Horse snobbery determines prices...

I agree with what you are saying but the trouble is that people are getting wise to even this sort of 'buying' now. So even the 'hairy' done nothing pony will be costing more just cos the owner has seen it pop over 3' on one occasion and knows it has the scope.

My friend is selling her 5 yr old ID cross, he has done absolutely nothing, is green as grass but has a super temprament and good irish breeding. On potential alone she is asking £5k. Likewise I know a 6 year old NF pony, again, totally green but happens to have a big jump (which he can't yet control due to being too wobbly in the canter) and he is going for 2.75K

It is difficult to buy 'on potentia' when you are still handing over fairly substantial sums of cash and the horse is unproven. For some it I guess it is safer to pay a little more but to KNOW the horse can do it. My top budget is 4K for a horse and I know I would be looking in the youngster/potential market but it is always a bit of a risk which is tough when you are handing over this much money. I'd love to have an extra 4K to add to the budget to get something just a bit more proven.
 
possibly, but you pay extra if you dont want to bring one on, and reverse snobbery, i.e I only paid 2k for this horse where you paid 10k for yours, is just as bad.
Find me a quite pre novice eventer ready to go out and do the job for less than 8k (or find one at all) and I'll go buy it!
 
A horse is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.....my horse was not what I would call expensive, but certianly wasnt given to me!

She is a hairy cob, but she does her job very well and I love every bone of her......

If money was no object, and I was in the market for another horse, I perhaps would go for something more 'flashy', but maybe not....but then I dont want to event/do dressage/showjump......

I can understand people spending what they can on a horse if that is what they choose. I couldnt justify it, but thats just me.....

What does annoy me is those who think those of us with cobs are less worthy, or bad riders though......but thats a whole other thread!!
 
I believe that certain horses are worth more to a certain rider. I only paid £3.5k for my wonderful mare who has restored my confidence after an £8k horse destroyed it.
Knowing my mare now I would have gladly paid 10k for her, not because she is an outstanding talented horse that will go to Burghley but just because I enjoy every day of having her and she jumps very well at lower levels BSJA which is what I am happy doing.
If you offered her to an up and coming event rider they would not want her for free as she wouldn't go on to do what they would want to do.
That is why I think every horse has a different value to each individual.
Hope this makes sense!
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I haven't got time for a long reply but do feelyou have missed someone out of the equation completely.
What about the person who bred that nice horse for you?
They kept a mare for 11 months, then another 6 after she foaled, either paid a stud fee or kept a stallion.
During that time those horses were wormed, fed, trimmed and had any vet fees paid.
Your horse then had four years growing to do being kept all that time, then many hours being trained enough for you to ride and compete it.
How dare you suggest £3000 is sufficient for all that!
I agree the sort of horse required for lower level comps can be bought reasonably priced, but at the end of the day you should respect people like me who breed horses that are smashing to ride and do the job.
Do you really believe I should breed to lose money?
Does any other producer whether it be of clothes or shoes deserve not to make any profit at all?
The starting point for a four year old should be around £5000 because that's basically the cheapest you can get to that point as a breeder for.
Anything else like performance wins needs to be added on.
That's basic economics not snobbery I'm afraid. No wonder I feel like giving up breeding.
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henry horn totally agree with your comments - a nicely bred horse which will be sound (which takes time, money and substantial effort for breeders) with a generous temperamant (careful handling, again money and effort) is worth paying for not least to offer years of enjoyment, as you say do the job and often exceed expectations.

Many of us middleagers on this thread don't want to be pot hunters, as previously suggested, but do want to compete at a reasonable level, enjoying our horses not withstanding the highs and lows that competing and riding any horse offers.

For those of us who have got to a point in life, often not inexperienced as also suggested above, when these things are important we are prepared to pay a reasonable amount of money enabling breeders and producers to make a living as we all need to do.

I only hope that after this difficult time there are enough of us and careful thoughful breeders and producers left.
 
henryhorn that is what I was trying to get at, I feel it is only right for the breeder/seller to make a profit after all the expenses they have incurred. I bought from someone very honest, he even paid for the horse to be shoed just days before I collected him, and also exercised him on the day we got him which he didn't have to bother with.

Many young horses sold here have been imported, so I would expect to pay for someone else to have done the searching for me and dealt with the hassle of importation, papers etc. If I was more experienced I could go to Verden (where the average price this year was something like 13000 euros) and buy something cheaper and then the risk is all mine.

Agree with help1, having an expensive horse isn't about showing off at local level. When I compete I go by my percentages and not the placings. Although I'm only 25, I chose a job where I knew I could afford to have a nice horse. I have had to work hard and study for years, it didn't happen overnight. I knew if I had worked with horses I would not have been able to do this. Everyone has the ability to make their own choices about what type of horse they want and what they want to spend.
 
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