Horse prices - groan

[Hollyanna]

I unexpectedly lost my home bred 14yro advanced medium horse earlier this year. Said horse was small, built downhill and was hot and tricky to train. We were chuffed if we got over 60% which was always our goal and anything more was a bonus, but she was my pride and joy.

So I recently began looking for a new horse, you may appreciate that it’s been many years since I even looked at buying another as I’ve always had her. I naively thought £6000 would get me something smart, built slightly better than my old one (sensible an absolute must, but don’t mind sharp or hot) that had seen a bit of the world ... how wrong could I be?! I don’t know what has happened to the market, but a lot seem completely over priced - an example- £6500, for a 6yro supposedly ready to go elementary - video showed it didn’t even go into a contact, in my view a 3 or 4K horse more unaff intro / prelim test.

5yro Black and white cob, done unaff prelim £5k?!

Most things I like are either 17hh + or £10k + or I msg ppl for video and price and they don’t respond. Or I waste ppl time as they don’t put prices on adverts so you have to ask and they obviously have loads of enquiries....and it turns out to be £15k- just put the price on and I won’t waste your time- although granted the Facebook policy is now stopping that.

Trawl through dressage section on sales website and there is very few on for less than 10k

I don’t want a youngster (been there done that) - I’m at a complete loss at what to do. If only I liked thoroughbreds, but I like I chunky horse (I am not big but would deffo look out of place on most)

Am I the only one who thinks the prices are crazy? Recently found a lovely Irish horse however it failed vetting - gutted is not the word!

Help! Lol

 

[Tinsel]

Sorry to hear about your horse sounds like you had happy times with her well done on the 60% for dressage and the failed vetting for the other horse. Yes I do agree with that comment about horses costing so much I used to look on horsemart for a dream horse either a cob or a Appaloosa were so expensive either 15hh or 14.4hh in Scotland I mainly looked I hope you can find a horse soon

 

[silv]

I think you are underestimating the price it costs to breed a decent horse, from the stud fee to production. Something that is ready to go elementary will have had a good few hours training put into it.

 

[Hollyanna]

I think you are underestimating the price it costs to breed a decent horse, from the stud fee to production. Something that is ready to go elementary will have had a good few hours training put into it.

Hi silv,

Not at all, having bred, raised, backed and produced my own horse I completely know what goes into each horse. I actually don’t care if the potential new horse has any sort of BD record or dressage training and I am not bothered about breeding either, but I do expect it to be reflected in the price.

The £6k “elementary” horse referred to above looked to me to be more of a happy hacker that someone had stuck a silly price tag on claiming it was ready to go elementary when it quite clearly is not... I understand like me that said horse had obviously been their pride and joy too but still...

I suppose for me personally £6000 is a lot of money and I am not sure I could ever justify spending £10,000 on a horse with a home and a young family .... I’m sure there are many in this situation also, it’s just so frustrating.

Possibly I do have completely unrealistic expectations....

 

[asmp]

I'm not looking for a horse but like to browse the local sites. Horse prices do seem to be going up at the moment (but I'm not sure everything is selling). Can you wait until the Autumn/winter when you may get a better price?

ETA not sure where you are in the country but it may be worth having a look at the smaller sites like nfed.co.uk

 

[VRIN]

According to H&H as you go further north prices are a little cheaper...

 

[dixie]

Unfortunately I think your expectations are unrealistic unless you’re prepared to buy a youngster, a Tb or something that might have issues with the vetting. You might get lucky but you’ll have to put a lot of legwork in and probably failed vettings - that was my experience from buying last year anyhow, especially failed vettings.
Good luck with your search. You could ask the people on here to look for you. Whereabouts are you and what’s your wish list ?

 

[Red-1]

The prices you have seen are about standard, having looked for over a year before buying mine. I was happy to spend 10K for a nice, sensible 16hh to do BD, BE, hack etc. I am now older and specifically did not want a world beater, just one that was nice and put a smile on my face. It still took a fair while, but I do think that 10K is fair enough.

Mine was rising 5, with a few competitions under her belt. But when you consider the cost of breeding, keep, vets, travel... for 4 1/2 years, it is still a steal. In effect even at 10K they are still subsidising my horse for me.

 

[ihatework]

I think you probably have unrealistic views of what sort of quality you can buy with your budget - especially if it’s been well started under saddle.

That said, keep looking and widen your search area. 6k should buy you a reasonable green 4yo that you can train on. I’d avoid fancy dressage lines as they add £ - but SJ lines and potentially a Welsh x could be bought.

 

[TheMule]

If everything you're looking at is around 10k then they're not overpriced, that's how much a half decent horse which has had some training and can compete beyond a basic level costs. Therefore you may have to buy something away from your ideal if you don't want to spend that money

 

[Orchard14]

I would encourage you to keep looking and continue to save up to increase your budget in the meantime. There are diamonds out there. I bought a young ISH event horse a couple of months ago for less than your budget and he's turning out fab, I got lucky, the sellers were mother and daughter they only wanted their purchase price back and weren't motivated by profit. I agree the infamous warmblood dressage lines - Donnerhall, Weltmeyer, Negro, Ferro, Rubinstein etc. etc. just rack up the price tag without actually guaranteeing you any additional quality (sorry my opinion). You probably already know this but you don't need a warmblood for dressage. My horses are all ISH/TB and have competed up to Advanced/PSG pure dressage regularly achieving scores between 72-74% and they wouldn't have cost half as much to buy as a big fancy imported warmblood.

 

[Willow1306]

Having also lost my quality homebred last year, I feel your pain! Even the unbroken ones are now fetching 10k+ and whilst I understand that breeders/sellers shouldn't be subsidising peoples' hobbies and that it costs to breed quality, I do feel like i've now been priced out of horses and will have to walk away from the industry. I hope that you find something!

 

[Goldenstar]

According to H&H as you go further north prices are a little cheaper...

They are but there are fewer competitor types and the good ones tend to sell fast and they are not that much cheaper .
I would not except to find a young green uphill nice type of flat work horse at less than 10k round here .

 

[TPO]

Maybe it's us tight Scots but I know lots of people out doing things on horses up here that exceed OP's requirements and they were 5k or less. The ones I'm thinking of were no younger than 6 and had been out to shows with previous owners etc

If prices really are that crazy in England it might be worth considering lining up a few viewings in Scotland and having a weekend trip up here. No idea where you are and last time I brought a horse up was 2014 but that was £500 with a big transporter. It might work out cheaper travelling further (Ireland possibly also worth considering?) and shipping something back than paying local prices.

 

[abbijay]

Having just seen a friend pay £5.5k for a sweet but very green (not young), no breeding, pony type nothing special mare - she's a lovely horse don't get me wrong but compared to what I paid for mine 9 years ago it seems mega bucks! I think prices have sky rocketted fairly recently. If she was market value I can see why you won't find anything like what you're after for £6k.

 

[MissTyc]

For me, it's youngsters only. There is a stud near me that have some lovely 2-3 year olds for sale, very nicely bred and quite cheap for what they are (£3,000-£6,000). I now seem to be able to afford only yearlings, so I hear you!!!

 

[Sasana Skye]

I had to go down the young horse route too and 3.5 years ago bought a yearling no choice as I couldn't afford anything else - she still cost me though Sounds like the type of horse you want is the type of horse everybody wants and the people who buy these wonder horses don't tend to sell them on again.

 

[Nicnac]

I know you don't like TB's, neither do I. However my daughter loves them and her current horse comes from a NH yard in Ireland. He is chunky and a dressage diva. Paid well under £4K.

 

[Ellzbellz97]

I know you don't like TB's, neither do I. However my daughter loves them and her current horse comes from a NH yard in Ireland. He is chunky and a dressage diva. Paid well under £4K.

Love a good ex racer

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I paid £5000 for my well brought up and schooled British WB back in 2001! Sadly later diagnosed with wobblers.

I paid £7,500 for my then 10yr old BWB in 2005 (although technically it was for a 7yr old DWB but I did a straight swap) and last year paid £7,500 for a 9yr old DWB inc. tack both SJ lines. That gave me a good sane, mannerly temperament, looks and breeding (not that the latter is of particular interest to me) and reasonable schooling but they’ve still had issues to overcome.

So I don’t think prices have gone up at all. However I also think paying more doesn’t necessarily always buy you talent or a way out of issues, often it’s a bit of pot luck too.

Re prices of safe cobs it’s a different market from a competition one but a vibrant one and supply and demand makes the price rise.

I hasten to add I am not rich the first two were bought using Tesco loans and the last as part of a remortgage.

 

[sportsmansB]

If you would consider something with a vice or a management issue you might get lucky at that budget, but they are often word of mouth sales

To be honest what you are looking for probably is £10k+ if you want any competition experience outside of riding club and clear potential to go up the grades.
If you don't care about fancy step or breeding then I would be looking in riding club / all rounder sections with your budget, you're unlikely to get anything in the dressage sections unless with an issue as above (cribber etc)

 

[ester]

I too would move away from the dressage section of websites and find something that isn't being sold with that sole purpose depending on which level you are happy to start out with even if it isn't a youngster.

 

[oldie48]

They are out there but you sometimes need to take a bit of a punt. My previous horse had a few BD points at novice and had three very good scores at elementary with a pro rider but nothing current, he'd stood in a field doing nothing and tbh was a bit of a mess when I bought him, dreadful feet which made my farrier nearly weep. Rose had points at elem and med but nothing since early 2016 and she had also stood in a field for nearly 3 years. she had no muscle, was badly shod and struggled to hold canter. Both were 11 and bought within your budget but came with schooling issues that have had to be addressed but I think most do. What they did have was a nice temperament, were nicely put together and moved well. Rose was initially way outside your budget (and mine) but didn't sell and investigations turned up something that had not been disclosed which would have put many people off (it was my vet who advised me to go ahead with the vetting as I was ready to walk away) but actually, seven months in, doesn't appear to be an issue (still keeping fingers crossed). Sometimes through no fault of their own nice horses end up being sold on in less than perfect situations and in less than perfect condition, these are the ones that really can flourish. I would not have sold either of these horses but on the open market, once put back together they were worth at least twice what I had paid. FWIW both came by word of mouth so let as many people you know in the horsey world know you are looking. Good luck, i know how frustrating it can be to find the right horse, I've paid too much and still kissed frogs!

 

[spacefaer]

I think if you looked outside the "dressage" box, you might find something - there's no reason why any horse that is reasonably well put together, with a nice temperament and that moves straight, shouldn't be trainable as far as you want, as long as it's been started correctly.

I have a stunning looking warmblood here who through no fault of his own has had some time off. For someone who was able to put the work in, he'd currently be an absolute steal - once I bring him back into work, his price will reflect the true value of his training and competition experience, and will probably treble by the end of the summer. That's how I value the time and effort I will put into him!

It's the same conversation that pops up on here all the time and the same points get brought up every time
the price of horses has not increased significantly over the last twenty years in line with the costs of other major purchases such as houses and cars
it is possible to buy a horse cheaply that turns into a superstar for the new owner
it is possible to buy a horse expensively that turns into a walking vets bill
the price of a horse at maturity rarely actually covers the breeder's cost of production

at the end of the day, a horse is worth what someone wants to pay for it!

 

[AdorableAlice]

I think if you looked outside the "dressage" box, you might find something - there's no reason why any horse that is reasonably well put together, with a nice temperament and that moves straight, shouldn't be trainable as far as you want, as long as it's been started correctly.

I have a stunning looking warmblood here who through no fault of his own has had some time off. For someone who was able to put the work in, he'd currently be an absolute steal - once I bring him back into work, his price will reflect the true value of his training and competition experience, and will probably treble by the end of the summer. That's how I value the time and effort I will put into him!

It's the same conversation that pops up on here all the time and the same points get brought up every time
the price of horses has not increased significantly over the last twenty years in line with the costs of other major purchases such as houses and cars
it is possible to buy a horse cheaply that turns into a superstar for the new owner
it is possible to buy a horse expensively that turns into a walking vets bill
the price of a horse at maturity rarely actually covers the breeder's cost of production

at the end of the day, a horse is worth what someone wants to pay for it!

The above is so very true, In 2004 I paid £8,500 for a working medium, competing elem 11 year old horse. The only made horse I have ever had and bought with insurance money from a horse I lost aged 13 after buying it as a foal and making it. I realised my lost horse was worth a lot more money than he was insured for when I started to look for another.

I doubt 8k would buy the same horse today. I think the way to go if on a limited budget is to look for a straight moving, nicely bred 3 or 4 year old that you know has been reared properly. There is a good chance it will be sound in mind and body, you have a nice blank canvas to get started with and you will know by 6 ish, if it is going to be talented enough for your needs. If it isn't you still have a correctly educated horse to sell as a lower level competition horse.

 

[Leaping]

I don't think though horse prices have increased in recent years in line with other things (such as cars or houses) - but cost of feed, livery, training, competing, shoeing etc have all increased. some people are unrealistic about what they can sell their horse for (rose tinted glasses) but equally there are those who are always aghast at anyone asking more than 2k for a horse - those people always state that they can find a GP showjump horse for 2k you just have to look harder!

I think now is a tricky time of year to be a buyer, as lots of people are buying (going into summer) and if you are in a more expensive part of the country then generally they will cost more. If you are willing to travel then you might find more within your budget (but then you have to add on transport costs!) or contact a local dealer that has good rep to see what they have in. Also look outside of your standard search criteria, look smaller (if they are deep in the girth they will take a longer leg) or taller, older or younger or for less fashionably bred. Look at showjumpers that don't make the grade etc.

Keep looking but also put the cash you are saving from not paying livery/competition etc bills into the savings account so your budget will increase and if you can wait then look again in the autumn (when a few 'child off to uni' or just people not wanting a horse going into winter)

 

[TGM]

I don't think it is so much that general horse prices have riisen significantly, it is just that you are looking for the type of horse that is very much in demand, and therefore priced accordingly. If you read the forum regularly you will see so many people are looking for nicely put-together, sound, sensible horses that are not youngsters and not in their teens, who are capable of going out competing fairly successfully at affiliated level (but not a world-beater). You say that it doesn't need to have a BD record, but anyone with a horse that meets your criteria would be foolish not to take the horse to a couple of BD competitions to prove its ability and raise it's price! You could get lucky looking in the all rounder section, but even in that market prices can be pretty high for the sound, sensible, not too young/old horses, as again they are so popular.

If you are fortunate and are prepared to do a lot of searching you may find a private seller that doesn't realise what they have, or a nervous rider who has been rather over-horsed, if you are prepared to put some work in. As others have said if you are prepared to travel you often find the less central areas of the UK have lower prices. Or you could look for a horse with some sort of problem/vice/issue/health problem that you prepared to deal with.

 

[TGM]

I know you don't like TB's, neither do I. However my daughter loves them and her current horse comes from a NH yard in Ireland. He is chunky and a dressage diva. Paid well under £4K.

And he is lovely, but if I remember correctly he was a youngster when you bought him, which again is something the OP doesn't want!

 

[Maesto's Girl]

I bought my backed but green 8 year old arab 2.5 years ago for £1,500 including tack and have put in time breaking bad habits and retraining for dressage. We now get around 63-66% in prelims and have been told by several instructors she has the capacity to go to elementary at the very least. Yes it has been hard work but knowing I didn't pay a fortune and she is trained to my way of thinking means that we are (in my opinion) a stronger partnership.

Would you consider going for something you would train and have to spend less up front? Save the balance for lessons maybe?

I admit I see some lovely dressage horses for sale for £10k but just couldn't justify it! I'd rather buy something just broken and train it myself....but that's just me