Fewer horses for sale

[Abacus]

I’m not looking. Really, I’m not.

I have two automatic searches on horsequest and get two emails each morning with new horses for sale. I tend to idly scan over them even though those searches go back about 6 months and I’m not actually in the market.

Normally I’d say that search 1 will have about 7 new horses per day and search 2 will have maybe 15. At the moment it’s down to about 2 and 5, respectively. Maybe it’s just that it’s the start of the year and everyone is too busy struggling back to work/school and so on, but I also wondered if fewer people are thinking of selling at the moment. I would have guessed the opposite - winter, costs going up, and new year is a time for change. Any thoughts?

 

[Birker2020]

I look nearly every second or third day, just to get an idea of the market again as my current horse is either going to the blood bank or a retirement home, I'm still undecided and finding it very taxing and draining trying to come to a decision.

I think the price for horses has gone down a little but the horses that are priced lower than £10K (for the height/type I'm looking for) seem to mostly have something wrong with them, they either 'put in a playful buck' or have 'a veterinary issue' of some sort or another.

In terms of not as many horses, I also noticed there wasn't so much of an influx in new horses being advertised the last couple of weeks but I'd put that down to Xmas and people being busy doing other things and maybe not having spare cash to pay to advertise.

 

[Squeak]

IME there's always a significant drop in horses for sale immediately around Christmas and New Year. I think most people have too much on to either be able to sell or buy a horse.

 

[Glitter's fun]

I’m not looking. Really, I’m not.

I have two automatic searches on horsequest and get two emails each morning with new horses for sale. I tend to idly scan over them even though those searches go back about 6 months and I’m not actually in the market.

Normally I’d say that search 1 will have about 7 new horses per day and search 2 will have maybe 15. At the moment it’s down to about 2 and 5, respectively. Maybe it’s just that it’s the start of the year and everyone is too busy struggling back to work/school and so on, but I also wondered if fewer people are thinking of selling at the moment. I would have guessed the opposite - winter, costs going up, and new year is a time for change. Any thoughts?

I'd guess people just don't want to be messing around with sifting through replies & arranging viewings. There'll probably be more in a week or two (not that you're looking )

 

[dorsetladette]

There's 2 sales yards local to me that have stopped selling. one has gone full livery and the other just breaking and schooling. Not sure if its down to a drop in the market but seemed more than coincidental to me.

 

[Btomkins]

I am strongly thinking of selling 2 of my 4 this spring. I won’t bother listing them now as (perhaps wrongly?) I don’t think many people are looking to take on an extra burden this time of year?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I made the mistake of looking yesterday on horsequest! Big Frank is right up my street…. Do you think I could squeeze him home without OH knowing? Probably not since he is in dorset lol ?

 

[Gloi]

I've noticed many more low end horses for sale. People offloading ones they'd hoped to make money on it looks like.

 

[Birker2020]

I made the mistake of looking yesterday on horsequest! Big Frank is right up my street…. Do you think I could squeeze him home without OH knowing? Probably not since he is in dorset lol ?

I like two myself currently on HQ but see red flags with both. Pity I wasn't so clairvoyant with L.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I like two myself currently on HQ but see red flags with both. Pity I wasn't so clairvoyant with L.

Haha, there are quite a few at the lower end of the market, usually tbs that folk either cant be bothered with or maybe something wrong with them. Either way that kind of thing doesn’t faze me in the slightest ? I love a challenge lol

 

[Barton Bounty]

I've noticed many more low end horses for sale. People offloading ones they'd hoped to make money on it looks like.

Yeah , not knocking anyone but some people are just greedy. Including people thinking they can buy a tb for 1500 and run it round and arena a fee times and woohoo its retrained! ?so try and sell it for £4k

 

[Gloi]

One on my Facebook today. Rising 3 they said ie 2 1/2 at this time of year. Says it's been for drives and will go for miles. Picture of it in a exercise cart which was obviously taken mid summer ,?

 

[Rusty Rider]

Be it for sale, full or part loan, I am definitely not seeing the influx I was expecting since the beginning of winter with the increased cost of living. Odd really, but perhaps a bit delayed as it looks like a lot of equestrian service providers (livery yards, farriers, etc.) did not put their prices up until 1 January. We’ll see…

 

[SOS]

I am looking and there was a definite drop up to Christmas and New Year but seems to be picking back up again. Winter is a rubbish time of year for buying or selling anyway.

A lot of what is for sale is very poor quality and I do wonder if with the decent horses the people that can hang on to them are waiting until Spring for better prices and easier selling. A lot of what’s selling now seems to have a reason it needs to go!

 

[SO1]

I am looking for a New Forest not many around and mainly youngsters or top level competition ponies costs more than 10k.

I will do an advert next month.

Maybe people have turned away for the winter and will bring back into work ready for Spring when weather is better and prices are higher.

 

[tda]

S01, just seen a reasonably priced NF stallion advertised, can be gelded, chunky 133cm, highfox stud, bradford

 

[nagblagger]

[QUOTE="Barton Bountys’ Baubles, post:I made the mistake of looking yesterday on horsequest! Big Frank is right up my street…. Do you think I could squeeze him home without OH knowing? Probably not since he is in dorset lol ?[/QUOTE]. I'm in Dorset.. I'll pop it in the trailer and start driving.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Yeah , not knocking anyone but some people are just greedy. Including people thinking they can buy a tb for 1500 and run it round and arena a fee times and woohoo its retrained! ?so try and sell it for £4k

Works well for Irish Horse Imports, £1200 at Tatts and out a couple of weeks later.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Works well for Irish Horse Imports, £1200 at Tatts and out a couple of weeks later.

Suppose its before any problems can show up ??‍

 

[Bobthecob15]

Fairly normal for this time of year, people usually wait till spring. It was only last year and the one before with covid craziness that the market never really died down

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Be it for sale, full or part loan, I am definitely not seeing the influx I was expecting since the beginning of winter with the increased cost of living. Odd really, but perhaps a bit delayed as it looks like a lot of equestrian service providers (livery yards, farriers, etc.) did not put their prices up until 1 January. We’ll see…

To be honest I think the COL issues won't show up just yet. Prices are only just going up on feed etc and we still have til April before another energy price hike. Next winter could be a completely different story altogether as I think people will be really feeling the squeeze more by then. For me personally on the horse front the only increased costs so far are the speedibeet has gone up a few ££ and my big 6 string bales have gone up by £5. (They were £40 last year). I feel next winter is going to be harder so will have to start looking for ways to save up before hand!!

 

[Peglo]

I’ve seen a lot of ‘24 years young’ ‘18 yr old, I love him but have to part with him’ ads and loads of young ponies and TBs for sale on Facebook over Christmas and new year. It is sad to think where all these young and old horses will go.

 

[Barton Bounty]

[QUOTE="Barton Bountys’ Baubles, post:I made the mistake of looking yesterday on horsequest! Big Frank is right up my street…. Do you think I could squeeze him home without OH knowing? Probably not since he is in dorset lol ?

. I'm in Dorset.. I'll pop it in the trailer and start driving.[/QUOTE]
Oh yes please 8yr old chestnut gelding 16.1! Hes called big frank! I will transfer the money now ???