First Step: Finding The Auctions

This step can sometimes be the most difficult, or be the easiest, depending on whether or not you know *who* to ask. Most any trainer or riding instructor will know where the auctions are located in your area, because they generally frequent such places looking for a bargain themselves. Call boarding stables, trainers, horse rental stables and breeders to ask if there are any auction sales locally. They should be eager to assist you in your search, if not, find another place to call. Consult local equine-oriented magazines as well, since they generally will not only have listings of such sales but many times classified or display advertisements for them. Remember, auction houses are in business to sell horses and they must attract buyers -- without buyers, there would be no sales. With any luck, you will be able to find (and get directions to) several regular auctions within a reasonably close distance to you.

Second Step: Making Sure You Are Prepared

Being prepared to purchase horses at auction means first and foremost knowing how much room you have available to house any new horse(s) you acquire and how much money you can afford to spend on such purchases. If you go to the auction ready and able to spend $800 (with room for two horses) and have already bought one for $650, chances are you won't be able to find another horse for $150 "just because". With such a budget, don't try to buy the next horse you decide you want if he's already over your limit. The point of rescuing horses is to ensure they have good homes and being short on cash just to bring another mouth to feed home is no way to start out! Another vital step in being prepared is to have transportation for however many horses you intend to purchase ready to take them home at the conclusion of the sale. It's no fun having to wait until the following day (most auctions, however, will give you until a certain time the day following each sale to arrange for transport) for the hauler to show up only to have them call and cancel...while you frantically try to find a substitute! Don't forget to register and get your bidding number early before the auction starts. One more extremely integral part of being prepared is to know your limits as far as the monthly care you can afford to provide any horses you purchase. If you cannot afford a horse or more horses, DON'T buy them. You don't want YOUR horse(s) to need rescuing!

Third Step: Evaluating The Horses Offered

Remember, this is about rescuing horses in danger of not finding a good home! Your mission as a rescuer is to save those who would likely be sold for slaughter or wind up on a horse dealer's lot waiting to be shipped to the next auction. More likely than not, the cute, fat and docile pony who's well trained and child safe will find an excellent home with a caring family. The old, lame and terribly thin horse in the back, however, most likely will not. This would be a horse in need of rescue. Take a good look at all the horses offered in the sale, make note of who the seller/consignor is and of their demeanor toward the horse. Something to keep in mind is you do not want to prevent a horse from going to a good home if there are bidders interested. Often you can negotiate with sellers before the sale starts and offer a fair price so the horse doesn't have to endure the often traumatic experience of being run through the auction ring. Spend some time learning who the dealers/traders and "killer buyers" are. Generally they are very familiar with the auctioneer and often seated inside the actual sale ring unlike the average bidders. Once you have this figured out you can concentrate on the horses they bid on. After some time you will become well versed in which horses they might be interested in and help those horses avoid a bad situation. Something we all want to avoid, if possible, is having to pay a marked up price on a horse one of the dealers happens to be the successful bidder on.

Fourth Step: Prioritizing Your Purchases

Once the sale starts, you want to be ready to bid on any horses who caught your eye as being in need of rescue. You should have a mental list (even a written one, if you prefer) of the horses who might be in danger. This doesn't mean, however, you should start right off bidding with the first horse who enters the ring and neglect to be able to help those sent through later in the sale who might need more help. If possible, attend with a friend who is able to purchase any horse(s) you might not be prepared to take home but who need a rescuer's touch. There is no feeling in the world like being the successful bidder on a sad, crippled horse who otherwise would be soon boarding a double-decker truck bound for a Texas slaughterhouse. This is what rescue is all about!

Fifth Step: Taking Your New Horse(s) Home

Above all else when buying horses at public auction you need to be able to provide an adequate quarantine location away from any other horses or livestock so as not to infect healthy animals with any infectious disease they may have. A great deal of the horses purchased at auction contract Strangles (equine distemper) and other often serious illnesses. Just as you would quarantine horses brought home from any unsavory location, this is a must to ensure your other horses remain in good health. Quarantine should last no less than two weeks, with four weeks inmany instances being preferable. Have your equine vet check out the horse fully as soon as possible after you bring it home and administer needed innoculations and care indicated. Horses who are in need of weight must be brought along slowly and should be under the supervision of your veterinarian, as should visibly sick, injured or lame horses. If you must transport any horse you've purchased across state lines in order to take them home, you must be sure to have health certificates and Coggins tests (for equine infectious anemia - EIA) before embarking on your journey per federal (and those of most states) regulations. Upon arrival home at the soonest possible time (preferably morning of the next business day) you should immediately schedule your veterinarian to visit and perform a thorough examination on the horse, plus administer de-worming and any innoculations necessary if the horse is sufficiently healthy. Also, you will need to have your farrier out to perform at the very least a preliminary trim to the hooves. Once these important steps are accomplished, you can get to work rehabilitating your new charges, bringing them back to health, evaluating what training (if any) they have received at some point and make the all important decision of whether or not you will find homes for them with another family...or simply accept them as members of your own permanently.

Good Luck!

Welcome to the wonderful world of horse rescue!!

 

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