Anyone have a what you can expect for your budget spreadsheet?

[CHT]

I have a client starting to look for a new horse, and I feel she is very unrealistic with her budget expectations. This got her into some trouble with her current horse. We talked about it a bit today, but I think it is hard for to understand, as ads can be quite misleading and she wants something very safe in the jumper ring, and big, as she is tall. She is a rational person, but gets caught up in impressive ads and it is hard for her to understand how much a good rider can cover for a tough horse, or a good video can hide flaws.

I usually shop in the low to mid 4- figures range, so I don’t have many in-barn horses to compare to for her benefit.

I am wondering if anyone has a: “this is what you should expect to pay to find a simple horse to compete at each height in the jumpers” kind of chart. (I am in Alberta, and will shop local, but even an idea from elsewhere would help).

[GraceLikeRain]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one. With variables like age, height, breeding, show record, lameness history, amateur friendly v. pro ride only, there are just too many factors.

[mmeqcenter]

I seriously doubt anyone has something like this, especially since prices can be all over the board depending on location and dozens of other factors. But you may consider contacting a large sales operation like Plain Bay Sales, though I don’t know that they’ll provide any kind of summary for free, if it all…

[mmeqcenter]

bigeq.com allows you to search horses by jump height, that may help provide you some kind of idea of what some are going for.

It’s in USEF levels.
0-2 ~= 0.76 - 1m
3-4 ~= 1 - 1.15m
5-6 ~= 1.15 - 1.3m
7-8 ~= 1.3 - 1.45m
9 ~= 1.45 - 1.5m

[ladyj79]

We had this exact question before, and there are just too many variables.

[Peggy]

Just go on one of the sale sites with nice horses (ExchangeHJ, BigEq, ProEquest…) and so some comps.

[GoodTimes]

There are just way too many factors. Alberta also isn’t the best place for horse shopping. There just aren’t very many h/j compared to Ontario or BC. A little easier if she wants a jumper vs a hunter though.
She needs to go try these horses, maybe she’ll get lucky and one will work, or she’ll realize that she’s not comfortable on horses that are too green, too hot, too many quirks, etc.

Look up results from shows such as Rocky or the Edmonton Classic. Look who’s coaching the riders at your clients level. Call them up and ask if they have anything for sale.

[BeeHoney]

I’m not sure that going to try these horses is really a good move–it takes a lot of effort to go see horses that are far away. Also, many horses that are well produced by pro riders can tolerate a few weak or clumsy rides before the wheels start dramatically falling off. A good starting place any amateur client to look at horses that have been successfully ridden–in the show ring, at the level she wants to ride–by a rider just like herself. One test is for you guys to look at the sales videos and compare your client to the person riding the horse. Personally, when shopping for a kid or an amateur, I don’t mind seeing a video that includes some mistakes/ or of the horse getting an imperfect ride. If a horse is always being ridden by a pro or a pony jock, you really just have no idea what that animal is really like for a “regular” rider, especially over a series of rides.

[CHT]

@BeeHoney

I’m not sure that going to try these horses is really a good move–it takes a lot of effort to go see horses that are far away. Also, many horses that are well produced by pro riders can tolerate a few weak or clumsy rides before the wheels start dramatically falling off. A good starting place any amateur client to look at horses that have been successfully ridden–in the show ring, at the level she wants to ride–by a rider just like herself. One test is for you guys to look at the sales videos and compare your client to the person riding the horse. Personally, when shopping for a kid or an amateur, I don’t mind seeing a video that includes some mistakes/ or of the horse getting an imperfect ride. If a horse is always being ridden by a pro or a pony jock, you really just have no idea what that animal is really like for a “regular” rider, especially over a series of rides.

This is exactly what I have been trying to explain to her: She likes the videos where the rides are smooth with no errors, whereas I like the ones with the ammy owner who makes some mistakes and the horse doesn’t care. I think we are getting on the same page though, and I think she has downgraded her expectation of how big she needs to be jumping for the next couple years.

She has sent me a few ads and I am already frustrated with sellers who advertise the horse as being a meter horse, when show results don’t back that up at all

[ladyj79]

@CHT

She has sent me a few ads and I am already frustrated with sellers who advertise the horse as being a meter horse, when show results don’t back that up at all

I love it when sellers think you don’t know how to perform a simple search.