Buying a foal

I think anything over 3.5 k is too much for a foal but then I have no idea what top quality foals go for, most likely up to 10k for decent dam as well as sire.
 
I paid £2500 for mine but bought her off a friend who wanted £6000 for her. She has decent bloodlines on both sides.

My friend paid £7000 for a foal from Verden sales who was bred for dressage with top bloodlines.

I can understand paying a bit but you never know what could happen in those 3 years before you start working it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The top priced foal at the auction we went to in holland last year was 64.000 euros!

[/ QUOTE ]

Stupid crazy money!
So much can go wrong until theyre even old enough to break and even then stuff can go wrong. Would be interesting to take note of how every expensive foal goes on to perform.
 
I have noticed some real crazy prices for foalies...

I was looking at pro-set foals, and while they are not in the 64.000 euros area, I still think it is a lot of money for something that is so young and has not proved itself yet!
 
exactly what I think. It could go and break its leg on the way home and theyve just lost one hell of a lot of money, or it could be a donkey when it comes to be ridden
 
yes i was thinking the same last night whilst looking through foals for sale on the internet. Maybe this is just another example of pries rocketing out of hand
 
It seems everything is getting silly prices... I would hate to be a novice buying a confidence giver at the moment, they seem so expensive because people know they will get that money for something that is safe but capable of going far too!
 
I noticed that too... last year I was buying a confidence giver and managed to find my perfect horse within my budget, but this year that would be impossible. I have always though that foals go for far too much money, but then these days "potential" seems to be worth a heck of a lot. I agree with Boss though, anything over £3500 IMO is too much.
 
Would pay upto £6k (ideally less!!) for a dressage foal. Not going to be making GP any time soon so anything more than that would be silly money for me. Think I could get something nice that suited me for that that would hopefully be a keeper.
laugh.gif
 
In the Irish Draught world, the fillys are worth more then colts. I'm hoping for a filly but knowing my luck I'll get a colt!

At the last auction colts were only making a between 800 euros and 2000 euros. Fillys were making between 3000 - 14000 euros.
 
Hang on a minute everyone! You have to take into account the costs to produce a foal! If it is done properly i.e. Vaccinated, feet every 6 weeks, feed, wormers ect ect... Plus stud fees of 500 (Plus untold vet fees!) upwards for anything half decent - then at 3,500 you are getting a bargain! Ask Becki what it cost to produce Troy for example?? I am sure it would be a lot more. As for proven or not - you take your chances!
 
i dont doubt the fact of the cost to actually get a live foal. I bred my first last year so I know how much they cost. I think Willow cost me about £1500 just to get her here. All im saying is that I wouldnt pay a huge amount for a foal as there are so many things that can go wrong in the time leading up to backing it etc.
 
We bought a foal between us , she was £1500 ish filly she was 6 mths old at the time .


The stallion we where interested in is by chellano z .... his stud fee isnt that much .


64,000 is crazy money like someone said anything can happen ... just look at missy lol .
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hang on a minute everyone! You have to take into account the costs to produce a foal! If it is done properly i.e. Vaccinated, feet every 6 weeks, feed, wormers ect ect... Plus stud fees of 500 (Plus untold vet fees!) upwards for anything half decent - then at 3,500 you are getting a bargain! Ask Becki what it cost to produce Troy for example?? I am sure it would be a lot more. As for proven or not - you take your chances!

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree!

Its cost me over £2,000 for 2 unborn foals so far! And i don't pay livery, hay/straw, etc. It is so expensive to breed.
 
I would never buy a foal as I would probably look after it for 4 years, start riding it and think 'Don't like you' for whatever reason. I would rather get something a bit older when you have a clue what its personality is like under saddle
 
The only time I have bought a foal was a sympathy buy years ago, two pounds for an exmoor colt at Bampton sales.

I have no idea about competition horses, but I did hear about a rather nicely bred arab colt that was sold (still on his dam) for in excess of 30K after an open day last summer.
shocked.gif
 
I think the price depends on the quality and bloodlines of the mare and stallion, also just "how much" that person wants to purchase that particular foal, hence why at some of the European auctions people pay A LOT of money for something so young.

Look at this stallion - VDL Westpoint

Westpoint was sold at one of the Holland Auctions for 3,900 euros (approx £2800) as a foal. He was then selected for the 2006 70 day test in Holland and subsequently Approved. The person who had purchased him as a foal had sold him prior to going to the 70 day test, for an undisclosed sum to VDL Stud (I bet it was not peanuts either!
blush.gif
).

I bet the seller was laughing and the breeder crying!!!
grin.gif


Personally the price I would ask for one of my foals is the price I would be willing to pay for one myself, of that particular bloodlines and quality etc.

Remember a horse is only worth what the buyer is willing to pay for it!
wink.gif
Also a high price does not guarantee success in the future!
cool.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top