The experts gathered at Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville, Virginia, in June for a Thoroughbred sales prep and conformation seminar.

EMO Field Agent Bill Reightler was one of the experts who presented his thoughts on what it takes to increase your chances on having success in the sales arena. While the seminar was focused on Thoroughbreds, much of the advice could also be applied to selling sport horses of any breed or discipline.

Reightler, who owns and operates Bill Reightler Sales Agency in White Hall, Maryland, has large sales consignments and represents clients at sales around the country.  

One of the first questions he addressed was one asked most often: Why sell a horse an auction?

"People love auctions, whether it's horses or bunny rabbits. When you have multiple bidders on your horse, it's very exciting for everyone," he said.

EMO Field Agent Bill Reightler and EMO President E. Sue Bopp

So when does an owner begin to prepare a young horse for auction? "The answer is that it starts on Day No. 1," he said.

Proper nutrition and feeding are vitally important. You don't want a horse that's under or overweight. Although feeding horses is often based on tradition-the old adage "hay, oats and water," for example--today's feed companies are mixing feed products that are better than ever. 

Companies such as Kentucky Equine Research are also providing feed companies with scientific data to help them fine-tune their feed products to provide the optimum balance for different equine needs. In short, the days of mixing feed and supplements in the tackroom are likely behind us, as it's easier than ever to purchase a product that's optimized for the different ages and types of horses.

Reightler noted that feeding weanlings is the toughest challenge. "The foals look great when they're on the mares, but then after they're weaned they end up pot-bellied and lose condition," he said.

He recommends feeding a foal 1 pound of feed per month of age using a creep feeder. By the time a foal is of weaning age, he should be consuming 4 to 6 pounds of feed and the transition from foal to weanling should go smoother.

To read more of Bill's tips, please click here.

 EMO Meet Our Client: Archie Cox

Horses have always loomed large in Archie Cox's life. As a junior rider, he earned ribbons in the AHSA Medal Finals, ASPCA Maclay Finals, and in 1985 he was the first male rider in 10 years to win the USET Talent Search Gold Medal for equitation wins. He also competed on the intercollegiate equestrian team for Drew University, where he earned multiple national and regional titles.
 

In the spring of 1992, Cox moved to California, where he's made his home ever since. His Brookway Stables, at Middle Ranch in Lakeview Terrace, typically hosts 30 to 35 horses in training, and his students range from pony riders to older amateurs.

His riders and horses have earned championships and major titles at horse shows around the country, including the Pacific Coast Horse Show Association Medal Finals, the California Professional Horseman's Association Finals, the Devon Horse Show, the Capital Challenge, the Washington International, the National and many more.

Cox lists 20 USEF Horse of the Year winners on his website, with several holding multiple titles. He also gives back to the sport through volunteer work, and he has contributed his time to the United States Equestrian Federation, the United States Hunter Jumper Association, the Pacific Coast Horse Show Association and the Washington International Horse Show, just to name a few.

While you can still find Cox in the saddle, his true passion is on the ground. "I really love teaching," Cox told Practical Horseman magazine. "I like to see the relationship between horse and rider develop. And I'm very fortunate to have had great success choosing horse-and-rider combinations. But again, I am also fortunate to have great customers who have confidence in the choices I make."