What should I be looking to pay for a young TB for hacking?

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chrissy2014

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Not any time soon but I may be looking for a 2nd horse. problem is they range in all different prices. I would like it mainly for hacking and would also be taking it to the local school with me. Being green isn't a bother.

Young between 4 - 8 over 16.hh as I am pretty tall and feeling silly on anything smaller. I thought average price £1500? but reading an old thread on here it was mentioned thats very expensive for "just hacking" So I am a little confused.
 
I think £1500 is round the right price for what you want, that is what a friend of mine paid for a very green 9yr old 16hh TB, with intentions to hack and school him on for local shows and low level eventing.
 
The going rate around here for a sound TB suitable for hacking, but perhaps green, unfit, lacking schooling or otherwise not quite up together is about 500 quid.
 
When I was looking, it seemed that what everyone wanted was geldings, over 16hh and the age you are looking for. Add in a some bone, reasonable conformation and no known health and temperament issues and you get to about your budget. They can be got cheaper (or even free) if you have contacts or approach trainers but on the open market they seemed to not only be advertised for that price and a bit more but in several cases, selling before I could view.

Area made a difference too.

There will be some cheaper horses advertised for hacking because they have retired with an injury that makes them unsuitable for more; however as these could cost in terms of vets in the long run, it may be cheaper to pay a bit more upfront.
 
As already mentioned, 1500 would not be unusual for something with no previous health issues. However I would contact local trainers as you may well find something that fits the bill for a lot less. My first ex racer was free. She did eventually develop arthritis but then again I have a just backed 4 yo WB with DJD so there are no guarantees anyway!
My second cost the price of the fuel to deliver him, he has an old suspensory injury but it has never given him any issues and he was fine to hack and school. He is 16.2 and was 9 when he arrived. I am expecting a 4 figure vets bill now for his injuries from running through a fence but that has nothjng to do with his history and could happen whether you spend £100 or £10K!
 
Just out of curiosity - if you are basically only hacking, why get a TB? They aren't famous for being happy hackers (although I realise you can't tar them all with the same brush).
 
Really? Some of the best hacking horses I have known were ex-racers. Hacking to and from the gallops (which many yards do) sets them in good stead for the job. Some can take a bit of time to get going sweetly alone rather than in a string, but most seem to take to it trouble free.
 
fatpiggy said:
Just out of curiosity - if you are basically only hacking, why get a TB? They aren't famous for being happy hackers (although I realise you can't tar them all with the same brush).
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why not? agree with Faracat, they are generally used to being out and about etc. What would you suggest for us happy hackers then, out of interest :)
 
Well something with genetically better hooves for a start! I've known quite a few ex-racers and they have all been a bit sharp on hacks and pretty awful with traffic. I don't know what I would choose, something with pony blood probably although as the OP says, being tall is a disadvantage whereas I'm a short-ar%e. Something with a good chunk of a heavy breed would likely be a good choice I guess.
 
Oh dear...

I have to say that one thing that really annoys me is that people still believe that 'TB's have crappy hooves' and that it's genetic and that there is sod all that you can do about it. It's just not true. They often have crappy hooves due to being fed feed that isn't suitable for horn quality, combined with being shod from a very young age. When I helped retrain ex racers, the first thing that was done was shoes off, hard feed stopped and then the horse was turned away to be 'let down' (6 months plus). Now this was before I'd ever heard the word barefoot used instead of unshod. Essentially though, that was what was being done (a barefoot rehab) as they were also brought back into work very slowly with at least 6 weeks walking on the roads before trot was considered and I don't think that any saw the inside of a school for the first 3 months of ridden work. Their hooves, bodies and minds transformed.

All I can say is that all of those horses would have made a good happy hack (didn't bat an eyelid at skip lorries, bird scarers etc...), although most went to RC homes.

People probably want to turn horses around too quickly these days, which is a shame because a well retrained ex racer is a super animal.
 
I would choose an ex racer for a hacking horse, I've found them to be very good in traffic and not phased by much having seen so much in their lives (though maybe not lone bluebells). One of mine was always in demand as a chaperone for less reliable or younger horses though he did develop a range of long suffering sighs when they misbehaved.

Plus they have lovely smooth comfortable paces which makes them especially nice to hack

The only two things to watch is they need to learn an open field doesn't mean they've reached the gallops and as faracat says they need to learn to go out on their own as they probably aren't used to that
 
fatpiggy said:
Well something with genetically better hooves for a start!
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I bought a full TB at the end of last year. I looked at well over 10 horses at the time and out of all of them he had by far the best feet (as commented on by my vet friend who came with me to look at them all). He has also turned out to be a very steady hack even though he is only 6. So I think if you choose carefully, as you would have to with any horse, then TB's can be the perfect choice.
 
The thing we had fun with was teaching them to stand by the block to be mounted and to wait until they were asked to walk on. They all got it in the end.

Anyway, I hope the OP finds the right horse for them. :)
 
a couple of years ago I was offered a lovely TB, he'd had quite a successful career and was much loved by his owner. He needed a tie back to continue his career and owner decided not to do it but wanted a nice home. He wasn't what I was looking for but would have made a lovely hack and he was completely injury free with a very good temperament. I'd also look at charities concerned with re-homing ex racehorses and if you have stables in your area, why not contact them direct?
 
I wouldn't be looking to pay a lot - purely because sadly people don't value them very well.
£1500 is plenty if the horse is already out of racing, and has had some retraining, is hacking out sensibly etc.
We've just given far far less than that for one out of the RoR specialist sale at Malvern. We've yet to try him up the road, but he's 5, and has been in a field since he last raced in November.
My horse that I've had for several years, I would value higher than that, but only because she now has a proven track record and is to me priceless :p
Regarding the feet etc - new horse has great feet, older horse has good feet NOW - they were crap when she was a youngster but a decent farrier and feed has sorted that.
Roadwork wise - older horse is fab with traffic, we regularly ride out on "bike night" at the local pub and have up to 20 motorbikes passing in a row, without her batting an eyelid, she sees heavy farm traffic, large lorries all perfect. However some kind soul has left some fence posts in a gateway and these are apparently terrifying and require a large berth.
They're not all perfect but I've yet to find a breed that is - my brother's WB is an absolute eedjit up the road and will NEVER make a happy hacker!
 
My own ex-racer was a happy hacker for my mum between the ages of 6-9. She loved him, he had enough spark that he was always happy to go wherever you told him at whatever speed, but if you just let him have a long rein he'd just plod along happily :) Much better behaved than the pony before him!

fatpiggy said:
Well something with genetically better hooves for a start! I've known quite a few ex-racers and they have all been a bit sharp on hacks and pretty awful with traffic.
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Depends on where they've come from. Trainer I used to ride out for had his yard a fair trek from the gallops, so all the horses would hack through woods, down roads (inc. across a very busy B road), across fields etc. sometimes on their own, sometimes in pairs or in groups of up to about 7/8. I only ever had one incident on a 3 year old (just backed, late starter) where we got caught out by a sprinkler and he freaked, which I think any horse could do.

I'd say up to about £1500 should be plenty for something that's had a bit of reschooling, but you could probably get one for far less if you go direct to the trainer or sales.
 
I haven't met one yet that's been anything but good in traffic, including farm vehicles. The dangerous leaf blowing along the side of the verge is another matter of course...
 
Nudibranch said:
I haven't met one yet that's been anything but good in traffic, including farm vehicles. The dangerous leaf blowing along the side of the verge is another matter of course...
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So so true!! Hack last night in the wild winds involving flappy estate agents boards, huge noisy silver milk lorry, noisy milking shed going psssht as we went past all totally fine, however the horse eating patch of rhubarb that was fine the day previous utterly not fine and required much snorting and moving away from it...

Same horse doesn't care if a hoard of bikes, lorries, cyclists whatever come past, he'll hack on his own and in company at the front, back middle and be a gent. I can take him to shows where things are going mental around him and he just gets on with it (unless a stallion appears). End of last year a lady at a venue was impressed at mine and a friends ex racer that were casually chilling on a long rein in an indoor arena waiting for frillies that didn't even move a muscle when the huge door clanged shut. Equally if we want to go for a blast and have a lively ride they're up for that too.

My vet has also always said that my TB's feet are his best feature (he was being cheeky). Him and his besty are great examples of ex racers, they both are cool and trust worthy, will turn their hooves to anything, learn quickly, can be left and keep themselves fit, both super characters and both totally diff backgrounds (one is 16.3 ex NH and one is 15.2 ex flat) and both under the budget. Yepthere are some ex racers that wouldn't be right but they are few and far between and if all you want to do is hack then thats what they're good at usually!
 
fatpiggy said:
Well something with genetically better hooves for a start! I've known quite a few ex-racers and they have all been a bit sharp on hacks and pretty awful with traffic. I don't know what I would choose, something with pony blood probably although as the OP says, being tall is a disadvantage whereas I'm a short-ar%e. Something with a good chunk of a heavy breed would likely be a good choice I guess.
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what does hoof quality have to do with hacking? I am lost tbh, why does hack have to be even part heavy breed (ever seen a hack class?). Some of us don't want heavy breeds, why should I ride one just because I only want to hack? Why is a sharp horse no good as a hack? Is a good hacker a ploddy hacker? so many questions :p
 
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