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Location: down south | I've had such a hard time finding a good, well bred 2-4 year old in my price range ($4000-$7000) that I've decided that maybe I should consider buying a well bred yearling. However, I've never bought a yearling before and don't know what I should look for. Should I get a it vet checked? Is it normal for the rear end to be higher than the shoulders? How should I handle a distant purchase (17 hrs away)? I have so many questions and hope I can learn something from others experience.  |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
  
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I would want a lot of pictures and a video of it traveling. Trottng to and away if possible. You can see if it paddles and how it travels that way. Vet check would depend on price. It is very common for a yearling to be butt high. At this age though you can still get a good idea of how well the neck ties in, shape of rump. Short backed etc. Good boned or not. |
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Location: down south | Thank you! Gives me something to start with. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
 
| I look at the pedigree. Any horse has to meet my conformation standards. I like a kind eye. Like to see the horse travel. I want to see any scars the horse may have and a vet check is a necessity. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1430
Location: Montana | Yep, they can sure be butt high for a while. Then the next day, maybe not. You never know which end of a yearling will take off and grow. Get photos of parents and if neither of them is butt high, you'll likely be fine.
You should be able to get a lot more colt in a weanling or yearling than a four year old that has training involved. Exceptions are out there, of course, but the widest selection is available overall in weanlings and yearlings. A lot of colts get sold by the breeder and then don't change hands again for a long time. Some do that have nothing wrong with them, but a lot don't. I remember complaining, years ago, to a very successful breeder that I couldn't find a breeding age stallion I wanted. Said I was almost ready to look at young horses and he said, "Well, then they aren't so picked over". He had a good point.
Should you get a vet check? I will say most people who buy colts from us don't. We sell in roughly your price range or a little below it. The upper end of your range would more likely prompt one.
We sell very long distance much of the time. Sounds scary but almost always works great. As someone said, get lots of photos. Insurance too if you can't afford the loss.
Ask lots of questions. I don't like buyers that don't ask a lot of questions.
Good luck!
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Location: down south | Thank you again for your comments. I'm feeling much more secure about it. Keep them coming! |
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Location: down south | since she's a yearling, what would you want the vet to do? X-rays ? Of what? Thx |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | speedinhoney - 2016-08-25 7:58 PM since she's a yearling, what would you want the vet to do? X-rays ? Of what? Thx
If it were me, I'd want x rays to check for OCD. I have never experienced it in what we raise, or ever. But it does worry me because so many people over feed their babies like they are steers in a feed lot.
I'd probably do knees, hocks. Maybe ankles and stifles if possible. I bet that would add up quick. I have sold a ton of babies over the years. Mostly weanlings and a handful of yearlings. Never had anyone want a vet check. Never had one come up lame for them due to any fault of ours or the horse. |
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 Heeler Hoarder
Posts: 2067
| I sell mostly weanlings/yearlings anywhere from $3500 to $20,000 range. I have only ever had higher end ones get a vet check and just did X-rays which I totally understand. There isn't much else you can do vet wise as most won't let you do a flex test on one that young. I haven't ever had a problem selling site unseen to people most just want pics and a video then have a shipper pick them up. I have also bought a lot of weanlings/yearlings without seeing them in person and so far been very pleased with all of them. My best advice is get a good shipper and a box stall if you have them hauled to you, it is money well spent. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
Location: Durango CO | Speedinhoney, I sent you a Pm. |
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Expert
Posts: 1430
Location: Montana | Tn_Barrelracer - 2016-08-25 9:23 PM
I sell mostly weanlings/yearlings anywhere from $3500 to $20,000 range. I have only ever had higher end ones get a vet check and just did X-rays which I totally understand. There isn't much else you can do vet wise as most won't let you do a flex test on one that young. I haven't ever had a problem selling site unseen to people most just want pics and a video then have a shipper pick them up. I have also bought a lot of weanlings/yearlings without seeing them in person and so far been very pleased with all of them. My best advice is get a good shipper and a box stall if you have them hauled to you, it is money well spent.
I'm curious why you say "most won't let you do a flex test on one that young." Do you mean the owners? Is there something harmful? I'd had a vet do one this spring . . . . Or do you mean most young horses are not going to tolerate that because they aren't that quiet yet?
I strong agree with you about a box stall being money well spent! I should have thought of that. We even put "should not be tied" in our sales agreement on weanlings. |
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Location: down south | You'll are awesome! I appreciate the dos and don't based on others experiences. Thank you again! |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | There's not a lot of yearlings that will stand 90 seconds to get the joint in tension for a lameness exam.
I have to see them travel and hear them travel that's my must. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | uno-dos-tres! - 2016-08-26 7:37 AM
There's not a lot of yearlings that will stand 90 seconds to get the joint in tension for a lameness exam.
I have to see them travel and hear them travel that's my must.
Try doing it on a 5 mo old stud colt...lol!!! Literally just had to do this a couple hours ago. Thankfully, he was pretty good. The standing still wasn't a problem, it was the trotting away. I had to get out my old gelding to trot along side him. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Mountains of VA | If you are looking for a horse, dog, cat, cow, goat, sheep, pig, etc. to do a specific job, have specific conformation, specific temperament, etc. buy the animal that is exactly what you want. Otherwise, be willing to accept what you get PLUS you take the risk of injury or illness in youngstock.
I know breeders will be upset with my post but I'm also a breeder and sell youngstock. Bloodlines can only predict a small percentage of what that youngster is going to do. Conformation and temperament will tell you more, then the quality of training comes next. A trainer can sure enough ruin a good youngster quick.
My advice is to always spend more and get exactly what you want unless you like to take a chance and work with what you get.
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 Saint Stacey
| I'd go to the Heritage Place yearling sale in September and see what I could get. You have a price range that should get you something. Plus a lot of them already have the X-rays done. |
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Location: down south | wyoming barrel racer - 2016-08-25 9:04 PM
speedinhoney - 2016-08-25 7:58 PM since she's a yearling, what would you want the vet to do? X-rays ? Of what? Thx
If it were me, I'd want x rays to check for OCD. I have never experienced it in what we raise, or ever. But it does worry me because so many people over feed their babies like they are steers in a feed lot.
I'd probably do knees, hocks. Maybe ankles and stifles if possible. I bet that would add up quick. I have sold a ton of babies over the years. Mostly weanlings and a handful of yearlings. Never had anyone want a vet check. Never had one come up lame for them due to any fault of ours or the horse.
One of my neighbors also told me to do this. Thank you |
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Location: down south | SKM - 2016-08-26 8:29 PM
I'd go to the Heritage Place yearling sale in September and see what I could get. You have a price range that should get you something. Plus a lot of them already have the X-rays done.
That's what I would love to do but we're afraid we might be overwhelmed. Also, there's so much that goes on behind the scene at auctions. I don know some that have bt great prospects though. |
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Location: down south | hotpaints - 2016-08-26 8:06 PM
If you are looking for a horse, dog, cat, cow, goat, sheep, pig, etc. to do a specific job, have specific conformation, specific temperament, etc. buy the animal that is exactly what you want. Otherwise, be willing to accept what you get PLUS you take the risk of injury or illness in youngstock.
I know breeders will be upset with my post but I'm also a breeder and sell youngstock. Bloodlines can only predict a small percentage of what that youngster is going to do. Conformation and temperament will tell you more, then the quality of training comes next. A trainer can sure enough ruin a good youngster quick.
My advice is to always spend more and get exactly what you want unless you like to take a chance and work with what you get.
I agree with you 100%. I don't have time or $ to spend on anything any less. Unfortunately sometimes the more you see and find out makes you change you mind. Therefore, labeled a tirekicker. Especially when buying from a distance |
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Saint Stacey
| speedinhoney - 2016-08-27 10:02 AM
SKM - 2016-08-26 8:29 PM
I'd go to the Heritage Place yearling sale in September and see what I could get. You have a price range that should get you something. Plus a lot of them already have the X-rays done.
That's what I would love to do but we're afraid we might be overwhelmed. Also, there's so much that goes on behind the scene at auctions. I don know some that have bt great prospects though.
The yearling sale is usually fairly safe since those babies haven't had any sort of career yet. My pick is #58 I think she is? I have 4 out of that same mare. She's a real nice filly. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | If you pre purchase you can get an idea of several things:
the vet can look at the legs and tell you his/her opinion on if theres any angular limb deformities or flexural limb deformities that were not corrected as a baby but may not be obvious enough in pictures to get a good grasp
Rads to check for OCDs- namely in stifle, hock, and i would do the front fetlock down as well if you are looking.
Also, babies that are born with incomplete ossificationshave abnormal cuboidal bones (carpus/tarsus) that you could pick up on a radiograph. They will definitely, DEFINITELY, be ossified by then, but they may be crushed and that will show up. It predisposes them to OA.
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Location: down south | SKM - 2016-08-27 11:16 AM
speedinhoney - 2016-08-27 10:02 AM
SKM - 2016-08-26 8:29 PM
I'd go to the Heritage Place yearling sale in September and see what I could get. You have a price range that should get you something. Plus a lot of them already have the X-rays done.
That's what I would love to do but we're afraid we might be overwhelmed. Also, there's so much that goes on behind the scene at auctions. I don know some that have bt great prospects though.
The yearling sale is usually fairly safe since those babies haven't had any sort of career yet. My pick is #58 I think she is? I have 4 out of that same mare. She's a real nice filly.
Thank you ... The dams side is more important to me than the stud. |
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Expert
Posts: 1430
Location: Montana | speedinhoney - 2016-08-27 10:29 AM
SKM - 2016-08-27 11:16 AM
speedinhoney - 2016-08-27 10:02 AM
SKM - 2016-08-26 8:29 PM
I'd go to the Heritage Place yearling sale in September and see what I could get. You have a price range that should get you something. Plus a lot of them already have the X-rays done.
That's what I would love to do but we're afraid we might be overwhelmed. Also, there's so much that goes on behind the scene at auctions. I don know some that have bt great prospects though.
The yearling sale is usually fairly safe since those babies haven't had any sort of career yet. My pick is #58 I think she is? I have 4 out of that same mare. She's a real nice filly.
Thank you ... The dams side is more important to me than the stud.
You can't beat Heritage Place for a learning experience. Lots of nice, nice horses in beautiful condition. Even if you just got to watch, you will learn SO much it will be worth the trip. |
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Heeler Hoarder
Posts: 2067
| Both a lot of owners don't want their joints being torqued on and even a lot of vets won't do it on one under a certain age. Also most aren't going to tolerate the handling long enough for you to get a good flex. I think at that age a flex test isn't going to show anything that rads wouldn't show. |
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What to look for in a yearling prospect