I am over looking for horses already. Grrrr

[MizElz]

CL,

When looking for Ellie after the death of my previous horse, we thought our search was straightforward. Budget of no more than £4k, 5-8 years old, under 16hh, BSJA potential. It took us four months to find a horse - searching was a full time thing - and Ellie was number 23. The right horse is out there, you just have to be patient - unfortunately, sifting the good from the bad is par for the course. It'll be worth it when you have that perfect head looking out over your stable door, even if it is the other side of Christmas!

 

[burtie]

What you are all missing is that to breed and produce a young horse to 4 years old and have it backed costs a minimum of £5k to do correctly, so any horse still in the early years/prime (i.e under 10) for less than that is going to have problems or a past, it may simply be an ex racer or a montain pony or cheap for some other reason, but there WILL be a reason.

 

[arwenplusone]

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Lol - I have one for sale at £5,500k.


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Now that did make me

That would make it just over £5M

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PMSL - just been doing some budgets with work & been doing it in '000s - so got a bit confused!

If only.

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

Its crazy isn't it.

the other thing that frustrates me is that you seem to pay more - or at least as much - for 'potential' than you do for a proven horse. Ie a 4 year old with potential as a good riding club horse (so green but looking to have a decent 1.10 - 1.15 pop) will sell for more than the same horse 2 years on, happily jumping that 1.10m course with confidence but perhaps not looking to have the scope to go much higher.

My friends have had a terrible time selling their SJ horse who is just not quite scopey enough for Foxhunters but is winning regularly at Newcomer/Discovery level. Yet when she was at Novice level 'with scope to go higher' they were having offers for her right left and centre.

 

[Leg_end]

TBH Chloe horse hunting is a nightmare!! When we were looking for MIL we spoke to hundreds of people with 'safe, sane' horses and some of the ones who passed the phone vetting failed miserably when we got out of the car.

6 weeks later we found Rolo who was advertised at more than we were looking to pay but is probably along the similar sort of lines that you are looking at - except he is 11 and not 4! MIL paid just over £5k for him.

 

[Faithkat]

I quite agree but the point I was making was that pay has increased quite significantly but people don't seem to expect horse prices to go up comaparatively. I earn not a lot more than the NMW but can be realistic and practical

 

[itsme123]

The right horse for you IS out there. I think you should be looking at a larger ex racer or something, about 16hh +. You have the ability and knowledge, and you're the kind of person who gets off on a challenge. Though it may not be the kind of challenge you think, it may be just a case of schooling a green horse. Ex racers aren't all nutters! Most have been well handled, are used to traffic, and are generally nice all round horses. My son has been riding a small ex racer, cantering and popping small jumps, and he LOVES it.
I know of a couple of people who may have something suitable, so will ask around.

So, something sane, that will do a bit of everything, RC level maybe above, traffic proof etc, under 5k? I'm 100% positive you'll find it.

 

[Parkranger]

I think people are totally unrealistic about horse prices. If I was to sell Oscar it would be for £3000 to £4000. He jumps, does a nice test and has hunted. He can be a bit nappy (no rearing or bucking) so needs someone who won't let him take the pee.

I've seen similar horses advertised at £5500 and think it's madness!!