Would you pay big bucks for "the one" ?

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FreddiesGal

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Just out of interest :)

Personally have never been interested in buying expensive ponies/horses, I'd rather pay a penny for something as mad as houses and have the satisfaction of doing all the work myself, than spending 4k + for something that is 'ready made'. I would feel like I was cheating in a way but each to their own.

Nosey cold Thursday night post!
 
If I had LOTS of money then I'd probably be inclined to splurge a little.
If I had the choice of a 500 pound horse that I 'clicked' with but had some problems, or a 10,000 horse that was perfect in all ways but just nothing 'there' then it'd be the cheap one. :)
 
You spend what you can afford to lose. After all you could go out in the field and its dead.
 
Honestly if I won the Euromillions would buy a Grand Prix Dressage Horse who is a schoolmaster :)

In saying that I had more to spend than I did on my 4YO & tbh am taking alot of satisfaction in bringing her on myself - she is with me for life so looking forward to our journey together:) Was chuffed this evening when got a big compliment from 2 fellow liverys who said how well I have her looking:rolleyes: Not the sort to pass compliments so was a little bit chuffed
 
Depends on your capabilities and needs I suppose. Not everyone wants the hassle of sorting something out or having to bring it on. I've always bought young and green animals until my daughter wanted something to have fun on, then came the schoolmaster sj pony that cost more than I would have liked but she had fun, learned loads from him and we sold him on and replaced him with the younger greener model.
 
I have never spent more than 1k on a horse and def wouldnt spend a lot.

I'd be worried if I spent a lot on one that it would go in the field and injure itself, and not be able to do the job it was bought for. I rather spend less and put the work in to make the best of what I buy, more satisfaction too that way.
 
Not everything over 4k is ready made! A lot of very talented but still green youngsters are likely to be over that amount, but will still need a lot of work to get them performing consistently. And even a 'ready-made' horse often has areas that need to be improved. You also have to take into account the confidence, ability, health and time commitments of the rider. It makes sense for someone lacking confidence and with limited time (perhaps due to family/work commitments) to spend the money on something 'ready-made' rather than buy something green and run the risk of ruining it. Same goes for nervous or inexperienced children - they can learn so much from a pony that has been there, seen it, done it.
 
At your age, I'd have done, and did do, the same. Bought youngsters and less easy horses and made them myself. Then i got my fix of really top quality event and dressage horses whilst working for other people. I then spent quite a bit on a really well bred youngster, and produced him myself to a decent level before I lost him. My current horse is an advanced horse, who was produced and competed by someone else before I bought him, and I cannot take any credit for his ability whatsoever. I amextremely proud that he has gone from being an anxious, spooky stresshead to a chilled out softy in the time I've had him though!
 
Auslander said:
At your age, I'd have done, and did do, the same. Bought youngsters and less easy horses and made them myself. Then i got my fix of really top quality event and dressage horses whilst working for other people. I then spent quite a bit on a really well bred youngster, and produced him myself to a decent level before I lost him. My current horse is an advanced horse, who was produced and competed by someone else before I bought him, and I cannot take any credit for his ability whatsoever. I amextremely proud that he has gone from being an anxious, spooky stresshead to a chilled out softy in the time I've had him though!
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Lovely story :)
 
Each to their own. To be honest, I always find it a bit smug with the "I only pay pennies" posts. I saved and saved to have a reasonable budget for a decent horse but then I have very clear competitive goals. If I had the money would I buy a proven horse? Hell yes. I want to compete at a certain level and if a schoolmaster could teach and take me there quicker than I would jump at the chance.

I have done my time with buying unproven horses. It takes so long to really find out if the horse can do the job I want. I have bought a really good youngster this time who is working out but had to temper that against the fact that he would take over a year before I could start competing. I want to event again properly!
 
Puppy said:
Define 'big bucks'?
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bucking_horse.jpg


Big enough?
 
With one exception, everything I've ever bought has been cheap & required lots of work. My 14.2 was expensive at the time for a 2yr old, but worth quite a lot in her prime. My one very expensive horse was sheer luck in having the money to buy him. At the time I often bought projects from low end auctions. I took a massive gamble buying an incredibly well bred sports horse in the car park for £500. It stood out a mile, & I expected it to have major issues, considering similarly bred horses were going for thousands unbroken, & this was broken but green. Turned out it had nothing wrong except a very over horsed, scared owner. 4mnths later I sold it for high 4 figures. The horse of my dreams on the yard I worked at was for sale, the money from my sales gamble, some savings, & the fact the owner knocked a lot off for me, meant I could afford him. I had to sell when pregnant, but I'd love another him.
However, a finished horse worth 3k wouldn't do it for me, assuming it was in its prime, reached full potential etc. For me, I'd rather have a very good youngster or talented horse with hang ups for that money. Or preferably cheaper.
 
I haven't got the time, talent and most importantly the nerve to deal with a project therefore I'm prepared to pay more to get something that has been made and made well.

However I don't think paying more necessarily gets you a better or easier horse (I've certainly found that) it's still a bit of pot luck and sometimes you end up paying for "potential" or breeding rather than actually a horse that does the job you want it to.

Also if you have to keep a horse at livery you have to consider it costs over £500 a month to keep a project so if it takes 6 months to a year to get it to any decent shape thats 3 - 6 grand I've spent when I could have just saved that for a made horse so I don't see cheap project horses as bargains. Now if you have own land then maybe it's different.
 
Well, I did - kinda! I knew when I saw him that H was priced a bit 'toppish'; very green and not really suitable for a novice, but I loved him! So I did pay what they asked (I knocked them down a bit for wardrobe ;) ) but I know I paid quite a bit more than he was worth, really.

However, (2 years on) I do think he's now worth quite a lot more than I paid! He has come on so much and is now one of those 'bombproof', weight carrying, safe for all abilities but forward-going stars that everyone is looking for! I could genuinely advertise him as such - but there's NO CHANCE of that ;)

By the way, just thought - should I up his insurance value? Am I allowed to do that?
 
I have my horse of a lifetime and he was gifted to me when he retired from racing. We had been through hell and high water together racing, the highs, the lows and the very very bottom of the pits but we got through it. He may not take the competition world by storm but he does well enough showing for what I want him to do.

The Hocamaffe is my best friend and I wouldn't have any other horse right by my side.

All the others have to file in behind him :D
 
I'm not convinced when it comes to horses the price reflects what they are 'worth'. Maybe with a Euromillions win I would indulge but my current boy was free and he is perfect, never sick or sorry, jumps anything (competed 4star) and friendly and quiet so much that my non horsey OH happily handles him. He's no spring chicken but priceless really for what you can do with him. I was just in the right place at the right time when he professionally retired. When he does need to completely retire I shall be hanging around in that same place hoping I'll get so lucky again!!!
 
When I fell for bugler he was not for sale and I would have remortgaged my house to own him. Lots of heartbreak over leaving him, a new job, fortnightly visits to him and a couple hundred quid and he was mine so I was lucky that I didn't have to spend big bucks. :)
 
If I really wanted a horse but it was very expensive if I could afford it then yes I would buy it, you only live once and think what some people spend on cars etc.
 
FreddiesGal said:
Just out of interest :)

Personally have never been interested in buying expensive ponies/horses, I'd rather pay a penny for something as mad as houses and have the satisfaction of doing all the work myself, than spending 4k + for something that is 'ready made'. I would feel like I was cheating in a way but each to their own.

Nosey cold Thursday night post!
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I paid more than that and my girl certainly isn't ready made!! Call me mad for doing it, maybe, but I had the money once in a lifetime, and I bought the horse that I knew I would love and keep for the rest of my life. Doesn't matter to me how much she cost!
 
If I had loads of money, I might pay a lot for a horse. I've 'made' plenty of horses and don't think there is any shame in buying something readymade if you can afford it!

As it was, I had a limited budget (up to around £3500, which is very little for the type of horse I wanted) and to get something older I'd have had to settle for something with a major vice or problem - so I went for an unspoilt 4yr old, who is turning out to be the bargain of the century :D
 
Would not say over £4k is ready made , I paid 6.5k a year ago for a just back Indoctro gelding.

I'd only spend a max if 10k on a horse unless maybe I won the lotto. Often horse at the top of there game have only been ridden by pros and won't go for your average amature rider so there is no point buying one that's been pre made.
 
If I had the money then yes, I'd love a ready made horse as I've only ever had horses with issues or green horses.

In an ideal world I'd like either a full up 14.2hh, mouse dun highland mare of the traditional heavy set type or a small HW chestnut ID mare that was perfecly schooled both on the flat and over a small course, bombproof, with perfect manners, who had experience in all spheres to take on the county show circuit and do a reasonable Enough dressage test to earn BD points.
 
Moomin1 said:
I paid more than that and my girl certainly isn't ready made!! Call me mad for doing it, maybe, but I had the money once in a lifetime, and I bought the horse that I knew I would love and keep for the rest of my life. Doesn't matter to me how much she cost!
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this but mine is a 'he'. he had done basic schooling/hacking but not competed.
so definetly not ready made
too be honest I did try several that were being sold as been there done that and not one of them did I feel safe on

like others when I was younger I would and did take on horses that needed issues sorting out. have now got to an age where I don't want or need to do that. I love bringing him on and introducing him to new things. but he is a sensible quality horse who was well started and not messed around. worth every penny
 
One persons big bucks is the others pennies isn't it. My new mare was at the top of my budget, actually well above it but for her breed and pedigree she was about 1500 underpriced even in the current market. She had quite a few issues which were nothing for me to solve and I have got a lot of pleasure from working with her.
 
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