I went to York Horse Sales to buy a riding jacket, and leadrope. Maybe two. (These nylon any-colour-you-like ropes are great, but mine always end up getting chewed, broken, or lost. An excellent specification for all who enjoy a spot of horsey retail therapy and socialising.) The auction sales at York (as at most other horse sales) includes a large section for new and second-hand tack and equipment. As at all auctions, you have to be careful you don’t get carried away bidding and end up paying more than you need have, or buying something that turns out to be rubbish. But I have certainly been able to pick up many a bargain there amongst the turkeys I’ve blundered into.
Having done the right thing and arrived early, in time to have a look through the items for sale in the tack section and note the lot numbers of suitable jackets and leadropes ( and reins, and bits, and numnahs, and other highly useful etcs….) I then did the wrong thing and went to have a wander round the horse pens.
Big mistake. ( From my bank manager’s viewpoint, anyway.) Because what should I encounter as I ambled up and down the rows of stables but an ex-racehorse……
There was this big bay gelding, quietly munching hay, accompanied by two men ( father and son, it turned out.) The bay was obviously thoroughbred, so obviously I lingered – from simple curiosity, of course, to pass the time between my tack lots. And I got chatting with his handlers, as you do…..
And so Magic entered my life. Magic Bengie, by full title, a 16.3hh 9-year-old , by Magic Ring, who had raced all his life from the age of 2, on the flat, over hurdles, and steeplechasing. ( With some success, too, winning and being placed ) He had last raced a month before, coming third. Consequently he was still racing-lean, but he was a big strapping lad even so, with lovely conformation – great front and fantastic hind quarters.
And then I was in the stable, with my hands stroking the horse and quietly exploring. I find you can learn an awful lot about a horse by touching it. At first I was a little wary because Magic was showing some of the white of his eyes. “Stop scowling” I told him jokingly. His owner leapt to his defence. “No, he’s NOT scowling! That’s just the way his eyes are. He’s a lovely kind horse….”
I didn’t take much convincing. It was obvious from the calm way Magic continued eating his hay, and the way he put his head down for me to stroke, that here was a well-mannered horse with a gentle nature who liked human company. The fact that his owner, Mr Kirby, clearly loved and cared for him also spoke volumes as a character reference.
But why, then, should this horse be for sale? I asked the obvious question out of curiosity only, since I really did not need or want another horse myself. (Nor was this ‘time-wasting’. When at the sales, anyone showing any interest in a horse automatically attracts interest from other people, who sidle up and eavesdrop… So I was actually helping the vendors’ sales promotion !)
Mr Kirby explained that he owned and trained just a few racehorses on his North Yorkshire farm. He had had Magic for six years and done well with him, but now there were youngsters ready to start racing and, for Magic, as the oldest, it was time to move on. Mr Kirby’s typical farmer’s no-nonsense logic had decreed this, and even decided to sell Magic with a low reserve and no warranty, to prevent any returns – but his soppy sentimental side wanted to try to get Magic a good home.
He asked me what kind of horse I was looking for. “I’m not,” I said, firmly. “I came here for a jacket. And a leadrope.” But we continued talking about Magic, and I continued stroking him. I pointed out his thickened right foreleg ( well, you could hardly miss it !). He’d done that, I was told, four years ago, winning a race. He’d had a year off to recover, and then raced successfully for another three years up till now. ( I later checked this in his racing record, and it was perfectly correct.) He was still sound, I was told. And certainly, the thickened tendon was as hard and cold as living flesh can be. “We think he’ll do eventing, or hunting,” Mr Kirby said. Magic certainly looked that type of horse, and I wished them well. Sometimes event riders do attend York Sales, and lots of hunting folk do. I really and truly hoped that someone like this would like Magic, buy him, and give him a good home and an interesting life.
Only – none of them did. Nobody seemed to want Magic at all. The bidding was slow-to-crawling. I looked round the crowded ringside, willing some nice person to put up their hand to offer Magic a chance. Nothing. After the meat-men bowed out at about 450 guineas, no-one seemed much interested. Except a couple of the gypsy dealers in their usual spot down by the auctioneer’s rostrum. And then me.
Hey-ho – what else could I do…..? So I paid over 675 guineas (about $1000) and Magic came home with me. He came with a headcollar of his own – so I only had to buy the leadrope. Never did get the jacket.
Having done the right thing and arrived early, in time to have a look through the items for sale in the tack section and note the lot numbers of suitable jackets and leadropes ( and reins, and bits, and numnahs, and other highly useful etcs….) I then did the wrong thing and went to have a wander round the horse pens.
Big mistake. ( From my bank manager’s viewpoint, anyway.) Because what should I encounter as I ambled up and down the rows of stables but an ex-racehorse……
There was this big bay gelding, quietly munching hay, accompanied by two men ( father and son, it turned out.) The bay was obviously thoroughbred, so obviously I lingered – from simple curiosity, of course, to pass the time between my tack lots. And I got chatting with his handlers, as you do…..
And so Magic entered my life. Magic Bengie, by full title, a 16.3hh 9-year-old , by Magic Ring, who had raced all his life from the age of 2, on the flat, over hurdles, and steeplechasing. ( With some success, too, winning and being placed ) He had last raced a month before, coming third. Consequently he was still racing-lean, but he was a big strapping lad even so, with lovely conformation – great front and fantastic hind quarters.
And then I was in the stable, with my hands stroking the horse and quietly exploring. I find you can learn an awful lot about a horse by touching it. At first I was a little wary because Magic was showing some of the white of his eyes. “Stop scowling” I told him jokingly. His owner leapt to his defence. “No, he’s NOT scowling! That’s just the way his eyes are. He’s a lovely kind horse….”
I didn’t take much convincing. It was obvious from the calm way Magic continued eating his hay, and the way he put his head down for me to stroke, that here was a well-mannered horse with a gentle nature who liked human company. The fact that his owner, Mr Kirby, clearly loved and cared for him also spoke volumes as a character reference.
But why, then, should this horse be for sale? I asked the obvious question out of curiosity only, since I really did not need or want another horse myself. (Nor was this ‘time-wasting’. When at the sales, anyone showing any interest in a horse automatically attracts interest from other people, who sidle up and eavesdrop… So I was actually helping the vendors’ sales promotion !)
Mr Kirby explained that he owned and trained just a few racehorses on his North Yorkshire farm. He had had Magic for six years and done well with him, but now there were youngsters ready to start racing and, for Magic, as the oldest, it was time to move on. Mr Kirby’s typical farmer’s no-nonsense logic had decreed this, and even decided to sell Magic with a low reserve and no warranty, to prevent any returns – but his soppy sentimental side wanted to try to get Magic a good home.
He asked me what kind of horse I was looking for. “I’m not,” I said, firmly. “I came here for a jacket. And a leadrope.” But we continued talking about Magic, and I continued stroking him. I pointed out his thickened right foreleg ( well, you could hardly miss it !). He’d done that, I was told, four years ago, winning a race. He’d had a year off to recover, and then raced successfully for another three years up till now. ( I later checked this in his racing record, and it was perfectly correct.) He was still sound, I was told. And certainly, the thickened tendon was as hard and cold as living flesh can be. “We think he’ll do eventing, or hunting,” Mr Kirby said. Magic certainly looked that type of horse, and I wished them well. Sometimes event riders do attend York Sales, and lots of hunting folk do. I really and truly hoped that someone like this would like Magic, buy him, and give him a good home and an interesting life.
Only – none of them did. Nobody seemed to want Magic at all. The bidding was slow-to-crawling. I looked round the crowded ringside, willing some nice person to put up their hand to offer Magic a chance. Nothing. After the meat-men bowed out at about 450 guineas, no-one seemed much interested. Except a couple of the gypsy dealers in their usual spot down by the auctioneer’s rostrum. And then me.
Hey-ho – what else could I do…..? So I paid over 675 guineas (about $1000) and Magic came home with me. He came with a headcollar of his own – so I only had to buy the leadrope. Never did get the jacket.
4 comments:
I read your story with interest because I have recently purchased his brother also called Magic (Swallow Magic by Magic Ring). He is 15.3 and looks very similar but has 2 front half socks. He's a sweet natured horse and I hope he will be with me forever.
Magic Bros OK ! I've never seen Magic Ring, But he must be a lovely horse to produce two such super sons, eh ? Hope your Magic turns out to be as loveable as mine is .
Magic is a sweetie and I've had him for 6 months. He's quite a plod and not like a racehorse at all!! However recently he has been naughty, rearing up on open ground and trying to spin and take off and the other day while cantering he threw in 3 or 4 huge bucks!! Totally out of character that I've seen so far. My friends think he is feeling good now he has put weight on and his poor feet have improved. i just hope its not an underlying dangerous trait that he has. The dentist is coming in Jan and I will arrange to have his saddle re checked now that he has changed shape. I'm also in the throws of changing his feed from a build up cube to a maintenance nut to see if that helps. i don't want to lose my confidence because I want to keep him forever lol x
Oh-Oh ! - Whey-hey syndrome kicking in, then ! Don't know about you, but I've often noticed that when horses have been in a hard-working, disciplined, structured environment (racing yard, cavalry mews, busy riding school etc) they arrive in their new 'pleasure horse' home with perfect manners and on very best behaviour. All goes beautifully for a while, and then - often at about the six-months stage - they blow it . It's as if they've suddenly realised that, hey, the food's good, the work's light and the living is easy ! And they start behaving like kids let out of school, and go all giddy and naughty. Hopefully it's a phase that won't last long - and the more work and discipline they get, the quicker the phase passes !
I think you're doing right to get your Magic's teeth and saddle checked. He's bound to have changed shape since you got him, and it's surprising how many racehorses don't have their teeth done regularly - so either of these things could be triggering his naughtiness.
You're right to change his food, too. I think most pleasure-horse owners feed their horses too much protein and sugar for the amount of work the horses actually do. ( Hacking 3 o 4 times per week, plus a schooling session, would still class as 'light' work ) Have you been feeding build-up cubes, mollassed chaff or ordinary sugar beet ? If so, I would suggest cutting these out, and changing to a low-protein cube/mix ( and only a handful of that per feed ), plus alfabeet or speedibeet ( low mollasses), together with lots of un-mollassed chaff, hi-fi, alfalfa etc for fibrous bulk. My horses get lots of these chaffs, mixed with soaked Calm & Condition and a cup-ful of very cheap 9% protein pony nuts.
Hope your boy gets through his giddy phase soon. Horses, eh!
Post a Comment