What To Watch For Buying A Horse At Auction
Buying a horse at an auction is a crap shoot at best, as usually there are reasons why the horse is generally there in the first place - reasons you might not want to find out if you take the horse home.
Generally, unless you happen to be a horse trainer or Horse Riding Instructor , you won't have the chance to do a pre-purchase exam. In that case, all you can do is try to find red flags from the horses you happen to be considering. Yes, they can be really subtle and may also be masked thanks to drugs or even the fact the horse was rested prior to you looking at it (which would not show some forms of lameness).
Start the inspection from nose to tail for any swelling or warm spots. Run the hand down all the legs (if the horse will let you and if not - red flag) and compare appearance and the feel of the left and also the perfect. You might find a bowed tendon or a fluid filled knee - an indication of arthritis. Try flexing the joints if you can. If generally there is arthritis they won't flex too well
Now take a fantastic look at general body condition (good, fair or poor), hair coat (sleek and shiny or dull), foot quality (well trimmed or chipped and cracked), muscle development (well formed or wasted) and attitude (bright and curious, dull and depressed or scared). Many of these things will give you an idea of how well the horse has been cared for and you need to pay close attention to them. They are things that will also tell you simply how much training the horse has and the amount of exercise it has had.
Watch the horse move - walk, trot and canter. Does he move effectively or are his ears pinned and tail on a switch? Does the head bob up and down (lameness)? What about his breathing? Does he roar or whistle or wheeze? Make sure you see the horse ridden under saddle to get an idea of his attitude and whether or not he and you will get along. You need to take your current riding experience into consideration for this decision. And try not to over-estimate the skills or you will get a horse not suited to your current level of expertise.
Take the time sizing up a potential purchase at an auction. There is no need to be in a rush. You may miss a few things, but the more horses you inspect, the better you get at it.
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