Firewell
Well-Known Member
Following on from the post about how much would you pay for a horse, ive decided to write my own contraversial post, feel free to add your views, I would be interested to hear other peoples points of view.
Im not a professional rider, like most people I want a safe horse to compete successfully on at the lower affiliated levels. I dont agree that paying a lot of money is necessary at all (a lot of money being over 3k).
The most I have ever paid 4 a horse was £2600 for my TB mare when she was 5. 3 yrs on Iv'e lost count of the times ive been asked 'shes lovely, how much did u pay for her'? when ive told them they've said quietly 'you got a bargin'. I do admit bringing on a young horse was hard but i now how have a beautiful, brave talented horse that is easy to ride. I dont think i could buy that coupled with the relationship i have with her for all the money in the world.
I can understand that people want to pay mega bucks for a proven grade A sj/advanced eventer etc. But honestly how many of us are ever going to compete at that level!!! Sometimes i think its horse snobbery that pushes the prices up.... 'i brought a horse for 10k' seems to carry more weight than 'my horse was 50 quid off the local gypsies' even if the gypsie horse beat the 10k horse in the local PN
I think more than breeding and potential, its the rider and how the horse has been educated that determines success at what is essentially grass roots level. IMO Every horse is capable of jumping a decent course of 3ft6 with the right training and ridden correctly.
People think PN/BN/DISCO/Elementary BD is big impoprtant stuff requiring a horse with the most amazing bloodlines etc etc and of course you cant buy that for less than 10,15,20 whatever thousand. The majority of horses are capable of that though with the right training, rider etc.
Just because a horse is out of a derby winner doesnt mean it will win the derby....
I also think the previous rider determines a lot of a horses worth. Just because the horse won its last 3 Novices with a professional rider, doesnt mean it will with you. Another reason why it becomes less about how much the horse costs. An expensive horse sold by a professional rider?? or a cheaper horse that you just felt right on??
I had a lot of success in the pony club area teams a few years back. While my team mates were astride expensive glossy 6yr olds out of penwood forge mills and baron B's. I was on a 17yr old stiff, grumpy chestnut mare Heinz 57 with a reputation of being a 'not novice ride'. Turned out we clicked and she became the most fabuluse horse 4 me. we won everything and beat everyone. Oh yeah she was given to me coz no-one else wanted her, she wasnt flash enough for them.
My mum paid 3k for her ex eventer. He was an irish TB, 7yr old. 2 years later she was offered 20k for him at an event (and that was 10yrs ago...)
Her current horse is another TB, shes done novice eventing and foxhunter lvl showjumping, shes a great jumper and her dressage trainer says she could go all the way. Guess what... she was free!
I just want to encourage those with not much money to spend. Unless you want to beat Anky, Its not about how pefectly bred and how much potential your horse has! Its not about how much it cost. Just because a horse cost 12k doesnt mean it is better than one that cost 2k. What is important, actually priceless, is the relationship you have with your horse. A relationship that inspires you to achieve your goals.
I always remember the saying 'horses have glass legs'. Expensive horses break too you know!
Dont buy a horse because of its breeding and because it has won X with so and so! Buy a horse coz it gives you that little glow when you ride it
. Price is only a number and a horse is only as good as its last rider.
I always think that somewhere theres another non descript hairy no-body standing in a field, Its being passed by those blinded by 'breeding', 'potential', 'price'. However it still has someones name on it and a heart beating inside worthy of a badminton winner.
Im not a professional rider, like most people I want a safe horse to compete successfully on at the lower affiliated levels. I dont agree that paying a lot of money is necessary at all (a lot of money being over 3k).
The most I have ever paid 4 a horse was £2600 for my TB mare when she was 5. 3 yrs on Iv'e lost count of the times ive been asked 'shes lovely, how much did u pay for her'? when ive told them they've said quietly 'you got a bargin'. I do admit bringing on a young horse was hard but i now how have a beautiful, brave talented horse that is easy to ride. I dont think i could buy that coupled with the relationship i have with her for all the money in the world.
I can understand that people want to pay mega bucks for a proven grade A sj/advanced eventer etc. But honestly how many of us are ever going to compete at that level!!! Sometimes i think its horse snobbery that pushes the prices up.... 'i brought a horse for 10k' seems to carry more weight than 'my horse was 50 quid off the local gypsies' even if the gypsie horse beat the 10k horse in the local PN
I think more than breeding and potential, its the rider and how the horse has been educated that determines success at what is essentially grass roots level. IMO Every horse is capable of jumping a decent course of 3ft6 with the right training and ridden correctly.
People think PN/BN/DISCO/Elementary BD is big impoprtant stuff requiring a horse with the most amazing bloodlines etc etc and of course you cant buy that for less than 10,15,20 whatever thousand. The majority of horses are capable of that though with the right training, rider etc.
Just because a horse is out of a derby winner doesnt mean it will win the derby....
I also think the previous rider determines a lot of a horses worth. Just because the horse won its last 3 Novices with a professional rider, doesnt mean it will with you. Another reason why it becomes less about how much the horse costs. An expensive horse sold by a professional rider?? or a cheaper horse that you just felt right on??
I had a lot of success in the pony club area teams a few years back. While my team mates were astride expensive glossy 6yr olds out of penwood forge mills and baron B's. I was on a 17yr old stiff, grumpy chestnut mare Heinz 57 with a reputation of being a 'not novice ride'. Turned out we clicked and she became the most fabuluse horse 4 me. we won everything and beat everyone. Oh yeah she was given to me coz no-one else wanted her, she wasnt flash enough for them.
My mum paid 3k for her ex eventer. He was an irish TB, 7yr old. 2 years later she was offered 20k for him at an event (and that was 10yrs ago...)
Her current horse is another TB, shes done novice eventing and foxhunter lvl showjumping, shes a great jumper and her dressage trainer says she could go all the way. Guess what... she was free!
I just want to encourage those with not much money to spend. Unless you want to beat Anky, Its not about how pefectly bred and how much potential your horse has! Its not about how much it cost. Just because a horse cost 12k doesnt mean it is better than one that cost 2k. What is important, actually priceless, is the relationship you have with your horse. A relationship that inspires you to achieve your goals.
I always remember the saying 'horses have glass legs'. Expensive horses break too you know!
Dont buy a horse because of its breeding and because it has won X with so and so! Buy a horse coz it gives you that little glow when you ride it
I always think that somewhere theres another non descript hairy no-body standing in a field, Its being passed by those blinded by 'breeding', 'potential', 'price'. However it still has someones name on it and a heart beating inside worthy of a badminton winner.
