Anyone had or is in the process of buying a new horse this year?

[Fools Motto]

Just curious... is it all going well, any unsuspecting issues? Did you have a price bracket and if so, are you in that, on the max or have exceeded it?

FWIW I've just started the process....

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

My friend has just bought one, been a nightmare finding the right horse in her price range....a budget that would normally buy a really decent horse..!!! Finally found one after 8 months...it's not been fun ?

 

[Dia]

Bought the first one I saw, paid over budget, seller barely budged but I knew I’d regret not getting her!

It was tricky finding a decent stamp of a cob and a very different market from a few years ago. I was also very conscious of not being able to travel far.

Luckily she passed the vetting and the yard I’d had my eye on for a few months had a rare space.

 

[dixie]

I am looking as soon as I can sell mine - got a lot of good suitable people interested but obviously no viewings atm.
Sadly two horses I had my eye on have sold which is frustrating but can’t do much about it.

 

[Spotherisk]

I probably would have looked if prices were within my budget, but I’ve shelved it for now. Will start riding at a riding school when COVID allows, to see if I still have the motivation and love for riding.

 

[muddybay]

I went 50% over my budget when I bought in September 2020 the prices are crazy at the moment and so many people are buying unseen which if it's your first I do not recommend

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’ve got a new one. He was a freebie. It was going really well. I’ve been really slack recently but I’m super happy with him.
I actually for the first time in my life had the option of going and buying something “decent” but chose against it and stuck with the free option, I’m genuinely glad I did.

 

[Wishfilly]

I bought in October- I had what I thought was a budget for a decent, safe, established pony/horse. I ended up buying something greener than I planned, but young/healthy and with what I felt was a good attitude to his work. All the ones I saw which were well established horses within my budget had negatives (e.g. sweet itch, or an old undisclosed injury), and I felt I would rather go with green than "potential to break".

Things were moving very quickly at the time, and I found horse buying a real hassle! I think things have calmed down a bit since then, but we certainly haven't had the crash in prices that people were predicting!

 

[spacefaer]

I'm seeing a definite decrease in prices - not a crash, but certainly a slowdown - and horses not selling overnight as they were last summer.
The weather is helping that, obviously - no lovely long summer days to enjoy your new purchase!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I bought Toby in May. Paid a fair bit for him but he's a lovely, straightforward, healthy, sound, sane allrounder with a fab temperament so cant complain! I think I'd get more than I paid if I sold him now, partly because I've added value and partly because I think lockdown prices are still super high. My friends who are buying couldn't find anything in budget and had to stretch.

 

[mossycup]

I want a 'nice person' on the yard, 16h+, fun, forward, who loves their work, but sensible enough to let my kids groom them and carry me round a BE 80/90 without feeling like I might die.....and I feel at the moment like I'm going to need a 8-10k budget (at least!) for that ?