If you paid £2500 for a "normal" horse, what would you expect?

[wench]

Title not the best, and I'm aware this is a very broad subject. But if you were looking for a normal/everyday horse for £2500 what would you expect it to do?

I.e. Be able to go to shows, hack alone, etc...

 

[meleeka]

Mine was advertised for that. I ended up buying him for £1 as I found sarcoids when I had him on LWVTB.

He's a 14.1hh traditional cob, pretty much traffic proof, hacks alone safely,
capable of riding club activities including a bit of jumping if required (I don't!) thought to drive too but not tried. Oh and he's absolutely gorgeous! (Pony head and an eye catching colour) so does well at showing too.

 

[ester]

assuming age not relevant here so we are talking middle aged not youngster or oldie

It depends it will either do lots of things but not at a very high level and likely to have no real record at much.
or it could be a super show jumper but super quirky, not hack and as one recently advertised for that price you have to get on it in the ring.
or it is amazing at everything in every way but has a serious physical problem like sarcoids.

 

[SEL]

Well in the past 12 months at our yard

- 14.3 coloured mare. Not cobby, with a cracking jump. Schools nicely, hacks nicely, 10yo.
- 14h really showy coloured 6yo cob mare. Proper leg at each corner type & very forward going. She didn't sell, but I think she'll go in spring - she's gorgeous.
- 15.1 TB ex-racer who doesn't do much & is quite hot. Stunning to look at tho.

All sound & relatively sane - which is more than my friend got with her German warmblood at that price!

 

[milliepops]

I think horse prices are bonkers so you could get something brilliant or a total dud.

 

[9tails]

I wouldn't expect it to be well schooled and established, but I would NEED it to hack alone or in company and be good on roads.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would not expect much for £2500 unless buying a foal or yearling

 

[blitznbobs]

2500 would by an average youngster, a not showable cob with a small jump, a much older all rounder, a 'pot luck' Irish horse 'off the boat' ,a plod with limited curb appeal looks... or a nice foal or something knocked down in price because of sarcoids or vice or a 'quirk' or two.

 

[DabDab]

At that price a real variety - a more common and less popular breed (eg Welsh D or ex racer tb) of popular height and age with no known physical defects that's nice to ride and do, currently doing riding club type bits and pieces.
A more popular breed/type (eg WB, ISH, ID, middleweight hunter) that is quirky to hack, school or handle and/or has a physical issue and probably not doing much in the way of competing.
An old/semi retired horse that is an excellent hack and easy to do.
A variety of different types of youngstock if you can be bothered to sift through them

 

[Asha]

id expect something over 14, that would be sane that had been a hacker/ low level RC allrounder

 

[doodle]

Soli was £2400. He was a 5 yo ex racer. Last raced about 4 months before and had the basics of reschooling, would walk trot and canter in a reasonable outline. No lumps bumps or issues.

 

[crabbymare]

very little to be honest. unless someone is selling because they are desparate I would expect there to be reason(s) for the price.

 

[LD&S]

In November I paid £2.8k incl delivery for a 7yr piebald cob, 15-15.1 sane if not ridden for a month or a day, bombproof in traffic, both more important than a lot of other things, not a kick along plod just a little squeeze, only issue when you try and mount she fidgets and wants to walk off as soon as you are on but as soon as you ask her to come back she does but that is work in progress.

Edited to say I did know when I bought her but felt the good out weighed the bad, as there are times I can't ride for quite a while and when I do it's straight onto a busy road.

 

[ihatework]

I would expect a gamble and/or a lot of work

 

[Schollym]

Title not the best, and I'm aware this is a very broad subject. But if you were looking for a normal/everyday horse for £2500 what would you expect it to do?

I.e. Be able to go to shows, hack alone, etc...

I paid 2300 for an 11year old Welsh cross 15.1. She was advertised for more but I offered lower and we comprised. She hadn't done anything much . Wasn't cantered and had been jumped in only one session in the five years her owner had her. She now has first rosettes in dressage, showing, showjumping, trec. Most of the training I have to say was down to my daughters hardwork but I have a fab horse when I am allowed to borrow her back. Be honest with what you want, be prepared to haggle. An unsold horse on livery deprecates daily. Be willing to forgive height variations and some blemishes. Ask around. Many people who have to let go of a horse ,do it with a heavy heart and a good home is the deal breaker.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would expect a gamble and/or a lot of work

That sums it up really well.

 

[be positive]

I would expect a gamble and/or a lot of work

So would I but some people would expect perfection, it all depends on your experience really as there are so many seemingly perfect horses being offered for far less than £2.5k so the less experienced think a good horse can be bought cheaply and sometimes they do turn out well.

 

[LD&S]

So would I but some people would expect perfection, it all depends on your experience really as there are so many seemingly perfect horses being offered for far less than £2.5k so the less experienced think a good horse can be bought cheaply and sometimes they do turn out well.

I think it all depends on what you want from a horse too.

 

[millitiger]

I'd expect a raw ex racer or something with a quirk that needs sorting out.
The type of horse I like, doesn't come up that cheap unless there is an issue!

I got mine for £3.5k and that was with a very heavy discount as she bronked the girl off during vetting and put her in hospital!

 

[my bfg]

I paid exactly this for my girl, however she isn't "normal" She's fantastic to hack (our first hack was a solo one with a mate walking with us on foot) but very tense to school (appears to be used to draw reins) will put herself on a false outline (from the shoulder forward but doesn't engage her back plus her underside neck muscles were hugely over developed when I first brought her home) immediately and takes a bit of work to lower her head when asked, also has signs of wearing an ill fitting tether collar (indentations in her throat) back lady found damage to her poll area consistent with a collar digging in over time and an injury possibly caused by her trying to bolt whilst tethered.
She was extremely head shy and the first time I got on from a lower mounting block and had the adjust my stirrup she caught sight of me tucking the stirrup leather back in and bolted whilst bucking and got me off, she then stood physically shaking, so I think she's had a few beatings.
It's taken a while to gain her trust but we're getting there.
The phrase "diamond in the rough" pretty much sums her up

 

[oldie48]

What's a normal horse? I sold a 17 yr old, school sour gelding for a lot more than that but he was well schooled, absolutely 100% to hack in company and on his own, a complete gent to handle and very attractive to the eye. He's also never had a days lameness in his life and was low mileage for his age. For most leisure riders who want something safe, sane and sound to do a bit of RC on, I doubt you'd find anything for £2.5K unless you got something off the track, past their prime or newly backed.

 

[Sukistokes2]

I got this for that........



Pros
He is calm , sane, sensible and a gentleman. He travels , he hacks and he schools. He will go to shows on his own, he is boarding on that term "bomb proof" excluding zombie sheep. He is ten and he is too big at 16.2 hh, he oozes what he is a gentle, kind giant.
Cons
God it can eat!!!!!!!!!!
He was green to hack, been used in a school most of the time I think. He'd been neglected, teeth not done, had a huge hook which had made him very one sided. Used by novices he had no idea it was possible to use his rear end at all. He was skinny, had no muscle and no real idea. I don't think he has EVER been allowed to canter under saddle. He runs through the bridle, he panic runs. He is out growing his saddles at an alarming rate :O

Did I mention he eats his own body weight in a day !!!!!

That's what I got for £2500 ( Although I told OH he was £2000 )

I've been told I got a bargain by some and that I over paid by others. He is too big for me, I wAnted a dressage horse but.............

Now there is no money in the world that would buy him!

 

[Sheep]

Where I am, you could probably get a reasonable enough RC type for that money, age-wise probably anything from 5 up.

 

[oldie48]

I got this for that........



Pros
He is calm , sane, sensible and a gentleman. He travels , he hacks and he schools. He will go to shows on his own, he is boarding on that term "bomb proof" excluding zombie sheep. He is ten and he is too big at 16.2 hh, he oozes what he is a gentle, kind giant.
Cons
God it can eat!!!!!!!!!!
He was green to hack, been used in a school most of the time I think. He'd been neglected, teeth not done, had a huge hook which had made him very one sided. Used by novices he had no idea it was possible to use his rear end at all. He was skinny, had no muscle and no real idea. I don't think he has EVER been allowed to canter under saddle. He runs through the bridle, he panic runs. He is out growing his saddles at an alarming rate :O

Did I mention he eats his own body weight in a day !!!!!

That's what I got for £2500 ( Although I told OH he was £2000 )

I've been told I got a bargain by some and that I over paid by others. He is too big for me, I wAnted a dressage horse but.............

Now there is no money in the world that would buy him!

NO he wasn't a bargain, he was so lucky cos he got you! He is lovely!

 

[Ormsweird]

I got a 6 year old, leg at each corner chestnut cob for 2650. He's sane, you can leave him and he'll be foot perfect when you get back on. Hacks alone or with company, has done basic dressage but never jumped. I ride him, husband rides him, 7 year old rides him on lead rein. And everyone keeps telling us we should show him because he's considered pretty (he certainly thinks so!) Needs to slim though! Dratted cobs who look at grass and put weight on!

 

[Theocat]

As others have said, I'd expect some sort of "flaw" or risk. Assuming that a "normal" horse can hack safely alone and in company, make a decent if not necessarily winning attempt at a prelim test, and pop safely round something like a 80cm riding club course, at £2,500 I'd expect:

Something older - 14 or above
Something young that may not be "proven" to be reliable in every respect - eg will pop a course, but hasn't done so often enough or publicly enough to have built up lots of evidence
Something that has come back from a serious injury or has an existing chronic condition
Something unattractive / poor conformation
Something that needs some sort of careful management
Something that has a vice
Something with a non-ridden training issue - can't be clipped, won't travel well or load reliably
Something like an ex-racer, which lots of people aren't prepared to pay any money for because there are so many cheap ones around (regardless of the fact that the cheap ones are usually cheap for a reason, and the good ones always seem fairly priced for what you're getting!)

 

[rachk89]

I paid £3000 for my horse. Yeah he is green but he helped me get over my confidence issues with even getting on horses. He went through a bad patch last year but seems to have gotten over it. I think we got a steal to be honest as I have yet to have anyone not be shocked at how little we paid for him after they see him move. Yeah he is quirky, he hates male riders, he had 'teenage' issues last year, but he seems to have grown up now that he is 8 and is chilled again *fingers crossed*. Really for what I have he was underpriced but I can see why he was. If he doesn't like his rider he makes your life hell and apparently that's all he did to his breeder. Someone who had seen his breeder ride him said he was so much calmer and relaxed with me. I know hardly anyone on here would put up with him but I love him.

 

[william95]

Where I am, you could probably get a reasonable enough RC type for that money, age-wise probably anything from 5 up.

I would agree with this. The area that the horse is for sale significantly determines price. In Wales there are lots of lovely, versatile, safe RC horses for sale for this money at sensible ages and of different breeds/ types that will pass vettings but people don't always want to travel "over the bridge". These may well command £4-£5k in the home counties.

 

[LPL]

As others have said, I'd expect some sort of "flaw" or risk. Assuming that a "normal" horse can hack safely alone and in company, make a decent if not necessarily winning attempt at a prelim test, and pop safely round something like a 80cm riding club course, at £2,500 I'd expect:

Something older - 14 or above
Something young that may not be "proven" to be reliable in every respect - eg will pop a course, but hasn't done so often enough or publicly enough to have built up lots of evidence
Something that has come back from a serious injury or has an existing chronic condition
Something unattractive / poor conformation
Something that needs some sort of careful management
Something that has a vice
Something with a non-ridden training issue - can't be clipped, won't travel well or load reliably
Something like an ex-racer, which lots of people aren't prepared to pay any money for because there are so many cheap ones around (regardless of the fact that the cheap ones are usually cheap for a reason, and the good ones always seem fairly priced for what you're getting!)

Pretty much agree with this.

It seems mad to me that you have to pay so much for a sound, not ancient , not hideous but fairly plain horse but I suppose a lot of work still goes into that and someone is going to want paying to do it.

In regards to the ex racers, I totally agree. I wanted a quality ex racer but didn't want to pay more that 1k for it... I just thought why should I. I ended up extremely lucky but having now got involved in the RoR and moving to a race yard I can't believe how weird and wonderful tbs can be. I managed to pay £900 including delivery for my boy and think I have got the bargain of the century

 

[indie1282]

I would agree with this. The area that the horse is for sale significantly determines price. In Wales there are lots of lovely, versatile, safe RC horses for sale for this money at sensible ages and of different breeds/ types that will pass vettings but people don't always want to travel "over the bridge". These may well command £4-£5k in the home counties.

Agree with location. I'm in Cornwall and that money would get you a nice RC type that's most likely sane and sensible. People don't generally want to come so far down the country so the prices stay reasonable.

There's no way you would sell a green or just broken horse down here for 5k like I see on some threads on here - even a super well bred competition horse.