Normal horse cost

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gallopinghooves

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How much would you pay for a horse who is safe and sensible who you just want to happy hack on and do some light hunting and fun rides with?

No competing or anything special. Just a kind lovely horse to have nice adventures with!

Not sure what’s normal!
 
gallopinghooves said:
So you wouldn’t say 11k is much for an Irish sports horse 7 year old mare? Hunted etc. Owner only selling because she can’t take the owner up a level!

She used to hunt her sidesaddle so I’m thinking she must be pretty steady!
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Not too much at all if she is well behaved, been out and about a few times, no major conformation issues, sound and passes a 5 stage vetting. I would think she will be snapped up at that price.
 
webble said:
Has it got the experience the mare has though?
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Yes I think so, maybe even a tad more. He does look a lot more powerful though … she’s 16hh. He’s 16.3. She’s 7 and he will be 7 in a few months too.

The reason I’m asking all of this is because I saw her today and I did really like her but feel so pressured to make a decision as she has viewings tomorrow lunchtime. So I’m debating whether to get up at 5 am and drive 3 hours to see the race horse just to help my decision making!
 
gallopinghooves said:
Yes I think so, maybe even a tad more. He does look a lot more powerful though … she’s 16hh. He’s 16.3. She’s 7 and he will be 7 in a few months too.

The reason I’m asking all of this is because I saw her today and I did really like her but feel so pressured to make a decision as she has viewings tomorrow lunchtime. So I’m debating whether to get up at 5 am and drive 3 hours to see the race horse just to help my decision making!
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Never, ever feel pressured to buy. If you didn't walk away wanting the horse, that's the only decision you need.
 
ycbm said:
I'm afraid the answer to that is what you can afford. Such horses, if sound and not old, are usually kept for life, infrequently advertised because they are snapped up by word of mouth and worth their weight in silver at least.

You might strike lucky with one that is unproven, but it will be a risk.
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This in spades

I had decided to leave the forum after all the recent nonsense, but as we finally have a sensible horse based thread started, I might hang around a bit more ! A good safe all rounder is so sought after and so rarely for sale because once made, no one wants rid of it. If you see such a saint advertised, especially one capable of carrying weight, my first question would be why for sale on the open market.

If you know you can educate a younger horse you might be better off finding sensible 4 or 5 year old that has been well started and shown to be level headed and trainable. He/she will still be strong money though.
 
AdorableAlice said:
This in spades

I had decided to leave the forum after all the recent nonsense, but as we finally have a sensible horse based thread started, I might hang around a bit more ! A good safe all rounder is so sought after and so rarely for sale because once made, no one wants rid of it. If you see such a saint advertised, especially one capable of carrying weight, my first question would be why for sale on the open market.

If you know you can educate a younger horse you might be better off finding sensible 4 or 5 year old that has been well started and shown to be level headed and trainable. He/she will still be strong money though.
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Haha I’m glad this thread got you through!

Yes very true. She is being sold because the owner wants to go up a level and this horse doesn’t have the oomph to take her there. She’s more woah than go which I like! I didn’t find her slow. She felt perfect but it’s so hard basing a buy off of a very short viewing!
 
gallopinghooves said:
Haha I’m glad this thread got you through!

Yes very true. She is being sold because the owner wants to go up a level and this horse doesn’t have the oomph to take her there. She’s more woah than go which I like! I didn’t find her slow. She felt perfect but it’s so hard basing a buy off of a very short viewing!
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Will the vendor not allow you to try the horse properly ? if you are being prevented from spending time with the horse I would be suspicious.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Will the vendor not allow you to try the horse properly ? if you are being prevented from spending time with the horse I would be suspicious.
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No I can but she’s a 3.5 hour drive from me and they just have road hacking so I schooled her and then did a little bit on the roads but I was wary as I’m not used to much road work.

My only worry is that the viewers tomorrow will buy her which is why I feel pressured. I really did like her a lot but I know there’s a lot out there!
 
Deposit subject to 5 stage vetting should guarantee you get her IF they want to sell to you. The worst that could happen if the vetting is ok is that you decide not to buy and so loose your deposit and make yourself a little unpopular with the seller.
 
gallopinghooves said:
So you wouldn’t say 11k is much for an Irish sports horse 7 year old mare? Hunted etc. Owner only selling because she can’t take the owner up a level!

She used to hunt her sidesaddle so I’m thinking she must be pretty steady!

The other horses I’ve looked at are 6-8k.
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buy her now, shes a bargain if sound!
 
gallopinghooves said:
No I can but she’s a 3.5 hour drive from me and they just have road hacking so I schooled her and then did a little bit on the roads but I was wary as I’m not used to much road work.

My only worry is that the viewers tomorrow will buy her which is why I feel pressured. I really did like her a lot but I know there’s a lot out there!
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There really isnt a lot out there at all and hardly any who do all of that and pass a vet.

a 16.3hh ex racer would be a hard no unless I had a small budget, and that comes from someone whose favourite horse of all time was an ex racer. When you combine big horse and a hard start it just tips the balance more towards their being a soundness issue.
 
What country are you planning on hunting? 11k may be too cheap for some countries and too pricey for others… depends on the type of country you need to cross. Also, are you a thruster, mid-field or more of a gate shutter? So many variables.

Also, get a physio to check her as well as a vet if she has been primarily hunted side saddle.

Finally, as she’s relatively young…has she had a couple of seasons in this country or has she just been brought over from Ireland?? Horses for courses, as I have learned to my cost (albeit in reverse)….if an import you need to be confident to educate her to the new country.
 
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gunnergundog said:
What country are you planning on hunting? 11k may be too cheap for some countries and too pricey for others… depends on the type of country you need to cross. Also, are you a thruster, mid-field or more of a gate shutter? So many variables.

Also, get a physio to check her as well as a vet if she has been primarily hunted side saddle.
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I did think this with side saddle!! Must be a bit unbalanced...her pelvis did tilt slightly to the left but I don't think any horse ever looks perfectly even. Is that sort of thing picked up in a 5 stage vetting? Surrey and I don't really jump - I go non jumping field and only go for a short day so I don't need anything too thrusty. And I always listen to my horse!
 
gallopinghooves said:
How much would you pay for a horse who is safe and sensible who you just want to happy hack on and do some light hunting and fun rides with?

No competing or anything special. Just a kind lovely horse to have nice adventures with!

Not sure what’s normal!
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This is the sort of horse I want but no longer have the budget for.
 
gunnergundog said:
What country are you planning on hunting? 11k may be too cheap for some countries and too pricey for others… depends on the type of country you need to cross. Also, are you a thruster, mid-field or more of a gate shutter? So many variables.

Also, get a physio to check her as well as a vet if she has been primarily hunted side saddle.

Finally, as she’s relatively young…has she had a couple of seasons in this country or has she just been brought over from Ireland?? Horses for courses, as I have learned to my cost (albeit in reverse)….if an import you need to be confident to educate her to the new country.
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In response to your last paragraph (somehow missed that), she’s mostly hunted in ireland but only from the age of 5/6 I believe. And since then she’s done a couple of months of hunting here. She was owned by a women, as opposed to being at a hunt yard etc!
 
I paid £600 for my lovely mare 😅 she is an ex race horse, but she was a good, solid happy hacker for 6yrs with me, we did jumping and fun rides too, and a bit of handy pony, then went on loan where she was a hacker and did some jumping with a confident teenager.
She's back with me after 2yrs. I hope to start hacking again after I lose the weight I gained while she was gone. We're having great fun in hand at the moment.
I realise I'm probably in the minority to have such a wonderful horse for so cheap, but they are out there 😁
 
Shantara said:
I paid £600 for my lovely mare 😅 she is an ex race horse, but she was a good, solid happy hacker for 6yrs with me, we did jumping and fun rides too, and a bit of handy pony, then went on loan where she was a hacker and did some jumping with a confident teenager.
She's back with me after 2yrs. I hope to start hacking again after I lose the weight I gained while she was gone. We're having great fun in hand at the moment.
I realise I'm probably in the minority to have such a wonderful horse for so cheap, but they are out there 😁
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Thoroughbreds really are just about the only "cheap" option now and whilst some of them are absolutely lovely, it is very much pot luck, particularly in terms of soundness/health issues. I went for a retired polo pony but was tempted by a couple of ex race horses, the problem for me is most of them are bigger than I'd like, I'd rather not have anything over 15.2.
 
Shantara said:
I paid £600 for my lovely mare 😅 she is an ex race horse, but she was a good, solid happy hacker for 6yrs with me, we did jumping and fun rides too, and a bit of handy pony, then went on loan where she was a hacker and did some jumping with a confident teenager.
She's back with me after 2yrs. I hope to start hacking again after I lose the weight I gained while she was gone. We're having great fun in hand at the moment.
I realise I'm probably in the minority to have such a wonderful horse for so cheap, but they are out there 😁
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I've had lots for a few hundred quid, but now those horses are a few thousand quid. The market went bonkers in lock down and is still sky high. Someone I know I getting racers off the track, sitting on them once in normal tack to take pretty photos and then flogging them for between 3 and 6k. They are selling!
 
It's insane, I won't be buying again for a long while as after Serenity, I want to have a break and I hope she has lots of years left in her, but I hope I don't get priced out of horses completely. I want a reenactment horse at some point in my life!
 
I know a safe, sweet but rather green 14.3 for sale (Connemara x TB), 7 years old. Asking price is around 8k, and she has people coming to see her and they very interested.
 
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