Prices for project type horses

[Wishfilly]

I'm definitely not looking, and if I was, I wouldn't want a project, so I promise I have no skin in this game, just curious as to people's thoughts. I bought during covid, so I don't think I'm unrealistic about prices, and I fully appreciate the money/time and work that goes into making a safe/sane all-rounder etc, and don't question the prices for these at the moment.

However, two adverts have come up on facebook recently which have made me question horse prices a little bit. Both were coloured but not very chunky around 15hh- small horse types. Neither had any recorded breeding mentioned in their adverts.

One has sweet itch and navicular, was being sold solely as a light hack, they wanted £5.5k for him. It sounds like he is a genuinely safe hack, which I appreciate is worth a lot to some people BUT equally with both of those health issues, that seemed like a high price to me?

The second was a younger horse, being sold from the field as currently not in work and would need bringing back into work. The advert mentioned that she reared in certain circumstances which to me sounded like she would be pretty dangerous to ride on the roads- which then makes bringing back into work tricky! Priced at "mid-high 4 figures".

Especially with the second, if you had the skill to bring that horse back into work, and were able to find a job for it, I think you could find an unbacked/just backed youngster of a similar type which hasn't reared- and surely that's more appealing to spend your money on?

I'm genuinely curious to know what people's thoughts are.

 

[gallopingby]

These posts come up time and again and there is no simple answer. Anything for sale is worth as much as a buyer is prepared to pay and the seller to accept. If the price is fair a sale is likely to happen sooner than later. If something has to be sold it may be possible to buy at a reduced price depending on circumstances but quite frankly it’s the choice of the vendor, if you don’t like the price then walk on by. You won’t know the full circumstances unless you go and see the horse.

 

[marmalade76]

Personally I wouldn't give that for a good horse now (I simply can't justify it), let alone ones with issues like that. Those horses simply will not sell for that money. At least they're being honest, many sellers are not.

 

[scats]

I’m always looking at what’s about and frankly I think the prices have gone utterly ridiculous at what is essentially the low and bin end.

Some of the gems this week are a very plain and not so well put together young coloured cob who has had surgery on a leg, up for over 4k. A horse diagnosed with navicular for £6.5k.
Very bog standard little 13hh cobs who have done nothing, for £3k.
I went to see an unregistered Welsh c for a friend, young but backed. Frankly far smaller than the 13h advertised, fat as a whale, badly mannered in the stable, dreadfully behaved to mount and as nappy as sin under saddle and the owner wanted over £2k.

I see a lot of “I can’t believe he’s not sold!” on FB but none of those people consider that they might have overpriced their animal.

 

[McGrools]

I'm definitely not looking, and if I was, I wouldn't want a project, so I promise I have no skin in this game, just curious as to people's thoughts. I bought during covid, so I don't think I'm unrealistic about prices, and I fully appreciate the money/time and work that goes into making a safe/sane all-rounder etc, and don't question the prices for these at the moment.

However, two adverts have come up on facebook recently which have made me question horse prices a little bit. Both were coloured but not very chunky around 15hh- small horse types. Neither had any recorded breeding mentioned in their adverts.

One has sweet itch and navicular, was being sold solely as a light hack, they wanted £5.5k for him. It sounds like he is a genuinely safe hack, which I appreciate is worth a lot to some people BUT equally with both of those health issues, that seemed like a high price to me?

The second was a younger horse, being sold from the field as currently not in work and would need bringing back into work. The advert mentioned that she reared in certain circumstances which to me sounded like she would be pretty dangerous to ride on the roads- which then makes bringing back into work tricky! Priced at "mid-high 4 figures".

Especially with the second, if you had the skill to bring that horse back into work, and were able to find a job for it, I think you could find an unbacked/just backed youngster of a similar type which hasn't reared- and surely that's more appealing to spend your money on?

I'm genuinely curious to know what people's thoughts are.

Utterly ridiculous p taking prices. Total chancers

 

[Highmileagecob]

I have been scanning Preloved from time to time, half looking for a first pony for the grandchildren. I don't do Facebook. The price seems to depend on the number of adjectives in the advert.....stunning, fabulous, terrific, scopey, xxxx to die for, you get the picture. One that caught my eye this week was a 15y.o. horse being sold as a dressage project.

 

[vhf]

I'm sort of horse-hunting, have very specific criteria but low ambitions (!) could take on some project/issue situations, and am at the barrel-bottom end of the market. There are very, very few that I could even consider following up. Many openly described problems and issues which then go on to have similar prices as those with none. So either they feel that having described the issue, they can expect the same price as if they didn't exist, or all the others simply have undescribed issues... My guess is 50/50...

 

[sarcasm_queen]

The thing is that prices have gone up right across the board. The times of getting a nice little project for 1k are pretty much gone.

 

[vhf]

The thing is that prices have gone up right across the board. The times of getting a nice little project for 1k are pretty much gone.

If I didn't want one, I'd be thinking that's a good thing. More people prepared to buy a bottom-end priced horse than are capable of doing it justice.

 

[Glitter's fun]

I'm sort of horse-hunting, have very specific criteria but low ambitions (!) could take on some project/issue situations, and am at the barrel-bottom end of the market. There are very, very few that I could even consider following up. Many openly described problems and issues which then go on to have similar prices as those with none. So either they feel that having described the issue, they can expect the same price as if they didn't exist, or all the others simply have undescribed issues... My guess is 50/50...

That's my experience too, weird isn't it!
Saw one this morning, 17 yo, not done much, "trained to riding club level" at home but won't travel; E5000

 

[Glitter's fun]

The thing is that prices have gone up right across the board. The times of getting a nice little project for 1k are pretty much gone.

If I didn't want one, I'd be thinking that's a good thing. More people prepared to buy a bottom-end priced horse than are capable of doing it justice.

I would be very happy to pay decent prices for a project with genuine prospects of a future but a lot of the "projects" I see for sale are either permanently 'broken' in some way, or only have a few years life left in them. A lot are actually not worth anything at all & that doesn't change in any market conditions.

 

[vhf]

I would be very happy to pay decent prices for a project with genuine prospects of a future but a lot of the "projects" I see for sale are either permanently 'broken' in some way, or only have a few years life left in them. A lot are actually not worth anything at all & that doesn't change in any market conditions.

Sadly true. And yes, always has been. For some horses, 'project' is simply code for 'can't, never will'. Over the years I've seen everything from the clueless owner to the devious seller, the poor to the broken, the misunderstood to the dangerous. They've all been 'projects' in someone's eyes. Some were in mine...

 

[humblepie]

Not a project in the sense of x or y wrong, but a lovely young ex racehorse on the RoR website advertised at £2,500. Run a few times without success. Looks a lovely sort if anyone had space to turn away for a year to mature. Nothing to do with me, know nothing about the horse but just looks really nice.

 

[vhf]

Not a project in the sense of x or y wrong, but a lovely young ex racehorse on the RoR website advertised at £2,500. Run a few times without success. Looks a lovely sort if anyone had space to turn away for a year to mature. Nothing to do with me, know nothing about the horse but just looks really nice.

Better definition of a project in my eyes!

 

[Belmont]

I've noticed prices are definitely coming down, but maybe that's due to the time of year. I did spot a sweet 3yo Dales X for sale at only £950 this week. Shame he's a hand too small or I would have snapped him up, I haven't seen any sub £1k for a long time.

 

[vhf]

Not a project in the sense of x or y wrong, but a lovely young ex racehorse on the RoR website advertised at £2,500.

Darn you, have fallen for My Lovely Sylv on there! Must sit on hands...

 

[maya2008]

They are worth what someone is prepared to pay . If the price is too high, the horse won’t sell and the price will fall.

 

[humblepie]

Darn you, have fallen for My Lovely Sylv on there! Must sit on hands...

There is another really smart one as well on the first page.

 

[ihatework]

There really is quite a lot of dross for sale.
Dross that no one should be buying irrespective of the price.

Seems to be an increasing uptake of people wanting to flip horses for a profit but seemingly not having the eye or skill to do this

 

[vhf]

There is another really smart one as well on the first page.

{{{lalalalalalalala}}}} fingers in ears.

 

[Jango]

I think a lot of people call shite horses projects, when they are really just poor quality or injured animals. It's sad for them, but doesn't mean anyone will want to buy them!
You do sometimes get more expensive projects when it's justified, eg a beautifully bred WB that would have been 20k, but has issues which mean it's 10k. Projects should be a significant reduction on the original price!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think a lot of people call shite horses projects, when they are really just poor quality or injured animals. It's sad for them, but doesn't mean anyone will want to buy them!
You do sometimes get more expensive projects when it's justified, eg a beautifully bred WB that would have been 20k, but has issues which mean it's 10k. Projects should be a significant reduction on the original price!

A project in my eyes is something that is green maybe has a quirk or 2 so not for everyone, I dont class something with navicular or arthritis that has stood in the field for years a project that's a broken horse, but because people don't want the bother of them anymore and won't do the decent thing they stick project on the advert.

 

[Melody Grey]

I think a ‘project’ implies taking a gamble. I’d want more surety for some of the prices ‘projects’ are advertised at.

 

[maya2008]

My projects are usually feral ponies people have tried and failed to tame. I don’t pay very much for them though. Current one is 4 months or so in and now turns to me for help and reassurance if needed, so we’re (cautiously) on a roll now! She’s going to be such an amazing pony, so very worth the time and effort!

My kids have had feral projects too - one is very firmly ensconced in our family, and two became first ridden types so went on to small child homes. All lovely, kind ponies who could think for themselves and help their rider.

I have also taken on some where the backing process went wrong.

All of them deserved good homes. All of them deserved time, patience and love. Many didn’t have perfect conformation, and were not going to ever make successful competition ponies (beyond local show fun) but did make wonderful safe rides. All who moved on from me went to good homes in which they thrived. There’s absolutely no money in it though, it’s a loss creating hobby to do it well!

 

[SpotsandBays]

I’ve seen a couple of OTTBs for sale on Facebook for 1.5k and upwards recently - all sold by one person. Haven’t really seen anything else that low in a long time

 

[webble]

I’ve seen a couple of OTTBs for sale on Facebook for 1.5k and upwards recently - all sold by one person. Haven’t really seen anything else that low in a long time

Yup I've seen 2 advertised not far from me 2k each

 

[Wishfilly]

Personally I wouldn't give that for a good horse now (I simply can't justify it), let alone ones with issues like that. Those horses simply will not sell for that money. At least they're being honest, many sellers are not.

I agree that at least they're being honest- the one who's a rearer is being sold from the field so I can imagine that could be easily hidden on viewing- at least they're not pretending it's a totally safe horse to bring back into work.

ETA: and yes, people are right, the first horse isn't really a project- it's just got serious issues. I just wasn't really sure about the wording to use.

 

[Wishfilly]

The thing is that prices have gone up right across the board. The times of getting a nice little project for 1k are pretty much gone.

FWIW, I agree- and I agree that's probably a good thing. But with the second horse, if I had the skills and were looking, I could equally buy a similar quality unbacked 4yo for the same money or less- so why would I buy the one that is known to rear under saddle?