I, too, used to get big fancy well bred OTTB’s for $0 off the track. They’d even throw in a bag of feed most of the time 
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Hi, misuse of phrase I guess. “Rehomed” would have been a better choice…
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What would you say a novice packer is going for these days, as a ballpark estimate? I’m hoping to start shopping next year and I honestly have no idea what to expect, or whether I’ll even be able to find something in my well-under-$40k budget. I love the idea of bringing along project horses in the future, but right now I’m relatively new to eventing and in an ideal world I would buy something safe and sane that will put up with me while I keep improving my own riding.
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I’m so glad I don’t know how to import one to the US because winning online auctions is my favorite competitive sport. 
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Ok so I will give my two cents.
My former horse, now 14 yr old OTTB who was being competed by a 14 yr old. They had massive problems at training level but this was very much not the horse.
I heard from the girl I sold him to that the family was going to sell him. Mind you, I had regular emails with the girl who owned and rode him and she never once told me they were going to sell until I asked her about it after the other previous owner told me.
So here ya go… I was thinking I could invest some funds, get him back and let him get some mileage, lease times helping AA’s in either eventing or jumpers. (He’s great at both) So I ask the mom what they’re asking.
He’s 14, 15.3 hands, not great recent USEA record and I know he has an OCD chip in a fetlock and they have done 0 maintenance on him and I can see in the videos that he could use getting his hocks and maybe stifles done. I talk to friends who are way more in tune with the market. We all agree on where we think he should be priced.
Owner’s mom comes back with $28k. FLOORS me. I got him for $800 when I bought him and sold him for $15k.
Soooo… instead I tell all the people in his area that I know and pray.
Low and behold he sells. I find out from the girl I sold him to, where he’s going. Talk to trainer explain I have more rads of the OCD if they’re concerned. And oops…get told… “I don’t know about any chip”
So have asked to be connected to new buyer. That hasn’t happened. I know roughly what they spent and am realizing I really have to get Chad on the market ASAP before people lose the desire to throw money away like this.
Em
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Expect low to mid five figures for Novice packer – which to me means ‘uncomplicated’ and ‘doesn’t need direction XC’. I’m seeing 15-50k depending on age, movement, and talent. If you want competitive with potential to move up, expect closer to the 40-50k bracket. If you are okay with inexperienced and/or not as competitive, 20k seems ballpark.
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I would expect 12 to 50 for a Novice packer as well depending on soundness, ability to move up, and dressage scores.
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Did I read this right that you contacted the new owners trainer to tell them about his issues?
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Thanks, this is really helpful! I have no aspirations to be competitive right now, and I live in a competitive area so that’s a high bar anyway. The XC steadiness is really the main factor for me; if I was planning to stay in the ring I’d be much more confident in my ability to put the finishing touches on something myself. Down the line I would like to learn how to develop green horses and get a project horse with move-up potential, but I don’t think that would be the best move right now. I may consider it depending on what the market looks like when I start shopping, but only because I’m in a good program with great trainers that I trust to keep me from getting in over my head.
I’m also struggling with knowing I should buy the horse I need right now, not something to grow into, but also knowing that I will most likely outgrow the novice packer in a few years. If I had unlimited funds I’d buy something around 8-12 years old that could pack me around novice AND move up to training, but I doubt I’ll come close to affording that unicorn. Realistically I’ll probably have to face either selling on an aging horse (which I may not be comfortable with depending on the circumstances) or footing the bill for two horses (which I could afford but would not be the best case scenario for my finances). I haven’t even bought the horse yet and I’m already stressed out over it’s hypothetical retirement…
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It’s probably to do with the fact they are government property, and government property typically has to be sold/disposed of via public auction to ensure sold at Fair Market Value and not sold unfairly as a “favour” or exchange.
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Buy the horse you need now. You want to have fun, and you’ll have fun riding what you can ride now versus what you may be able to ride in a couple years.
Don’t worry excessively about retirement etc. Things may happen, both for good and bad. Any horse can go lame or need early retirement. Some keep going far longer than we expect. You may be able to sell or lease the horse down the road - if it kept you happy, it’ll keep someone else happy.
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Cultivate contacts in the racing industry on the bloodstock and breeding farm side not the track. We often hear of things or are contacted by our good clients looking to place ponies that don’t work out for little to nothing
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No. I contacted the barn trainer where it was rumored he was sold to, to try to find where he went.
In the process I offered all the rads I’d ever had of him in case buyer had any questions and could use comparison images.
Em
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I’m just a little surprised the 17 year old coming off an injury after an illustrious career didn’t have someone who already knew him in person stepping up to take him. I realize this may have to do with internal rules but that one surprised me. The other didn’t. They seem about the age where you’d decide the musical ride wasn’t for them and sell them. And the reasons seem very reasonable and understandable given the demands of the ride. It’s not for every horse.
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Maybe it’s like other government “fairness” regulations, where it’s mandatory to publicly advertise the job, whatever, even though there’s already a (chosen) candidate for it.
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One random question… if chestnut will never be acceptable why not tailor the breeding program to entirely prevent it? It’s really not hard and there’s no shortage of quality genetically proven black based horses to choose from.
Would any of you be concerned about the joint effusion mentioned in the yearlings’ charts in the rcmp auction? Ocd risk or no?
They likely aren’t comfortable working in tight quarters with other horses. Some horses just don’t like being in that close contact with other horses. I’m sure they gave them all the opportunities to adjust, but know when it’s time to move them along to a different job.
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I guess they like the stallion and the mares enough to keep them in the breeding program. Besides they usually sell quite well, so it’s likely not a problem. If I recall correctly, Dubai has been there for a while, so he’s likely proven himself as a sire for their program.
Just seems like a lot of time and energy to roll the dice on some you know won’t work the second they come out.
