For some buyers, such as Garnet Payne, an 80-year old farmer from Charles Town, W.Va., it is more like an ongoing contest of horsemanship and wits. I'd match my ability to spot a bargain against anybody's. Of course, you don't really know what you're getting - that's part of what makes it interesting. Mystery does, indeed, shroud the background of many of the horses sold at Eylers. Most horses are brought to the grounds at least several hours before the sales, which is when the real work begins for dealers such as Jesse Austin.
Few details escape the horseman's practiced eye.
I look at a horse's eyes, wind, legs. Kindness is also important. Each of these factors contributes a great deal to the overall informality of the marketplace. When a horse is about to go under the auctioneer's gavel, his seller is urged to stand up and talk about his fine qualities. Horses presented as sound may be returned up to three days following the sale, according to Eyler.