What’s your horse worth? (hypothetical)

[Emilieu]

I needed a quiet hack tonight. It was dusk, a bit cold and there was a goodish wind blowing, I’ve been away all week and horse has sat doing nothing- in fact, she hasn’t hacked out in the evening since last year. Despite the odds appearing against me, I got my quiet hack. As she bounced along, little furry ears pricked, I thought lovingly of what she is worth to me- worth her weight in gold, wouldn’t sell her for a million pounds etc. OH laughs at me for this and says everything has a price. Points out what we could do with the imaginary million pounds I am allegedly turning down for a fat wee cob. So are you all as sentimental as me or if someone offered you a large monetary sum to hand over your horse would you do it? What is your price?

 

[ihatework]

Because I don’t ride any more, in all honesty all mine would be sold if the right price was on the table and it was the right person.

2 would be in the region of 6 figures to sell. The other around 30k would buy her. (They aren’t actually worth that on the open market I hasten to add)

 

[Sealine]

My 20 year old horse with hock spavins is worth very little on the open market. He’s priceless to me and I’d no more sell him than sell my Dad or my dog. I’m open to offers for my husband ?

 

[The Irish Draft 2022]

Personally I wouldn’t sell my horse just because I worry about her future she a very good doer that has poor work ethic so can be lazy. I would worry she would end up in a doggy dealer and I love her to much.

 

[Emilieu]

Personally I wouldn’t sell my horse just because I worry about her future she a very good doer that has poor work ethic so can be lazy. I would worry she would end up in a doggy dealer and I love her to much.

I get this. I wouldn’t sell Betty because she is too good, but my previous horse I wouldn’t have sold because he had so many issues but was so super handsome I would have worried where he would end up. Plus I loved him to the ends of the earth so I didn’t even care that he was practically unridable!

 

[McFluff]

Mine is priceless to me. Fits me perfectly, makes me laugh and smile, always seems to know when he HAS to behave. I genuinely would turn down any offer for him. He’s a member of my family now (and there are humans I’d sell before him!).

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Gray is worth absolutely nothing to anyone. He is a 19yo 17hh grey tb gelding who still behaves like a 2yo colt at times. He is unridable due to melanomas. He will live out his days with me because he is a complete and utter muppet and makes me laugh every day ?? he has been here for 11/12 years, what's another 11/12 years! Hopefully, but to be honest I can't see that happening. 2-3 is more realistic given that I find a new melanoma every 6 or 7 months and they are the ones I can see on the outside. But he is fat, happy, well and a total pita so he can stay that way until the day he doesn't and then time will be called.

 

[ycbm]

This is a little puzzle I set myself often. I can't at the moment put any figure less than 6 figures on Ludo, he is such a perfect fit for my life right now, and probably actually would cost about 15k to replace.
.

 

[babymare]

My half blind stressed wee beautiful lass was worth thousands to me. We saved each other and that is priceless. Miss my wee lass 8 years on

 

[Nasicus]

Ridden one I'd sell for about 6k, probably what it would cost to replace her.

The unrideable 7yo companion and the unbacked 4yo though? Like YCBM says, it's a question I ask myself often too, and one I don't really know the answer to. Realistically, there must BE a price. But I'm so very attached to them, and then there's the ethics of selling the wonky one, and whether I could handle the guilt?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Last autumn I was offered out of the blue, over 4 x what I paid for B Fuzzy, despite knowing I could get at least another 3 if not 4 for that sum, I turned them down. She's my final one, not for sale at any price.

Even a few years ago I'd have sold if approached. Old habits have died tho.....

 

[poiuytrewq]

Someone did actually ask me to name my price once with my old horse.
I met this guy almost daily riding some incredibly swanky horses, he saw how amazing my horse was as passing everything and anything and said a horse like that was worth it’s weight in gold to him as a nanny and to name my price.
I was pretty proud of the little chap and said sorry but he’s absolutely not ever going to be for sale.
He didn’t believe me at first! No idea what he’d actually have paid but genuinely didn’t care either.

 

[scats]

Millie is my best mate and she’s going nowhere. Actually got no idea what she would be worth- 15hh registered PBW, 12 years, hacks alone and in company, perfect to load, clip etc. Great on farm rides, will go alone or in company, does a nice dressage test (trainer said could easily do advanced- it’s simply my choice not to), will pop a small course and could potentially do more of this but Im simply not interested. Loves jumping logs and cross country fences out on farm rides.
You can get on after a few weeks and she’s no different. Can be a bit miserable in the stable, but would never bite or kick, just doesn’t particularly want fuss in ‘her space’ and gives you withering looks! Outside of the stable she’s a softie and partial to a kiss and a cuddle.

Writing that down has made me realise how lucky I am! It’s been a work in progress and she certainly didn’t arrive that way. I actually hated hacking her out for the first year or two coz she would spook, spin and run (and if I insisted, rear!) but hacking is so important to me that I persevered and now that’s our favourite activity. Worth £5k in this market perhaps?

Polly wouldn’t be worth anything- she has mild but chronic PSD in one hind. She is, however, my little Angel and completely priceless to me.

 

[Peglo]

I don’t think there would be a price anyone would accept me to pay them for my old 2 ? but they’ve always been priceless to me.
Tali makes me smile every time I look at her. I don’t think there would be a price I would accept for her, would definitely have to be a lot more than she’s worth. Her temperament is just perfect for me and she’s irreplaceable. I’m just so smitten.

 

[Lurfy]

I've got a 17h rising 22 year old retired ex racehorse who I wouldn't part with for any amount of money. He is hilarious and after nearly 17 years owning him we really speak the same language. We go for many in hand adventures and although he has aged, he is a spirited fellow with a huge personality.

 

[Emilieu]

You are a soft old lot! Glad it’s not just me. I’m loving reading about all these priceless friends and especially delighted to hear that people have actually had this happen! @ihatework, I can imagine that three horses when you don’t ride is a lot of work, however. Maybe an eccentric millionaire will happen along soon!

 

[ponynutz]

My girl is 12 now and seeing as I've really outgrown her I probably should sell her. But having got her when she was four and I was 10 (and also having to have learnt how to stick and ride properly for the first 3 years of owning her) I just can't. So now she's a very happy, very unfit, connie that sits in my back garden eating my mum's hedges and going for a little hack on summer evenings. She's my whole world and I couldn't part with her for anything and don't think I ever will.

 

[Emilieu]

My girl is 12 now and seeing as I've really outgrown her I probably should sell her. But having got her when she was four and I was 10 (and also having to have learnt how to stick and ride properly for the first 3 years of owning her) I just can't. So now she's a very happy, very unfit, connie that sits in my back garden eating my mum's hedges and going for a little hack on summer evenings. She's my whole world and I couldn't part with her for anything and don't think I ever will.

I always think that if I had been lucky enough to have gotten the childhood ponies I wanted I would have a whole field of varying sized ponies by now! ?

 

[I'm Dun]

Yes I would sell. Having just made a very hard decision to sell my highland, it actually wasn't as bad as I imagined. Since then my TB has been trying to die of colic, which has just brought home how fragile they really are. It would have to be a decent sum of money as my TB is a bit of a superstar, but I'd never say never

 

[tda]

Another softy (maybe) I looked at my herd and the one I could sell easily for about £6k unfortunately is going nowhere , she's a damaged little soul and my set up suits her (just)
I'll never be rich.

 

[BBP]

What is the meat man paying per kg nowadays?! Realistically that’s the only monetary value mine hold.

BBP is nearly 17, hypermobile, history of sacroiliac, back and suspensory ligament injury, ulcers, allergies, fractured splint, RER, now sarcoids. If you offered me £30,000 for him and promised he would have a good home for life would I take it? No.

2 year old pure bred Connemara with ruptured superficial digital flexor tendon rendering him basically worthless. Also with me for life (that’s the plan, but with this level of stress I may go first!)

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I also play this game. The ‘what are they worth on paper’ versus ‘what would someone have to pay me’. At one stage Amber was worth a lot but that never tempted me. Now she’s worthless but Id still need 6 figures for her.

Lottie must be worth into 5 figures now, I’d have thought. But I’d need 6 for her too, to even consider it.

As that’s never going to happen, they are stuck with me!!

 

[ponynutz]

I always think that if I had been lucky enough to have gotten the childhood ponies I wanted I would have a whole field of varying sized ponies by now! ?

Totally with you! Ponies just have too many memories. So glad Dad saw right through me and now I just have the one instead of a small pony army XD

 

[milliepops]

Don't think any of my gang are worth anything really ?‍ can't really continue the thought experiment for that reason! Loan horse would attract a decent price on breeding alone tho i would very much prefer him to stay put ?

 

[[153312]]

None of mine have any financial value - just sentimental value to me. If/when they can't stay with us they'll be pts for this reason, I doubt anyone sane would buy them! ??

 

[Celtic Fringe]

I sometimes wonder what my little cob might be worth - although he is definitely NOT for sale! I think he is worth his weight in gold but at approx 550Kg this works out at something like £26.5 million at current prices
He is now 11 years old, around 14.3, huge feet and head but rather too light of bone (his breeder wanted a maxi cob and he certainly ain't that ). He is competing at Prix St George with his professional trainer/rider and qualified for Regional Finals in February and held his own against some pretty serious competition. He is proving to be a proper schoolmaster and is often used in demos. I'm merely a passenger but hack him on his own or in company and he is really good in traffic. He lives out on sparse grazing and is often used to tidy up the fields that the 'posher' horses won't eat. Definitely a keeper!

 

[Honey08]

Peanuts! Both old, both lame, both expensive field ornaments that deserve their retirement. I probably spent more on medication than they’re worth this year!

 

[Emilieu]

I sometimes wonder what my little cob might be worth - although he is definitely NOT for sale! I think he is worth his weight in gold but at approx 550Kg this works out at something like £26.5 million at current prices
He is now 11 years old, around 14.3, huge feet and head but rather too light of bone (his breeder wanted a maxi cob and he certainly ain't that ). He is competing at Prix St George with his professional trainer/rider and qualified for Regional Finals in February and held his own against some pretty serious competition. He is proving to be a proper schoolmaster and is often used in demos. I'm merely a passenger but hack him on his own or in company and he is really good in traffic. He lives out on sparse grazing and is often used to tidy up the fields that the 'posher' horses won't eat. Definitely a keeper!

I love that you have worked this sum out ?

 

[daffy44]

Mine are not for sale, I have actually been offered rather a lot of money for two of them, and I've turned it down without hesitation. I only one I might have considered selling managed to injury himself so now he is an attractive field ornament and obviously not remotely sellable. One of mine (the one in my avatar pic) people have wanted to buy several times, as a foal, as a 4yr old, as a 6yr old, and as an 11yr old, and I have turned down the money every time, and the values quoted have been eye watering, but I dont care, he is priceless to me, and I wouldnt dream of selling him.

 

[COldNag]

Neither of mine are worth anything.
They are out on loan because I wouldn't risk selling them.
I doubt there is any danger of being offered a million. Perhaps a fiver, at a push. For both. If I threw in tack.
But they mean the world to us .