Unrealistic pricing - horses for sale

[Bernster]

A thread on here about the 6k horse not being worth it, got me thinking about other ads I’ve seen where the prices seem wildly odd. I do cruise horsequest generally looking at the competition types and have noticed:

- older horses that have done well but are 13/14 years or older with £10-15,000 price tags. I realise a good grass roots horse commands a lot but surely there’s a very good chance they are coming towards the end of their career at that level, so you’re paying top dollar for a few years of performance?
- horses priced for potential but not there yet. Still young and unproven but with pretty significant price tags.
- ones that *should* be a good eventer, jumper etc but haven’t got any comp record of any note but priced as if they are ‘that’ horse.

Do others see this too?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It's not just horses it's ponies too. A couple of people seem to think that they can drag a scraggy shetland out of the field, ride it for a week, take a few pics of it standing still and then charge the earth for a "Superb, HOYS Quality Ridden Shetland".

 

[spugs]

Have prices gone up recently? I had a look at cobs on horsequest recently and lots of 14.2 hairy cobs that haven’t done a lot for 2.5-3.5k! They used to be cheap as chips.

 

[Bernster]

Yes that’s another one, ones that are ‘show quality’ (generally hoys) but have never shown. Unless it’s a show producer, I’m going to take that with a large pinch of salt!

I think they might have spugs. The ones I look at for grass roots low level eventing or all rounders, can be as much as 20k!

 

[Berpisc]

Potentials have always been around; I remember 20 odd years ago looking at a very overweight section D (the breeding was nice) in a small paddock when horse shopping with a friend. We were told that she was definitely HOYS material etc etc, when we asked to see her ridden (with a tiniest tad of mischief it has to be said) we were dismissed - oh no they didn't have any tack for her .
Not much changes...

 

[catkin]

Prices asked for and prices obtained are not the same..............

In the case of an older horse who is a genuine schoolmaster then they can retain value as they rarely come up for sale and can do a very valuable job.

 

[Melody Grey]

I have always and probably will always be in the bargain basement project department, so I can’t say that I’ve noticed. I think wishful thinking is always at play, even in that category though 🙈 ...makes the quest even more fun!

 

[joosie]

Have prices gone up recently? I had a look at cobs on horsequest recently and lots of 14.2 hairy cobs that haven’t done a lot for 2.5-3.5k! They used to be cheap as chips.

Which is particularly ironic given how many coloured cobs there are in rescue centres...

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Just seen one with a friend last week, 9yr old all rounder which was advertised at 7k in May, then June - with lots of potential but nothing on the card.
After trying in arena, road and hacking, deal done for 3.2k
They are out there, but I think that what she offered (2.5k) to start with was fair (but harsh to vendor). Left it a week and went back with higher final offer yesterday, collected today

 

[eggs]

A genuine older horse with a good competition record that has stayed sound - I can see that five figures is not unreasonable especially when you consider the cost of training that has gone into getting to a good consistent level. Yes you probably won't get 10 years of competition riding but there is nothing to say that a young horse is necessarily going to have a long career.

It is the prices for 'potential' that I find mind blowing. If the horse has so much potential why hasn't it been realised yet? As a wise friend once said 'everything has potential until it proves that it doesn't'.

 

[Goldenstar]

I think prices are more punchy than they where .
Older been there and done it horses who are solid performers at a meter are in demand and they are commanding good prices
Many more people are riding for longer into what used to be considered old age and many younger people simply don’t have the time for projects .
Young horses with potential have always been easy to sell to competitive homes when you get on a special youngster and feel it you don’t need it to have done anything on paper .
ID’s are sought after again I am so glad about that I thought at one stage they would be in trouble and the really nice ones cost lots and lots .

 

[Clodagh]

I think as riders get more incompetent, and more and more need a horse that will look after them and take them to win rosettes, or at least safely trot them round the block facing all that todays world can throw at it, the only way prices can go it up.
So few people now seem to want to cope with any even quite normal 'quirks'.

 

[Fransurrey]

The first horse I looked at was up for 4,500. After riding a very nervous mare, I wanted something safe and steady to get my confidence back, so budget was 5000. She was 6, so ideal age wise, too. Except she'd done bugger all. On the phone I was told she'd been out and about, but this turned out to be one trip down the road hacking, so not travelled. She seemed great on the hack in company, but on her own wouldn't even leave the yard.

Ended up paying 2,500 and for safety he's fantastic. Probably a bit TOO laid back, but I can always buy a speedy one next time...if there is a next time...

 

[blitznbobs]

I saw one the other day with the tag - ‘potential eventer ‘ it was 14

 

[Auslander]

With the older horses, you're paying for their experience. You might not have them for a long time, but you'll learn such a huge amount that it's worth paying the big bucks. Alf was on the market for a 5-figure sum (a lot more than 10k) at 14 years old, and would have been worth every penny, but his talent for ejecting people he didn't approve of (pretty much anyone who got on him!), and his soundness issues worked in my favour.
For me, it would have to be a very special older horse, with proven ability at advanced level in whatever its discipline was, and the temperament to become a decent schoolmaster, to command a substantial price tag in its teens.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

So few people now seem to want to cope with any even quite normal 'quirks'.

Define 'normal' quirks! I've been bolted with, bucked off, dumped on hacks, the usual, I suppose.

Reasonable colored cobs have been commanding a decent price for some years.

A friend bought a Selle Français a couple of years ago. The owner wanted a quite eye watering price but then dropped considerably because he wanted my friend to have her. The horse has potential, but will be basically used for hacking. Another friend just bought an Arab, lovely looking horse, but twice her budget. Again the owner wanted her to have him, so literally halved the sale price. It's another 'has massive potential' horse but will be used hardly at all.

I keep seeing these horses with 'potential', but an awful lot of owners want something that hacks, schools, maybe to do sponsored rides on, maybe some low level shows. There aren't so many who want HOYS potential.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Ended up paying 2,500 and for safety he's fantastic. Probably a bit TOO laid back

Just what I'd look for if my OH allows the very idea!

 

[hairycob]

I don't see why a coloured cob should be bargain basement if it's well put together and properly schooled.

 

[DabDab]

I don't see why a coloured cob should be bargain basement if it's well put together and properly schooled.

Because they were always ten a penny, the same as ex racer tbs.

 

[Leo Walker]

I don't see why a coloured cob should be bargain basement if it's well put together and properly schooled.

Because nicely put together, polite and well schooled is a rarity!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Because they were always ten a penny, the same as ex racer tbs.

I'd have to disagree here...GOOD examples of Cobs are absolutely not ten a penny. I have searched high and low for a really decent Cob, very few to be found and those that are really do command a high price. There are plenty of mediocre Cobs around though for certain. I also think that people are starting to value Cobs more for their versatility, they aren't looked upon as mere cart horses so much these days.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Also I agree with the OP, horse prices seem to have gone crazy. I suppose it's a good thing that decent horses are commanding sensible money but I think an awful lot of sellers have a very inflated idea of their horses' worth.

 

[Goldenstar]

Exactly cobs are ten a penny really nice cobs that are well trained are rare

 

[DabDab]

I'd have to disagree here...GOOD examples of Cobs are absolutely not ten a penny. I have searched high and low for a really decent Cob, very few to be found and those that are really do command a high price. There are plenty of mediocre Cobs around though for certain. I also think that people are starting to value Cobs more for their versatility, they aren't looked upon as mere cart horses so much these days.

I thought that comment was in response to the comment up thread about hairy 14.2hh coloured cobs....

You're talking about show cob types, which have always commanded good money, and are more often solid than coloured

 

[Goldenstar]

Not necessarily DD in think increasing numbers of people prize the simple things in their horse ,easy good in traffic hacks out etc and they are prepared to pay to get one that does that it does not matter if the type is cheap if the individual will do your job people are prepared to pay for well for them .

 

[photo_jo]

So if you saw a nice 4 or 5 year old-potential to go on-riding nicely and jumping a set of fences what would you expect to pay?

 

[scruffyponies]

IME there are still plenty available FTGH if you're an experienced who has sworn not to take any more on. They might have issues, but I'd rather ride an awkward horse who has spent a year being improved, than £10k's worth of 'potential' who has spent a year getting worse!

 

[DabDab]

Not necessarily DD in think increasing numbers of people prize the simple things in their horse ,easy good in traffic hacks out etc and they are prepared to pay to get one that does that it does not matter if the type is cheap if the individual will do your job people are prepared to pay for well for them .

Yes I appreciate that, I said used to be ten a penny....

I'm going to give up with responding on this thread. I'll try once more
Little hairy coloured cobs used to be ten a penny, and now recently people have seemed to start valuing them more, which was the comment that another poster made up thread. The horse market is changing.

It's an observation not a judgement, but note to self don't ever be seen to be insulting a coloured cob on here! Where's that thread of Shils'

 

[honetpot]

I have a lovely Connemara x CHAPs registered gelding. Though circumstances he was broken late.
The things against him,are he needs miles on the clock, he is 14.3 and he is not the very hairy with the long flowing mane. He is a SHP type.
I think people want a made easy to keep horse, just for fun. These are what everyone seems to want for nothing, just because it is only going to hack and do local comps.
I am very objective about my animals faults and I almost always get my asking price.

 

[cundlegreen]

I think as riders get more incompetent, and more and more need a horse that will look after them and take them to win rosettes, or at least safely trot them round the block facing all that todays world can throw at it, the only way prices can go it up.
So few people now seem to want to cope with any even quite normal 'quirks'.

So few people can actually ride....