Budget for a 3' packer?

[Redlei44]

I am (finally) reaching a point of financial and life stability that would permit purchasing my own horse. Which is also coinciding with a middle-age decline in fitness and mental bravery, unfortunately! I am not a beginner rider, and I can still confidently handle challenges on the flat, but I have no reason to believe that I will ever be a slick rider over fences. My eye is not consistent (60% - 90% accuracy to fences, depending on the day) and I am just generally more nervous that I used to be.

I will be working with my trainer to shop, no worries, but I am curious what the hive thinks I should be budgeting for a 3’ packer in the 8-13 y.o. range. “Packer” meaning that I want to be perfectly confident that 3’ is super easy for the horse; that the horse has enough experience to bail me out of a boneheaded decision and keep us safe; basically that the horse knows its job and does it without drama even when I get nervous and just grab mane. No spook, no stop, nothing super-hot or super-slug. A confidence-builder, basically! Trainer will school/ride regularly, but it needs to be a horse that fits the above description with me riding the majority of the time.

I am aware of what the WEF adult hunter winner would cost me. I don’t need that horse. It does not have to win ribbons at horse shows. I don’t care about current discipline (H/J/E/foxhunter/eventer), breed, color, sex, or size (though no ponies for me, I’m too big). I can accommodate most needs re: turnout, shoes, supplements, etc. Some regular maintenance (Adequan, joint injections, chiro, etc). is fine. It doesn’t have to vet perfectly, as long as it’s sound doing the intended job, which will be weekly lessons, flatting in the arena, occasional trail rides with company, and occasional local shows and jumping clinics. I do not foresee being able to afford both a retiree and a second riding horse in the next 5-10 years, or I’d be all over an older schoolmaster stepping down.

(I see several threads right now about how it’s a seller’s market and prices are crazy. This is more of a “sometime in the next year or two” question.)

[OnDeck]

It may take some searching but you could probably find a good thoroughbred or QH to do the job for a reasonable price (maybe mid-low 5 figures, although that’s a guess). If you want a warmblood you’re probably starting at upper 5 figures.

[Bunker]

It just depends on how competitive you want to be. If you don’t care about having the best jumper or best mover, I would think 20-50K depending on breed, age, how pretty, etc. If you want one that will be competitive at fancier shows, I would think high 5 figures (70-90K). Just depends on what trade-offs you are willing to make. Personally, I would buy the nicest horse you can afford. If you are spending money on board and showing, it’s nice to get a ribbon if you find the jumps. Plus nicer horse = better resale options. Always a market for one that jumps and moves well. And everyone loves a pretty horse

[Madison]

@Bunker

It just depends on how competitive you want to be. If you don’t care about having the best jumper or best mover, I would think 20-50K depending on breed, age, how pretty, etc. If you want one that will be competitive at fancier shows, I would think high 5 figures (70-90K). Just depends on what trade-offs you are willing to make. Personally, I would buy the nicest horse you can afford. If you are spending money on board and showing, it’s nice to get a ribbon if you find the jumps. Plus nicer horse = better resale options. Always a market for one that jumps and moves well. And everyone loves a pretty horse

Agree with this. A local type can be had for low to mid 5 figures depending on breed, size, age, step, how easy it is, what market it is being sold in, etc . . . If it is already doing the 3’ and looks the part at an A show, you are starting at least at $60k and going up from there. Lots priced at $75-85k, and that’s not even necessarily going to get you a great hack ribbon! The amateur-friendly 3’ show horse is a very much in demand commodity these days, and the prices reflect it. I also saw a lot of sellers bumping horses up to the 3’3" and marketing them as jr/am hunters at low 6 figure prices, so the low jr/am divisions have helped people move up but have also moved the prices up! However, all of that has to be viewed in the context of mainstream show barn hunter shopping, and asking prices are often different than what people will take to get them sold. If you are willing to travel a little further, look off the beaten path, search at the local shows not the A shows, look at eventers that would easily cross over and learn the new job, etc . . . . you can bring the price brackets down if you are willing to put in the effort. And, of course, there will always be the person that finds the one-off great deal that was a bargain that worked out, but you can’t really plan your budget around being the one who gets that lucky :lol:

[OfCourseItsAnAlter]

A barn mate is looking for a horse like this right now. She has been advised that she should expect to pay something in the $30,000 to $50,000 range. I was horse shopping in the spring and I would say maybe $40,000 to $60,000 is a more realistic range. If you want to be routinely successful at the A/AA level, you’re going to have to spend more or accept a lot more baggage.

If you really want to go down the rabbit hole and lose hours of time, there’s a Facebook group called “Hunters, Jumper & Equitation Unicorns” you should join. “I want that one. No, I want that one. Oooo, look at that one there!”

[Redlei44]

Thanks all, appreciate the feedback! Just want to reiterate that if I show, it will be limited and not rated. Though I do appreciate the statement that it’s nice to place if we have good ride, food for thought.

In some ways I know it doesn’t matter but so much, because the right horse probably got its experience at shows (or events, etc). But my main criteria are reliability and physical scope that makes the job it will be doing for me easy

[enjoytheride]

According to the FB group want ads $3,000 and not a penny more.

[Redlei44]

@enjoytheride

According to the FB group want ads $3,000 and not a penny more.

I know, right? I am not responsible for any of those!

[Madison]

@enjoytheride

According to the FB group want ads $3,000 and not a penny more.

this made me LOL :winkgrin: I am done shopping but still follow the FB groups out of curiosity and habit, and it slays me when I get to the end of a long “want” list like WB, needs to be good mover, etc . . . and then it says budget in the mid-4’s!

[OnDeck]

What are you looking for in terms of lead changes? Getting a horse with no lead change will drastically lower the price. Something with a completely automatic change will obviously be more expensive.

[Equkelly]

I think if you’re not picky about the breed and size you could easily find something in the 15-25k range. The price goes up when people are only looking at 6-8 year old warmbloods but there are plenty of 10-12 year old OTTBs, appendixes, and other tb crosses that could definitely do this job but they get overlooked.

[SweetMutt]

@Redlei44

Thanks all, appreciate the feedback! Just want to reiterate that if I show, it will be limited and not rated. Though I do appreciate the statement that it’s nice to place if we have good ride, food for thought.

In some ways I know it doesn’t matter but so much, because the right horse probably got its experience at shows (or events, etc). But my main criteria are reliability and physical scope that makes the job it will be doing for me easy

Having looked for the safe-but-not-necessarily-show-bound horse, they’re surprisingly hard to come by on purpose. Sale horses that are marketed well enough for you to know about them and proven enough that you trust they’ll pack you around have probably been to some shows, or are at least nice enough to be a stay-at-home lesson or lease horse in a show barn. Consequently, you’re right to think you’ll probably be looking at horses with some sort of a record and the price to go with it.

That said, those under-the-radar types do exist and one just might come through your barn in the next year or two!

[Elouise]

A friend of mine was looking last winter/spring for the exact description of what you are looking for. Her budget was mid 5’s and vetted two that failed miserably. And sat on a few that were inappropriate. She had a very tough time just finding horses in that price range that were appropriate for her and she could take to a horse show in hopes of getting a good ribbon. Not impossible, but challenging.

Those types tend tend to get sold in the Barn quickly.

[SugarCubes]

@Redlei44

Thanks all, appreciate the feedback! Just want to reiterate that if I show, it will be limited and not rated. Though I do appreciate the statement that it’s nice to place if we have good ride, food for thought.

In some ways I know it doesn’t matter but so much, because the right horse probably got its experience at shows (or events, etc). But my main criteria are reliability and physical scope that makes the job it will be doing for me easy

Do you get along with TBs? My trainer has found two lovely TBs for low 5’s that are CLEANING UP in the local schooling shows at 3’ with junior riders. I absolutely think you can find what you’re looking for in the low-mid 5 range, especially shopping locally.

[Classic]

And asking all of you since you are attuned to the market, why ARE prices so high? Especially during Covid?

[Madison]

@Classic

And asking all of you since you are attuned to the market, why ARE prices so high? Especially during Covid?

Because demand hasn’t gone down. And this is speaking very broadly, but in general, people who can afford horses and horse showing aren’t the ones who have been hit hardest by the economic downturn, so a lot of people don’t need to slash prices or fire sale anything at this point. Horse shows are still running, and lots of people are happy to get out and show because it is an outdoor activity and a little slice of normal. And with businesses and schools going remote, lots of people have more time and flexibility to ride, not less.

[Equkelly]

@Classic

And asking all of you since you are attuned to the market, why ARE prices so high? Especially during Covid?

They’re not that high. You do not need to spend 50k to be competitive in local schooling shows.

[Redlei44]

@OnDeck

What are you looking for in terms of lead changes? Getting a horse with no lead change will drastically lower the price. Something with a completely automatic change will obviously be more expensive.

Great question, haven’t really thought about that. I would say that I can ride (or learn to ride) a non-auto change and wouldn’t mind a missed change now and then. But I’d most likely turn down one that was historically bad at changes or just really didn’t have one for whatever reason. I won’t be shopping for a green horse so I wouldn’t be optimistic about installing one.

[mroades]

@Equkelly

They’re not that high. You do not need to spend 50k to be competitive in local schooling shows.

You do in the southeast. I have friends with more than that to spend and they can’t find anything

[Equkelly]

@mroades

You do in the southeast. I have friends with more than that to spend and they can’t find anything

Then they’re probably limiting their search to younger warmbloods with no maintenance that are beginner proof. Which then yea that price sounds right.

But if you can ride something somewhat challenging but safe, and you don’t care about the breed, and you don’t mind a bit of maintenance, you don’t need 50k I don’t care where you live.