Auctioned runaway horses could become top trotters

Three untrained horses seized by the City of Pori have been sold at auction, and a trotting trainer believes they could still develop into successful racehorses, Yle reports.

The horses attracted attention this summer in Kullaa, Ulvila, after escaping and creating dangerous situations in traffic. They also fed on crops in other people’s fields. A supervising veterinarian and the City of Pori decided to take the horses into care from their owner and sell them at auction.

Trotting trainer Tuomas Rantanen cared for the horses at temporary accommodation at the Pori racecourse. He said interest in the animals was enormous, even though buyers knew little about them beyond their pedigrees.

The sales notice said the horses were untrained, unshod and relatively unused to being handled. Rantanen said they would require extensive training, but believed good horsemanship could produce strong results.

“It takes courage, but I don’t think it’s impossible,” Rantanen said.

Despite their wild background, the horses are friendly and sociable with people. Rantanen said their free-ranging lifestyle may also have benefited the young foals through exercise.

He believes the two-year-old Finnish horses are still at a suitable age to be trained. The breed develops later than standardbreds as a competitive racehorse. Some begin racing at three, while others only show their potential at the age of 10, he said.

At the auction, which ended on Friday, Pyrypolun Batman, Pyrypolun Kraft and Pyrypolun Zyla each sold for between 2,800 and 3,600 euros. Their starting price was 800 euros apiece.

The final prices surprised Rantanen, who had initially been unsure whether the horses would sell at all. He said the prices rose somewhat higher than he would have liked, but was pleased that people were willing to pay for horses.