The grounds why a horse is put up for auction sale is something, which you may not like to know, so when buying the animal at the auction, you ignore many things. More often than not, unless you happen to be a horse trainer or Vet, you won’t have the chance to do a pre-purchase examination. If that were the situation, you might just try to raise the red flags from the horse you are contemplating to buy. Some limpness or other related problems with regards the horse can be concealed by some medication or even just a plain rest given to the horse just before you lay your eyes on the horse so that you will not be given any clue of such deficiency.
Look for any swelling or warm spots starting from the nose to the tail. If the horse will allow you to give its legs the massage that you need to feel and see any difference between the right and the left legs, then do so, otherwise pick up the red flag. When the horse is arthritic it is manifested by a bowed tendon or knee filled with fluid. Try flexing the joints if you can and if arthritis is present they won’t flex too well.***
Review the overall shape of its body including the quality of coat and feet, and check out if they are shiny or dull and the toes are trimmed or chipped. The exam of its mental faculties to know if the horse is intelligent and nosy or simply feeling dejected and aloof also if its muscular tissues are nourished and not frail are also a must once you’re don’t inspecting its other essential aspects. 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. The amount of training and use, which the horse has been subjected to, are also revealed by these attributes.
Watch the horse move - walk, trot and canter - does he move well 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? The only way to confirm about its attitude and comfort level with you is to ride it on a saddle. Your riding experience with the horse should also be well deliberated as it can really be helpful when making your decision to buy that horse. Try not to over-estimate your skills or you will get a horse not suited to your level of expertise.
It serves no purpose rushing through the purchasing process in a horse auction, so take your time to come to a decision. You may miss a few things, but the more horses you inspect, the better you get at it.
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