Homework at the Sale If you are going to a ranch horse sale,
here are some considerations before bidding: If at all possible, view the horse in the pre-
work before the sale. How does he handle? Does he lope smooth? How does he carry him- self? Is his head carriage high or low? Watch his eyes and ears — is he watching the rider or focusing on what is in front of him? Before the sale, try to fi nd who has been
riding the horses you’re interested in and ask them questions relating to your goals. Ask the horse’s rider things like: “Would you put your kid on him?” If yes, then ask whether any chil- dren have ridden him and how he handled it? Would you have your spouse ride him? What kinds of things have they done on him? What skills does he have? Do those jobs and skills match up with your plan for this horse? If this horse has never been to town, he’s probably not ready for a rodeo or parade if that’s some- thing you would like to do with him. Remember: You are buying reality — not
potential. A pedigree gives you a little history on the horse, such as trainability or personality, but don’t get so focused on any one bloodline that you miss other opportunities. There have been grade horses that have made excellent horses. If you are buying a mare, pedigree might
be more important. But don’t get hung up on a pedigree if you are buying a gelding. They are not going to reproduce. Just like brothers and sisters in a family
have varying skills and personalities, so do horses. While some traits are hereditary, just because a dam or sire was accomplished in certain areas doesn’t mean your horse is go- ing to be the same. However, there are some common characteristics with each pedigree — some are bred to run, so they will be fast. A horse that is bred to cut should “have cow in them.” But don’t expect one that is bred to be a runner to have a lot of cow. Or as Littlefi eld says, “Don’t expect a pro football player to be a ballerina.”
As part of his training, Littlefi eld rode Boyd on a regular basis performing ranch work such as dragging calves and sorting in the herd.
tscra.org January 2014 The Cattleman 53
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