Sometimes you wonder why you do this job

Thank goodness for volunteers is all I can say. Without them the days spent in auction would be even longer. I got off to Brecon at dead on 8-45am and bar one quick stop for fuel, got there just after 10-00am. The place was heaving. I didn't even get a look round this time but could see pen after pen after pen full of little bodies.
This time we wer on a mission. A definate home waiting for two babies and we also had the funds to hand to do this job.
In they came, some in nice condition, some a bit skinny. First of the day, a little grey sectionA colt made 5 guineas (£5-25) not much for a life is it? They always look so pitiful, you wonder just how much they really do comprehend of their potential fate that is the fall of the auctioneers hammer.
By 2-00pm we'd got two on our ticket. A really dark 6 month old filly looking terrified and standing shaking with fear before being herded outside again and a well made coloured colt destined for EMW Wales. The last to come to us happened a few minutes later. Wild-eyed and scared in came a really brown/bay skinny 6 month old filly with a nasty nylon rope headcollar digging into her poor face and £45 (£47.25) guineas later she's safe too.
Loading is no fun. Chaos. Screaming foals and mares crying out for lost babies that may have gone in a different direction that day. We watch displays of macho-ism as headcollars go onto heads that haven't ever had human touch before, we watch some pretty bad loading. Then it's our turn and our three weary little lives plod resigned into the loading bay and ontot he trailer for home...and we face it all again in a few weeks time.
UPDATED 6.30pm Sunday November 8th. The foals are now in their new home in Cambridge. EQUINE MARKET WATCH Sanctuaries UK says a huge and grateful thank you to all concerned in their future.