I have a problem with owners dumping 15- to 20-year-old used-up broodmares in a public auction, and expecting us to believe that anybody other than a killer would even consider purchasing them or look twice at them.
And for every horse volunteers identify and purchase out of auctions like these, there are five that go to the killer. And there are the ones they have to leave behind, of other breeds. It's a terrible, heartbreaking thing to volunteer for. These women are threatened, have to remain secretive at times, etc. Sure, these cheap local auctions are great if you want to go buy a cheap pony for your kid, or a grade horse to put 30-60 days on and sell, but those are the rare stories, not the usual.
There's a reason the minimum price for any horse sold at Keeneland is set by the auction house at $1000, and it's because that's too much for a killer to pay.
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"Have the clean racing people run any ads explaining that giving a horse a Starbucks and a chocolate poppyseed muffin for breakfast would likely result in a ten year suspension for the trainer?" - Dr. Andrew Roberts
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