Horse price q

[pelena]

Or go for something with a lovely temperament but green. Both my mares cost around 5k and in time hoping both will be safe hacks and all rounders (not planning to jump much, but maybe a bit of dressage on the Highland and a bit of gait competitions on the Icelandic). But I didn’t expect any of them to be ready made - I realise I would have had to pay more for that.

Oh yeah totally prepared for green- I think it’s almost the only way unless you get very lucky and pay £££

 

[FieldOrnaments]

Or go for something with a lovely temperament but green. Both my mares cost around 5k and in time hoping both will be safe hacks and all rounders (not planning to jump much, but maybe a bit of dressage on the Highland and a bit of gait competitions on the Icelandic). But I didn’t expect any of them to be ready made - I realise I would have had to pay more for that.

5k for small and completely unbacked is still rather a lot though

 

[gallopingby]

5k for small and completely unbacked is still rather a lot though

Have you worked out the cost of breeding and keeping until old enough to back lately? Yes you’ll probably find a cheap TB type but for most other types especially a native / M&M x with an ID / TB / a minimum of 5k is realistic for anyone breeding these days. Even if by small you mean about 12.2 (which l’m fairly certain you don’t) then safety and temperament are the most important.
If things don’t improve there won’t be any decent breeding mares left in the UK because it simply isn’t viable for most people to breed more than the occasional ‘replacement’ horse from a much loved mare. Gone are the days of the big native pony studs which produced stock often forming the backbone of the 15.2 / 16.0 hh able to hunt, jump and be a useful family horse.

 

[Kirstineridesagain]

5k for small and completely unbacked is still rather a lot though

If 14h and 13.3h is small then I’m happy with small! Still good weight carriers, perhaps even better than taller, lankier types. Prices of Highlands have gone up, as noted above, so wouldn’t expect any less for a mare with good lineage. Her full sister is a therapy horse so that adds to her prospects as a family pony. The other one I bought was in foal and had been out of work for three years, but was not unbacked. I thought the price was fair in both cases - but then I was quite specific in what I wanted in terms of breed. I could have found older, or younger, horses at a lower price but as we all know the purchase price is a small amount of what you pay in terms of horse ownership. My mares are turning six and ten (both birthdays in May).