blemishes on sales horses
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:44 am
by brooke
how much do slight cosmetic blemishes affect horses at sale? also, what things other than conformation faults and pedigree bring the prices down? ex. bad grooming, not so perfect manners?
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:32 am
by madelyn
Sometimes, prices are affected by nothing more than time of day; placement in the catalog. Auctions have "soft spots" when buyers just aren't there.
However, prepping makes a LOT of difference, especially where babies are concerned. Yearlings that are just dragged up out of the field and run through an intensive grooming program, do not fare nearly so well as ones in a good prep program (walked/jogged 20-30 mins a day, groomed, feet shaped once a week, etc.) for 6-8 weeks. Regardless of time of year, a winter coat is a killer. Blemishes, like scars, lumps, etc., can be killers.