Horse prices - what should I really be paying?!

[orsceno1]

I am currently searching for my next best friend and am completely baffled by how many horses are priced.....it seems that a young unbroken and unknown prospect costs more in some cases than a proven eventer?! (And these are not horses with top notch breeding!). It is leaving me very confused as to what I should be really looking to pay for what I want, and whether I am being realistic in my expectations! It's a long time since I bought a horse so maybe I am just out of the loop but some prices just seem crazy!
I am after a youngster, 3-6, looking at broken and unbroken, not bothered about breeding per se or a very green horse as a project is fine (but don't want any problem or quirky horses as a bargain!) but I want something to event to 90/100 tops eventually so obviously with a jump and nice paces. Genuinely interested to know what others would expect to pay for something like this? Not looking for a ready made eventer as I enjoy the bringing on.

 

[ihatework]

I am currently searching for my next best friend and am completely baffled by how many horses are priced.....it seems that a young unbroken and unknown prospect costs more in some cases than a proven eventer?! (And these are not horses with top notch breeding!). It is leaving me very confused as to what I should be really looking to pay for what I want, and whether I am being realistic in my expectations! It's a long time since I bought a horse so maybe I am just out of the loop but some prices just seem crazy!
I am after a youngster, 3-6, looking at broken and unbroken, not bothered about breeding per se or a very green horse as a project is fine (but don't want any problem or quirky horses as a bargain!) but I want something to event to 90/100 tops eventually so obviously with a jump and nice paces. Genuinely interested to know what others would expect to pay for something like this? Not looking for a ready made eventer as I enjoy the bringing on.

4-5k will get you a backed but green moderate quality Irish horse suitable for the job you want given schooling

 

[Nicnac]

Irish Horse Imports will have what you are looking for at a reasonable price.

 

[blitznbobs]

If you want raw material and fancy Dutch/ German have a look At these guys

Sports horse continental

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I'd say between £5-8k will get you what you're after but in my experience as a buyer you end up in a very weird price bracket between high level RC horses and a bunch of sometimes quirky higher competition prospects.

I was looking for a similar kind of horse at the start of the year but for dressage and ended up buying a newly broken 5yo WB with good breeding for £7k. Unfortunately we've have a bit of a setback after a field injury but I'm still quietly confident she'll become my horse of a lifetime as she has the sweetest temperament and desperately wants to please.

 

[TheMule]

If you have time on your side then just be very vigiliant on all the sites and you can find a real bargain. I have picked up some smartly bred young horses around the 1k mark just because of owners circumstances and being quick!
If you can't wait then I'd go to some breeders and look for 3yr olds that they're not keen to keep throug the winter and then pay to have backed

 

[stormox]

Goresbridge horse sales are on in Ireland mid October. Theres always a lot of nice young horses there. You should be able to get a good one for £2-3000

 

[Lanky Loll]

Goresbridge horse sales are on in Ireland mid October. Theres always a lot of nice young horses there. You should be able to get a good one for £2-3000

And if you don't want to make the trip Irish Horse Imports will have a selection from there in a couple of days after they've got a nice lot in at the moment from the September Select sale for between £3500-6000

 

[orsceno1]

Thanks guys, will take a look at the Irish imports. Am tempted to go to the sales but never been to one before so a bit intimidated by the prospect! Any tips?

 

[Lulup]

if you go to Irish Horse Imports you need to get there fairly quickly after the horses arrive because it's not the best lifestyle for a young horse to endure for very long - the horses don't really come out of the stables until someone wants to try them at which point they come straight out and get loose schooled over jumps in a small indoor school with less than ideal surface. We saw one that they said was fresh as hadn't left its stable for a week and in seconds of it being in the school it was flying over decent sized fence. I consider that a recipe for disaster in terms of young ligaments/tendons/bones/muscles but if they've only been there a few days the damage is hopefully limited. Very straight decent people to deal with and a good selection of horses but I wouldn't want a horse that had spent too long on that regime x