Breaking/starting price info

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romulus

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Hi

I have a 4 year old 16.2hh tb x mare that I am looking to send away for breaking. Has been well handled and so far is easy to do.

Just wondering what everybody on average pays and how long would I expect her to be away for and what should I expect for my money.

I want her to go on to be my riding club/local competition horse.

Many thanks
 
I think it can depend on what area you are in, i've just been quoted £60 a week excluding hard feed and the minimum period the like to have them is 6 weeks.
 
It depends where you are as prices will vary, it is best to get a personal recommendation if you can and to check out the yard.
A good professional yard will be upwards of £120 per week inclusive and take 4-6 weeks depending on how the horse is and what you want done before she comes home, most in that time should be hacking out quietly and doing basic work in the school.
 
60 per week seems v v cheap if you think of the time involved. And cheap messes are expensive to fix!! In my neck of the woods it's 150-250 per week depending on reputation, facilities, etc, I'm Sussex.
 
60 per week seems v v cheap if you think of the time involved. And cheap messes are expensive to fix!! In my neck of the woods it's 150-250 per week depending on reputation, facilities, etc, I'm Sussex.
 
romulus said:
What a range of prices.
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That's quite a limited range - choose Michael Peace and you're looking at closer to £600 a week for 6 weeks! :rolleyes:

I've just had to put our price up to £150 a week due to increases in cost of haylage and bedding (was £140). The average stay is 4-5 weeks for a horse with no 'issues' - and at the end of that time the horse should be standing quietly to be mounted, walk, trot and canter on both reins and hacking sensibly with MODERATE traffic!

If a horse HAS 'issues' - or back/tooth problems to be sorted - or has been started (badly) previously, it could take quite a bit longer!

I would be VERY suspicious of anyone MUCH cheaper than us - I know how much it costs to do a good job!
 
Well not for nothing but no way in hell am I going to have a horse here for starting for 60£ a week. Cheap and there will be holes somewhere.

Read my post on here. This is why I won't do this anymore.

Terri
 
£60 per week would barely cover food, bedding and a small rent for stable. I find it hard to believe that anyone could back, break and produce a young horse for that price as a commercial operation.

Just work out the number of hours to tack up and get used to tack, lunge, long rein, lean over, sit astride and then ride away. Most of this involves two people - one to hold and one to do! Add up the hours and multiply by minimum wage, add food, bedding etc. and I doubt the answer is £60! Then consider if you would like your horse to be produced by someone prepared to do this and take the risks involved, for just the minimum wage and I think you will have your answer!
 
I would expect to pay £150 to £200 per week. I can't see how any less than that makes financial sense to a pro?
 
Thank you for all the prices. I did not want a 'cheap' price just a proper job done, someone who would not cause my mare to have any problem and I would be very careful to whom I sent her as she is a very well adjusted character. It was more a case of what everyone expected 'breaking' to cover and what that would cost.
 
I would expect £100-£120pw if being done from the field, or £130-£180 if stabled.
Any less and you'll get cut corners and a shoddy job.

Length of time .. 4-8 weeks depending on prior groundwork and horse temprement
 
Forgot to add , I have them standing to be mounted / dismounted . Ridden at walk trot and canter and hacking up the road and trot up in hand . If required for an extra week can start them off jumping x
 
sbrownshowhorses said:
Forgot to add , I have them standing to be mounted / dismounted . Ridden at walk trot and canter and hacking up the road and trot up in hand . If required for an extra week can start them off jumping x
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AAAGGHH! I really can't believe that anyone would want their youngster to start jumping a few weeks after being sat on for the first time!! :eek: This is a recipe for disaster if it's any more than trotting over a pole on the ground - or a small log out hacking.

A baby who has just started ridden work doesn't have the muscle or the brain for jumping - if fact they shouldn't be doing much by way of schooling. Our recommendation is to hack for 3 months to encourage calm and forward - and to build up muscle - before starting any 'serious' schooling whether it be on the flat or jumping!!
 
JanetGeorge said:
That's quite a limited range - choose Michael Peace and you're looking at closer to £600 a week for 6 weeks! :rolleyes:

I've just had to put our price up to £150 a week due to increases in cost of haylage and bedding (was £140). The average stay is 4-5 weeks for a horse with no 'issues' - and at the end of that time the horse should be standing quietly to be mounted, walk, trot and canter on both reins and hacking sensibly with MODERATE traffic!

If a horse HAS 'issues' - or back/tooth problems to be sorted - or has been started (badly) previously, it could take quite a bit longer!

I would be VERY suspicious of anyone MUCH cheaper than us - I know how much it costs to do a good job!
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Janet, you can charge me whatever you want !! please can my Archie baby come visiting in the summer of 2014 ? you have to give her back though.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Janet, you can charge me whatever you want !! please can my Archie baby come visiting in the summer of 2014 ? you have to give her back though.
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Assuming I haven't died of old age or stress by then, your Archie baby will be VERY welcome, I think - we'll have backed at LEAST half-a-dozen of them by then so will know if they're as easy as I think they'll be! Our oldest Archie's are 3 now - so once I've cleared the 4 year olds we'll be starting on them!
 
sport horse said:
£60 per week would barely cover food, bedding and a small rent for stable. I find it hard to believe that anyone could back, break and produce a young horse for that price as a commercial operation.

Just work out the number of hours to tack up and get used to tack, lunge, long rein, lean over, sit astride and then ride away. Most of this involves two people - one to hold and one to do! Add up the hours and multiply by minimum wage, add food, bedding etc. and I doubt the answer is £60! Then consider if you would like your horse to be produced by someone prepared to do this and take the risks involved, for just the minimum wage and I think you will have your answer!
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i think they must have left a digit off the price when they quoted me that as i can' see how it can be right either!, the other quotes have all been up around £130-150 a week which is more what i would expect;)
 
JanetGeorge said:
Assuming I haven't died of old age or stress by then, your Archie baby will be VERY welcome, I think - we'll have backed at LEAST half-a-dozen of them by then so will know if they're as easy as I think they'll be! Our oldest Archie's are 3 now - so once I've cleared the 4 year olds we'll be starting on them!
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Thank you. She is Miss Sensible already aged 10 and half months. She showed her sense last Sunday. She pawed at the field gate and put her foot straight through the bars, somehow the catch came open, so in effect I had a foal attached by a forelimb to a swinging metal 5 bar gate. I was at least 20 feet away from her.

She did not panic, I told her to stand, she has learnt that word in leading lessons but this was a whole different situation, she did not have a headcollar on. She carefully slide her leg along the gate and freed herself as I got to her, no injury thank god.

My gates will be boarded from now on and I will only buy tubular gates rather than those with the 'V' shape steel on them. She was fine, I needed a bottle of valium and a pint of port.

We might get to see you at the Counties, I would like to enter her in the partbred class but she looks purebred and would be far heavier than ISH yearlings. Haven't decided yet, and haven't shown her the lorry either.
 
I payed £160.00 a week for 8 weeks when I sent my 5 year old to be started (he was a very immature boy hence why we left him till he was 5). By the end of the eight weeks he could be mounted and unmounted whilst stood and without bating an eye lid!, walk, trot and canter on both reins at the touch of a button, going consistently on an outline and was popping a small fence (and very willling he was too!).

I got exactly what we paid for and a horse who because has had the correct foundations put in place was a delight to bring home where we have been able to further his education without any issue's what so ever and a total joy too.
 
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