have a trailer of your own to bring, there are plenty of vanning companies that will be at the sale to ship your horse to its new home.

ageecee · Postby **ageecee** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 7:30 am

No owner is gonna tell you that the horse is unsound. You can ask but they aint sayin.

toadie · Postby **toadie** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 8:24 am

ageecee wrote:No owner is gonna tell you that the horse is unsound. You can ask but they aint sayin.

Right, but contrary to your 1st response it is ok to ask. Especially if it's a mixed sale. I sold a gelding at auction that was the worst bucker I'd ever had. I told everyone who came by the stall, yet one of the idiots still bought him. For her 12 yr. old daughter.

mightyhijames · Postby **mightyhijames** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:32 am

thanks for the input. i'm talking about the mid-atlantic FT auction.

Hold Your Peace · Postby **Hold Your Peace** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:54 am

mightyhijames wrote:thanks for the input. i'm talking about the mid-atlantic FT auction.

Since that's an established sale absolutely ask consignors questions about their horses.

If they can't or won't answer your questions there's a lot of others to look at.

And the good consignors will be surprisingly forthcoming with you about horses they're selling. That's why the good consignors have some of the same buyers buying from them year after year and that's why other consginors are avoided by buyers like the black plague.

But yes of course you have to keep in mind that you should verify for yourself what a consignor does or doesn't tell you because the two of you are on opposite sides of the deal.

However, a lot of horses you might have vetted you can pass on without the cost of vetting them because the consginor was honest with you about an issue that some might accept but that you're not willing to accept.