Anyone else priced out?

[Birker2020]

I think prices will come down in winter, I'd dared to look at Horsequest when Lari went on sales livery and found a few I would have gone to look at for around the £8-10K range whereas those horses earlier in the year would have been a lot more money.

I won't be able to a have another horse now for a few years so I might as well pour as much into getting Lari right as I can as I have absolutely nothing to lose. But every day I change my mind as to which was I feel I should go.

I do think the cost of hay/shavings will go up in the winter.
I was very surprised to find out from the supplier I use that the 22KG pine shavings bales that I buy were still under £8.20 for a 22kg bale including VAT and delivery. I'd braced myself for them being at least £9 a bale now.

 

[Lady Tinseltime]

I am horse hunting now and although in my past 30 odd years of owning I have had 3 TBs I wonder whether they would be suitable for an old lady like me. I am the one who wants what everyone else does 15 to 16hh Safe and sane to hack and capable of prelim/novice dressage. Don't feel I want another youngster as I might be past it (or dead) by the time they get going ??

 

[Squeak]

These ‘affordable’ posts keep cropping up almost as if it’s people right to own a horse / pony. There will always be projects about - there always were and this is how many of the now ‘old school’ learnt to ride. Times were different, smart livery yards few and far between abd often the way to keep one was to own or rent a field. Petrol and cars were also cheaper, people had bicycles and didn’t mind getting wet and muddy. Please think of the people who have been attempting to breed over many years, lots of them have had to give up as it’s no longer viable. IF you are prepared to put in the work you may still find a project or youngster but if you’re looking for the safe, sound abd sensible well schooled version then you’re going to have to pay the going rate, easily as much as a new mid range car and maybe more if you want to ‘hit the ground running’ ? maybe that’s not quite the correct terminology but easier to make a comparison.

But I think that's the exact problem, there aren't any projects or youngsters that are affordable anymore. The people who used to have projects or youngsters because they couldn't afford the 'made' horses are the ones that are priced out. It's exactly the people who have bicycles and don't mind getting muddy and wet and plan to put in the work that will no longer be able to have a horse.

ETA - I'm not at all meaning to infer that people who have managed to afford a more expensive horse aren't prepared to put in the work or get muddy

 

[Wishfilly]

But I think that's the exact problem, there aren't any projects or youngsters that are affordable anymore. The people who used to have projects or youngsters because they couldn't afford the 'made' horses are the ones that are priced out. It's exactly the people who have bicycles and don't mind getting muddy and wet and plan to put in the work that will no longer be able to have a horse.

ETA - I'm not at all meaning to infer that people who have managed to afford a more expensive horse aren't prepared to put in the work or get muddy

I do think this is a valid point- even horses with, to me, quite significant health problems, are being sold for £££ at the moment. I think it's right that quality youngsters and made horses should have a pricetag that reflects the work that has gone into them, but equally I saw a pony on facebook with melanomas being advertised for £8k this morning (and it had some other negative points, too)- that's pretty insane to me.

I think for some people, it may have to become the norm to have a break between horses- because actually if you save what you spend on livery and insurance etc for e.g. a year, then you can probably get a budget together for something.

I do think the days of picking up a cheap, quality project for less than £1k are probably over.

 

[WelshD]

I currently have my pony up for loan and am very surprised at the amount of enquiries from people who have a decent (£10K plus) budget for a competition pony but are finding that its still not enough so are looking for a loan instead.

 

[Waxwing]

Hi I appreciate this thread is about buyers being priced out of the market but I am concerned that as a selling I may also be pricing myself out of the current market I am in the process of trying to sell our 15.2 ISH just turned six; she is well bred with Green Irish Passport, has been professionally schooled for the last year, has been out to a couple of clear round evening jumping shows and recently did her first prelim dressage test. She hacks well is good in traffic, lives in or out, is good to catch and shoe. I The yard she is based on advised advertising her at 10.5k which we did; there was some initial interest and we had one viewing last weekend but since then i haven't received any further enquiries. She is a nice mare with no issues, the add does state that as she is only six she does need an experienced rider, so I am assuming the price is too high. What is realistic at present; I want to price her at a point people are willing to come and view her. Any advice gratefully received!

 

[BronsonNutter]

I’ve just lost my youngster and there’s no way currently I could afford to replace her, so I’m just going to have to try to save what she would have cost me each month, and then maybe in a year or so I might be able to have another…In the meantime I have a few offers of things to ride/break, so that will have to do. Not seeing much coming up for loan at the moment either, apart from the odd older happy hack…

 

[Sealine]

Waxwing, you may find your price is excluding your horse from those searching up to 10k. I know I have a friend looking for a safe, sane all rounder with a 10k budget. People aren’t expecting to negotiate sale prices down in the current market so won’t search above their maximum budget.

A friend viewed a 10k horse recently and was ready to proceed with a purchase. The owner let 5 people view and then decided who to proceed with after asking for photos of the new home. She left my friend waiting for 8 days after the viewing before telling her she had sold to someone else. Buying a safe, sane all rounder seems to be getting more and more difficult ? My friend compared it to online dating which would be funny if it wasn’t so frustrating.

 

[gallopingby]

Hi I appreciate this thread is about buyers being priced out of the market but I am concerned that as a selling I may also be pricing myself out of the current market I am in the process of trying to sell our 15.2 ISH just turned six; she is well bred with Green Irish Passport, has been professionally schooled for the last year, has been out to a couple of clear round evening jumping shows and recently did her first prelim dressage test. She hacks well is good in traffic, lives in or out, is good to catch and shoe. I The yard she is based on advised advertising her at 10.5k which we did; there was some initial interest and we had one viewing last weekend but since then i haven't received any further enquiries. She is a nice mare with no issues, the add does state that as she is only six she does need an experienced rider, so I am assuming the price is too high. What is realistic at present; I want to price her at a point people are willing to come and view her. Any advice gratefully received!

You need to explain more about her breeding, So many horses have ‘green passports’ if she’s registered with a breed society why not say which one? I’ve horses with green, black, blue and red passports.

 

[Shooting Star]

Hi I appreciate this thread is about buyers being priced out of the market but I am concerned that as a selling I may also be pricing myself out of the current market I am in the process of trying to sell our 15.2 ISH just turned six; she is well bred with Green Irish Passport, has been professionally schooled for the last year, has been out to a couple of clear round evening jumping shows and recently did her first prelim dressage test. She hacks well is good in traffic, lives in or out, is good to catch and shoe. I The yard she is based on advised advertising her at 10.5k

She doesn’t sound far of fun of current pricing, I’m in Surrey and the local dealers seem to be pricing similar types for around £8-12k currently but £10k can certainly be a price barrier for some by jumping in to 5 figures.

You need to explain more about her breeding, So many horses have ‘green passports’ if she’s registered with a breed society why not say which one? I’ve horses with green, black, blue and red passports.

As an ISH the breed society will be Horse Sport Ireland with green passports being more highly regarded than blue, most buyers specifically looking for the breed would understand the significance of the passport colour and if not they probably wouldn’t be that interested in the detail of the breeding.