Advice on friend's possible purchase please

Bikerchickone

Bikerchickone

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Hi all,

My friend has just fallen in love with a youngster after a first viewing and has asked my opinion on her price. I have absolutely no idea what to suggest so said I'd ask on here.

Filly is 4, unbacked, coloured and supposed to carry the gene to breed a coloured foal, just about 15h now but very bum high, and hasn't wintered very well so looks a bit underweight. She seems like a nice sort but no special breeding supposedly a warmblood cross and bred to be a riding horse. She seems to have a really nice nature but hasn't done much at all. Current owner asking £1000 for her. Does that seem like a fair price? I don't know what to advise! Also what would you want to see her doing etc in a 2nd viewing? Owner is open to vetting by any vet friend wants.

Thanks for your help. :) x
 
as amymay has said, it really depends on if she fits the bill for your friend and she has that money. Is it that important that she has the breeding gene for coloureds if she has no specific breeding anyway? Is your friend wanting something to breed from?
 
I don't think she'll be breeding her so it doesn't matter to us but the current owner seemed to think it made her worth more. The filly is really sweet so I can easily see why my friend wants her. I just didn't want her to pay too much. Thank you both. :)
 
I think if she really likes it then she should follow her gut, just get the vet to check the filly out for anything glaring, plus conformation.
 
I think that Amymay is right...its what she is willing to pay, she can always try an offer.

I think that you pay for temperament sometimes (well I would) as it makes such a difference.

What has she seen so far on the viewing? When I bought my 2yo I saw rugs on/off, in the stable, feet picked up, groomed him, took him for a walk, moved him back, sideways etc, looked at pictures of him since foal, paperwork, vac details, asked about routines, worming, farrier, travelling, experiences beyond the field, any groundwork training and went through details of what he had been fed on.

Mine was also vetted 2 stage.

The owner I bought from was extremely good and honest (thankfully) we are still in touch and he told me every quirk he knew of.

Obviously buying an unbacked horse is different from something that had been started but it would be good to know if you are starting from stratch or whether the current owner has done anything with her.
 
Not v good on youngsters sorry but initial thought was that if she doesn't have solid breeding, then throwing coloureds of itself isn't as valuable. Yes, useful if you are breeding and perhaps want to put her to an impressive stallion but otherwise a bit 'meh' in my view :) And certainly not important if you're friend isn't after her for breeding anyway.

Prices generally seem to have dropped so £1k seems v high in current market.

2nd viewing - depends what you did in the first but general handling, picking up feet, leading, and maybe trot up to see her paces, plus vet checks I'd think.
 
at 15hh now she`s gonna be a big mare. seems like a fair price but i`d be inclined to negotiate the price down a bit bearing in mind the current market and the fact the if you dont back her yourself you will be looking at a fair amount to have her backed. good luck.
 
I'd offer about 800 - like someone on here said if she really likes her then its up to her - but considering you can buy broken horses for 1400 at the moment that are broken you have to weigh it up - plus have they actually got a veterinary DNA confirmation that she carries the homyzygos gene (excuse me if i've spelt that squiffy!) lol becuase if thats what the owner is basing her being worth more one that would need to be confirmed. Again like someone said unless you want to breed which quite frankly from a horse whos bloodlines are spectacular and no specific reason to breed i think your friend has a good case to knock her down a little - its worth a go!
 
If very croup high there is a possibility that this will be a conformation defect, but more likely is that she won't mature fully for up to four years, and will struggle to school while still growing.
Personally at this time of year I would be looking for a four or five year old which is ready to break over the summer and turn away over the winter.
Owners have different ideas on the value of their mare, usually over inflated, and unless this is a well known breeder with a track record of success, I would discount this.
If the breeder thinks this is a "good un" you would want it to have been shown with success. I would look elsewhere, but it is more difficult once one has been to see them.
 
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Thanks guys. She's literally had rugs on and will pick up her feet. Not done any shows yet. The current owner apparently paid an awful lot more for her at 6 months old but now can't afford to get her started. I've got a rising 5 year old and must admit this filly looks really immature in comparison although I know my girl is a whole year older.

She will get a two stage vetting done, and the filly does seem really quiet to handle as well. I think I might suggest a lower offer as she really hasn't done anything yet. Thank you for all your help. :)
 
I recently paid 1000 for a nice 3 year old of no specific breeding, he's 15.2hh and growing, nicely put together and good natured. I think it's a fair amount to pay if the horse is a decent sort :)
 
As others have said, she's worth what someone will pay.

As a note to her looking immature, we have an older 4 year old that has literally grown into herself over night. Very babyish compared to the very mature 3yo sister still though, in temperament and looks so I wouldn't judge too much on that at this age. And yours sounds young enough to still have playing and bonding time before backing.

As others have said, if the price is for the colouring then I'd want the tests done, but then if you aren't intent on breeding it would only be to potentially haggle the price.

Personally I'd offer slightly lower but have a figure that was the limit in my head. Don't take the mick or they may disregard the purchase entirely.

I paid just under that for an unhandled 3yo. Absolutely nothing done with her but went to buy her sister and came home with her (after I got a headcollar on the thing and then returned her weeks later to the original yard with me in tow!). I was instantly drawn to her and knew that she was mine, we now have an amazing bond. She probably wasn't worth it to a lot of people, but she was to me. So it's very hard to put a market price on horses like that! Likewise we'd never accept an offer on three of ours because they are priceless to us, but not even fit for the meat-man to plenty of others! However would happily part with some other horses. I'd say go with the gut, if she can afford the layout and truly sees potential, for her and the horse, not for breeding/showing technicalities etc then take a leap :)

If she truly wants her and can afford it I say follow the heart.

Pan
 
Thanks Pan, I think you've hit the nail on the head. Will suggest she knocks a little bit off because it's just not normal to pay asking price lol but I think they'll get near enough to it anyway!

Thanks everyone :)
 
She's only worth what people are willing to pay. I bought my 2 yr old filly a couple of months ago and her breeder did say the market for 2-4 yr olds wasn't great,she had only just put her online when i saw her ad so factored that a little bit when making my decision. I had her 2 stage vetted,she was on for £2,300 and i offered her £1800 and said my reasons why (due to current climate etc) she accepted as was also aware that was a fair offer. She is a well bred coloured,has been shown as a yearling and has the most amazing temperment for her age. I think and others have said she was a bargain even at this age but you never really know do you until you can back them and start them up. I really think mine was worth a gamble,i think at 1k the mare sounds nice and what can you get for that these days? not much so i reckon that's a fair deal.
 
Just over three years ago I paid £2k (on market at £2500) for mine at 8 months old. I think at the time- very good breeding, beautiful coloured beast, knew both parents, etc - it was a fair price but wouldn't expect to pay that in this climate. Again, it was a 'fell in love, have to have' situation and I haven't regretted it!
Agree with others, your friend will need to factor in the possibility of getting someone to back her- even if she plans to do it, plans change as I know as I'm currently paying someone to do it despite my best laid plans.
I do know that having a youngster and all that goes with it is both the most wonderful, and at times frustrating, experience.
I wish her luck!
:)
 
A few of our ones are selling for the £1500-£1900 mark - no recorded breeding, but will make nice types, nicely coloured but mostly top temperaments. 5 y/o one we just had vetted this week, had the vet raving about her just because of her naturally nice nature despite how green she is. Safe sells I'll always say :)



£1000 seems like a fair price.
 
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