As the Thoroughbred sale season continues at Fasig Tipton and Keeneland this fall, you may be considering attending your first public auction. Viewing horses before they sell is a big part of choosing those that you might like to buy. While it’s always prudent to work with an experienced horseman or agent, you can also view horses on your own.
Catalogs containing pedigree information and sale schedules are available online several weeks before the sale, giving you an opportunity to decide which horses you might like to see in person. Typically, horses arrive on the sales grounds for inspection two or three days before the date they sell. Most consignors have horses ready to show from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m.
Having worked as a groom/showperson at roughly a half-dozen public auctions since 2007, I have watched many newcomers struggling to navigate the complexities of a horse sale. My job as a showperson is to show you the horse at his very best, and I take my job seriously. When you come to view a horse, the groom will stand the horse in front of you and walk the animal back and forth, trying to serve your needs as a potential buyer, which can be challenging when dealing with a young, often nervous Thoroughbred. Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can make the process of viewing horses safer and more efficient.
Consider the timing of your visit
While it’s difficult to manage when you have a large number of horses to look through, you’ll usually see them at their best before noon. Walking and standing on the concrete and packed ground common in the walking areas at Fasig Tipton or Keeneland makes most horses tired by the end of the sale day, especially weanlings and yearlings. If you notice a horse requiring lots of encouragement to move forward and it’s late in the day, consider coming back in the morning to look at him again.
On the day the horse sells, grooms will be giving him a final polish when there are around 30 horses left to sell before his hip number. With 20 horses to go, he may already have left the barn for the walking ring. Keep an eye on TVs in the sale barns and know what hip number is currently selling.
Be ready to look
There are few things more frustrating for a showperson than pulling a horse out its stall, dusting it off and walking it out, only to discover the buyer is on the phone and not interested in seeing the horse until the conversation is finished. While I understand business etiquette requires availability, a young horse is a lot like a human toddler — those few minutes are enough for him to completely lose his focus/composure/energy, and a distracted horse is not going to show well. If you need to take a call, try to wrap it up before the horse comes out.
Follow the rules of the road
Try to keep an eye out for horse traffic when crossing through barns. If I’m leading a horse out of the barn or stall, there’s a good chance I can’t see you coming, and with excitable horses in particular, jumping out in front of us is something like pulling out in front of a semi — it’s hard for me to stop or turn without warning. This is especially tough in the walking rings leading up to the auctioneer; it’s a noisy, unfamiliar environment and horses, as flight animals, can become overwhelmed and antsy here. Please follow the cues of security personnel, who will tell you when to clear paths for an incoming horse.
Approach with caution
I think my favorite buyers are those who take a closer look at a horse that interests them. I have no problem with you approaching the horse to get a better sense of his height or foot quality, or to give him a pat. I do however, appreciate your giving the horse and I a little warning. If you’d like to pick up a front foot, approach at his shoulder and run your hand down his leg. It’s always prudent to ask me if he bites or kicks as you approach.
Give me feedback
Feedback is great. If you’d like to see the horse’s legs in a certain position and need me to move him forward or back, please tell me. If you’d prefer I walk him in a loop instead of straight toward and away from you, that’s perfectly okay. I cannot, however, jog the horse for you safely. They haven’t been trained to trot in hand yet by this point generally.
Stay aware of other buyers
I don’t know how many times someone has cut in front of my horse in the middle of a showing, obstructing the buyer’s view and forcing me to stop my horse’s momentum. It’s usually my luck that this happens with a tired or young horse who wasn’t feeling too energetic to begin with.
More importantly than courtesy though, this tip is critical to safety. If a horse spooks and begins dancing sideways or bolting, I will do my best to keep him clear of bystanders, but when a horse is frightened, their four legs are much faster than my two. Keep in mind, too, that horses are herd animals, so when one acts up, there’s a chance that others within sight will too.