So much for a buyers market - where are the decent project horses?!

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FrecklesMum

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I have been looking for a horse that fits the following description (copy of advert posted) and can not for the life of me find one!

All responses all either TBs (i know that there are lots of nice TBs out there but lots of people are not keen on them, hence i dont want one for a horse that I am looking to sell on), ponys that barely touch 14.3 never mind 15.2 or horses that are £4k plus!! So much for a buyers market - where have they all gone?!!

I am looking for a “Winter project” to run alongside my main horse who I compete with showing and BE. Aim is to produce a nice allrounder for the RC market.

I don’t mind green, young, cheeky or the odd buck but I am not at all interested in nappy horses or rearers.

Not fussy about breed or type but would prefer no pure TBs.

Must be sound, open to vet with no vices, load in a trailer and hack alone and have no serious blemishes.

Maximum age 10.

Please email with details, price and location.

Minimum height of 15.2. I am quite tall so cannot realistically ride anything smaller but I am not fazed by anything bigger (current horse 17.3!).

No silly prices (£1500 max) please as I am looking for a ‘project’ not a made horse!
 
tbh.. you're looking for a horse that sounds less like a project and more like an average rc horse without the price tag..
If you can't do nappers or rearers or unbroken or tb's or ponies.. don't get a project horse!
 
Fair comment, but I havent said that I wont do unbroken horse or such like.

I dont like rearers as to be honest they scare me and i have yet to meet a nappy horse that dosent revert to type under pressure, however, no problem with green or unbroken nice youngsters.

I have had no problem finding these types of horses in the past and am just amazed at what people are asking for horses that have done nothing or need reschooling. Its meant to be a 'buyers market' but to be honest there only seems to be limited selection compared to what there was.
 
Nice youngsters have had a lot of work put into them, they deserve a good price. Ones that need reschooling, generally need it because they're nappy in some shape or form, don't know of that many other reasons tbh..
 
To be fair, anything that meets the conditions of "loads in a trailer" and "hacks alone" implies not only started, but well started and with some miles on it. I've backed lots of horses for breeders that have NEVER shipped anywhere, and many more that have maybe done a trip around the block or to an inspection as a foal - that's not unusual at all.
 
I think you will struggle to find what you are looking for unless you are willing to compromise a bit to be honest. If something has the temperament you are looking for and is fairly nice as a youngster than it is not going to be that cheap, as there will be more people (especially now) prepared to take on a green youngster if they know it is easy to handle, hacks alone and doesn't nap or rear. I think a lot of people do not have as much to spend as they did a few years ago, so this type of horse is selling to people that might otherwise have preferred something that does have a bit more mileage.
 
lynds81 said:
I think you will struggle to find what you are looking for unless you are willing to compromise a bit to be honest. If something has the temperament you are looking for and is fairly nice as a youngster than it is not going to be that cheap, as there will be more people (especially now) prepared to take on a green youngster if they know it is easy to handle, hacks alone and doesn't nap or rear. I think a lot of people do not have as much to spend as they did a few years ago, so this type of horse is selling to people that might otherwise have preferred something that does have a bit more mileage.
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I agree! Buy buy a few from Ireland and expect to pay a lot more than that for a nice / 'straight' 3/4 yr old. Rubbish with quirks I can buy anywhere for less!
 
your advert isn't very clear that you don't mind an unbroken horse as I don't know any unbroken horses that hack themselves out alone ;)

Perhaps re-write your advert? At the moment it sounds like you want a £3k horse for half the price which may be why you are getting no responses.
 
It does sound like you want the finished article in your advert. For the money you have you need to be looking at horses that need a lot of work or have quirks. I have bought and produced several young horses that fit the outcome, a nice RC/Competition horse and they have all cost more than that to start with and i've taken a gamble on them all coming from Ireland and i hadn't even sat on them!
With regards to a buyers market, this term has knocked the bottom out of the market for decent horses, because people think that now they can offer a rediculous amount for a quality horse. This may be the case if they seller is in dire need of the cash but otherwise my horses are the same price now as they were before, only i'm not actively selling. If someone sees one and likes it, then i may sell it, otherwise i'm not entertaining purchasers that think they can pay a fraction of the price because of the 'economic climate', unfortunately it still costs me the same, if not more to keep them irregardless of the 'economic climate'. Good Luck :)
 
I usually find mine in adverts - search all the websites for the under £2k horses (especially the 'cheaper' websites) and be prepared to haggle and take a punt. My most successful buys/sells have come with zero history, haven't been ridden for at least 6 months (if, indeed, they've been broken at all) and often look like the sort of horse you wouldn't touch with a bargepole...
 
If you are on facebook search Equine Rescue and Rehoming...They have lots of really nice horsees looking for homes and only for the nominal rehoming fee and nothing extra unless it's travelling costs.
 
I would do a search re the above first .
I think I am right in thinking they do loan contracts which you pay for, and so cannot resale as the horse still belongs to them.
 
Shame you don't want a rising three year old as I have one here that might fit your bill. I know he can jump 4 foot rails too as the others got out the other day and he thought he was going after them but he jumped into the wrong field, silly boy.
 
as others have said it really doesnt sound like you want a project horse at all,

There is a nice buckskin and white on project horses, is TBx (would you consider a TB x) has hunted, competed, £1800 but open to offers, if I had the room I`d have him straight away!
 
I think you need to lower your expectations

A project horse is something that needs work and the most common faults are napping!

My last one didn't load, reared at everything (on the ground and ridden), had a capped hock, sarcoid and was very unbalanced and confused ridden

Loading was solved in one 2 hour session, rearing now fixed and she is AWESOME! I am so pleased with her and a lovely horse to have around. Not for resale though as she has a job to do!
 
Keep an eye on the project horses website. My last project horse I got from there for 1.5K and he was a little cracker, just ever so slightly sensitive/spooky which combined with an ultra neurotic nervous owner wasn't the best combo. He came good very quickly.
 
Sorry its taken me so long to reply and thank you for all the feedback.

On reflection, I can see the point that I seem to be looking for a nice RC without the price tag and that I need to rephrase my advert. However, I am also very realistic about what I can get.

What i am really looking for is the type of horse that has been stood in the field for a few months or years and is fat and unfit (hope that makes sense!).

I appreciate that nice, well produced youngsters are always worth a nice price and dont expect to get something for nothing but equally I have been really quite suprised at what people consider "15.2" or alternatively, what they think that some horses are worth.

I went to see one last weekend that was as lame as a cat, so sore through its back and just really a overall sad case - combined with this it had not done anything for 2 years (literally nothing, not evern ridden), yet the ownner wanted £2k!

Equally, I though that i had bought a cracker this week for the owner to change her mind at the last moment - so they are out there!

I will keep you updated (with pics!)

Thanks again
 
Ive never found it hard to buy a true project horse....all of which are PURE TB's and have made fantastic competition horses - one of which is selling on here at the moment and we have had a very good response!

To be honest I agree with a number of other people on here and I think you are being a bit fussy really - no napping??? sound like you want something that someone else has already cracked so you can take the glory and make the money!
 
My friend saw your revised advert on Project Horses and has a suitable horse, she rang you a couple of times yesterday to see if you would be interested in him, there was no answer :(

The horse in question is a WBxTB with good bloodlines (Cavalier Royale and Clover Hill), he has a massive loose jump and lovely paces. He is very sweet and has been well handled, he does lunge, has had a saddle and bridle on but is a complete blank canvas otherwise. Vaccinated, passported etc. He's 16hh, bay and five years old.
 
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Your ad at the top sounds like the potential RC allrounder I am looking for (without success) and I have a budget of double yours. I've been looking for an allrounder for over a year now, I'm prepared to put some work it but don't want a complete baby or nutter, although green and unbalanced would be fine. I've found that far from being a buyers market it is the case that people simply aren't selling unless they have to because they have heard the horror stories.

So if you find anything that fits your bill but is over budget, forward the details to me!
 
princess_skills said:
Ive never found it hard to buy a true project horse....all of which are PURE TB's and have made fantastic competition horses - one of which is selling on here at the moment and we have had a very good response!

To be honest I agree with a number of other people on here and I think you are being a bit fussy really - no napping??? sound like you want something that someone else has already cracked so you can take the glory and make the money!
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Not really quite sure what the point of this post is aside from to have a go. As I said, I do not have a issue with TBs but lots of people do, hence I dont look at them.

In terms of the no napping comment, please see my post above yours. I still maintain though that most nappers have formed the 'habit' and unless have a strong rider will return to type if given half a chance.

Frankly, the comment about cracked so i can take the glory and money seems somewhat below the belt and frankly un-nesscesary. You dont know me and as far as i know I ahve never insulted you or indeed attacked any one on this forum. If you have feedback, please put it but there is no need for personal insults.

Re the advert on project horses - Its not on project horses and I have not put my number any where so i think she must be respnding to someone else - hwoever pls pm me details, inc location (as sods law it will be the other end of the country from me!)
 
Hi, Suggest you look on www.projecthorses.co.uk, i was shown this site by a friend and if you are looking to bring something on that isnt to expensive this is the site to look at. Owners are looking for a good home rather than a higher price.

Hope this helps.

Charlotte
 
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