Prices just went up another level

[Ceriann]

So musing about getting OH a hacking horse - he’s a novice so needs a nice safe forgiving person to have a bit of fun with. I don’t sell so prepared to invest a bit to get the right one - also one eye on one that might do some low level jumping as I won’t jump my mare following injury. OH wanted to wait until spring. World of horse sales now at a new bonkers level - I’ve missed out on a couple because I wanted to see them not buy off video. It seems perfectly reasonable to not expect much change from £10k for a nice person with low level capability. I’ve considered buying younger (as have someone who can school and develop) but even then prices are mad. Seen a lovely 5 year old, reputable dealer that could make a solid and safe all rounder (probably better than low level and a bit of quality) - over £10k. I’m out of the game for now and will wait until winter!!!!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I thought that the prices may have dropped a little after lockdown was eased and everyone went back to work, but it looks like I was wrong. It may drop a little if there is an influx when the furlough agreement ends later this year but I doubt it.
Some fairer prices for a well produced allrounder as these have been underpriced for a long time, it makes breeders and producers more financially viable, but I have also seen some dross selling for silly prices. Eg: and unproven 5yo stallion, with very average breeding, less than great conformation and not having done anything but been lightly backed for £50k!!

 

[Goldenstar]

So musing about getting OH a hacking horse - he’s a novice so needs a nice safe forgiving person to have a bit of fun with. I don’t sell so prepared to invest a bit to get the right one - also one eye on one that might do some low level jumping as I won’t jump my mare following injury. OH wanted to wait until spring. World of horse sales now at a new bonkers level - I’ve missed out on a couple because I wanted to see them not buy off video. It seems perfectly reasonable to not expect much change from £10k for a nice person with low level capability. I’ve considered buying younger (as have someone who can school and develop) but even then prices are mad. Seen a lovely 5 year old, reputable dealer that could make a solid and safe all rounder (probably better than low level and a bit of quality) - over £10k. I’m out of the game for now and will wait until winter!!!!

I bought a cob that would do that job and a lot more and a made gents hunter in September for 6.5 k.
I would have paid 8.5 in a heart beat and was surprised to not be asked 10 or 12 which I would have struggled with as he was very fat very very unfit and had horrible chronic cracked heels .
I think the value of safe horses that will allow the rider to have a happy time hacking has risen significantly and it’s about supply and demand .
Lots of people want that type of horse and as result they sell well and quickly these horses have been undervalued for year mainly I think of a historical snobbery about happy hackers .
I think that’s over, driven by many older people riding and I think it’s a good thing .

 

[Scotsbadboy]

It will fall when people stop buying them for stupid money! I have noticed a lot of the low end types who sold for stupid money, now coming back on the market for a lower price but still high, so obviously they are trying to recoup some money from the stupid decision to buy an unhinged, broken overpriced horse during lockdown!

Some have made a pretty penny from this lockdown selling the bin end types they wouldnt have been able to give away two years ago! I made enquires about a little cob type i thought would make a nice companion and was given a stupid price to buy him ... they contacted me the other day offering him for free!!

 

[Nicnac]

It's nuts. Green as Irish grass ones being brought over asking for £12k upwards. Am looking for a supercob for somebody who has sold their Ferrari (for a reasonable price rather than the over inflated ones) due to various horse related injuries and life circumstances, who is an excellent experienced rider but has lost some confidence and now needs something that doesn't need to be worked for 2 hours everyday on top of full turnout but is not a plod.

Budget is good but having had one rather expensive one fail vetting this week and the silly prices being asked I am thinking patience is key. As a PP said there are a lot of dealers trying to push out cr*p for over inflated prices.
No issue with paying for doing what it says on the tin, but not a mug.

 

[Ceriann]

I bought a cob that would do that job and a lot more and a made gents hunter in September for 6.5 k.
I would have paid 8.5 in a heart beat and was surprised to not be asked 10 or 12 which I would have struggled with as he was very fat very very unfit and had horrible chronic cracked heels .
I think the value of safe horses that will allow the rider to have a happy time hacking has risen significantly and it’s about supply and demand .
Lots of people want that type of horse and as result they sell well and quickly these horses have been undervalued for year mainly I think of a historical snobbery about happy hackers .
I think that’s over, driven by many older people riding and I think it’s a good thing .

I think better pricing is no bad thing and agree with you the perceived value of a safe horse has increased so pricing has followed. I thought I had an ok budget at about 7k, which I would probably stretch if it was better than the immediate job requirement but anything near that is gone off pics and videos. I love this 5 year old I’ve seen - he’s described as safe for hacking by a reputable dealer, nice person and with some producing (and I have someone in hand to help with that) would probably be a cracker. I just thought there would be change from 10k. I have also rationalised that any horse I buy is worthless or priceless when I buy it as I don’t sell! So maybe I’m looking at it the wrong way!

 

[Bernster]

And horse buying has a lot of variables which makes working out a ‘market value’ even harder. There’s how much you can spend, how much could you lose (if horse gets injured etc), and what you value.

A fantastically talented but sharp comp horse would be worth mega bucks, but not to me as we wouldn’t suit. I’d value something less talented but which is safe and straightforward.

 

[Pinkvboots]

My friend has just bought a beautiful dressage mare she was looking for a safe all rounder, this mare has competed at medium and when ridden at her full potential looks really wow! She is 14 but she is really safe and although my friend doesn't ride at that level, she has been happy to just go round very sweetly she is also very forgiving so my friend will potentially learn a lot from her, she was £8,500 and looking at some of the prices now I think she was an absolute bargain.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I've just seen a shetland mare with colt foal at foot for sale for 3k the pair. 100% not worth that money! The mare is standard size - just, but mini bred so an over height mini, not much bone or width to her either. The foal is a black colt which will end up a 38-39" standard which is quite frankly worth 50 quid. If the pair went through the sale ring either now or in the autumn they will be lucky to get 600 quid the pair. But that would be shetland pony people buying not the general public.

I saw a piebald yearling colt sell for 600 the other day. If anyone actually paid attention to its breeding they would know it is an impossibility. But clearly they didn't. And so ponies are being sold for ridiculous sums because anyone will buy them. Breeders know their value and won't touch them.

So it's not just big horse prices that have gone crazy!

 

[Ceriann]

My friend has just bought a beautiful dressage mare she was looking for a safe all rounder, this mare has competed at medium and when ridden at her full potential looks really wow! She is 14 but she is really safe and although my friend doesn't ride at that level, she has been happy to just go round very sweetly she is also very forgiving so my friend will potentially learn a lot from her, she was £8,500 and looking at some of the prices now I think she was an absolute bargain.

That’s pretty much what I bought 4 years ago but 9 years old. Worth her weight in gold and would expect to pay a lot more for her now. Your friend has been super lucky.

 

[Mrs B]

From what I've seen on several occasions over the last year, it's thrown people's 'don't touch with a barge pole' antennae totally out of whack.

Where before, you'd have said 'If it's that only that price, what's wrong with it?', people are now spending thousands and buying the sort of trouble they'd have known to have been wary of a year or two ago.

Sadly for me, it means that unless prices come down, H will be my last horse.
I simply wouldn't have the money to buy another and I'm too old for quirks and youngsters.

 

[Enfys]

Prices here are nuts too ( and let's not get into property sky rocketing) I was casually looking for a pony companion, all I wanted was a very small elderly blimp needing a soft landing and a permanent home, the sort you used to be able to pick up for a hundred bucks, $1200 is the cheapest I have been offered, the cheapest!
I. Don't. Think. So.
If we have a bad hay crop the prices will plummet, but until then a bog standard cob weight carrier that is nose to tail trail safe will go for $15-20,000 (I bought one of those for $3k before prices shot up last year)
Where do people get their money from because I sure as hell have not been able to give myself a pay rise!

 

[Birker2020]

So musing about getting OH a hacking horse - he’s a novice so needs a nice safe forgiving person to have a bit of fun with. I don’t sell so prepared to invest a bit to get the right one - also one eye on one that might do some low level jumping as I won’t jump my mare following injury. OH wanted to wait until spring. World of horse sales now at a new bonkers level - I’ve missed out on a couple because I wanted to see them not buy off video. It seems perfectly reasonable to not expect much change from £10k for a nice person with low level capability. I’ve considered buying younger (as have someone who can school and develop) but even then prices are mad. Seen a lovely 5 year old, reputable dealer that could make a solid and safe all rounder (probably better than low level and a bit of quality) - over £10k. I’m out of the game for now and will wait until winter!!!!

It does really depend where you look and on what website you look. Like anything prices vary considerably. I've seen a number of nice horses that would fit the bill for what I'm looking for at the £7 - £10K mark, but again I've had to hunt quite hard for them. Probably better to go to a well established dealer as they won't wreck their reputation selling a dodgy horse to someone.

If I ever have enough money to cover this I plan to have two horses, one will be a school master type that is in its early teens which I can pick up cheaper than a younger horse who knows the ropes and I can go straight out and compete one which will fulfil my overwhelming desire to go back to SJ and dressage again. And my second horse will be my project horse, a young horse to bring on as I feel quite confident that I would cope better now than I did way back in 2002 with my youngster.

 

[Birker2020]

ive myself a pay rise!

Credit. Go wild today, worry tomorrow.
It's not for me, I worry too much about money and what I owe as it is!

 

[Pinkvboots]

That’s pretty much what I bought 4 years ago but 9 years old. Worth her weight in gold and would expect to pay a lot more for her now. Your friend has been super lucky.

She really is lucky she was looking for over a year and this horse was on her doorstep, it was just truly meant to be I think.

 

[Wishfilly]

It's about supply and demand though- I'm guessing you're after a pretty safe weight carrier, which have not been cheap for some time?

And obviously there are less available at the moment.

I see it as a good thing prices haven't crashed, really, it means people are not just selling all their lockdown purchases as predicted, and it probably suggests for now people are doing ok financially, as they aren't being forced to sell by circumstances.

 

[chaps89]

I kind of understand prices going up on ridden horses.
And I get that that means if they've gone up, the dross will also increase in price proportionately.
But it beggars belief that horses are being advertised anything from £1500-3000+ (which, I admit doesn't mean they are getting these prices) where they have cushings, history of laminitis, need hocks medicating, have coffin joint arthritis etc. If these were otherwise amazing horses stepping down, I get that they'd be worth a punt as you're getting a classy horse you can't otherwise afford. But often they are not very inspiring general all rounder/low end horses/often with behavioural quirks to boot!

 

[foxy]

I bought one November 20, 14years old never going to be a world beater but his temperament is fab. He is for my hubbie and he does exactly what the seller said. He will go first or last. Good to box, shoe and hack. Happy in the stable or field when the others are out being ridden. Yes he wasn't cheap but he is worth it.

 

[exracehorse]

Happy hacker on preloved. 14.2 cob. Nothing special. Doesn’t jump. No mention of flat work. 8,500k.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I found a safe happy hacker, do a pleasure ride pop a log 16h gelding on a for sale site last week. A bargain at £1500. Just the minor issue of his age, but the advert did say he still loves life and has lots of go in him. He looked well in his pictures, which could have been taken a while ago I guess. He was described as a much loved member of the family and a heart breaking sale. So heart breaking they are advertising a 28 year old horse.

 

[racebuddy]

Its crazy i am
Looking for another ideally irish to run along side my current eventer , I thought £10.000 waa fair
Enough this just gets me a happy hacker , think going to wait until end of year ??

 

[smolmaus]

I've come around to the fact I'll be paying 10k for a nice person suitable for a first time owner tbh. It just means saving another year I guess.

If it means fewer people buying ponies they can't afford its okay by me, and I've nowhere to put them yet anyway.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Just read an ad on fb. Lovely tb gelding. A lot younger than mine but has done the same stuff, xc , hacks etc £12000!!

 

[Jellymoon]

There’s a simple answer to all of this: don’t buy a horse now. I know it’s boring to wait, but do any of us ‘need’ a new horse that much that we are willing to pay double or triple it’s worth.
Wait, be patient, have some lessons on decent schoolmasters (they can be found and they really need your money) and buy next year, or the year after when things calm down.
And they will,
I don’t buy all this, ‘horse prices have been too low for too long and the breeders struggle to make money’. That may be true to an extent, but these current inflated prices are totally due to covid and brexit.

 

[Goldenstar]

A horse that suits your family is always priceless you just need to find them ,pay for them and then let them be a Pearl beyond Price . Mr GS returned from his trial hack on Blue looking thrilled and apprehensive at the same time . The latter was because it was 2.20 and there where more people due at three .
I made an asking price offer on the basis no one else rode the horse and said I would get the vet ASAP .
The owner of the sales yard went to ring the owner and I rang the vet ( who I had sneakily rung the day before ) Now I said we need you now it was luck he often works a half day on Friday .
The chap comes back says how long until the vet comes and I said fifteen minutes his face was priceless I had Blue in my stable in time to go to the pub for supper .
Prevarication is for housework in a market like this .

 

[Cloball]

There was me being sad I had spent my horse fund on a house instead. Now I realise I would only have been able to afford a poorly bred foal anyway. Back to saving I go... I may be some time.

 

[Goldenstar]

For those who are younger than me and skilled I seen some really nice TB’s on face book recently.
One in particular stood out a lovely correct individual he was 3k and a four yo and will be a beautiful horse in two years in the right hands .
Ten years ago I would have been off to look at him .
A friend in the village was given a tall immature 4yo last year been in training ran once I think . He was given away as he was too immature and it was not cost effective for his racing owners to wait .
He is the sweetest horse well behaved and a traffic proof hack he’s been taken very slowly he is a perfect match for his home .

 

[Goldenstar]

There was me being sad I had spent my horse fund on a house instead. Now I realise I would only have been able to afford a poorly bred foal anyway. Back to saving I go... I may be some time.

That’s really sad to hear and it’s tough .
Keep your contacts with the horse world current if you can you never know what might come up a loan or helping a friend while you save .
I do know I am very lucky .

 

[brighteyes]

All I can think of is even worse than usual 'negative equity'!

I had no intention of paying for my final horse and found a beautiful ex racer with a solid temperament (and no more than your average quirks which, of course have subsided with familiarity) for loan. Ideal for us all as unless I croak before he does, he's here for life and he has a solid back up plan if he outlives me.

I am watching a so far fruitless search for a young overheight Connemara (somewhat hindered by NO GREYS) while just up the road we have the BTRC with made-to-measure ex-racers all needing homes... Solid back-up, totally honest CV's and a return facility in the event of a mis-match. Also know a trainer who rehomes theirs very carefully, on permanent loan.

Mind you, I have my own place. I wouldn't like to do all this newness on a livery yard!

 

[brighteyes]

For those who are younger than me and skilled I seen some really nice TB’s on face book recently.
...

I just posted this, more or less! TB's don't all look like fine china ornaments (mine does, but I love the quality) and the stuff he has seen and cares not a jot about has amazed me. They are super clever and make wonderful partners if you put the effort in to see the world from their perspective while you get to know them. Isn't that so for all new horses anyway? Mine was a good one and I'm ancient albeit reasonably fit and able and two years on and we are having a ball. I smile just thinking about him!