How much would you have to pay...?

[Charliepony]

Horse hunting for a friend, they asked me to post on here regarding their budget!

Looking for a gelding, 15.2hh - 16.2hh (15hh - 17hh at a pinch), 5 - 8 years, basically just a straightforward safe ride, snaffle mouth is a must, they're big on dressage but even a blank canvas is fine as long as they have the conformation and attitude to be moderately sucessful at low level dressage... Doesn't have to be a good looking horse at all! Just something fairly obedient and with four working legs!

They like TBs and have owned them in the past, but after going through loads of soundness issues they wouldn't want a pure thoroughbred unless it had never been raced. TBx, Anglo Arab, Irish Sport Horse, something like that... They just want a young horse with nothing wrong with it!! Basically something that isn't crippled and won't try to kill them... Which seems increasingly hard to find! What would you expect to pay for this?

Thanks guys!!

 

[joeanne]

Perhaps a better way of approaching this would be....
How much can your friend comfortably afford to spend on said horse, and then buy the best that can be gotten with that price in mind.
You may have to compromise so drawing a list of what you must have, what you can do without if push comes to shove, and what you simply wont consider no matter what, may be a help also.

 

[Charliepony]

Thing is they're quite certain of what they want! The confusing part is they have paid ridiculously tiny sums in the past and got some amazing horses (not just TBs, ponies and sport horses too!) and so they have no idea what horses are worth in this market, and whether looking at something that seems suspiciously cheap is too risky! I imagine they would be able to pay something decent... 6k, maybe, absolute tops including tack? But I know they would prefer something for under 3.5k, though I'm not sure if this is possible... I will make the list thing, that's a good idea!

Ideal:

- 7 years old
- Gelding
- 15.3hh
- TB x
- Snaffle mouth.
- Really flashy looker, conformation correct enough to show.
- Bay or spotted.
- Safe, as in bombproof, pushbutton, never puts a hoof out of line safe.
- Well/proffesionally schooled.
- Confident easy jumper.
- Been there done that (RC camp, competing ect ect)
- Vice free.

Compromise, these are absolute musts.

- 5 - 8 years old
- Gelding (due to livery arrangement + personal preference)
- 15.2 - 16.3hh
- Snaffle mouthed
- Sound
- They're not big on cobs...
- Safe, as in not a head case, the occasional spook/buck/bounce is fine.


The compromise is not very compromised Do you think we would have to compromise more? Can't really go any smaller as she is tall but not heavy or strong. Gelding is a must and safety is a must, snaffle mouth she is adamant about.