Horse prices and trial facilities

[black_n_white]

My OH and I have decided to buy a house. Unfortunately it is very likely that I will need to sell my boy to help with finances.

I'm not looking to sell until the summer but I'd like a ball park figure to keep in mind. Instructor reckons that I should ask at least 5k. Is this realistic? I've been browsing around and there just seems to be such a variety in prices. What would you pay?

16hh Piebald Polish warmblood gelding. Will be 6 in May 2010. Good to catch, box, shoe, clip, dentist etc. Loves fuss and attention and good to handle. Hacks out alone and in company. Good in traffic and open spaces. Very sensible and un-flappable but not a kick-along plod.

Smart looking compact boy who gets some nice comments out and about. (Horse in my sig)

XC schooled - jumped ditches water and timber. Competed prelim dressage, SJ and 2 mini-ODE's last year (well placed after dressage and clear SJ both times). Been out of work due to side bones forming but is now coming back into work and is sound and happy. As already mentioned I'd like him to be competing and sound before I sell him.

Getting ahead of myself but what facilities would you expect to have when you go to try a horse? We have a v small (less than 20m square) indoor woodchip school - it is big enough to canter and pop a small jump. If the rider is competant (SP?) in the school then I'd be happy for them to hack him round the block and pop a few logs on one of the tracks.

If they wanted to come back for a 2nd view then I could hire a nearby school so they couold jump a course etc and try him in a full size arena

Given that he's a nice riding club type would that be enough or would it be best to move to a yard with more facilities or send him to somewhere to sell for me?

Dairy Milk and a hot choc for those that made it to the end.

 

[zoeshiloh]

TBH I'd say what facilities you have are ok. They aren't great, but then I've tried some horses in some very interesting places... including a very hilly field (this was a 6k show horse!). I think if you perhaps ask them before they come to view, what do they want to do (I had one woman turn up, walk my horse round once on each rein, do the same in trot and canter, then decide he was the perfect horse for her!) then you will know whether it is worth hiring a proper school or not. If someone comes and just walks around then wants to go for a hack, you will have wasted your money hiring a school. If however they want to jump a few fences and you haven't anywhere for them to do it, it might put them off coming back.

At the end of the day, I make the best of the trial faciliies on offer, and if I want to try the horse under other circumstances, eg, proper school, heavy traffic etc, then I ask to come back.

Do I get my dairy milk now....

 

[black_n_white]

Yep family sized bar of Dairy Milk on the way!!

Good idea to ask people what they want to do - I hadn't thought of that.

 

[exracerfan]

While it is nice to try a horse in a school to get a feel of him, I would also want to ride him in an open field. Some horses go lovely in a school and not so good in a field. Also think that if a horse feels good on open/undulating/rough ground then it must be a good horse. Some horses dont carry themselves well enough when not in a school. Also some behave themselves in a school and not in a field.