Buyer Beware! - Gambler's Luck

Following on my last post, I feel I ought to add : Don't try this at home, folks ! This is not a sensible way to buy horses. Or anything, come to that.

It was a gamble. I was lucky; as it turned out, H quickly proved himself to be the kindest, gentlest, brightest horse imaginable, and though he has had some soundness problems, he is now fine and we are having lots of fun together. He is, as his old groom Katie said, 'a very special horse', and even if he wasn't sound I wouldn't part with him for the world.

But then, I'm at a stage of life where my horses are pets. They do not have to earn their keep. I simply enjoy their company. If we can go to a show, or a charity ride, or a hunter trial, and enjoy a good day out, I am more than happy, regardless of whether we come first or last. I am not trying to improve them to add value or sell on for profit. All the reschooling and retraining we do is so that the horse can have an interesting and healthy new life, which we can enjoy together. That's why a horse's temperament is so important to me. Obviously, though, different people want different things. Someone wanting an ex-racehorse to retrain as a show-jumper, or team-chaser, or hunter, would be much more concerned with issues of ability and soundness.

Getting Big H could have turned out badly. Critically, from my point of view, I could have misjudged his temperament ( or been fooled by a tired and disorientated horse into thinking he was quieter than he was.) True enough, I tried to cut the odds as much as possible. I handled the horse in his stable, felt him all over, picked up his feet, jumped up and down and clapped my hands.... I quizzed his connections when there was nothing for them to gain by hoodwinking me ( since they had already sold H to someone else.) Crucially, I paid very little for him, so I knew that, if the worst came to the worst and H proved totally wrong for me in some way, I could easily recoup my money by selling him on, even as he stood. But it was a gamble. And as with all gambles, you have to be prepared to loose.

There - my conscience feels clearer now, having fessed up about the risks I took. I would hate for someone to go along to a sale with my cavalier attitude and end up buying a heap of expensive disappointment and trouble! But, it's true to say that great finds can be made at sales, and lots of people are keen to give it a try. So, by popular demand ( er-hem - well, a couple of folks suggested it) I am going to set to and write up a 'Beginners' Guide to Bloodstock Sales'. Watch this space !