So we were talking, petting the horses (we both agree we wish we could go back to our childhoods and apologize to our horses) and I was telling him about the auction politics and scams that go on behind the scenes. I thought it might make a semi interesting blog post.
But guess what?! Even if it isn't, you're getting it anyway.
So, I'm watching 'storage wars' and I'm watching the bidding- okay more like the catty bitch fights and name calling. I'm seeing a lot of people bidding other people up just to be jerks and lots of posturing. Hellooooo reality TV!
This is not the same game as horse auctions, at least in my experience. So I'm going to describe some of the shittier aspects of horse sales and the people that frequent them. We're going to skip over the obvious drugging and lying about the horse, exploiting children to make your horse look better, etc. Keep in mind this is my personal experience, it probably doesn't hold true everywhere and certainly not at the high quality auctions.
Kill buyers and brokers as auctioneers: yep. Guess who's horses get the longest time in the ring? Brokers- Guess who the bid spotters in the ring help 'up' the price for? Still them. These people also buy horses cheap, then take them to the next sale and sell them themselves- making a tidy profit at the same time.
Don't know the auctioneer? Good luck getting a decent price because they'll try to rush you out of the ring as quickly as possible- oh and they don't like to talk about the horse either so you'll have to yell. Yes, the auctioneer makes a commission, but many get paid a flat rate fee- so it's all the same to them what it sells for.
Kill buyers as bid spotters in the ring and kill buyers hanging out in the ring so they can yell what they want to pay. It's amazing how often the kill buyers "don't see" your bid when its going against their own... This is why you have to yell.... loudly.
Kill buyers as auctioneers (again) who will start the horse super high ($1400) and when there's no bids their partner will call out the meat price or below it and no one bids against them. They do this so the thought in everyone's mind is: "Well those horse isn't worth that much.. there's no way I'm paying that..." Basically it takes people out of the game before it starts
Traders who sit next to you and will lie about the horse so they can get it cheaper or who'll lie for their friends if they think you're a newbe and wont be back. Thankfully this doesn't happen as much once they know your face. There are also the good traders who will tell you the truth about the horse so that you don't get burned. A good way to build this communication is a commentary on certain horses, for example: Auctioneer: "10 years old!" Me: "Sure, 13 years ago..." Or just discussing horses that go through. Be nice to the people around you, you'll probably find out a lot more than you would otherwise. Especially if they've seen the horse being ridden before. The guy sitting next to me at the London sale was the one who told me that Moose would rear, when I was bidding. Not an issue for me personally (especially since he's not actually a rearer but a bluffer), but very nice of him to mention.
Anyway, then you have the workers who will hit, spook or poke horses coming up with cattle prods. This is to get them worked up and anxious so that they or their friends and partners can get the horse cheap.
There are many more, but I've forgotten them now- of course. I'll add them when I remember them.
As a note for a follow up to my last post: To 'horse proof' sharp edges that refuse to go flat you can use the spray foam used to close gaps. This stuff:
It's not pretty looking, but when it dries it works pretty well as a blocker. It has some give so when they run into it it doesn't cut them. The best part is that these cans cost under $3. I'll vouch that this actually does work.... unlike the waterproofing of blankets stain. That was a dud.
So glad to hear Loki found an awesome home, he is such a beautiful horse!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the Auction politics, having never attended one before it is very interesting to hear, also, how do you view the horses before they go into the ring, do you get to ride them beforehand? I have seen photos of small pens with a few horses each in it and that's about it.
Thanks for your insights :)
LOVE the spray foam. It holds up really well, at least in the places I've used it. Auctions. Kill buyers as the auction owner. Reason I can't bring myself to go often enough to get to know anyone.
ReplyDeleteEan: It depends on the sale- the small pens are pretty much everywhere. for most you can go in and walk down lines of pens and go in them if you want (read, if you're brave), you can ride some horses before the sale- it depends on the owner. Some owners will ride the horses outside so people can see them (they'll go for more that way) and many won't mind if you ask to ride.
ReplyDeleteSome sales have big open corrals filled with loose horses, and some sales have a walkway overhead which is the only way you can view the horses before the sale. That or you can ignore the big signs and hop the fence.
Wildfire: so do I! I'm thinking since I ran out of T-post toppers I might use this as a substitute in the less seen places....