Help with pricing a horse please

[SatansLittleHelper]

I'm asking on behalf of a friend who has decided she wants something older and slightly bigger.
Horse is well bred blanket spot buckskin cob gelding, (spotted sire negative for PSSM, Hermits breeding) 14hh (approx), just turned 4, built like a tank!!
Currently unbacked but looking at getting this done before he's sold. Lives in or out, unfazed but traffic and farm machinery etc. Lovely movement Good, solid feet, unshod.
Generally very good to handle though can be tickly on the belly. Has an abundance of thick mane, tail and feather but Has had what we believe to be mild Sweetitch this year so is currently clipped out and looks awesome Not tested for PSSM but that can be done. Registered with The British Spootted Pony Society.
Roughly what would he be worth both unbacked as he is or backed etc.??
Also if anyone knows of a good sales/backing livery in the Shropshire area that could showcase him to his best potential please let me know!!
EDITED TO CHANGE PHOTOS!!!!
Close up of his face as he is now, as an almost 2 year old and earlier this year.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Err, does he always stand like that?

Can you get some pics of him stood up square, those photos do not flatter him.

 

[Barton Bounty]

What an absolute cracker of a pony

 

[Red-1]

Err, does he always stand like that?

Can you get some pics of him stood up square, those photos do not flatter him.

I agree with this. As he stands (pardon the pun) he only has his colour going for him. I would say sweet itch would half the price for me. I think his feet look rather groovy. I would be concerned at how he is standing.

Yes, I would back him and get him ridden away, plus some better shots to advertise with. He may be a gem, but I'm not seeing it from those photos. With that colour, he will always sell though.

ETA - The photos have now been changed, in case someone reads this and thinks I am being picky about photos! The ones I was commenting on have gone.

 

[ycbm]

Photos can be a real problem to judge SLH. Is that a lump/possible sarcoid below his right eye or just a trick of the photo?
.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Sorry yes, photos aren't great, he was coming out of sedation at the time (he'd never been clipped before so he was sedated to make it easier).
It's not a sarcoid, it's just where he had a rub on his face.
The grooves in his feet are from where he moved from one grazing field to another and both the vet and farrier have no concerns. His history is known from birth, he's never had laminitis etc.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Best scratch those photos altogether and start again, SLH. You've time to delete them and try again when you've got some better photos of him.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Deleted

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Best scratch those photos altogether and start again, SLH. You've time to delete them and try again when you've got some better photos of him.

I've edited with some better ones (hopefully)

 

[skint.spotty]

£4k if he was going under saddle and was confirmed PSSM1 negative

 

[Btomkins]

He’s cute and just my type. However he is similar in shape to my 2 year old who I’m thinking will struggle a lot with saddle fitting as there doesn’t seem to be much room to fit one on there! Might just be the angles of the photos though and he’s not that short backed in real life. Gorgeous boy.

 

[toppedoff]

Oh he's gorgeous he's the sort I would snag

 

[SusieT]

Honestly, the sweetitch will probably halve his value. Unbroken he's not worth very much. Broken, if kind maybe 2k with sweetitch? maybe 4k if older and riding well very reliably.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

It’s a shame he has sweetitch as (imo) he looks much better hairy. I think price would depend how we’ll he moves under saddle, and how quiet he is

 

[smolmaus]

I would snap your hand off at 4k and riding away nicely, even with SI but I suppose I'm used to SI and not terribly fussed about showing and I'm a mug for a chunk with a pretty face. There will be others like me out there!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

He’s cute and just my type. However he is similar in shape to my 2 year old who I’m thinking will struggle a lot with saddle fitting as there doesn’t seem to be much room to fit one on there! Might just be the angles of the photos though and he’s not that short backed in real life. Gorgeous boy.

He is definitely short backed, one of the reasons he's to be sold...he just isn't going to be right for his current owner.

Honestly, the sweetitch will probably halve his value. Unbroken he's not worth very much. Broken, if kind maybe 2k with sweetitch? maybe 4k if older and riding well very reliably.

She's had an offer of 2.5k (he's not for sale at the moment as he needs wolf tooth removing) as he stands so pretty confident she'll get alot more than that broken and ridden away!!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

It's probably worth mentioning that in his previous home he lived in and never got SI, it's only since he's been out full time

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

It’s a shame he has sweetitch as (imo) he looks much better hairy. I think price would depend how we’ll he moves under saddle, and how quiet he is

Now he's not itchy (steroid jab sorted that!!) she's going to let it all grow again...depending on various factors.

 

[Maddie Moo]

I really like him, even with the SI. He’s just my size too

 

[TheMule]

He is definitely short backed, one of the reasons he's to be sold...he just isn't going to be right for his current owner.

She's had an offer of 2.5k (he's not for sale at the moment as he needs wolf tooth removing) as he stands so pretty confident she'll get alot more than that broken and ridden away!!

Being entirely realistic, I would advise her to take that offer. It’s going to cost 2k to get him well backed and ready to trial, and that’s without other things going wrong/ costing money. IMO not ever going to be worth more than 5k because of his itching and other limitations.

 

[Red-1]

I too would take that offer.

Sadly, like with many allergies, now he has sweet itch, the allergy has been triggered. A different location may well minimise the effects but he will still have it. 2.5K for a horse who needs a steroid jab, isn't ideal in conformation, isn't backed and needs a tooth attending to is very fair IMHO.

He does look a lot sweeter on the replacement photos and his colour is gorgeous. I do think the hogging has made the thickening in his crest skin more apparent though. I think the owner would get more then 2.5K but there is always risk in backing, from injury, and just from it not being as straightforward as 6 weeks and out hacking.

 

[alibali]

That seems like a very reasonable offer. If I was intending selling him anyway and was happy with the home I would have accepted.

 

[MurphysMinder]

He is a very striking colour, and I like a chunky type but having had one with SI that would really put me off I'm afraid. I admit I am out of touch with prices but £2.5k unbroken, and with SI issues, seems fair to me , keeping for however long until he is backed and being ridden could cost quite a bit and of course things may go wrong .

 

[AmyMay]

He is definitely short backed, one of the reasons he's to be sold...he just isn't going to be right for his current owner.

She's had an offer of 2.5k (he's not for sale at the moment as he needs wolf tooth removing) as he stands so pretty confident she'll get alot more than that broken and ridden away!!

If she’s had an offer of 2.5k I’d take it personally. By the time she’s paid for him to be broken in etc she’s looking at at least another £1k plus of expenses.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It's probably worth mentioning that in his previous home he lived in and never got SI, it's only since he's been out full time

It can very much depend on where the horse lives, somewhere more exposed is less likely to be bothered by midges

 

[maya2008]

He is definitely short backed, one of the reasons he's to be sold...he just isn't going to be right for his current owner.

She's had an offer of 2.5k (he's not for sale at the moment as he needs wolf tooth removing) as he stands so pretty confident she'll get alot more than that broken and ridden away!!

By the time you have spent the money on a professional to back him and ride away, there may be no actual profit on it - backing livery £180 per week minimum, sales livery that possibly plus commission. 6-8 weeks at backing livery gives you an extra £1-1.5k and then probably £500 ish to sell him. So it might add £2000 to the price but you’ll be spending at least that to get to that point. If he was mine, I would take the £2.5k. When we were looking earlier this summer, something his size with good pony breeding (Welsh C or New Forest, some sports ponies we saw) and good conformation for competition (showing or SJ/D) was about £2.5-3k unbacked but handled. Prices seem to be about the same now. That’s without any issues - you have sweetitch, and he’s done one of those growth spurts that make them look not so great in a photo!

 

[Nasicus]

I do think the hogging has made the thickening in his crest skin more apparent though.

First thing I noticed and thought 'bet it has sweetitch' before I read the post itself.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

It can very much depend on where the horse lives, somewhere more exposed is less likely to be bothered by midges

Interestingly there was a cob here that got sweet itch but when he went to a different yard he's had no issues since?? He also was incredibly heavy Feathered with huge mane and tail.

 

[smolmaus]

Interestingly there was a cob here that got sweet itch but when he went to a different yard he's had no issues since?? He also was incredibly heavy Feathered with huge mane and tail.

Yeah wind exposure, sheltering trees, land drainage, any ponds or lakes nearby all make a big difference. I've noticed an improvement even moving fields at the same yard, just away from a big treeline. Every bite increases the immune response so minimising midges can make symptoms basically disappear but thats more good luck than anything, not many people choose a yard or land by midge population