Horse market at present

Kirstd33 said:
I'm certainly not looking for the "perfect horse" either but would absolutely still class myself as a novice despite riding for nearly 40 years, having multiple share horses with/without daughter and owning coblet for 2 years.
We bought coblet "cheap" (its subjective) as he had scared his previous owners daughter with a handy bucking habit and a dislike of doing anything in a school/arena setting and had very questionable ground manners. We sorted those out sharpish and had a good year mainly hacking, funrides and low level stuff, some in an arena and some out and were having fun until he went lame :( the one mistake I made was not having him vetted due to the low purchase price, although maybe he would have passed I'll never know?

I just cant believe that anything, safe, sane, sound, of decent size, aged 6-12, healthy but non-competitive is costing upwards of £10K
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6 to 12 is usually when horses are considered in their prime which carries a certain price tag with horses as it is - add to that safe,sane and sound and it will easily chuck you into the 10k plus realm - such a shame - but on the other hand totally understandable. Especially as they're like hen's teeth to find in the first place so people will usually pay a premium for them as it is x
 
I am not looking for the perfect horse either, I would class myself as novice (My background is very similar to Kirstd33) but I have realistic expectations and I am prepared to put work in with a horse. I have a lot of experienced help around me. I am open on age, breed etc, the horse does need to be a certain height due to my own height and middleweight in build. I just want a horse that I feel and I am safe on, is sound at the point of purchase and hopefully not pre-disposed to breaking in the first five minutes. When I was bought my previous horse two years ago there were a reasonable number of potentials I could view and number of similar ones were advertised soon after (out of habit I carried on looking at adverts for a while after we purchased her.) It just feels at present there is very little advertised that I would want to even consider viewing and my parameters are pretty similar to last time.
 
This is what I found there is just nothing to even view when looking for my daughter's pony and some are literally at the other end of the country which I just couldn't face if you get there and it's nothing like described.

I feel like the horse market has gone like the house market. People can't afford the next jump up so staying put.
 
Kirstd33 said:
I just cant believe that anything, safe, sane, sound, of decent size, aged 6-12, healthy but non-competitive is costing upwards of £10K
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I bought my yearling for £900 - that probably didn't cover the stud fee; vets fees to get him born and feeding of the mare while she was pregnant. I bought him from the field he was born in, still in with his mum as a colt. But that was the owners price.

In the 8 years it has taken to get him to be the happy, comfortable all rounder he is - basic food / bedding / vacs / feet / teeth / worming etc. has cost say £800 a year - no livery (we'll pretend the mortgage isn't really there!!)

Then £k's on lessons, clinics, low level riding club competition entries to give him the mileage he needs to be where he is. I know people who pay c.£2k to send them away for breaking / bringing on over their first couple of years. I chose to do it slowly myself but lots of lessons so probably cost was similar over a longer period of time.
Cost of insurance, cost of transport to places, cost of gelding him, cost of wolf teeth out, physio regularly. Probably more than £1k in saddle fittings (not buying the dam things) just fitting as the fitter was here every three months initially and then every 5-6 as he's grown and changed shape.

If I completely ignore the 1000's of hours of my time invested in him - it still costs in cash more than £10k to get him to where he is - with 0 for livery / land and 0 for time.

To produce these safe sane low level mum and daughter fun types I think really costs a huge amount - which is probably why they are so rare.

If I died (only realistic reason he'd be for sale) my husband would phone a couple of people who I get regular lessons from to put the word out and he'd be snapped up for his weight in gold before anyone even considered an advert.
But that is the value of literally 1000's of boring dull hours walking him in hand for years, not breaking him until he was almost 5, giving him six months off at 6 when he grew 2 inches bum first and everything was wonky for him! Patently working through loading, standing for a bath and every other of 50 small things that he will do because I've invested time helping him understand what I'm after.

A lot of people say "Your so lucky with him" - It is amazing that the more I practice the luckier I've become.
 
IrishMilo said:
A lot of people don’t understand there’s no point complaining you can’t find a horse if 1) You poo poo anything that isn’t perfect 2) Look for issues when they aren’t there 3) Won’t compromise.

Add to that an element of being slightly out of touch or novice and yes it will be impossible.

Either you want something that is perfectly behaved with zero physical issues and pay 20k or you accept you need to compromise on some medical history or behavioural quirk and spend 8-10k or something that is good enough to do the job you want it to do but a bit ugly!
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There is ALWAYS a compromise! My best jumpers were tough but they were hot, my perfect one was his health. I never spent a lot really, but I'm pretty confident that no matter how much you spend there will be a compromise somewhere, you just have to decide which ones you're willing to live with.
 
marmalade76 said:
There is ALWAYS a compromise! My best jumpers were tough but they were hot, my perfect one was his health. I never spent a lot really, but I'm pretty confident that no matter how much you spend there will be a compromise somewhere, you just have to decide which ones you're willing to live with.
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My old boy cost me loads in vets fees.He passed a five star vetting but it was pathetic,.Head,tail,four legs . It's fine.His bit of a cough turned into COPD.His harsh and incorrect schooling gave my excellent instructor, saddler and physio plenty of work.I wouldn't have bought him knowing all of that but I have never regretted it either.My previous horse had frightened me to death and he was such a sweet heart.He gave me and others a lot of fun and pleasure and I kept him in work for about 12 years until he was in his early 20s.He is now enjoying a very well earned retirement and he owes no one anything.
 
Polos Mum said:
I bought my yearling for £900 - that probably didn't cover the stud fee; vets fees to get him born and feeding of the mare while she was pregnant. I bought him from the field he was born in, still in with his mum as a colt. But that was the owners price.

In the 8 years it has taken to get him to be the happy, comfortable all rounder he is - basic food / bedding / vacs / feet / teeth / worming etc. has cost say £800 a year - no livery (we'll pretend the mortgage isn't really there!!)

Then £k's on lessons, clinics, low level riding club competition entries to give him the mileage he needs to be where he is. I know people who pay c.£2k to send them away for breaking / bringing on over their first couple of years. I chose to do it slowly myself but lots of lessons so probably cost was similar over a longer period of time.
Cost of insurance, cost of transport to places, cost of gelding him, cost of wolf teeth out, physio regularly. Probably more than £1k in saddle fittings (not buying the dam things) just fitting as the fitter was here every three months initially and then every 5-6 as he's grown and changed shape.

If I completely ignore the 1000's of hours of my time invested in him - it still costs in cash more than £10k to get him to where he is - with 0 for livery / land and 0 for time.

To produce these safe sane low level mum and daughter fun types I think really costs a huge amount - which is probably why they are so rare.

If I died (only realistic reason he'd be for sale) my husband would phone a couple of people who I get regular lessons from to put the word out and he'd be snapped up for his weight in gold before anyone even considered an advert.
But that is the value of literally 1000's of boring dull hours walking him in hand for years, not breaking him until he was almost 5, giving him six months off at 6 when he grew 2 inches bum first and everything was wonky for him! Patently working through loading, standing for a bath and every other of 50 small things that he will do because I've invested time helping him understand what I'm after.

A lot of people say "Your so lucky with him" - It is amazing that the more I practice the luckier I've become.
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This illustrates the problem perfectly. It takes a lot of time, skill and patience to make the safe, sane quality all rounder that everyone wants, and that all comes at a cost, and everyone then complains how much these horses cost, so its a dreadful business model, people do it to create their own horses and then keep them.
 
Polos Mum said:
I bought my yearling for £900 - that probably didn't cover the stud fee; vets fees to get him born and feeding of the mare while she was pregnant. I bought him from the field he was born in, still in with his mum as a colt. But that was the owners price.

In the 8 years it has taken to get him to be the happy, comfortable all rounder he is - basic food / bedding / vacs / feet / teeth / worming etc. has cost say £800 a year - no livery (we'll pretend the mortgage isn't really there!!)

Then £k's on lessons, clinics, low level riding club competition entries to give him the mileage he needs to be where he is. I know people who pay c.£2k to send them away for breaking / bringing on over their first couple of years. I chose to do it slowly myself but lots of lessons so probably cost was similar over a longer period of time.
Cost of insurance, cost of transport to places, cost of gelding him, cost of wolf teeth out, physio regularly. Probably more than £1k in saddle fittings (not buying the dam things) just fitting as the fitter was here every three months initially and then every 5-6 as he's grown and changed shape.

If I completely ignore the 1000's of hours of my time invested in him - it still costs in cash more than £10k to get him to where he is - with 0 for livery / land and 0 for time.

To produce these safe sane low level mum and daughter fun types I think really costs a huge amount - which is probably why they are so rare.

If I died (only realistic reason he'd be for sale) my husband would phone a couple of people who I get regular lessons from to put the word out and he'd be snapped up for his weight in gold before anyone even considered an advert.
But that is the value of literally 1000's of boring dull hours walking him in hand for years, not breaking him until he was almost 5, giving him six months off at 6 when he grew 2 inches bum first and everything was wonky for him! Patently working through loading, standing for a bath and every other of 50 small things that he will do because I've invested time helping him understand what I'm after.

A lot of people say "Your so lucky with him" - It is amazing that the more I practice the luckier I've become.
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Amen to that sensible and totally valid explanation of how a sane, sensible, kind, not always sound, not elite, not show quality, but cherished all round horse is achieved.

I have done it 3 times, 2 bred and 1 in as a weanling foal. All had health issues of varying types, all weight carrying types but not too common, 1 capable of winning in the ring, all can do a test, all safe and polite. 2 retained, 1 sold pre covid for a decent amount, sold again in Covid for double the amount I took for him.

I dare not even think about what it has cost, it is 10's of thousands. If they all went to the market before they were aged 10 in 2022 they would have fetched around £35,000 if they could pass the vet. Doubtful for all three but all three still giving plenty of safe fun to their respective riders and owners.

12k for a 16h + safe and kind all rounder is very reasonable and I can promise you it cost more than 12k to get the horse to the description, ability and temperament that you are all describing.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Amen to that sensible and totally valid explanation of how a sane, sensible, kind, not always sound, not elite, not show quality, but cherished all round horse is achieved.

I have done it 3 times, 2 bred and 1 in as a weanling foal. All had health issues of varying types, all weight carrying types but not too common, 1 capable of winning in the ring, all can do a test, all safe and polite. 2 retained, 1 sold pre covid for a decent amount, sold again in Covid for double the amount I took for him.

I dare not even think about what it has cost, it is 10's of thousands. If they all went to the market before they were aged 10 in 2022 they would have fetched around £35,000 if they could pass the vet. Doubtful for all three but all three still giving plenty of safe fun to their respective riders and owners.

12k for a 16h + safe and kind all rounder is very reasonable and I can promise you it cost more than 12k to get the horse to the description, ability and temperament that you are all describing.
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I stopped breeding because it was just really burning money, and the mare I had bought as a two year old to be my foundation mare died from colic carrying her second foal,
The only thing worse than selling horses is selling ponies. To make them takes a least two years of doing everything you can to make they do everything you can to make them safe for a child to ride, and then when it your children have out grown them its like your trying to trick every potential customer and they want to pay you f all. In the end it was easier to keep them.
 
daffy44 said:
This illustrates the problem perfectly. It takes a lot of time, skill and patience to make the safe, sane quality all rounder that everyone wants, and that all comes at a cost, and everyone then complains how much these horses cost, so its a dreadful business model, people do it to create their own horses and then keep them.
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And then the pool of available horses reduces further because many average horse riders who are not competent enough to produce their own but also are not willing to pay for a properly produced horse…buy a youngster and try to do it themselves. Most soon find that bringing on a young horse is harder than they thought and then baulk at the price for the professional help they now need. So now you have a horse with issues and one that may well have broken itself along the way.

We pick up the pony version of the above for very little and put a vast amount of work in to fix them. For the ones I can sell on what they go for, even perfect, only covers a percentage of their keep - not even touching the hours of work, cost of arena hires, fuel to different places to desensitise, any pro help needed etc. We do it because we enjoy it, but it wouldn’t pay to do so professionally.

So people like the OP and others on this thread who are looking for an adult who is sweet and sane cannot find it at any price: those who have the skills are producing sports horses for serious money, or doing a few now and then to keep themselves. That leaves youngsters, those old and needing to step down a gear, and those with issues forming most of the amateur market - along with a very small number of horses who need a new home due to the changing circumstances of their humans.
 
eahotson said:
You make a good point.However there are a lot of unsoundnesses around.When I bought mare back to yard I said to the farrier She had good paces.He replied that it was because she was straight and a lot of horses he shod were not.My vet said that if people would only let their horses move naturally she wouldn't have to run round the county jabbing hocks.
Having said all of that there are a lot of people who over horse themselves and then the horse gets a bad name.
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I honestly believe that we spend too much time on surfaces, doing endless circles and forget the "old ways" which was building up strength by increasing the horses fitness from nothing to be able to do long hacks, walking, trotting up hill, changing diagonals out hacking, building stamina cantering in a half seat before asking for the horses to spend most of their time in the schools.
 
Polos Mum said:
I bought my yearling for £900 - that probably didn't cover the stud fee; vets fees to get him born and feeding of the mare while she was pregnant. I bought him from the field he was born in, still in with his mum as a colt. But that was the owners price.

In the 8 years it has taken to get him to be the happy, comfortable all rounder he is - basic food / bedding / vacs / feet / teeth / worming etc. has cost say £800 a year - no livery (we'll pretend the mortgage isn't really there!!)

Then £k's on lessons, clinics, low level riding club competition entries to give him the mileage he needs to be where he is. I know people who pay c.£2k to send them away for breaking / bringing on over their first couple of years. I chose to do it slowly myself but lots of lessons so probably cost was similar over a longer period of time.
Cost of insurance, cost of transport to places, cost of gelding him, cost of wolf teeth out, physio regularly. Probably more than £1k in saddle fittings (not buying the dam things) just fitting as the fitter was here every three months initially and then every 5-6 as he's grown and changed shape.

If I completely ignore the 1000's of hours of my time invested in him - it still costs in cash more than £10k to get him to where he is - with 0 for livery / land and 0 for time.

To produce these safe sane low level mum and daughter fun types I think really costs a huge amount - which is probably why they are so rare.

If I died (only realistic reason he'd be for sale) my husband would phone a couple of people who I get regular lessons from to put the word out and he'd be snapped up for his weight in gold before anyone even considered an advert.
But that is the value of literally 1000's of boring dull hours walking him in hand for years, not breaking him until he was almost 5, giving him six months off at 6 when he grew 2 inches bum first and everything was wonky for him! Patently working through loading, standing for a bath and every other of 50 small things that he will do because I've invested time helping him understand what I'm after.

A lot of people say "Your so lucky with him" - It is amazing that the more I practice the luckier I've become.
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Similar to my experience - but I have loved every minute of producing - with lots of help - a beautiful sane fun
‘friend’ and we have an amazing trusting bond.
I think if you focus less on the need to ride and more of the whole developing yourself as a true horseman, bringing on a youngster on can be the most wonderful enriching time.
 
Felix will be the type everyone wants. But not at his age. I advertised him at less than what he has cost me to get to 3 but still no serious takers. He had only 1 viewing and he ticked every one of her boxes (RID/IDX, gelding, bay, 3, unbacked, not loose jumped, mannerly on the ground, fine out with mares/geldings or both, loads, good for farrier, no vices, no health history.) She said his knees were too big so he’d grow too much (she was 5-10 and initially said she wanted 17hh+). To me that is wanting a non existent unicorn and it didn’t surprise me when I learned that the viewer has been looking for a blank canvas RID or IDX for years.

I’m happy he’s still here. He’s an absolute diamond and I can’t see myself wanting to part with him now. But I think the youngstock market is pretty dead! At least for that type.

I agree that older versions of Felix are like gold dust. No one breeds them as they just don’t sell as youngsters and breeders can’t really make money with horses they need to keep for 5 or more years.
 
I went through a phase of trying to produce 15.2/16hh safe sensible types for the teenage/young adult market. Proper old fashioned quality middleweight types that I had grown up with. They'd hack for hours, go to a pony club rally, do a nice test, jump what you pointed them at ..... just nice sensible allrounders.
I gave up - the kids couldn't ride,the parents wouldn't pay. I think I'd have better luck now but it was easier to find the tight type of young horses to produce.back then
 
tda said:
That is the daftest reason not to buy a horse ever!
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I can raise you a daft reason to not buy a horse. I was selling a 16.1hh gelding, I advertised him as 16.1, someone came to see him with their own measuring stick, they measured him as 16.1 and refused to even ride him because they didnt want a 16.1 horse....
 
daffy44 said:
I can raise you a daft reason to not buy a horse. I was selling a 16.1hh gelding, I advertised him as 16.1, someone came to see him with their own measuring stick, they measured him as 16.1 and refused to even ride him because they didnt want a 16.1 horse....
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Oh honestly .
 
racmun said:
I've looked at the broadhill horses for sale and they have a great reputation but every horse sounds too good to be true.

I also liked the idea of a trial but it was either a viewing or a trial. I don't have my own transport so it would cost me £300 to get the horse to my yard unseen and then potentially £300 to send it back.

I also question why any any amazing confidence giving 14/14.2 ponies end up in dealer's yards for months when they are literally like gold dust and can be sold over an over.

I ended up buying private and 2.5 weeks it's been a rollercoaster so far 😱
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A friend of mine went down the trial route with them, the horse didn't arrive (due to last minute issues with the vet report). In the meantime, they had her money for three weeks whilst this was going on. She did get her money back but wondered if the horse was ever available and if this was a way of getting free funding.
 
cold_feet said:
I didn’t have a good experience with Broadhill Stables. Wouldn’t go near them again. I suspect they have cashflow problems when horses on trial go back and refund needed. All fine if the trial works out I guess as lots of good reviews.
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Can you drop me a message privately please
 
Waxwing said:
I am not far from Broadhill Stables and they appear to have several that sound suitable. However I am put off by the fact the same horses have been advertised for the past few months. If they were all as advertised they would have sold in a few days.
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Don’t go there!
 
gallopingby said:
Do they have the horses / ponies actually on site or are they just advertising as an initial contact? They seem to be able to produce an array of photos.
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You can either view one horse or have one on two weeks trial. Not both. They sell on behalf of clients. It’s all good until you ask for your money back and then it’s all bad.
 
I'm currently searching for a companion pony after losing my little mini shetland.

I'm finding it just as difficult, if not worse, than looking for a ridden pony.

People have a very strange idea of what their old, broken, completely wild, or rescued pony is worth.

There seems to be very few shetland mares looking for homes at the moment. Its a bit of a bad time to look as the market is flooded with just weaned foals, about 75% of which seem to be colts.

I'm having to consider a colt but its getting a bit late in the year for gelding as we are approaching mud season!

A bit worried as my borrowed pony is going home next week, and my boy is not good on his own.
 
southerncomfort said:
I'm currently searching for a companion pony after losing my little mini shetland.

I'm finding it just as difficult, if not worse, than looking for a ridden pony.

People have a very strange idea of what their old, broken, completely wild, or rescued pony is worth.

There seems to be very few shetland mares looking for homes at the moment. Its a bit of a bad time to look as the market is flooded with just weaned foals, about 75% of which seem to be colts.

I'm having to consider a colt but its getting a bit late in the year for gelding as we are approaching mud season!

A bit worried as my borrowed pony is going home next week, and my boy is not good on his own.
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Free ads? Preloved?

Which area are you in? Do you need a Shetland or is size less of an issue?
 
southerncomfort said:
I'm currently searching for a companion pony after losing my little mini shetland.

I'm finding it just as difficult, if not worse, than looking for a ridden pony.

People have a very strange idea of what their old, broken, completely wild, or rescued pony is worth.

There seems to be very few shetland mares looking for homes at the moment. Its a bit of a bad time to look as the market is flooded with just weaned foals, about 75% of which seem to be colts.

I'm having to consider a colt but its getting a bit late in the year for gelding as we are approaching mud season!

A bit worried as my borrowed pony is going home next week, and my boy is not good on his own.
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Any auctions/sales on … should be ten a penny there. Or blue cross/other charity.
I wouldn’t expect to pay any more than a token amount to take on a small untrodden companion type
 
southerncomfort said:
I'm currently searching for a companion pony after losing my little mini shetland.

I'm finding it just as difficult, if not worse, than looking for a ridden pony.

People have a very strange idea of what their old, broken, completely wild, or rescued pony is worth.

There seems to be very few shetland mares looking for homes at the moment. Its a bit of a bad time to look as the market is flooded with just weaned foals, about 75% of which seem to be colts.

I'm having to consider a colt but its getting a bit late in the year for gelding as we are approaching mud season!

A bit worried as my borrowed pony is going home next week, and my boy is not good on his own.
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I've just sent you a DM
 
ihatework said:
Any auctions/sales on … should be ten a penny there. Or blue cross/other charity.
I wouldn’t expect to pay any more than a token amount to take on a small untrodden companion type
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Keeping an eye on what's coming up in the sales although the thought of bidding at an auction slightly terrifies me. 😆

I agree on price. I was looking at an ad for a mare in her mid-teens, who had literally stood in a field her whole life and they wanted £1k for her.
 
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