Going to view a horse!

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Waxwing said:
I genuinely wonder if buying another horse is going to be achievable ; the options this morning included a horse with sarcoids on their sheath and a need for ongoing medication of their hocks for a "bargain" price according to advert of 12k and a 15.1 cob for 17.5k. The cob looks nice but when I was looking 2 years ago would have been 8-10k. If upper teens is genuinely is what is going to be required now to find a family type horse, adding in another 1k for vetting an transport that is essentially a 20k budget needed before the horse arrives home. I am not disputing the relative worth of different horses, I just sadly feel that horse ownership is going to become less achievable for many people. (DH and I both earn reasonable salaries and we are mortgage free, so it a better position than lots of people but there is a limit to how much money can be committed to a what is essentially a hobby.)
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I keep coming back to what someone else said further up - a 10K horse is as likely to break as a 3K horse. Obviously within reason (assuming you're not buying a crock) that's where I sit too. Who one earth has 20K to lose on a horse? Because at the end of the day you DO have to be ready to lose it, because horses are twerps who can break their leg in a padded cell. I think that regardless of the "worth" of the horse, there has to be a personal limit where it becomes unethical to spend whatever % of your family's savings on something that might roll over and die next week.
 
Widgeon said:
I keep coming back to what someone else said further up - a 10K horse is as likely to break as a 3K horse. Obviously within reason (assuming you're not buying a crock) that's where I sit too. Who one earth has 20K to lose on a horse? Because at the end of the day you DO have to be ready to lose it, because horses are twerps who can break their leg in a padded cell. I think that regardless of the "worth" of the horse, there has to be a personal limit where it becomes unethical to spend whatever % of your family's savings on something that might roll over and die next week.
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And that's exactly where my head is too. As much as my daughter and I need and would like a ready made, safe, sane and sound all round trooper and good egg we just cant afford the 10k asking price, as with a large mortgage, 3 kids all with their individual sporty interests and expeditures and me on a piddling school TA's wage. Its truly depressing as we have the monthly running costs covered, as we've proved for 3 years with coblet but I can't justify spending a huge chunk of our family savings on the initial outlay.
 
Widgeon said:
I keep coming back to what someone else said further up - a 10K horse is as likely to break as a 3K horse. Obviously within reason (assuming you're not buying a crock) that's where I sit too. Who one earth has 20K to lose on a horse? Because at the end of the day you DO have to be ready to lose it, because horses are twerps who can break their leg in a padded cell. I think that regardless of the "worth" of the horse, there has to be a personal limit where it becomes unethical to spend whatever % of your family's savings on something that might roll over and die next week.
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And that’s the crux of it isn’t it.
A horse is worth what someone is willing to pay for it and can afford to loose.

There are plenty of people paying 20k for a horse I'm afraid. Which doesn’t mean I’m trying to take anything away from the fact that it’s an obscene amount of money for the vast majority of the population to be spending on a hobby.

And yes, spending more does not guarantee sounder or not even necessarily better. But you/we have to keep in mind the cost of producing good horses is huge. If an amateur has a good one they are rarely for sale, and if they are why shouldn’t they have value. If a pro is producing one for sale then they have bills to pay. The difficulty is weeding out the crap ones priced high from the good ones who are worth it.
 
ihatework said:
The difficulty is weeding out the crap ones priced high from the good ones who are worth it.
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Exactly. If you could be sure that all the high priced horses REALLY were worth their asking prices, then even accounting for horses injuring themselves etc, you'd feel much "safer" forking out all that money. But half the time they're not even as described on the day of sale, so instead of being a sensible purchase of an expensive, high quality item, it becomes a complete gamble with a huge amount of money.
 
Waxwing said:
I genuinely wonder if buying another horse is going to be achievable ; the options this morning included a horse with sarcoids on their sheath and a need for ongoing medication of their hocks for a "bargain" price according to advert of 12k and a 15.1 cob for 17.5k. The cob looks nice but when I was looking 2 years ago would have been 8-10k. If upper teens is genuinely is what is going to be required now to find a family type horse, adding in another 1k for vetting an transport that is essentially a 20k budget needed before the horse arrives home. I am not disputing the relative worth of different horses, I just sadly feel that horse ownership is going to become less achievable for many people. (DH and I both earn reasonable salaries and we are mortgage free, so it a better position than lots of people but there is a limit to how much money can be committed to a what is essentially a hobby.)
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If I were you, I would look for a share that you can have 1:1 lessons on, maybe compete a little. Shares give you the opportunity to do more and improve your own skills beyond the safe and steady RS type of horse, which in the longer term gives you access to a much wider market (and less eye watering prices!). If there is nothing local, could you drive a little further a couple of times a week, or put up a wanted ad on the local horsey Facebook pages?

At the moment you are looking for the elusive unicorn that is rarely available - you’ll struggle to get one in part because they are so scarce that someone will cancel work and go see them on the day the ad comes out. So if sound and all they say they are, they will sell in hours. I have sold perfect ponies and I was inundated with enquiries within minutes of putting the ad up - one lady drove 4 hours on the day to come and view. Pony sold to her, by the end of the afternoon on which the ad had come up (and she still has her so it was definitely a good decision for that lady!).

A share is also less stress and less time. No responsibility for vet bills while still having the chance to build a bond. A chance to enjoy having a horse without the worry.
 
ester said:
Points out that it wouldn’t be the first incidence of someone meeting a hhoer for the first time to go and look at a horse, that’s how I met nikib then was promptly travel sick in her rather nice car 😳😅. I did manage to make it out of the car in time 😳
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Thankfully I had many years of experience with eldest son who suffered similarly, and am very quick to stop the car and release all door locks when someone says they aren't feeling great. I will add, that I don't think my driving had anything to do with it, and @ester and I have met up many times since!! 😂 😂 😂
 
You were ready with a bottle of water afterwards too 😅. It’s an accolade really and definitely not the driving usually too nice a car… I was very nearly sick in lizziej’s car too and that was on the m5 going over the avonmouth bridge, made it to gordano services, and my YO when we went to pick up the puppy - I made very sure to hang on to puppy on that occasion 😅😅.
Oh and an extra hhoer for those that remember jimmykawasaki’s van after he’d taken me for a very nice swim and dinner and dropping me back to my B+B 😳

No one’s ever offering to pick me up after all that are they 😅

I was relieved to find I was ok in the lorry with rara heading all the way to the Netherlands 😳😅 as I’ve never been far in it and I can’t drive it…

This is one of the reasons I don’t really drink, I’m better driving myself ….
 
I think most people paying £10k+ for a horse are on a salary which means they can justify the initial outlay. If you don't have the time or skill to bring on a young horse, it would probably work out the same financially as buying an unbacked youngster for half the price, but having to do all of the donkey work across several years.

It's also supply and demand. I just saw a wanted post where someone was looking for a 15.2hh chunky cob, a safe all-rounder, but didn't want to pay 'silly money'. These kinds of horses are hard enough to find at any price, so hoping to get a cheap one is highly unrealistic.

I'm sure that there are some safe OTTBs and ex polo ponies for decent money about, but they aren't as desirable, and that is reflected in the price.

Also it's true that a 10k horse can break just as easily as a 5k one, but a sound, steady neddy is less likely to break you than a spooky, anxious one, regardless of the price.
 
Widgeon said:
I keep coming back to what someone else said further up - a 10K horse is as likely to break as a 3K horse. Obviously within reason (assuming you're not buying a crock) that's where I sit too. Who one earth has 20K to lose on a horse? Because at the end of the day you DO have to be ready to lose it, because horses are twerps who can break their leg in a padded cell. I think that regardless of the "worth" of the horse, there has to be a personal limit where it becomes unethical to spend whatever % of your family's savings on something that might roll over and die next week.
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It was me!

Just for a little comparison - I have a very wealthy friend, money is no object yet when she got her Sky package renewal she looked at the price and said "I'm not paying that!" and cancelled it. It's not only about what people are able to pay.
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
A lady on our yard has had 3 polo ponies in a row, all 15+ years old and who have retired from the game, I'd happily put a novice on any of them.. you'd have to be selective with which ones you go for but could be an avenue worth exploring
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This is what I've got, an absolute darling, 23 this year and looking fabulous. She is safe but still a bit livelier than I'd like at times! I still had to pay £1500 for her as a 21 year old.
 
Diane Butterfield/Hermits cobs has young hairy cobs for sale. Unbacked. Around the £3k mark. I've bought unseen from her and would again.
I also know of a very nice young 15.2 for sale. Completely unspoilt, not rushed, will do any job, Cheshire way, around £8k. Sporty model rather than cob.

https://www.facebook.com/100000476462805/posts/30151885681077251
 

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AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
A lady on our yard has had 3 polo ponies in a row, all 15+ years old and who have retired from the game, I'd happily put a novice on any of them.. you'd have to be selective with which ones you go for but could be an avenue worth exploring
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A friend exercised polo ponies on rural road walk hacks in Oxfordshire, riding 1 and towing 2. I once went with her to ride one after many years out of the saddle, and they were foot perfect, absolutely solid confidence givers. Considering the high adrenalin of the polo game, I was surprised they were so quiet, sensible and sane tbh!
 
PurBee said:
A friend exercised polo ponies on rural road walk hacks in Oxfordshire, riding 1 and towing 2. I once went with her to ride one after many years out of the saddle, and they were foot perfect, absolutely solid confidence givers. Considering the high adrenalin of the polo game, I was surprised they were so quiet, sensible and sane tbh!
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Are there people who deal in ex polo ponies? Just wondering as I know of several dealers who specifically sell OTTBs, but I don't see polos that much in my neck of the woods.
 
Miss_Millie said:
Are there people who deal in ex polo ponies? Just wondering as I know of several dealers who specifically sell OTTBs, but I don't see polos that much in my neck of the woods.
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There's a couple of Facebook groups, Chukkout Polo & Retired Polo Ponies, you generally get them straight from polo, no middlemen which is probably best.

I found mine through a wanted ad I put on Chukkout Polo for a hacking horse, I was offered a few, I picked the one I have because she was Argi and a price I was happy to pay, they ranged from free to £4k.
 
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Miss_Millie said:
Are there people who deal in ex polo ponies? Just wondering as I know of several dealers who specifically sell OTTBs, but I don't see polos that much in my neck of the woods.
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There are way less polo ponies looking for homes than there are ex-racers, and the profit margins for a dealer aren't great (even the dodgy-limbed ones can go for 6k+ to a beginner polo home), hence no dealers that I know of. There's the Corsica Foundation but they're a charity not a dealer.

(Will also say that, as much as I like a good polo pony, they are not mythical beasts that become angelic and hardy happy hackers once retired. For every good polo pony is a horse who has major separation anxiety away from the horses that it has spent its life living and working beside; who has never hacked alone because it's always ponying or being ponied; who has dodgy limbs and injuries from the nature of the game or from getting trodden on; and who will have spent its entire working life with its head in the air, never learning to work over its back, or who just rides permanently crooked right. As arena polo becomes more common, there are also more horses that play both the arena and grass season, so they never get a holiday to recover from strain like grass ponies do. Plus, a large percentage of polo ponies in this country are TBs so it's not easy to find a Criollo that should, in theory, save you on vet bills.)
 
Miss_Millie said:
Are there people who deal in ex polo ponies? Just wondering as I know of several dealers who specifically sell OTTBs, but I don't see polos that much in my neck of the woods.
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Facebook - Chuck Out Polo. Don't be put off by the adverts that describe them as lawnmowers. It is to prevent the ads being removed.
 
My ID Finn who I imported from Ireland is up for sale from his current home, through no fault of his own.

He might suit you Birker2020

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ImmyS said:
My ID Finn who I imported from Ireland is up for sale from his current home, through no fault of his own.

He might suit you Birker2020

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I would jump to view this one @Birker2020 ! Loved him through his thread. I bet he won't be for sale long!!!
 
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