Bought a horse from auction... Did I make a mistake?

[2LaZ2race]

A little over a week ago I purchased an older QH from an auction. The auction was advertised as a Western Sport Horse Auction, but unfortunately there were some not so great buyers, and a few of the no sales ended up at New Holland the following Monday.

I was able to see the horses be warmed up and ridden in the ring, then they went through the auction. I really liked an older QH and bid on him and took him home. Although he’s a little head shy he settled in well and is in his own field until his quarantine period is over. I brush him, feed him, walk him around the field, etc. Everything normal. Had his feet done and checked him over for soreness.

3 days after he came home I lunged him in the ring, perfect gentleman.

4 days after he came home a friend came over and rode him. He was great! A little more sensitive to the leg than we’re used to with some of our english horses, but still a good boy. Another friend got on him because she wanted to try and he was great for her too.

The next day my friend rode him and the ride started off great but about halfway through I look over and he’s like, scooting his but and after a few scoots she falls off. Now, friend isn’t the most secure rider and to me it didn’t look like the horse was bucking and he didn’t even put his head down. After she fell he just stood there like “oops”.

Today a more experienced friend came over and she lunged him and when she went to get on he hunched his back like he was thinking of bucking. She got off and ajusted the saddle and thought maybe he wasn’t used to the close feel of the Bob Marshall. She got on again and he did it. She got off and lunged him and made him work, got back on and he was fine.Was able to walk, trot, lope with no issues.

Is this just a “testing” behavior, should I be worried? How can I go about correcting this? I really like him and I’m willing to put time in. Besides that he’s SO quiet and kind that I really think he’ll work in my program.

[SuzieQNutter]

It could be that he is cold backed.

It could be that he is not used to the saddle. My girl, hubby bought her. She was used to being ridden in a stock saddle. She was mentally and physically thrown when I put on a Dressage saddle and my legs were on her side. Walk okay. Trot okay. Canter wt*!

[cutter99]

Why are you putting someone who “isn’t the most secure rider” on a horse you really know nothing about?

Give the horse some time to settle in. Don’t put the wrong rider on him. Then see what you have.

[Palm_Beach]

Lunging is pretty silly - you just let the horse run around at the end of a line and hope he gets too tired to do anything wrong. I’d do ground work with this horse to help him get over his anxiety about being somewhere new and then get on him. And stay out of his mouth - if he’s older, he probably neck reins and if you are picking up your reins too much he is getting confused.

[Angela_Freda]

@cutter99

Why are you putting someone who “isn’t the most secure rider” on a horse you really know nothing about?

Give the horse some time to settle in. Don’t put the wrong rider on him. Then see what you have.

If this is from the NE sale in NJ I think it is, or really ANY sale, strict quarantine is really mandatory.
That’s 30 days, at least. And no exposure to other horses including via implements.
There are some nasty bugs on a lot of these sales yards.
Some have also been known to be drugged and blocked/nerved.
You do not know what you have, regardless of what you saw in the sales ring.

Palm Beach, lunging should not = tiring out a horse. It has very real, very useful training application. Particularly wrt a horse you know zilch about. And ALL auction horses, regardless of what you saw in that sales ring are horses you know zilch about.

OP give the horse 30 days at least to settle and get acclimated… it’s only fair.

[findeight]

wait. And e more careful who you put on him. There’s reasons horses end up there and anything goes for prep. You can get decent horses but knly if you know what you are doing and are willing to put some money into needed vet work and prepared for for whatever was done to get him sold to wear off

Did you get the papers? He may be much older then you assume

[2LaZ2race]

@cutter99

Why are you putting someone who “isn’t the most secure rider” on a horse you really know nothing about?

Give the horse some time to settle in. Don’t put the wrong rider on him. Then see what you have.

I saw him be ridden before the auction. I had worked with him on the ground. He’d had 2 of my friends on him with no issues. She’s an experienced and competent rider, just doesn’t have a super glue seat. She was only walking him and wasn’t planning on doing anything else.

[2LaZ2race]

@Angela Freda

If this is from the NE sale in NJ I think it is, or really ANY sale, strict quarantine is really mandatory.
That’s 30 days, at least. And no exposure to other horses including via implements.
There are some nasty bugs on a lot of these sales yards.
Some have also been known to be drugged and blocked/nerved.
You do not know what you have, regardless of what you saw in the sales ring.

Palm Beach, lunging should not = tiring out a horse. It has very real, very useful training application. Particularly wrt a horse you know zilch about. And ALL auction horses, regardless of what you saw in that sales ring are horses you know zilch about.

OP give the horse 30 days at least to settle and get acclimated… it’s only fair.

He is in his own paddock on the other side of the farm and has not been in the barn or near the other horses. He is not from New Holland, it was a one weekend Sport Horse Sale, not saying he couldn’t have a bug. I am being careful. Not sharing tack, buckets, and washing my hands after working with him.

In response to the other poster, he was not lunged until he was tired. He was not chased around.

I think you’re right he needs more time to settle. I’ll just do grooming, in hand, etc work until then.

[2LaZ2race]

@findeight

wait. And e more careful who you put on him. There’s reasons horses end up there and anything goes for prep. You can get decent horses but knly if you know what you are doing and are willing to put some money into needed vet work and prepared for for whatever was done to get him sold to wear off

Did you get the papers? He may be much older then you assume

Yes he came with his papers.

[Angela_Freda]

@2LaZ2race

I saw him be ridden before the auction. I had worked with him on the ground. He’d had 2 of my friends on him with no issues. She’s an experienced and competent rider, just doesn’t have a super glue seat. She was only walking him and wasn’t planning on doing anything else.

Well none of us ‘plan’ spooks or bolts… just sayin’ that until you know him very well, I would be cautious.

And sharing any tack, brushes, clothes, boots, you would be amazed at the protocol… really anything can transfer some really nasty diseases.
We spent 4 horrendous days wondering what made him sck and never discovering what it was that killed my Melly**… IMO you can not be too careful wrt not exposing them, in any way, to others.

**after which we were on state mandated quarantine, hence my caution about how very easily transfer can happen.

It also might benefit this horse to be seen by a Vet or chiro to insure he’s physically able to be ridden/worked before you do either… you never know what might be ailing him or painful otherwise.

BTW New Holland is not in NJ.

[2LaZ2race]

@Angela Freda

Well none of us ‘plan’ spooks or bolts… just sayin’ that until you know him very well, I would be cautious.

And sharing any tack, brushes, clothes, boots, you would be amazed at the protocol… really anything can transfer some really nasty diseases.
We spent 4 horrendous days wondering what made him sck and never discovering what it was that killed my Melly**… IMO you can not be too careful wrt not exposing them, in any way, to others.

**after which we were on state mandated quarantine, hence my caution about how very easily transfer can happen.

It also might benefit this horse to be seen by a Vet or chiro to insure he’s physically able to be ridden/worked before you do either… you never know what might be ailing him or painful otherwise.

BTW New Holland is not in NJ.

I’m very sorry that happened to you. We’re being very careful. Everything he uses stays with him.

I also know that New Holland is not in New Jersey, the auction I went to was in New Jersey.

[Angela_Freda]

@2LaZ2race

I’m very sorry that happened to you. We’re being very careful. Everything he uses stays with him.

I also know that New Holland is not in New Jersey, the auction I went to was in New Jersey.

You were the one who brought up NH for some reason:

"He is in his own paddock on the other side of the farm and has not been in the barn or near the other horses. He is not from New Holland’

You said you got him at sale in NJ… no one else suggested NH but you.

[2LaZ2race]

@Angela Freda

You were the one who brought up NH for some reason:

"He is in his own paddock on the other side of the farm and has not been in the barn or near the other horses. He is not from New Holland’

You said you got him at sale in NJ… no one else suggested NH but you.

Sorry I saw your post that said “NE sale in NJ” and I read it as NH sale in NJ (as in New Holland).

[2LaZ2race]

Vet is also coming out Thursday, he hasn’t take any off steps and wasn’t over sensitive to palpating, but I want a professional opinion. I’m sure the travel and stress of the auction can take its toll on even the healthiest horse.

[cutter99]

If he was sold at Camelot, there is a fair chance he came from New Holland or North Carolina or any other dealer associated with that whole crowd. They all run together and horses that don’t sell go from one auction to another. Any horse who has been through any auction barn should be quarantined.

[SuzieQNutter]

She was only going to walk.

On an unknown horse don’t think you are the one in charge. The horse might be the boss!

[2LaZ2race]

@cutter99

If he was sold at Camelot, there is a fair chance he came from New Holland or North Carolina or any other dealer associated with that whole crowd. They all run together and horses that don’t sell go from one auction to another. Any horse who has been through any auction barn should be quarantined.

He was not sold at Camelot, it was a one day auction at the NJ Dream Horse Park. I agree though, all the dealers go to all these auctions. The guy from Camelot was there but that is not where my horse came from, he was exposed to the germs though.He was sold by a private seller, there were some nice horses there! He’s in a private paddock on the other side of my farm. I designated a saddle, pad and bridle for him and it’s stayed over there and only been used on him. His feed and buckets are over there and have not come near my horses. He has his own halter and lead that also stays with him. Everyone washes their hands after they pet him.

Although I’m not super experienced with buying horses at auction, my main source is off the track TBs, so I’m very careful with germs and quarantine procedures. I was also living in So MD when the EHV outbreak happened years ago and it has really stuck with me.

I spoke to my vet today and also made an appointment with my chiro.

I really appreciate everyone’s insights. He’s a really neat horse and obviously trained much different than my OTTBs. The way he’s responsive to the leg and the neck reining is amazing! I’m really excited and I want to give him a great start and a good life.

[red_mares]

Just be careful for a while. I’ve been to similar type sales; my mare just about went to a sale like that. You can get some nice horses at those sales. You can also get some nice horses that have significant holes. Horses go to auction for a reason - either the owner needed the money / him off the board bill or the horse has been a problem they can’t solve and want him gone.

You have his papers; if you haven’t googled his name already, I’d do some digging. See if you see any old sale ads. If he’d been for sale for a while, maybe he was overpriced,maybe he was a pig.

[TBROCKS]

@2LaZ2race

A little over a week ago I purchased an older QH from an auction. The auction was advertised as a Western Sport Horse Auction, but unfortunately there were some not so great buyers, and a few of the no sales ended up at New Holland the following Monday.

I was able to see the horses be warmed up and ridden in the ring, then they went through the auction. I really liked an older QH and bid on him and took him home. Although he’s a little head shy he settled in well and is in his own field until his quarantine period is over. I brush him, feed him, walk him around the field, etc. Everything normal. Had his feet done and checked him over for soreness.

3 days after he came home I lunged him in the ring, perfect gentleman.

4 days after he came home a friend came over and rode him. He was great! A little more sensitive to the leg than we’re used to with some of our english horses, but still a good boy. Another friend got on him because she wanted to try and he was great for her too.

The next day my friend rode him and the ride started off great but about halfway through I look over and he’s like, scooting his but and after a few scoots she falls off. Now, friend isn’t the most secure rider and to me it didn’t look like the horse was bucking and he didn’t even put his head down. After she fell he just stood there like “oops”.

Today a more experienced friend came over and she lunged him and when she went to get on he hunched his back like he was thinking of bucking. She got off and ajusted the saddle and thought maybe he wasn’t used to the close feel of the Bob Marshall. She got on again and he did it. She got off and lunged him and made him work, got back on and he was fine.Was able to walk, trot, lope with no issues.

Is this just a “testing” behavior, should I be worried? How can I go about correcting this? I really like him and I’m willing to put time in. Besides that he’s SO quiet and kind that I really think he’ll work in my program.

I don’t know how this turned into a inquisition on how you quarantine this horse, but anyway…

The horse was at an auction. It’s possible that this behavior is the reason. You might have lucked out, or he might have long-standing issues making him undesirable. I would probably invest in 30 days with a good professional, and let them see what kind of issues, if any, he has, and maybe get a jump start on fixing them, or tell you he’s beyond what you can handle.
After the quarantine is over, that is.

[findeight]

Since you have the papers, you can learn much by knowing his breeding, what those horses may have achieved and what their offspring accomplished. You can also research the breeder, former owners and any show exposure he may have had. Some on here may even have owned or known a relative Can be valuable insight in getting to know him if you’d care to share on here.