Age & depreciating value of a horse

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pinkypug1

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Is there a particular age when horses start to really depreciate in value?? I see lots of adds looking for horse s aged 6-10yrs... Are early to min teens harder to sell even if quality???
 
I think it depends on what the horse is being bought for, what it's done and personal preference.

I personally would not set out to buy a horse over the age of 10, my preference would be under the age of 7. This is partly due to not being able to afford a 'ready made' horse but also because I like the process of buying a young horse and bringing it on.

I think in general horses probably start to lose value from 15 upwards.
 
Thanks. Just deciding on what do with my own mare she's happy in a loan home for time being but they will never be in position to buy so weighing up options. She's 12 at present & don't want to leave her till she's past her best if I decide to sell her on. She's too good to keep as a pet/field ornament!!
 
I sold my rising 19yr old, in April this year, 2nd person to see him, first wanted him but we weren't happy with the home.

He is a been there done it type of horse, evented, sj'ed, dressage, showing, vaulting, hunted, pony club, jousted, you name it, he had done it, and to a fairly high level mostly. If she's good, she will sell at whatever age. My boy was valued at £3k, by the loan home giving him back at the time, who are VERY experienced. We got near that, but would have given him away to the new home as it's so perfect for him. We paid £5.5k for him back in 2002/2003 time, when he was 8/9 as a rough guide, and he's 17hh coloured, so not everyone's cup of tea and too big for a lot of people!

Hope that helps!

Bexcy-bee x
 
agree that unless they are particularly good at there job, like a safe pony club pony or a school master to learn competition ropes on, then they start loosing value from 13, as you wont pay as much for something that still needs work but has not as much time to do it in. however, if for example i was looking for something reliable for my dad to ride, i would consider something 15+ but i would not be prepared to pay as much
 
She's a super all rounder wins almost everytime out from showing classes to x country events & sj. Would love loan home to buy as its perfect but I couldn't just give her away as money is money at the end of the day. Will leave it until spring and re consider then :)
 
I'm with one of the other posters, I would practically give my horse away if the home was perfect but then I'm not in it for the money. I didnt really have an age limit when looking but realistically I wouldnt have looked at anything over 16 as long as it was sound and still had a lot of go left in it but then I am low level everything and having a 'pet' I can ride is more important.

As it stands my horse is 7 but he came along as a stroke of bad luck for his previous owner and good luck for me and I dont see myself selling him ever but if I did and he was deemed 'past it' he would most likely go on something like Horses4Homes because my best interest is in him and not my wallet and I sleep very well at night knowing that.
 
I am by no means "in it for the money" I have had her for 8 years she means a lot to me and still have her gorgeous filly who will soon be going off to a pro yard to hopefully do the biz as an eventer as her potential is too good for me to waste hacking around on!! My mare is amazing in everyway and I would only want the best home for her but why give away to a good home if I could search and sell to a better home?? I may not even sell her as circumstances may change over next 12 months!!! I have never and would never sell just for money but on the same token I wouldnt just gift a quality horse.
 
pinkypug1 said:
I am by no means "in it for the money" I have had her for 8 years she means a lot to me and still have her gorgeous filly who will soon be going off to a pro yard to hopefully do the biz as an eventer as her potential is too good for me to waste hacking around on!! My mare is amazing in everyway and I would only want the best home for her but why give away to a good home if I could search and sell to a better home?? I may not even sell her as circumstances may change over next 12 months!!! I have never and would never sell just for money but on the same token I wouldnt just gift a quality horse.
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Lol, touchy!! You don't need to justify yourself to me, was just posting my opinion on a forum, no personal attack intended.
 
Unless it was a proven horse in something like BS, BD, BE then I'd say the value goes down considerably once they hit their teens.
 
Generally horses over 15 seem to drop in value. But then I suppose it is what people are willing to pay for and the type of horse they are after too.

Although my cob at 20 years of age, people were still offering me over £5-6k for him (even though he wasn't for sale) due to his type, plus he had been there done that well placed out SJ/XC/games/dressage, including RDA work and use as an BHS exam horse before.
 
It depends what they can do. An average horse will lose value as they approach their mid teens, but if you want a horse for a specific job, age is less important.

I sold an 18yo welsh pony for £1k more than I paid for him as an 8 yo. He was bought as a problem riding pony for £600, which included a nice Barnesby saddle, and sold as a push-button driving pony to the RDA.

In today's market, some horses have no value from the day they're born, but they've got a much better chance if they're mannerly and know their job, regardless of age.
 
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