Horse sales

[redheeler]

Just wondering... I went to the june sale at Billings Live and in the catalog there were quite a few horses featured that came from Texas and New Mexico, They seemed to be represented and shown by the same group of people there. Since I dont generally follow the horse business much I wonder if someone that does could enlighten me on why someone would bring grade horses more or less all that distance to sell? Most seemed pretty well broke but I noticed even on some low bids they never no saled any of them. Why come all the way to Montana when there must be sales closer to home?

[loomixguy]

Maybe because down south the cattle are leaving or about gone, so they needed to get rid of the horses with the price of hay about equal to that of gold?

Maybe the folks got the horses bought super cheap. If you are selling, it's better to head home with an empty trailer.

When I was a kid, I knew guys who made a damn good living being horse jockeys. They'd hit the regular big sales every month, starting in California, then work their way to Clovis, NM, and wind up at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Then they would start all over again. EVERY MONTH. But, gas was cheap back then, too.

[shiftyer1]

Texas horses are very cheap right now....in Texas. We have zero grass and hay is very high. I've seen some darn good horses sell for $150. Most of the cows are sold and the ones left are mostly scrawny except for the folks that can afford to feed. And they are losing money feeding them. Waterholes that always have water are bone dry or only have a couple inches of nasty water. Hopefully with this cool weather we'll get some rain:)

Anyway without all the rambeling.....A $500 texas horse is probably a $1500 horse elsewhere.

[Faster horses]

[tumbleweed_texn]

We just finished a weekend at Billings horse sale. We are still in town though because we are heading to Reed Point,Mt tomorrow to.pick up a trailer load of angoras. We will stop back by the salebarn on our way home to pick up the two that we bought. I sold one yesterday also. He didnt do as well.as I had hoped, but thats the way it goes sometimes. The sale was all.over the place. Good horses cheap and dinks high. Wierd. Two.women got in a bidding war on a ponie and sent it to 7 thousand. Did see some good horses bring good money, but not many. Overall the price wasnt good for the seller. I got a good deal on a nice mare from Hetleveds out of ND on a nice Driftwood broodmare bred to a double bred High Rollin Roany. Also picked up a nice flea bitten gray Sonny Dee Bar X Streakin Six gelding that is a six year old. Both horses went dirt cheap. There was a little gal at the sale who made really nice cowboy scarves. The Hostile Native bought me two. Tomorrow is my birthday, so this was an awesome birthday weekend. Going to the horse sale is about my favorite thing to do and with two new horses and the scarves Im a happy camper.

[Faster horses]

Ahhhh but the report out of Billings will be just grand, as always.

I bet you are happy, taking one and going home with two.
That's something a few of us on here would be guilty of as well.

The scarves weren't made by Chele Needens, were they, or
her daughter Cheyenne? They make some awesome scarves.

[tumbleweed_texn]

I think the little gals name was Charity. I believe it was her husband that was helping her and he was in a wheelchair. I know what you mean about glorified sale reports. As a whole, from the sellers perspective, the sale was poor poor. It was definetly a buyers market. I bid on a few, but the horse sale gods were against me as someone else won the bid. My limit was low though. I can honestly.say that I have never lost money in the horse business, but I am very very patient. I dont let my "Wants" guide me. There were some nice horses go thru this weekend. I think they said 977. As a whole tho, they were way too low.