Lumps and bumps are all too common in our equine friends. Some just need a 'watch and wait' approach and others need urgent veterinary attention. The difficulty comes in differentiating between the two variants. Over the next few days we will be running through several of the common causes of lumps and bumps, and what…
Your horse's manure can give you clues as to his overall condition. Droppings should be in firm, well-formed balls. Very loose droppings or low amounts of droppings are a cause for immediate concern and should prompt a call to your vet. Horses should pass droppings every 1-2 hours so if your horse suddenly starts to pass…
You should be able to hear your horse's gut sounds as your horse digests his food by putting your ear to his abdomen. You need to do this on both sides of your horse. In a horse, these noises should be nearly constant, as horses are trickle feeders and therefore should be eating roughage like…
Your horse's eyes should be bright and without any signs of inflammation or any discharge. Redness of the eye or swelling on or around it can be a sign of various eye-related conditions. If you are concerned about your horse's ocular (eye) health contact your vet immediately. Eyes are very sensitive structures and must be…
Q: My horse has recently started to buck and buck. We've just checked his saddle and the saddle fitter can't find anything wrong with the fit and says that she doesn't believe his back is sore. What do you recommend as the next step? A: We agree absolutely with your decision to get your saddle…
[Q] My horse has recently been diagnosed with kissing spine, but the vets say she can still jump and do dressage if maintained well. Do you have any tips for recommended care or exercises? Asked anonymously [A] I completely agree with your veterinarian! In general, most horses can perform well with kissing spine, even at elite levels. Most important…
The horses receive a diverse education, making for a well-rounded athlete [dropcap]I[/dropcap]n the last article we gave you some insight into our preparatory work between auctions. Here, we provide more detail regarding exactly what is entailed. The auction is a team commitment. There are no specific individuals who stand out. From the car guard on the road all the way through to the stud manager, each plays an essential designated role. There are managers and co-ordinators in place to ensure a smooth flow of events: Marike Swanepoel controls the entire horse aspect of the auction, while the admin manager, Helette Pieterse, co-ordinates the logistical arrangements. The maintenance team ensures that we have electricity and that all the plumbing works!
Leading up to the auction
After nine successful auctions, the week leading up to the auction is surprisingly mellow. Due to thorough pre-planning and co-operation from all the team members, in the last few days, it’s simply a matter of dotting Is and crossing Ts. The Tuesday of that week is rehearsal day, where we follow precisely the programme of the auction and rehearse the entire flow of events. This gives the riders one more chance to get the feel of the horses they are going to present, as well as giving the auctioneers and announcers a chance to become au faitwith the combinations. Any last-minute fine-tuning is done on this day. The Wednesday and Thursday are off days for the horses so that they are not flat on auction day. Turn-out touch-ups and lots of polishing and cleaning are the order of the day. If there is a stallion presentation, this will be practiced on the Thursday by the individual riders. Friday is a busy day as potential buyers start arriving and come to look over their possible future partners. Friday is also free-jumping night, during which the audience are treated to in-depth commentary by the very knowledgeable Gunther Friemel and equally vocal Rogan Asken. The day ends with a cash bar and dinner, available in the auction hall.
Auction day
Long before sunrise on auction day, you will find the Callaho team busy with the very final finishing touches Long before sunrise on Saturday, the day of the auction, you will find the Callaho team busy with the very final finishing touches. Supporting the extremely capable and professional Clare Marcus Maloney and her daughter Alexandra, the tack-up team, along with Marike and her stable management team, will be found busy in the stables. Horses must be fed, stables need to be cleaned, teff is supplied and water buckets are cleaned and refilled. As at any stable yard, the normal routine of treatment and checking on all the other, non-auction, horses must still continue as usual. After an early breakfast, Lot No. 1 will go into the indoor arena at 9am sharp and the demonstration begins. During the presentation, the horses showcase their paces at walk, trot and canter, and are ridden over a small course of jumps to demonstrate their way of going and jumping ability. At this point in time, any serious potential buyer has followed the following steps:
Made a long list from the auction list.
Made a short list after try-outs.
Discussed the possible lots with the riders, stable manager and veterinarian.
Stood up the short-listed horses and inspected them.
Viewed the short-listed horses’ radiographs.
Read the pre-purchase report.
Seen the free-jump.
Watched the chosen lots under saddle.
Decided on which lots will be their first to last in bidding order, as per lot presentation.
The prepurchase exam varies considerably from vet to vet, with some vets putting more emphasis on some aspects than others [dropcap]M[/dropcap]ost people buying a horse today will request at least a basic ‘prepurchase exam’ to be carried out by a veterinarian. Others will want a more advanced prepurchase exam that includes blood tests and radiographs, for…
Get all the latest content and news delivered to your email.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
