Top 10 Tips For Sport Horse Buying At European Warmblood Auctions
Horse Blog
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1. Determine your desired horse type
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I recommend that you keep a journal and on the first page make a detailed list of exactly what your looking for in your new horse. This list should include:
Age Range
Sex and Reproductive Status (gelded?)
Current level of training/experience
Temperament
Conformation with desired traits and those you wish to avoid
Medical history - this should include specifically what is acceptable to you on the pre-vet findings
Size - both build and height
Color - if preference
Background - how was the horse raised
Desired breed(s)
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| 2. Determine the purpose of your horse |
Determining the specific intended purpose of your horse to better allow you to define the type of horse you'll need and it will also assist with determination of #3 - the cost or amount you will / should spend.
Some questions to ask yourself:
Is this horse to be just for my own personal pleasure?
Do I intend to show my horse?
If I intend to show, what disapline will I compete in?
To what level do I wish to be able to compete with this new horse?
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| 3. Now determine how much you can afford to spend on your new horse. |
Be very conservative here as in an auction setting we frequently see buyers over spending. Know your limits prior to the auction. When buying in Europe you need to know the comparable amount in Euros. Write this information down in your journal and refer back to it if you find yourself getting "auction fever."
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| 4. Research extensively to determine how your desired horse goal meets your affordable horse budget. |
Your research should include review of many past auction results, discussion with your trainer, review of selling cost of "your type" of horse in your home town, and finally,discussion with Verband staff to determine if your goal is reasonable.
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| 5. Arrive at the beginning of the auction process. |
Arriving early allows more time to view the individual horses and also allows a better look at the horses and their real personalities, prior to the daily auction stress. As a bonus many top trainers will only view horses early in the process and you may benefit from observing their picks. |
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| 6. Make a short list of your top 5 horses early in the process. |
Use your list from #1 to quickly eliminate many horses allowing you to focus your attention on your most likely interests. Your early short list will allow you to determine the pre-vet check on each of your potential new horses. The findings can then be compared to your acceptable pre-vet list and will allow you to make changes early when there is still time to observe and try other horses.
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7.Observe your short list horses when "other" riders are trying them. |
Observation of your short list should include watching them with other riders. The auction experience is a great way to determine what the horses attitude and experience level is. Is the horse nervous? Does the horse only look good with advanced riders? Dose the horse make all riders look good? Is your horse eager to work or moody and unwilling to aid the rider? Never forget that attitude is the most important aspect of your choice and this is a great way of determining attitude in a short time frame.
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8.Visit stables in the area of the auction house |
Many wounderful horses are never taken to the auction and many of these horse are available locally. Be certain to make at least a few trips to surrounding farms to acquire back up horses or maybe even find that one special horse. The auction setting allows buyers a unique barganing opportunity with locals who wish to sell you their horse prior to your attending the auction.
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9. Prepare for auction day |
Complete all your homework prior to the day of the auction. Have a detailed list of various pricing tiers in Euros and the converted rate in Dollars. This will allow for a quick look at your budget during the heat of the auction. Also, reveiw your short list a final time. Ensure all horses on your list meet your goals in #1 and also again review the vet finding and ensure they meet your comfort level
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10. Bidding |
Determine a bidding rank for your short list of horses in comparison to their appearance in the auction. What is your favorite and what will you be willing to spend the most on and dose he come first or last in the auction?
If you favorite comes later in the auction you'll need to determine if you'll will bid on horses on your short list that appear earlier in the auction. Also, if you bid on other horse you'll need to determine the maximum amout your willing to bid for each individual.
If you plan to bid for yourself be certain to book a front row seat with a good line of sight.. Keep your head and avoid getting stressed or rushed. Open your bidding after the initial rush and closely observe other bidders to determine their attentiveness to any individual horse. Do not show other bidder any hesitation or stress, particularly if you really want that particular horse! |
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MOST IMPORTANT DON'T FORGET TO ENJOY YOURSELF!
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For further detail on buying at European SportHorses auctions read our article here Links:
Top 6 Web Sites for Buying German Sport Horses |
