A few weeks back as I will sometimes to just for an afternoon of fun and entertainment I went to the local horse auction. A few clarifications are in order there to begin. First, I was only casually looking, having a half a thought depending on prices and such of maybe sometime in the very near future pursuit of a draft cross for jousting. The local sale is not really all that local, but at about an hour away it is not bad of a drive.
At this particular sale, you do have to be a bit careful and completely understand you are not buying hundred thousand or even ten thousand dollar horses. I know that is Kentucky and I am sure more the one person is thinking the Keeneland yearling sales or even the Ashton-Tipton sales of similar nature. But this is your typical little sale that common folk with common horses show up. Matter fact, most horses are not registered, more than several have never been handled and more than several others are aged.
That all having been said, lets take a look at the history here. Three years back and more, horses ran about like a good riding horse of common breeding, aged between say three and nine years that looked good in the ring and did not act stupid would typically bring between $800 and $1200 dollars. Add in some pedigree and registration papers on the riding horse and would go upward. Change that horse to a draft horse with ability and training as a team as well as driving and you could upwards of $1800 or more. Even ponies and green horses may bring several hundred any given time. Typically on a Saturday sale there may be upwards of two hundred head come through the sale ring.
Fast forward from three years to anywhere in a year or two range and things changed a great deal. Part of the reason here locally was a huge period of dry weather. Lack of hay was accompanied with a price jump in fuel and especially in commodities, making up the grains in horse feeds. The expense involved was having a two major effects. First, a large number of horses were being brought to the sale just because people could not afford to keep them at home. That number of horses supplied in conjunction with feed cost, served to really begin to drive horse prices down. You can take the numbers I gave above and half them easily, meaning a decent common riding horse was bring somewhere in the $400 to maybe $700 range, exceptional ones maybe a bit better.
A few weeks back, I showed up early expecting to take a bit looking through the horses as they arrived and what was already there. I was very disappointed in that plan however. There were at most about thirty-five horses there, counting all the ponies and odd mule or ass that was present as well. Most discouraging to me there was absolutely not a draft or draft cross present at all. It got more depressing as the sale started, the first couple of what appeared to be decent riding horses brought only around $120-$150 dollars. In the first four head, there was one that was sold as green broke and only brought $25 dollar. This was a full size 14.0 hand horse and at least to my eye I could see nothing wrong with it. As the sale went on a typical riding horse probably did average about $175, some going up a bit. A few nice registered horses brought around $500, including a half sister to a stallion I once owned – which further depressed me, as I would have given that for her almost sight unseen just because of his disposition.
What is the reason? Well, we have had a summer that has filled hay barns to capacity and then some. And the mild fall with plenty of moisture still has most pastures full of grass – my own horses are knee-deep in clover. Grain commodities have dropped somewhat and are generally a bit easier to stomach, though maybe not as close to where they were three years ago. The biggest continued downward pressure? Well a few years ago the government made horse slaughter for meat in the United States illegal. You can take your side on the issue and I will not argue, I go back and forth on it myself. However, several states have had problems with horses just be turned loose and certainly without a buyer in that market at some sale down the road, they are not having that bottom line price support.
Thoughts are welcome on this as I am curious what you all think.
Well, I have spent several years looking at the issue of horse slaughter and realized all of the claims about it being bad on the industry to be hog$#^$. I go to the biggest auction in the East often and there are plenty of good horses at good prices. I visit some in Ohio as well when I am visiting family. Their prices are good. I have also tracked online sales reports and they all talk about record years. Like the car market, you flood it with cheap and abundant cars the prices drop. You keep a demand and the prices are good. A key thing you need to remember is that the government DID NOT ban horse slaughter. So when folks claim that they don’t know the issue and are only repeating what horse slaughter advocates want. It is still legal and over 100,000 horses will be slaughtered. Yes, the plants are closed in the US, but the foreigners operating plants simply went to Canada and Mexico and continue to kill American horses. So, this fact alond with it being legal in the US made me realize that I am tired of being fed manure by foreign hired lobbyists out to make a few dollars off of the American public.
Sue – Like I said, you can take which side you want to. I will say however, I have been attended horse auctions at various places around the country for at least ten years. The one in question that I went to a few weeks ago was if not the biggest, the 2nd biggest in the state for a LONG time. The only records it is setting right now is all time lows. And for the record, I am not talking about the backyard old nag that only has a bit of time left, I am talking about a good riding horse. And for the record, if you are going to spout about facts, you should get yours straight first. Horse slaughter for meat was taken off the table. And while I will agree a few of those horses will go to Mexical and Canada you and I both know that is a trickle compared to what it was. I will not disagree with you that that there is probably an over abundance and that is part of the driving force, but until every horse owner thinks like you and I does not just breed for the sake of breeding, there are going to be horses that are NOT wanted – and in a lot of cases, certainly a LOT more then half of them, those horses are good quality decent horses.
I totally agree with you Sue.
The false stories of the US making horsemeat illegal is just another bullcrap story for irresponsible breeders to continue.
This is a market that operated illegal in Texas for years based on a 1949 law. Its sad to see so many idiotic post about unwanted merely unsold or unlucky to end up in the hands of irresponsible people.
The ones that support slaughter are making profits one way or another. First its the breeders, then its the auctioneers that allows horses to sell to killers then its the plants that ignore USDA laws and humane handling.
According to the USDA (FOIA) we now clearly know the conditions of the horses arriving at these plants. (Foals, Pregant mares, Blind, Totally Cripple, Starving, Abused, Neglected and mares mixed with stallions in Double Deckers which were finally banned a few years after years of Hwy Accidents and being exposed.
Seems if you take away the incentives of slaughter then the rest of the flys will die out.
As long as slaughter is around the abuse, neglect and even crimes as we have seen in Dade County Florida with now over 20 horses being slaughtered and the meat sold on the streets for $5.00 a LB the crimes of theft will continue.
By allowing slaughter we are rewarding irresponsible people. There are a few states now taking action. There so much more needed to stop these criminals and regulate the Over Breeders Assocaition such as the (AQHA) American Quarter Horse Association and others which has NO RECORD of ever helping or donating to any Rescues in the US or Canada.
Horse Rescues need our help just as Americans have FDIC to protect there savings which have now been increased to $250,000 from $100,000. Our Horse Rescues are the front line of protection.Pro slaughter folks should focuss on fixing the problems they created than slaughter there way out of an Oboligation.
Airspace – Respectively, then please tell me what it is that is causing the prices to drop at this point to the extent that they have. I agree to a point about over breeding, but if that were truly the case then there would be an oversupply of horses at the auction and that would have caused the prices to drop. When the number of supply is much less (and decent quality) and the price still drops that says it is an outside force. The simple economic principle of supply and demand says very little supply , which was exhibited, the demand (price) should go up. In fact the opposite has occurred in a dramatic way.
I believe it all boils down to the current economy. People lack the funds to take the horses to the auctions knowing they will bring nothing or do not want them end going to slaugter or being neglected. It has been a while since I have been to an auction. I used to go often when I lived in TN/KY. I still have a pony I bought 10 years ago at one in TN for $120. About three years ago in SD I ended up divorced and decided to take a Warmblood mare & her foal to a specialized Sport Horse sale in MN. The sale was going on the same time as a big clinic was being held by a top trainer. I had a freind haul me there whom also brought two horse with her to sell. As we got there we were in complete shock. A breeder in dire straights brought a ton of sickly ponies to sell and the auction allowed it. It was the freinds of friends thing. All the people that showed up to buy horses were not ones that had the money or interest for sport horses. They bought up all the sickly ponies and really offended the sport horse breeders with what they were willing to offer. These horses were registered and that were trained or prospects in dressage or jumping. I don’t even think I had a bid over $1,500 for the both so did a no sale because the stud fee for the sire of the foal was more then that. It was a big flop and I lost a bunch of money. I ended up giving a few of my horses to good homes that I knew they would be taken care of because I had to move to CA and could not move 8 horses. This year I decided I was going to sell one of my horses because I plan to move as soon as I get a job lined up back to the KY/TN/NC area. I was going to sell the same foal that I took to the auction. She is a 2yr 16.2 hd Buckskin Warmblood registered with the RPSI that has bloodlines & Color from a rare breed of horse called “Equus Kinsky”. She is my planned future jousting horse but also the horse that is worth the most money that I own. I advertised her everywhere. I only had a handful of people interested. They would want me to video her, take measurements of her, etc… Then never contact me again. I decided to take her off the market because she is a very special horse to me and I do want to joust on her one day. I would rather muck stalls daily to get money off my board then sell any horse I have. I would not be able to deal with the fact that I sent them off to be neglected, sold a zillion times or even worse slaughtered for money.
Oh I just got an email from a group that there are a few woman ( a blond & 2 hispanics) that are picking up very cheap to free horses and taking them directly to feed lots to make $100 per horse. There are warnings about them on Craigs list.
Brenda Parchert aka Brunhilde von Germania (SCA & Adrian Empire)
owner of Brendora Arabian Sport Horses