Horse price help

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Jasper151

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I may have the option to buy a horse from a friend, and need some help with what a fair price would be, as neither of us are sure!

13 year old Irish Draught Mare (not registered), lovely type, schoolmaster type (not high level), but is very nervous. Literally shakes with nerves, not great with feet/farrier but doable, doesn't always like to be caught but I've always managed. Unlikely to pass a vetting because of her nerves (which could cause issues with insurance depending on value). Does everything, hacking alone is a lot more nervous but doesn't do anything bad, needs a bit of leg to leave the yard and if scared either shakes or trots sideways a bit. Hates lorries, tractors, bikes. Doesn't rear/bolt etc. Great in open fields, gates etc, weirdly fantastic to nanny youngsters from. Medically pretty sound. Has bred a lovely foal previously and was a great mum. I always feel safe on her, and don't think she would ever do something to unseat me.

Without her quirks it would be easy to price, but how much do these quirks affect pricing?
 
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Parrotperson

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Size? I’m guessing 16hh plus?

Anyway it is a difficult one.

Somewhere about the £5k mark? Maybe be less. I’d still get her vetted tbh. She might be nervous bless her but a. Hood vet will spot anything you really need to know about.

Of course it’s all relative. She might only be worth £3k to you but. £5k plus to someone who doesn’t have to hack on the road or just needs a good nanny.
 
J&S

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If your friend needs to sell this horse and you like her, despite her "quirks" then I would have thought a price would be easily negotiated. She does not, in all honesty, sound like a Schoolmaster, per se. The wrong home would not bring out the best in her, your friend should be happy you would be prepared to take her on!
 
Melody Grey

Melody Grey

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I think she has a value to you above what could be achieved on the open market. She sounds quirky (which you’re not bothered by), though not talented/ proven enough to warrant most people putting up with that.

For me, that puts her in project money sort of area. Sounds like the owner has struck gold with you though, so I wouldn’t expect big money to be changing hands here. A lot can go wrong in selling a quirky horse to an unknown person!

£2k ish?
 
dixie

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Okay well I've just bought something very similar. IDx (more ID than anything), 13yrs Gelding 16hh. Schoolmaster type, very forward but safe. Not nervous though.
I paid £6000 including saddle and two rugs.

I also saw another schoolmaster 15yr old - he was up for £8500 and I was about to look at another 13yr and he was also £8000 and another smaller TBx very safe schoolmaster who was 13yr also and he was up for £7500 and sold within a week.

I think the fact she is of a nervous disposition would reduce her price and if your friend particularly wants you to buy (and why wouldn't she), then I would say around the £5k mark. It depends how bad the nervous behaviour is really.
Why wouldn't she pass a vetting due to her nerves?
 
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Horses that are hard to catch are a real pain, and for me would reduce the price more than some other quirks. It may of course improve with time, it has taken me a year for our lovely but nervous little horse to walk up to me in the field instead of cantering in the opposite direction. I wouldn't pay much for the one you describe, given her age, hacking issues and general nervousness, as she will take work and in some areas you might just have to accept her issues. Definitely less than 2k, but perhaps your friend will be so glad she has a good home and no hassle of selling her on the open market, so would take less.

As a comparison I have a 15 year old cob mare, really good to hack in any situation, schools well although green despite her age, no problem to catch. I'd ask 3.5k for her based on her age, it's possible someone might give me more as she really is easy and willing (I haven't decided definitely to sell her yet).
 
Maesfen

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Amymay said:
£1.5k tops (although I’d be tempted to offer £500
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Spot on! She's got so many issues that if she's honest about them to anyone else she'll be lucky to get meat money for her unless they're lucky enough to live somewhere like Exmoor where roads aren't a problem. If she makes you smile while you're riding or handling her, then go for it and ask her what she'll take for her then barter down a bit to a fair price.
 
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Admittedly it was pre Covid but I was in a similar situation with a loan horse, after many sleepless nights I offered £500 for a lovely but 'quirky' ID gelding, it was accepted and owner said that she had been terrified to ask me to buy him let alone put a price on the chap.

Always worth a try, I kept this horse until the end, so the fear that may have been realised of him passing through sales, dealers etc was avoided.

I hope that you have as much un with your mare as we did!
 
Pinkvboots

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Maesfen said:
Spot on! She's got so many issues that if she's honest about them to anyone else she'll be lucky to get meat money for her unless they're lucky enough to live somewhere like Exmoor where roads aren't a problem. If she makes you smile while you're riding or handling her, then go for it and ask her what she'll take for her then barter down a bit to a fair price.
Click to expand...
And this
 
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Jasper151

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Thanks everyone, a lot to consider. Forgot to say that she is 16.2. My friend doesn't need to sell her, but we have had conversations around if I would like her, as she would only sell to someone who knows the horse and who the horse likes. I adore the horse (and she seems to like me!) so have obviously said it would be something I would consider. She does XC/hunt/low level dressage so does do everything and many novice and nervous people have ridden her but I assume mostly in company as she can be a plod if following. I need to know her price so I can work out if I want to buy her or spend the money on something that doesn't have the quirks!
 
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Jambarissa

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I think I'd go £3k.she sounds good for what I'd want and I'd work on the quirks.

There's a lot of value in knowing the horse. Nothing has been hidden from you.

Friend could probably get £5k by not mentioning a lot of what you know if it's not obvious and it wouldn't be classed as illegal.
 
FestiveFuzz

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I’m struggling to picture a low level schoolmaster that’s suitable for novice/nervous riders, yet shakes with nerves so much so you think it’d impact her ability to pass a vetting.

I think it’s unlikely she’d sell for much more than project money on the open market, but if the owner isn’t necessarily looking to sell unless it’s to the right person you might have less leverage on the asking price. From everything you’ve said it sounds very much a heart vs head purchase so you need to think what price you put on how she makes you feel.
 
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Jasper151

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FestiveFuzz said:
I’m struggling to picture a low level schoolmaster that’s suitable for novice/nervous riders, yet shakes with nerves so much so you think it’d impact her ability to pass a vetting.

I think it’s unlikely she’d sell for much more than project money on the open market, but if the owner isn’t necessarily looking to sell unless it’s to the right person you might have less leverage on the asking price. From everything you’ve said it sounds very much a heart vs head purchase so you need to think what price you put on how she makes you feel.
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This is why she is so hard to price as she is odd! We have always said it would be impossible to write an advert for her as she is so hard to explain!
 
irishdraft

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I don't think being nervous would mean she won't pass a vet . It sounds like she is anxious hacking on her own if meeting large or noisy traffic, if nannying, which means she has company, then she's fine. There are lots of horses who aren't so confident on their own. Yes it's a pain re catching & farrier but you say its doable. If she does everything else you want to do with her & basically she is nice mare that you feel safe on that's actually worth paying a reasonable sum for, i would definitely get her vetted tho . I would think £4500/£5000
 
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wills_91

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I would not be paying anything like 5.5k 😳

Has she been thoroughly investigated for the "shaking with nerves" how long has the friend owner her? I'd definitely be wanting a vetting done but unless your getting her for peanuts I'd be tempted to pass.
 
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