The right price for safe weight carrying type?

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YogaNurse

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How much would you expect to pay for a ‘family horse’ 15 - 15.3 cobby/ weight carrying type that is safe to hack alone and in company. Potentially green in the school but with the right attitude?

I’m having a browse as hoping to get a new horse at some point this year but these types seem quite expensive (my budget won’t be massive)! My last horse was a TB and obviously very cheap for that reason, I am looking at chunkier types as my OH is now into horses and would love to ride said horse too! Any input would be great :)
 
Thank you all for your input! I may be waiting a while longer than expected for these price ranges.. but that’s okay :) I’ve never owned a chunky type so wasn’t sure what was the ‘norm’.
 
I suppose it might vary if horse has breeding etc

Also perhaps difference in price between Welsh cob and gypsy cob but then folks love coloured horses and that pushes their price up

There's a dealer near me that specialises in gypsy cobs and is very well thought of and hers never seem to be that much money but the non cobs she sells are invariably lame in the videos...don't know if that is relevant or not
 
Entirely depends on the seller and the buyer im afraid. You could buy these types dirt cheap in some circles, but they generally are too ploddy and backwards for some riders after a while..what you really need is a safe happy but also forward willing cob...thats when the money comes in massive leaps.
 
The thing is that a safe 15hh ish cobby type is pretty much what everyone is looking for so the prices stay high. You can get the prince down by accepting vices, high / low age, conformation issues etc. But for a nice good forward going cob type of a reasonable age at that height range you are looking at at easy £6 - £10K
 
I don’t want anything too backwards as I am used to riding something more forward going. I would be happy with something younger as long as it had the right attitude, however I’d rather wait and find something suitable than get something cheap and regret it!
 
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I'd expect to pay around £5,000 for a horse like the one you described. Saying that, it does depend on how much work you want to put in yourself. I bought my cob mare as a four year old for £1,150, but she really was just broken in and needed a lot of work to get her established. There was also the fact that she ended up being in foal, so that put a stop to things before we'd really gotten anywhere :D However, given another year or two I think she'll be capable of doing everything you described - and doing it well - so buying younger might be one way to get what you need within budget.
 
JJS said:
I'd expect to pay around £5,000 for a horse like the one you described. Saying that, it does depend on how much work you want to put in yourself. I bought my cob mare as a four year old for £1,150, but she really was just broken in and needed a lot of work to get her established. There was also the fact that she ended up being in foal, so that put a stop to things before we'd really gotten anywhere :D However, given another year or two I think she'll be capable of doing everything you described - and doing it well - so buying younger might be one way to get what you need within budget.
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It is definitely something I would consider as long as the horse has the right temperament :) it sounds like it has worked well for you! I could get a horse that would just fit me as I can ride something a lot smaller or finer, as these seem to be more within my budget. I just thought it would have been nice to get something we could both ride/share. He has a horse to ride on the yard I ride at anayway but it’s just deciding what’s the best thing to do.
 
As much as you’ve tried to narrow it down still a 15hh 13yo just about coloured hairy that can’t maintain a decent canter and trots along on the forehand is going to be 1/10th of the price of a 5/6yo RID show or maxi cob that’s schooling novice. For reasonable Confo, truly safe and proven as such I wouldn’t expect much change from 5k, 6k if via dealer. Ours have all been a bit smaller than that to compare.
 
I think it depends on what you want or will accept. I know of a LOT of horses that kind of fit your description that are around 3K, but they are not actually sound. The owners seem blissfully ignorant of the fact though, and cheerfully hack around the lanes and go to the odd local show.

Locally to me there is a 15hh for sale, he is actually sound and surprisingly loose moving, but has been owned by a very lightweight girl and has not done much. He is £2,500. His "downside" - he looks like a cob, but when you get on he is actually rather lightweight! So, not a weight carrier as he is short and narrow and won't "take the leg" or weight. He has been for sale since before Xmas, a pity as the small girl has been hacking, hunting (lightly) and has had HUGE fun, but he is really only a child's overgrown pony.

I agree with the other prices quoted for a weight carrier that is capable of moving in balance, with loose movement, safe and obedient. For that i would pay up from 4K for the raw material and more for trained.
 
I’m thinking you both need/ want quite different things. I’d buy for you, borrow the other horse you already have available when you can and then think about something more permanent for your OH later. Maybe a loan or a share to start then you can ride together.
 
I'd keep your eye open on Dragon driving their are some a smashing cobs on their- right enough you'll have to be clever enough to weed out the rubbish from the good but I think you could get a good deal of your willing to put in a bit of work:)
 
Trules said:
Ridiculous price. I'm going to start dealing weight carrying hacking cobs! Lol. I know a super mare that fits description for £1k just because she has a sarcoid on back leg.
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well presumably the OP doesn't want one with a sarcoid on a back leg that could easily cost £££ to treat. I don't see how that horse is in anyway a comparison!
 
You might get more for your money if you look for something bigger, far less people want a 16.2hh than a 15.2hh and very few want something over 16.2hh, especially not safe steady types as lots of nervous novices like to be close to the Ground!
 
I once bought a shireX from the local horse sale. He was about 17hands and he was the gentlest animal I have ever handled, my 12 year old daughter could ride him and my fourteen year old cantered him in a 50 acre open field. He was just about perfect, beautifully schooled but I figured he probably would not pass the vet, he was at the sale for a reason.
He was bought for a friends husband to learn to ride on, but he wasn't smart enough, he had a huge head, so I advertised for sale, at three times what I paid for him and was completely honest that he probably would fail a vetting. I must have had 30 phone calls, and sold him to the first person that viewed him, and she brought the expert friend. He failed the 5 stage vetting on the flexion test, and she still had him.
A nice horse will always sell, manners and rideability are worth more than looks to most people. Its the only time ever in 40 years, when I factored in all my costs I have ever made a profit on a horse, and probability the last.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
I’m thinking you both need/ want quite different things. I’d buy for you, borrow the other horse you already have available when you can and then think about something more permanent for your OH later. Maybe a loan or a share to start then you can ride together.
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Yes I think this is going to be the best option. It’s going to be impossible (by the sounds of it) to find something safe enough for him but forward enough for me on a bit of a budget! He’s more than happy for me to find something for myself and carry on riding other peoples I just thought it would be good if we could have something to suit us both - doesn’t look that way but never mind!
 
Kat said:
You might get more for your money if you look for something bigger, far less people want a 16.2hh than a 15.2hh and very few want something over 16.2hh, especially not safe steady types as lots of nervous novices like to be close to the Ground!
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I am only 5ft 1 so unfortunately anything over 16hh is just way too big for me! :(
 
How big is your OH?

A 15:3 cob is quite a big beast, especially if you are only 5'1"...there's a lot of horse to get your legs around.
 
That's v. true cobgoblin, another consideration might be have you ever ridden that type much? It is certainly something some people can't do day in day out due to their width as they find them uncomfortable.
 
ester said:
well presumably the OP doesn't want one with a sarcoid on a back leg that could easily cost £££ to treat. I don't see how that horse is in anyway a comparison!
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Anyhow Mare is not for sale but i expect completely blemish free she would be around the £3k mark.
Just saying for £10k i would want a horse with more talents than a safe hack☺
 
ester said:
That's v. true cobgoblin, another consideration might be have you ever ridden that type much? It is certainly something some people can't do day in day out due to their width as they find them uncomfortable.
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I’ve ridden lots of sizes and would never get anything I would feel uncomfortable on. I used to ride a cob x tb. He was 16hh quite chunky (probably too big for me) but he brilliant even for shorties! I was just hoping there may be an option that would fit us both but after reading these posts I’ve decided I am going to get myself something smaller to give me more flexibility and OH is going to continue borrowing.
 
I have a 15.1hh welsh d and as he has matured I have found he is just too wide and gives me a lot of hip problems. If I was to buy another cob I wouldn't go over 14.2hh and get a PB one instead. As to cost I would pay a lot for a perfect hack as a safe horse out and about on a daily basis is worth its weight in gold.
 
We bought a nice cob 10 year old coloured mare safe hack but green in the school for 250 quid she is very sweet but could do with more work than she is getting
 
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