Want to buy from an online Auction? And save time and energy finding that special horse? Annie enjoy
Buying from an online auction is a very helpful way to buy a horse when you’re really busy because you can see a lot of horses quickly and easily.......However, to buy a quality horse, from a well established recognised breeder, buying from the Billy Stud Online Auction, is a great way to buy a horse!
I could spend hours and days - not to mention money and energy - scouring the countryside for a new horse but instead, I've followed the Billy Stud Online Auction. The Billy Stud puts up videos, breeding records, vets reports and x-rays before the auction, so I spent a couple of evenings really studying the videos and blood lines before I decided which horses I was interested in. Then I discussed any concerns I had with the vet and drew up a short list of the ones I thought I might like.
I’m very lucky because the Billy Stud is only 20 minutes up the road, so getting to the viewing days was mega easy and two years in a row, I’ve spent a gorgeous day with my back being warmed by the sun, watching someone else do all the hard work, showing the audience an array of gorgeous horses - all I have to do is sit and watch! - what’s not to like! Many of the horses are true top quality show jumpers, but there were still many which it's felt will make good Eventers, and obviously it’s the Event horses I’m most interested in.
Last year in 2017 I bought a 5 year old, Billy Wayne who we call Will, and I’m delighted with his progression, (see his Youtube video “Billy Wayne at Brightling 2018" and subscribe to my channel!) So this year I thought I’d go again and look at the 4 year olds. I’ve not got the man power to back a horse at the moment so I wasn’t going to look at the 3 year olds this year. It’s very helpful for me to know that I will be getting a horse which has been handled correctly and been started off properly in its young life. I was also allowed back the day after the viewing days to try out Billy Expectation and Billy Gem which was a big help.
The actual Auction was a little bit nerve racking - but mainly because our internet connection was on the blink! So using the personal hotspot from Mum’s phone we connected the computer to 4G instead of our snail speed wifi - not what you need when bidding is against the clock! For each horse the Auction has a separate closing time, and 5 minutes has to pass after the last bid before the horse is sold to the highest bidder. I thought I’d secured Billy Expectation only to be outbid in the last 10 seconds - those of you who know my Mum, won’t be surprised to hear she was getting a little over excited!! Thankfully, my final bid secured Billy Expectation and I bought her at a price that’s very helpful to someone on a tight budget and just starting out! The other horse I was interested in, Billy Gem, was sold for a similar price and is off to Dubai!
Now I can’t wait to get going with Billy Expectation who we have named Bella. She is a very pretty, grey mare, 16.1 expected to make 16.2/16.3. We will be taking things slowly and gently to start with and I plan to build up with plenty of flatwork and show jumping practice during the next year. How she is growing and developing will decide whether I Event her towards the end of the 2019 season or wait until the 2020 season. It’s going to be great fun and anyone who would like to join me and Bella/Billy Expectation, on her journey, please get in touch about Syndicate opportunities.
