Belt Auction

What should my mares be used to when they go to the auction?

My two mares are going to the auction one of these days. We really want them to go to a good home, so if we have them used to loud noises and people crowding them, they would probably get a descent home. What types of things should I introduce them to? I've already thought of : - Quads - People screaming, yelling, talking, crying, bidding loud, jumping, jumping jacks, swinging arms around them, etc.. - Swinging rope around - Holding umbrella up and around (not touching them with it) - Rolling a small, black barrel around - Shaking bottles with rocks in them (We will be using a couple plastic bottles and a coke - cola bottle as well) - Smashing bottles together - Standing on the fence acting like we are little kids and saying/yelling "I want that horse daddy/mommy/!" - Running around everywhere - I think I've already mentioned this one . . . - Dogs running around - Tarps - Plastic bags What else should I introduce to them? Thanks,

Public Comments

1. I can't think of anything you haven't covered, but have you considered other ways of selling them? Auctions concern me, because you don't ultimately have any control over what kind of home they end up in. Private sales are a bit more work, but you're more likely to find a good "match". Horsetopia is one on-line site that I know of that I think is either free or cheap to advertise on. Anyway - love your sacking out activities - you'll have horses that could stand still with a bomb going off! :-)
2. You're seriously going to send them to an auction?! Do you realize they could very well end up on someone's dinner table?? Kill buyers are all over those places.. They just wait to find a horse that will be more valuable by the pound. Then they get taken to Mexico to be slaughtered and shipped to Europe to be someones dinner. Yeah, and also, I hope you have the common sense not to overwhelm the mares with all of your 'desensitizing' them. Sounds a bit harsh to me. Sounds like you're going to make them into stress out and scared horses. Man, do I feel sorry for those poor little mares!
3. I'm not going to lecture anyone here but there are different types of auctions specific to breed and discipline believe it or not. Any of our horses get sold at the quarter horse auctions or cowhorse or reiner bred auctions.....its pretty garunteed that no killer buyer is going to pay ten grand for a colt. When people think auction they think the typical run of the mill, random auctions where the killer buyers flock too, not saying those don't exist, but there are different types of auctions. Preferably you'd be taking your mare somewhere reputable than to some rundown junk place. But that ain't my call. Generally, you've got the right idea to desensatize them, however this can't be a last minute deal. Desenatizing a horse is done over time, not the last few days.
4. I personaly wouldn't send a horse to a auction...even if it is a decent one. If someone buys them and turns out there not what they wanted your horse could end up at a slaughter house. If you have a private sale you can talk with interested buyers. Let them get to know your horse and possibley see where there going
5. My buddy Henry said to me, "I can get you a good cow horse for about $3000. But if you see me selling a horse at auction, don't buy it. I've got it there for a reason, and I don't want my name on it." We've always heard the best way to teach a horse to de-spook himself is to toss a dozen very flappy chickens into his stall. Leave 'em there for a while. It's not much work. Some day I'm gonna buy me some chickens.
6. No one (but the kill buyers) will buy your wild mare who has never even had a halter on. There is no way you will have her calm by Saturday, STOP ASKING. Stop with the caring owner act, you don't give a sh*t where this horse ends up (on a dinner plate) and we all know it. The most useful thing to desensitize them to at this point would be a bolt gun.
7. I was the "best answerer" of your last question and all I have to say is... Your horses are going not going to go to a good home the way they are. NOBODY is going to buy a pony you can't touch and good luck having people buying a horse you can't ride. Why don't you keep them a little longer and put ads on craigslist and dreamhorse and try to find them a good home? You could give the pony to a rescue so they can train her and maybe someone on craigslist would take your TB as a project horse. I probably would. But taking them to an auction WILL NOT end well for them. They will probably be bought by a kill buyer.