Eventers, buying a youngster by an unproven stallion, would you?

wizoz

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I was asked today by my trainer if pro/semi pro riders would buy a youngster by an unproven sport horse stallion?

Obviously my trainer knows of someone who has several youngsters by the same stallion which need to be sold but as the sire isn't proven in any sphere, these youngsters would be relatively cheap.

I think the idea is to sell the first lot off cheap and see what happens, if they do well, then later progeny would be more expensive.

My answer is, that if the horse is cheap enough and showed potential, probably BUT as you and I know, most pro's/semi pro's tend to only buy for owners as it's the running costs that riders need to keep down.

Any other thoughts?
 

Bearskin

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I think pros buy anything that has ability and good temperament, regardless of its sire. Obviously, for marketing purposes, it is easier to get buyers through the door if a fancy name is attached but with the internet it is now fairly easy to get photos and videos of stock to a wide audience.
What is the breeding/orientation of the stallion?
 

beckiebeckyboo

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we sell quite a lot of eventers and any pros we sell to tend to see a nice model of a horse that moves and jumps if they like it then they ask how its bred, would be very narrow minded i think to dismiss something because of its breeding. we ve had very well bred ones that havnt been half as talented as ones by lesser known parents
 

seabiscuit

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Oh yes absolutely- a pro wouldnt hesitate to buy a youngster for the right money if it had all the right ingredients. The horse will speak for itself, and said pro wouldnt care that much about the breeding, if it looks like a badminton horse it;s not going to matter if it was sired by a donkey!
 

wizoz

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Oh yes absolutely- a pro wouldnt hesitate to buy a youngster for the right money if it had all the right ingredients. The horse will speak for itself, and said pro wouldnt care that much about the breeding, if it looks like a badminton horse it;s not going to matter if it was sired by a donkey!

LMAO at the last bit :D
 

TarrSteps

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Many very good pros don't know that much about breeding and care even less. I don't mean that as an insult, just that they're more interested in the horse standing in front of them than what the papers say. I think, once they've had a good one from a particular breeding which suited their program they're more likely to go out and look for another but even then, the actual horse has to have the goods.

I do think though, that people are far more clued up on the "raw material" now and eventers want a horse that is not only a good jumper, bold and teachable, but which also moves well - at the top end you're nowhere without a horse that can produce a good test. These days, with money in short supply, people do want a bargain but they're also less inclined to have horses in the yard just for the sake of it.

It will really depend what you're friend has and how effectively she can show them to people. Are the backed? Would someone be able to see them loose jump at least? Many pros still don't put much stock in that - or at least they say they don't - but would still be unwilling to buy a horse for any money that doesn't show at least some innate ability. If they're good quality and they LOOK good quality they should be marketable. Then it's just a case of waiting and seeing . . .
 

oldvic

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Quite a lot of horses have uncertain pedigrees or are by little known stallions. Obviously certain pedigrees are going to attract people but they won't be put off by not knowing the stallion. There are however some stallions that make people wary due to temperament, courage or soundness. If you are buying a mare a good pedigree can be helpful but for a gelding it really doesn't matter.
 

wizoz

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Thanks all for your replies, all very interesting. I will feed back to trainer, who will feed back to breeder :)
 
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