Auctions

I haven't been watching FB sale ads or craigs list sale ads. I haven't really been looking because we are turning away horses. Luckily we are unknown so the amount of times we say no is few and far between most times but every "no" from me seems like a direct hit to my consciousness. Is my "no" equaling a death sentence? Is my "no" going to make that horse suffer? What will the consequences of my "no" mean?


Yet those shouldn't be the questions that run through my head. Those should be up to the owner but in reality, those are the questions that still run through my head every time.


I did happen to look at a local auction sales report (which I haven't done in a while). Now is the time people are getting rid of horses.


LOOSE SALE - Loose horses sell first. The top 10 Loose horses averaged $1260 with the top Loose horse, a 9-year old black kid broke gelding selling for $1925. All loose horses are sold as is but we encourage all customers to be honest and call any soundness or bad habit or health problems on their horses consigned to the Loose horse sale. Loose horses are sold in the order delivered to the yards. Friday afternoon delivered horses sell first. (1 PM to 6 PM) If you loose horse is registered, bring papers to gate at time of delivery and attach a brief note to the papers about the horse . If not registered you can submit a brief story on the horse on separate piece of paper or our staff will jot down notes on the horse for the auctioneer -( if bred or open., soundness, riding ability, etc) Loose horses sell in the order unloaded and delivered to the yards. Unload loose horses on WEST end of the yards. Information on your horse will be taken down at that time by our yard staff. Buyers are not allowed in the Loose Horse Alleys . Loose horses go straight from the trailer up the alley to sale ring and they sell fast and is. If you are not a seasoned buyer, it would be best for you to shop for a horse in our Ride in sale and attend the sale preview and visit with the Seller of the horse. Do your home work to see if the horse will fit your riding program.


I hate reading their notes. It turns my stomach. I wish I could do more. I wish I could step up and help. I wish that me saying "no" didn't mean that these horses are forced to go to auction.


Sadly, at the moment, my hands are tied with how many we can handle. My health has hindered me this past year but it still doesn't help that I'd be saying "no" no matter what. I know what we can handle and right now, we sort of have to be running on bare bones for the number of horses at the Sanctuary. Do I like it? "NO"! Do I want to continue with minimal numbers? "NO". I want to open our doors to deserving horses. I want to say YES! I want to welcome these old warriors with open arms and watch them let down from a life of work and see them relax into retirement. It's absolutely the best part to watch these seniors realize that they aren't going to be asked to be worked every day. That all they have to do is eat, sleep, and relax.


But right now I have to say "no" and it breaks my heart. And then reading the Loose Sales Report from August churns my stomach and I get knots. I don't like it. I want to get these horses before they go to auction. They deserve better than


 " Sell the easy, no hassle Loose horse sale way if your short on time."


You're not selling a car or an inanimate object. You're selling a living being. How is it that selling a life is so unimportant? I understand being short on time but not finding the right home? Well, that would be like trying to sell my parents off to the highest bidder or just dumping them off with some poor unsuspecting soul who has no clue about their ailments.


I guess its' just this time of year that really gets to me. Watching all these hard working horses (ranch horses, camp horses, trail horses, etc.) spend all their summer working and then get dumped at an auction and enter into the slaughter pipeline.


I just wish there was more the Sanctuary could do.