How much is a horse worth?

[madmav]

I know something is only worth as much as someone else is prepared to pay for it, but how do you really know if you are being ripped off or fairly charged when buying a horse.

I have my eye on one who is young and has done virtually nothing competition-wise and whose breeding is unknown. But he has that star quality that everyone who has come into contact with him has fallen for. He's safe to ride and sound, so is it fair to charge a similar sum (we're talking many thousands) as for a horse of similar age who has proven bloodlines and some competition status?
Feel quite depressed about it - like a first-time house-buyer who will never be able to afford the sky-high prices.

 

[Tia]

I buy and sell a fair number of horses and the way I look at it is this; if the horse does what the buyer wants and is within their price budget then it really doesn't matter about breeding and crudentials, well certainly it doesn't in England.....however it makes a huge price difference over here in my line of business.

I have to buy top quality horses as most of mine are sold on within 3 years. In the time they are with me, they learn all the basics and are totally trustworthy horses ready to be unleashed on the open market as very decent equine citizens.

In England, the owner of this horse has obviously seen the quality in this horse and is trying to capitalise on this. No doubt someone will buy it if the star quality is there, and particularly if the training has been excellent.

I always say to people though, that there will always be another horse around the corner.....and unless they are blind, then there always is.

 

[wonkey_donkey]

Just look at a variety of ad's for similar horses ( Horse & Hound, Horsequest, Horsemart etc) and see if the one youre looking at is a similar price. If it's way overpriced then I doubt anyone else is going to buy him anyway. Might be a case of sitting tight till the owner 'get's real' !!
However, if he's your perfect horse then it would be a shame to miss him over a few hundred quid.

 

[madmav]

Thank you Tia for such a well-informed and sensitive answer. Where are you based ?- obviously not England - think I would be happy to find a horse with you.

And thank you also wonkey-donkey, think that's where I'm struggling, look at the ads, see the bloodlines, experierence, etc and know this horse cannot compete on those lines.

But I know the seller is 100% sound and the horse is great. Beating myself up mentally because I really want to go for him but priced tag is stopping me.

Probably will regret it - potential buyer seeng him today....