Protocol for buying a horse from the track

[Obsidian_Fire]

I feel like I am completely missing something, and I’m wondering what I need to know that I apparently don’t know. Or who I need to know that I don’t know.

I had put in an inquiry locally to purchase a horse from the track. The first question I asked was if the horse was a suitable candidate for someone’s first straight off the track project. I was told ‘likely so’, so I proceeded to ask a few more pertinent questions.

And got nowhere. I was dealing with the broker who sells these horses, which is fine, but when they couldn’t or wouldn’t answer questions I asked about speaking to the trainer/owner so that I could get the info I needed. Finally got the trainers phone number but haven’t gotten a call back from them either! Horse is not close enough that I can just jump in the car and go see it…
and I’m asking the same sorts of basic questions I would ask of almost any sale horse, so I don’t see how that would be considered offensive or ignorant.
It makes me suspicious the horse is not actually sound…sellers ads always state that PPE’s are welcome at buyers expense, and yes, I would vet most any horse, so when I make queries to that end and get…silence…

Am I missing something? Is there some protocol or procedure I missed? Or do people buying track horses (for purposes other than being raced) just show up cash in hand and take what they take without regard to vetting? I cannot imagine that being the case.

???

Or…if anybody knows a good resource local to me (Oregon) for finding a prospect, please share! Thanks.

[beowulf]

Yes, You show up with cash in hand, look at the horse, ask questions but be quick - if you want a PPE, you either find a track vet or ask to bring your own – if you bring your own, expect to put down a deposit - most trainers don’t have the room, money, or the space to keep a horse around while you get your vet to come out days from now.

You don’t really get to ask too many questions - not because it’s not your place, but because race people just don’t have TIME… they are pressed for time, always going somewhere, doing something - often times, especially if going through CANTER or FLF, you might be asking the volunteer and not the trainer, and a volunteer doesn’t know much about the horse.

Sometimes they list the trainer and even trainers that are ready to move a horse can be tough to reach - lots of them don’t look at their phone until the end of the day. If you’re serious, call in the AM (7-8AM) when they’re up and at the track, and leave a message if they don’t pick up - call again at noon.

These horses go FAST - the good ones are gone in a second, sometimes before they even get put on listings: connections are huge here, and a good connection can be your foot in the door to scoop up a quiet, SOUND TB behind the scenes before someone else sees him.

Second… consider there is a big difference between “Track” sound and “sport horse” sound… Bows are NBD to some track people, and some sport horse people just about won’t touch a horse with bows… same goes for anything - knee fractures, condylar fractures, “sore suspensories”, etc… Just about any horse that trains on the track is going to have a physical grievance… the day you find a TB that is 100% free of physical grievances is the day I eat my words; best case scenario, you pick up a horse with little wear and you might be dealing with is back soreness and ulcers – worse case scenario, you pick up a horse with some major jewelry that is not present to the naked eye, and now have an expensive lawn mower for life…

If you like the horse, you need to act FAST. Most trainers are very motivated to free up stall space and there are tons of people (especially thanks to FB and social media) who will see that horse, same as you, and want it.

What works for me is keeping in contact with volunteers I’m familiar with, letting them know what I am looking for… they will usually email me every now and then (even now while I am not looking) with a horse they think I might like - you call the trainer ASAP, say you want to visit tomorrow, and bring a trailer and cash.

It’s not personal, it’s just business… trainers see so many tire-kickers and timewasters that they learn not to take everyone seriously until they show up with cash and trailer in hand.

[Obsidian_Fire]

@beowulf thanks. That helps. Nothing like the ‘normal’ horse buying process. Horse has been sitting ‘for sale’ nearly a month and not moved. Price has been dropped twice and I DO have cash in hand, but even that is not enough to get them to call me back.
Oh well.

[beowulf]

@Obsidian Fire

@beowulf thanks. That helps. Nothing like the ‘normal’ horse buying process. Horse has been sitting ‘for sale’ nearly a month and not moved. Price has been dropped twice and I DO have cash in hand, but even that is not enough to get them to call me back.
Oh well.

are you sure it is still for sale? Sometimes ads will stay up without being updated… more than once I’ve called on a horse only to hear “Oh, you mean Petey? Why, he sold a month ago! Where’d you hear he was for sale? Oh, CANTER? I forgot I listed him with them…”

Trainers aren’t always good at notifying the good folk at CANTER and FLF that the horse sold - often times, we only know because we hear word of mouth that so-and-so sold last week, etc.

I wish I was closer to you, I’d shoot you some ads of TBs here that have caught my eye… but NY is a little far for you…

[snaffle1987]

Some trainers are very accommodating to PPE’s with the track vet. I get it, some trainers are very busy, but if they truly cared about the mounts in their care and their second career; they would make some time to accommodate potential buyers; especially by answering simple questions about the horse. But I do agree the tire kickers do ruin it for everyone.

If you are able to; go to the track with a CANTER volunteer or similar and walk the backside. Go with cash in hand and know what you’re looking at. Don’t be afraid to ask a horse to jog several times. I cant reiterate enough to know what you’re looking for in terms of soundness, legs, etc. Take videos and log information on each horse/trainer phone number so you can refer to it when reviewing later (if you are prepared to make an offer within a few days after watching the videos)

Its a different shopping experience but if you go organized, prepared, and so forth you can have a lot of fun and see some really nice horses available

[GoneAway]

Agreed with others. Know what you’re looking for, act quickly, have cash with you, and don’t waste their time.

I had two very different experiences in the same day. I flew down to look at one particular horse (cash in hand); had spoken with the horse’s owner/trainer at length on the phone and we both agreed it could be a good fit. I arrived that weekend, the trainer had gotten his string done early that morning so he could spend some time with me. He took his time showing me the horse in/out of the stall, put him in the round pen, and was perfectly agreeable to the track vet doing a quick PPE. It was like this trainer had all the time in the world because he was one of those guys who took a real interest in where his horse ended up, and with whom. I think it was as much him vetting me as me vetting the horse.

The same morning I also looked at another horse, because I had taken a plane ride and figured why not look at another one. That second trainer was much less interested, the phone call to arrange the meeting was very short. He must have had a larger string, because I caught him between horses and his response was “Oh, it’s the chestnut in that stall, feel free to do whatever you want with him. You want to hop on him in the aisle, go for it. He rides in a halter and lead rope.” And he rode away with the next horse. Very much a “what you see is what you get” and didn’t have the time to talk to me at all. By comparison, the horses didn’t look as good as the first trainer’s string, and the general feeling was that life was a little less organized in that barn than the first. I spent a little time with the second horse and handled it for the PPE. Got to talk to the trainer briefly at the end of his string, but otherwise didn’t want inconvenience that barn staff.

I liked both horses for different reasons, both had a little minor something on the basic PPEs, but guess which horse I went with - the first one. I maintained a relationship with that trainer and provided updates for over a year before we finally lost touch. Great guy, he really cared about his horses and that was evident in how he dealt with me. And not that the super busy trainers don’t care about their animals…just be prepared to not be their priority when you show up at the shedrow. It’s not at all like sport horse shopping.

[McGurk]

To piggyback on what beowulf has already said, racehorse trainers have very different outlooks than sport horse trainers. They want the horse gone so they can have the stall, because they want a horse in that stall that’s in training and can win them some money. Day fees cover the trainer’s overhead, but if they’re not winning and not running, they’re not making any money. So, their primary concern is how to get the horse gone quickly. If the horse’s owner is involved, they may be more motivated because they will be paying day fees at the track until the horse is gone.

That’s why having a network in place at the track is so critical, and why showing up with cash and a trailer is such a good idea.

The very best time to pick up a horse at the track is at the end of the race meeting. Owners and trainers who have been holding on to the hope that the horse’s form will improve will make a decision before they move the horse to the next track.

[Obsidian_Fire]

@beowulf, yes the horse is still for sale, positive on that.

everyone else, thanks. I was not being a ‘tire kicker’, I had (have) cash in hand, know exactly what I want, am experienced enough to know what soundness issues I can or can’t live with, etc. I just haven’t ever bought directly from the track. I was prepared to have the horse here today!

However, after all this, there is somebody I can contact who has track connections and a good reputation. I will reach out to her and see what she says.

Never know about these things I guess. Nothing ventured nothing gained. :rolleyes: