Page 74 - August 2015

Lastly, post-sale arrangements, such as payments, insurance needs and transportation of the horse, should be discussed with an owner’s agent or trainer prior to bidding on a horse.
In most cases, a trainer or agent will have the necessary contacts in place to prepare a seamless transition for the horse from sale grounds
to its next home at a commercial facility or private farm and the ongoing care (board, feed, veterinary and farrier) that will be required.
“When it comes to presale work, we (Heritage Place) have a radiograph depository, and 75% of the horses in a sale will have radiographs on file,” Kidney said. “Vets can look at those radiographs prior to owners bidding
or buying horses. That’s a valuable tool to identify big problems and even for finding little problems that could grow into a big problem when or before horses are placed into training.
“The first thing I would have a new owner do is contract with a trainer or an agent that they can work with,” Kidney added. “In my opinion, if you are going to work with a certain trainer, they all have certain things they look for in a horse. It’s especially important if you don’t have a lot of experience. You will need the expert advice. That would be my first recommendation.”
As for finding trusted agents or trainers, Kidney suggests talking to as many potential candidates as possible to find a trainer that fits the type of program the owner wants to operate.
“Talk with people. I have people come to us
Owners and their agent, trainer, or veterinarian should inspect horses on the sale grounds to determine which horses best meet their criteria.
all the time and ask questions,” Kidney added. “It’s tough for us, we work with so many people that we really can’t zero in on any particular individuals. People are like horses; not everyone is a match for every person. I always try to take that into consideration. Also, if someone comes to us from South Texas, we probably don’t want to connect them with someone from Montana.”
Trainer Russell Harris, inducted this year into the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame, stresses the importance of chemistry
in a successful owner-trainer relationship. Harris should know. He is among the most accomplished trainers in the business and has won at least one Grade 1 race in each of the last four decades. Harris has also served four terms on the AQHA Racing Council, has been an AQHA director from California and Texas, and has served on numerous AQHA committees.
“I suggest owners talk to a few different trainers either before a sale or at a sale,” Harris said. “If they can’t ask questions at the sale or if a particular trainer acts too busy to give them time, then I wouldn’t even consider them as a trainer. They might be overloaded and just don’t have time for new owners.
“Once you get personalities involved in it, some people hit it off and some don’t,” Harris continued. “But, a new owner can benefit greatly from the expertise and experience of a good trainer. I think chemistry is 90% of it. If you don’t feel comfortable with them, it’s not going to go very well. You have to be able
Reading the sale catalog is the first step to getting
a thorough understanding of pedigrees and
race records.
to communicate throughout the year. If you don’t communicate well, there’s bound to be miscommunication about soundness problems or expenses that incur. You’ve got to be able to talk about things or it just won’t go well.”
Like Kidney, Harris believes new owners are well-served to seek the guidance of an experienced trainer when it comes to selecting stock at auction to make sure the process goes smoothly.
“When an owner goes to pick out a horse,
I wouldn’t advise them to do that unless they have a trainer or another owner or breeder who has been around awhile with them,” Harris said. “A new owner needs someone with them who knows the ins and outs of conformation, sires and families and their traits, which is also an indicator of how far a horse can run. They also need someone who has knowledge about the areas where they are going to run, where the horses will fit the best, and what type of program they want to operate.”
Once a buyer successfully bids on a horse in the ring, the new owner takes responsibility for the youngster at the fall of the hammer. Owners should count on making certain that the horse is properly insured and that transportation is arranged to ship the horse from the sale grounds to its new destination, where it will usually receive 90-120 days of freshening before it enters training.
“At the fall of the hammer, the horse belongs to the new owner,” Kidney said. “At that point, the horse is their responsibility. After they are
72 SPEEDHORSE, August 2015