How do other people manage to find bargain horses?

S

showjump2003

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 March 2006
Messages
2,599
Visit site
I'm not talking really cheap horses, I mean find a horse with lots of potential for a small amount? Maybe I'm just not good at this buying malarky! I'm not after something to ride around badminton! I want something to compete up to novice level dressage and jump 1m5 confidently on eventually lol.

Does it take practise to buy good horses or is it something you even have or you don't?
 
You have to wait....my friend bought a horse becasue she could see his potential - from a well known southern show rider - for £500.

She has been offered £12k for him recently - but has worked sooo hard with him.

Does not all come on a plat!
 
Quite often you have to accept some sort of quirk or problem to get them cheap - things like stable vices, an old injury, challenging temperament etc. And sometime you just strike lucky and are in the right place at the right time
grin.gif
.
 
Only go to look at horses within your budget so you can't be tempted and don't be in a hurry, it may take a while for the right one to come along!! It also takes a bit of luck and a good eye, which comes from experience, to see what potential the horse could have. You should have a good idea of the type of horse you want and the job you want it to do. Also be aware of how much work it might take to make the horse reach it's potential. Good luck, they are out there!!
 
Generally its being in the right place at the right time, thus making the effort to make sure you are in a lot of places!
You need to be able to see what the horse can be, not what it is at the moment. Looking at a lot of horses will be a great help towards judging conformation - which is the main part of telling how a horse can go/look.
The filly I have posted in the pic gallery cost me £600.
 
I usually look on the internet or in the free ads type papers. I also don't mind if they look a bit hairy- you can work wonders with the sissors!

Here are my 'bargains'!:
basildonshow-1.jpg

£150 from a dealer, went on to be a county level show hunter

haileyhunter-1.jpg

£2200, competed sucessfully pre novice and won many WH, came from a dealer

schooling1-1.jpg

£2500- won her first affliated comp.working at elementary.Bought off the internet.

charlietrotup-1.jpg

£1200 inc rugs, doing well sj, dressage and xc- currently on loan, bought from a well known event rider(olympic level and gold medal winner!)

FellaWH1.jpg

£3000 inc tack and rugs- doing well BE, winning WH and riding horse classes, bought from the yellow free ads

blackhorse-1.jpg

Next to no money from Reading Sales, Won everytime out coloured ,wh etc.

They are out there!
 
Youngsters! If you have the time and patience to DIY, you can get a good potential horse for not much
 
My blacksmith found my bargain - likewise feed merchants/vets etc - if those professionals know and trust you, then you are more likely to get the nod when one comes along.

Good luck! but beware...there's no such thing as a free lunch and always look gift horses in the mouth!!! be prepared to do lots of work!

Catherine
 
Thae last time I bought a horse was 5 years ago and since then prices have gone mad! Got the bayin my sig for £1650 which was quite a bargain as she's great but having been looking round everything I like is 4k minimum.
 
Sometimes its a case of right place, right time. Sometimes its a case of its not what you know but who you know.. I paid £450 for daughters pony with a brand new Fal Pro rug off a dealer friend who had done a part ex and just wanted rid. She is a real diamond pony and would certainly be able to sell her for alot more than that now.
 
I was lucky with Henry - his previous owner saw no potential in him at all and even told me he had no talent at anything except jumping. But I went and tried him out anyway and saw for myself what a super horse he could be! He was a hairy monster, full feathers, massive mane, no muscle or condition... He was 2200 with custom made tack (he's massive!) and delivered to me (a 9 hour drive on a lorry of racers!).

I was recently offered a considerable amount for him but he's not going anywhere! It has taken a lot of work in the school, determination and lots of clipping (LOL) but he is now doing dressage at novice level as well as HT and loving his work!

I think you need to stick to a price range and be realistic about your ability to bring a horse on and make improvements, and also be realistic about the horses potential!
 
Right place at right time and word of mouth. Got my TB mare at 8yrs old for £1200 inc delivery. She needed some work though but has turned out to be the most kind hearted, willing and sound natured horse I've ever met. Priceless to me now.
 
I bought my mare for £350 through word of mouth...super little pony and still have her now. She would jump anything put in front of her and would get a rosettee whenever entered in shows. She was a nightmare at getting out of the field though and still walks through electric fence. My other pony bought for £50 off dealer before going to meat man! Out on loan and jumping well and someone mentioned they would buy her off me for £1500 once.
Working at the vets was offered free horses, sometimes owners had just given up on them and could no longer afford fees or didnt want to race them again.
Def word of mouth....maybe speak to local equine vets as they sometimes have people out in the field wanting a quick sell or farrier for that matter
smile.gif

good luck - sometimes waiting works out much better. I waited 15 years before I got my recent lad and all my wishes came true at once
charly2.jpg
 
I wish I could find a bargain horse for my sister, found something that sounded really promising but the number on the ad didn't work haha!
 
Regarding being in the right place at the right time, I happened to be on this forum about 2 weeks ago and am now the owner of my dream horse, who was definately a bargain too.
smile.gif
 
Am in a similar position with no time to go traipsing round the country on a wild goose chase. I believe the best 'bargains' go by word of mouth and turn up like men do really.

Has any body got a Willow look-a-like they could send me???
 
not always just the horse - does come down to good schooling and being produced/restarted properly.
you dont just get them home and they transform from ugly ducking to a swan lol

I know someone who bought a coloured from pikeys for £50 as a foal - that went on to win HOYS
 
i got my horse for a cheap price and she was like a giraffe with her head up in the air, was very stiff and couldnt bend. all she did was jump, jump, jump

when i first saw her we thought she would never make a dressage horse but we got her home and with the help of a fab instructor she now works lovely in an outline and is scoring quite good marks in dressage. shes also fab at SJ and XC and i`ve been told she could eaisly do affilated eventing (think i`ll get my instructor to do it though i`m too much of a wimp!
crazy.gif
grin.gif
)
 
You can find bargains anywhere (almost!) if you look hard enough, you don't have to get lucky, you can work to find a bargain too - at least I have!

Like Artois says, you don't usually find a ready made superstar for £50, but you can find potential for a small price.

I usually look at internet ads for bargains. They're not usually on the "big" advertising websites like HorseQuest or H&H, but on places like www.thehorseexchange.com or adhorse or local websites. Sometimes people don't know what they've got, especially if the horse isn't suited to their discipline (their failed showjumper might be perfect for showing etc)

I've got a little mare at the moment bought for 2k just broken and going up for sale soon for 5.5k after a lot of work, but the makings of a nice horse were there - correct conformation and sweet temperament.

Word of mouth and luck are always useful too, and if you see potential in a horse at a competition, don't be worried about going up and having a chat to guage whether they might be looking to sell!
 
you spend a weekend or two round here! Honestly horses in the Devon/Cornwall area are dirt cheap. Fori nstance, I bought two 4 and 5 year olds 16.2 hh mares by eventing sire ex well bred mares for £1100 the PAIR....
One is broken the other not, but both are lovely horses and I sold one for £1500..
We my either keep breeding from her sister or break and sell her.
The Free Ads are and excellent source to look, as is our local weekly hose supplement in the daily paper.
Plus try anything on the internet that hasn't sold for ages due to silly prices, it's amazing how long it takes for some sellers to realise a horse is only ever worth what someone will actually pay for it..
 
Never paid more than £1000 for anything!
You do have to be prepared to put in some work or put up with/ sort out a few minor problems.
Ripley was sold as "won't hack alone" - but after a summer of taking him round the fields alone, he will now go out on his own! Admittedly there was some bucking and spinning and temper tantrums but we got through it!
Ben had a capped hock - doesn't affect him at all in any way (unless I wanted to show him) - also a "temperamental horse" in the beginning but vet valued him at around £4000+ just because of his size, breeding and paces
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top