What sort of budget for the following type of horse?

nikicb

nikicb

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I'm just starting to look for a horse for my son and I to share. I know how much I have available, but was wondering whether it's the right sort of amount for what I want.

I'm looking for.....

15.2 - 15.3, chunky enough to take 15 yr old son as he continues to grow but not hairy (although can do lots of trimming if necessary). 7/8 yrs, to do PC and school stuff for son and dressage for me (including affiliated - aiming for elementary/medium realistically over the next few years, not the next olympics!). I would probably join the local RC as well, and may even leave the ground with the right horse. :eek:

Nice person as it will live at home and I'll work it when there's noone else around. I'm thinking something like a smart connie x or similar. Long term home for the right one. My heart says a mare, but my head says it doesn't matter if it's the right horse.

Proven in terms of behaviour and scope, but not high mileage and with plenty of potential left to improve (I just love schooling!). I'm not rushing into this (as clearly I want the perfect horse!), but obviously it would be nice to have one for son to ride this summer and take to PC camp.

Any guidance you can give me would be useful, so I know if I'm pitching my search at the right level.

Thanks. :)

ETA I just wanted to add that this is not a wanted advert, I just haven't bought anything other than a pony the past 12 years and wanted to see if my budget (which I think is quite reasonable) is realistic. So please, no button pushers. :)
 
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These are never easy to answer. It all depends on how much seller thinks the horse is worth
A little greener than what you would want but friend bought 4yr coloured last year for £1500 and this year it would fit your bill great BUT would probably sell now for £4000

I bought a WB what would be six months later in training than the above and paid £2400 he was a bargain.

I know others who have paid anything from £2k to £6k for what you want.

like I say to others who are after the same kind of horse, you are almost after what everyone wants so chances are if it is still for sale after a week or two, it isn't what it says on the tin! Some on here disagree but this is what I have found 3 times in the last 10 yrs when looking and last time I travelled over 1500 miles. Last twice I was buying..Once I decided to only see new adverts I bought the first horse I saw. So now unless it was just around the corner I would not bother viewing if not a new advert!

Good luck and remember ALWAYS make someone else ride the horse first. I saw 4 that despite long conversations I did not want to ride once I saw it ridden
 
I was given one- although he was 15 at the time. He was bought for £2,500 two years before. Nothing wrong with him - he hated his owner's other horse.
 
Nice ISH sounds like it could fit the bill. I would actually think between 4 and 6k as you are looking for something that has already demonstrated it can do the job and you want something with a little extra for your dressage. Keeping it under 16 hands keeps the money down. One very similiar to this was sold for over £7k in the last month from our yard, but he is also jumping discovery and has proven to be very bold XC.
 
Really tricky these questions in the current market - some seem to be advertised for what they were worth pre-recession, others are much cheaper now. So a range from 2-5k is probably not that unusual depending on region and seller etc. Higher end for dealers, lower for some private sellers. And it is hard if you fall for one, to think about true market value when emotions get in the way, which is why knowledgeable friend is always helpful to keep you on the straight and narrow!

I paid £5k for my boy 4 years ago (in a good market) and he has been worth every penny and more even if he wouldn't fetch that now :)

And purchase price is a drop in the ocean in the big scheme of things, compared to livery, tack, upkeep, vets etc etc etc !!
 
Luci07 said:
Nice ISH sounds like it could fit the bill. I would actually think between 4 and 6k as you are looking for something that has already demonstrated it can do the job and you want something with a little extra for your dressage. Keeping it under 16 hands keeps the money down. One very similiar to this was sold for over £7k in the last month from our yard, but he is also jumping discovery and has proven to be very bold XC.
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Ack, now why didn't I know about him beforehand or I'd have to come to have a look ;) Bit out of my budget though so probably for the best!
 
Bernster said:
Ack, now why didn't I know about him beforehand or I'd have to come to have a look ;) Bit out of my budget though so probably for the best!
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He didn't even make it to the adverts...another livery bought him with the advantage of having seen him produced on by the YO for the last year for eventing. He will be out intro in a month or so..

YO has gone back a few times to Pangbourne to find horses for clients( they go with her) therenis currently another very smart gray on schooling livery at the moment who was the last one she got in!
 
Thanks for all the replies - nice to know I am in the right area on price.

soulfull said:
like I say to others who are after the same kind of horse, you are almost after what everyone wants so chances are if it is still for sale after a week or two, it isn't what it says on the tin! Some on here disagree but this is what I have found 3 times in the last 10 yrs when looking and last time I travelled over 1500 miles. Last twice I was buying..Once I decided to only see new adverts I bought the first horse I saw. So now unless it was just around the corner I would not bother viewing if not a new advert!

Good luck and remember ALWAYS make someone else ride the horse first. I saw 4 that despite long conversations I did not want to ride once I saw it ridden
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Very good point about new ads, thank you. And yes, I wouldn't get on anything until it has been ridden by someone else first. :)

Luci07 said:
Nice ISH sounds like it could fit the bill. I would actually think between 4 and 6k as you are looking for something that has already demonstrated it can do the job and you want something with a little extra for your dressage. Keeping it under 16 hands keeps the money down. One very similiar to this was sold for over £7k in the last month from our yard, but he is also jumping discovery and has proven to be very bold XC.
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This is what I thought. I was thinking along the lines of £5k or so for the basics with a bit extra for the paces if that makes sense - like buying a car with the add ons! :rolleyes:

Luci07 said:
YO has gone back a few times to Pangbourne to find horses for clients( they go with her) therenis currently another very smart gray on schooling livery at the moment who was the last one she got in!
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Pricks ears up - Pangbourne is just down the road to me. :p

Bernster said:
And purchase price is a drop in the ocean in the big scheme of things, compared to livery, tack, upkeep, vets etc etc etc !!
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Don't I know it - my OH started working out how much my old girl must have cost me in the 30 years I had her - I walked away at that point as I didn't want to hear! But it's why I would rather spend more on buying the right horse than pick up a cheaper not so right horse - they still cost the same to keep. :)
 
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nikicb said:
Don't I know it - my OH started working out how much my old girl must have cost me in the 30 years I had her - I walked away at that point as I didn't want to hear! But it's why I would rather spend more on buying the right horse than pick up a cheaper not so right horse - they still cost the same to keep. :)
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Yep, yep, yep. Although I try to be sensible about up front price and not get anything way off the mark, someone did once say to me, buy the best you can afford - as you say, they all cost the same to keep. Saying that, I did then make a very expensive mistake !! But fortunately I sold it on at the same price so it wasn't just me that was prepared to pay that much for a hoss ;) Different market though...she says trying not to sound like to much of a mug!
 
Bernster said:
Yep, yep, yep. Although I try to be sensible about up front price and not get anything way off the mark, someone did once say to me, buy the best you can afford - as you say, they all cost the same to keep. Saying that, I did then make a very expensive mistake !! But fortunately I sold it on at the same price so it wasn't just me that was prepared to pay that much for a hoss ;) Different market though...she says trying not to sound like to much of a mug!
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Unfortunately I did lose money on a bad purchase a long while ago, but that's life. It should have been a safe buy as it was from someone I knew and had known the horse for 6 months, but it didn't work out and someone else on the yard who knew the history offered to buy him at half the price so I moved him on pretty quick. He would have been very difficult to sell and I would have found it very hard from a moral perspective if the buyer didn't know the full story.
 
I would say you would be looking to pay at least 4k for what you want and let's face it - a good price for potentially years and years of joy!

I know you are looking under saddened circumstances but how exciting it will be. A new journey! Good luck x
 
It's a matter of fate, you can get people desperate to sell. Got my Clyde for under £500 as owner owed a lot of money and it's was costing to much to keep him. My tbx was under 1k with tack, again needing to sell quickly.
 
Ermm... well i have a chunky ISH who is a little green but is work in progress and 7yrs old. He is prob on the greener end of what ur looking for and cost me £4500.
 
Selling 6 year old spotted arab mare that fits the bill u describe. Priced under 4k. Wouldn't pay too much more than that tbh.
 
It depends on what sort of level you're aiming at I should think- if you want a proven open PC eventer that will win affiliated medium I'd guess you'd be looking at 5 figures, but for something less established or with less potential then the price would drop- I reckon 5k is a fairly average price for an average RC type horse, when I was looking last year for 5K you could either get an established but fairly pain and unlikely to progress much further horse, or a flashy but green youngster.
 
It is very difficult to answer as it sort of depends on how much quality you want, and people have varying perceptions on that. If you struck lucky 3.5k, realistically 5k for average quality, 6-7k for something more proven.
 
Billie1007 said:
I would say you would be looking to pay at least 4k for what you want and let's face it - a good price for potentially years and years of joy!

I know you are looking under saddened circumstances but how exciting it will be. A new journey! Good luck x
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Thank you - you're right it is the beginning of a new journey, and I'm feeling quite excited, if a little aprehensive, about it all. :)
 
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