The price of horses

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NeilM

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I'm not looking for another horse, but like most of us that does not stop me looking at adverts.

There are a couple of web sites I like, including Project Horses where I believe you get some real world examples of ordinary people who are selling for a good reason. I have recently noticed a marked difference in peoples pricing which has set me thinking.

Some people seem to be selling basically sound horses very cheaply, under or around £1000. Others have similar horses for upwards of £2500.

We all like a bargain, but it is also true that people are more likely to impulse buy or make an ill judged decision if the amount of money is relatively low.

So, are low prices good? Allowing more people to enjoy horse ownership, or are the people trying to sell at higher prices actually protecting the animal from potential 'pet horse' buyers?
 
I've been interested to see some of the prices on Project Horses. I think some of the asking prices are far too high for a horse that has the sort of issues that would make PH the place to try and sell it.

As to the prices protecting, I don't think so. If a horse looks good and has an issue that could be somehow disguised, I think it would be tempting to the shadier person (dealer or otherwise) to buy, disguise, and sell on.

A lot of people loan because they can't afford the purchase price, but thy can afford teh running costs of keeping a horse.
 
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As to the prices protecting, I don't think so. If a horse looks good and has an issue that could be somehow disguised, I think it would be tempting to the shadier person (dealer or otherwise) to buy, disguise, and sell on.


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That's a good point MrsM.

I have seen one or two that are over optimistic to say the least, but wondered if it was protection rather than naivety, but as you say, some dealers are not worried about passing themselves off as an ordinary Joe when selling, so the same would apply when buying in stock.

I still consider many horses to be too cheap and I think this is one of the reasons we hear of horses and ponies left in fields or livery yards to fend for themselves or be looked after by others. Once the reality of ownership kicks in, it does not seem quite as romantic 'owning a horse' and as it was only £500, it can be written off.

If only it were that easy.
 
Ah, I understand your point, but I know of people who consider £5k plus to be of no importance
frown.gif


A number of horse 'owners' are the children of the parents who bought the horse. The parent knows nothing of horses, and only think along the lines of 'pay more therefore get the best', whilst the off-spring hasn't forked out the cash and the amount paid is of no importance - if they're going to ignore the poor creature then they will, no matter what it cost.

Conversely, a £500 horse may, whilst it doesn't get the expensive rugs, etc., live a better and far move loved life.
 
price doesnt matter - i have a 13hh 9 year old gelding on for 500.00 and i have had hardly any calls. I am worried about him being cheap but wanted price to reflect market conditions and the fact he plants when coming in (!) I just want a good home and that is down to luck, not how much i advertise him for...what is clear is the cost of looking after a horse after purchase is the expensive bit, not necessarily the buying!
 
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A number of horse 'owners' are the children of the parents who bought the horse. The parent knows nothing of horses, and only think along the lines of 'pay more therefore get the best', whilst the off-spring hasn't forked out the cash and the amount paid is of no importance - if they're going to ignore the poor creature then they will, no matter what it cost.


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That is sadly too often true.
 
Also some people are a little ridiculous in pricing at this time in the recession, not everyone has the money to fork out for a £6k horse that has done as much as some 10 year olds, and yet because its 7-8 it is going for £3k more.. I think some people need to think realistically. The same applies for cheap horses, some of them are genuine and have no problems just the fact that people are on hard times and want a quick sale, however others are horses that people know have problems and are trying to get rid of without earning nothing for them.
Poor horses in the end, the expensive ones will probably end up rugged up to their eyeballs, kept in and over fed 24/7 and the cheaper ones left in a field with nothing 24/7 or in a bad home.

Or they can all have a happy ending of living out as much as possible with good food (just right), lots of attention and enjoying a discipline that they do. But in many cases this wont happen
 
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