You must watch this fantastic mini course on the real costs of leasing vs buying…
https://youtu.be/fm-W0tCd3T8
Thank you SO much! DawgLady - although the money is more than I’m looking to spend the principles are the same. Thank you so much for sharing this- and thank you too outside leg. You are right- a true ‘packer’ is a gem indeed. I had one after my accident and we won championships. I know what it means to ride a horse who “knows its job” and can “take care of you.” Those horses are rare gems indeed and priced as such. I just wish I had the money to scout them more easily!
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Consider a horse that is currently eventing at Novice level. It will have the experience you are looking for and typically eventing horses are priced a bit more competitively than hunters. It’s tough buying in the NYC area since prices are so high. When you add in the commission it can be $$.
Another discipline to consider is foxhunting. You may be able to find a horse that’s got good hunt experience. The hunt nearest to you is Golden’s Bridge. You often find very solid citizens in the hunt field that can easily handle 2’6".
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Not saying leasing isn’t worth considering, but I disagree that 25k isn’t enough of a budget for a 2’6 horse. Maybe my perception is colored on the subject because I didn’t grow up surrounded by much money, but I think people are often too dismissive and quick to shoot someone down who has anything less than a mid fives budget. It’s all about figuring out what you can compromise on. For 25k, will you get a fancy packing warmblood competitive at the A shows? Probably not. But there are plenty of decent thoroughbreds out there, and if it just needs to jump 2’3-2’6 you won’t need some fancy super star with a mile long show record. You could also possibly get a an older, think 16-17, warmblood on its way down. 25k is enough for a decent 2’6 horse. You just need to be realistic in your expectations and know that you won’t be getting a world beater.
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If you don’t need a warmblood import, you should be able to find a 2’6 horse with some good mileage for your budget. The budget 4 year old is not what you need, or a baby at any price. But maybe some kind of cross or less popular breed. Maybe a poor mover. Most anything can jump the height you need. You just need safe and sane, and these do exist. Maybe a quiet TB that has gotten miles less expensively in an eventing program.
As for a low 5 figure lease type horse, what do you do after a couple of years? Can you continue to pay that plus the board, lessons, vet, farrier, or will the funds run out? Unlike the teen who only had a couple years before horses would be taken off the table for college, you are an adult with a long term goal of having a good time with your horse, so I would be in favor of buying but take your time and find the right one in your means. This could take a while and maybe you need some extra help and guidance from another resource if your trainer can’t find this horse for you.
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Thanks Bogie and mh97 - that is an interesting idea (about novice eventing horsesr/fox hunters). I didn’t think of that - I will see if I can widen my circle to those horses as well. And I certainly didn’t come from money either- my very first horse cost $400 (albeit decades ago) so $25K still does seem like a lot of money to me. And I don’t need a horse for “A” shows - just something safe, fun and kind who can win the odd ribbon in a modest venue.
Anyone live in a non-buggy area? A graduate of New Vocations needs a new home…
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I don’t think $25k is a low budget for a nice local moving up to 2’6” hunter tbh I’ve seen plenty sell for way less. They’re not going to win at A rated shows necessarily but neither will a lot of the $25k+ ones tbh.
idk, I think you should do what makes the most sense for you financially because leasing can be great too especially if you think you’re going to want to move up eventually and sometimes people will let you lease to buy if you decide you want to keep the horse after awhile. But I think if you decide to lease that should be the reason, not because of your budget. I think your budget is just fine and your trainer should be able to find you a suitable horse pretty easily in that price range. Maybe it’s a geographical thing I’m not sure but I’d be ecstatic if someone wanted a 2’6” horse in that price range because that makes my life easy lol. I have so many cheaper horses that do much more and are also easy to ride.
Well, wanting to show is going to be more expensive than just wanting a horse to lesson on or ride… In my area (SoCal), $25k will buy you an older show packer with some maintenance issues, if you’re lucky. Anyone with a packer at that height who’s willing to lease will likely charge close to that (again, “packer”).
If you’re more about the riding than the showing, you may be able to find something less fancy that will suit you for well below 25k.
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You can find “free on or off-site” leases ALL the time you just have to REALLY look. Also go to auctions, don’t pay to much attention to the “look” watch the movement, even take your own tack and get on and hack in the round pen. We found a 17.2 OTTT who was NOT race fit which is thin enough he was seriously underweight, patches of coat gone, I could rant on & on… But perfect ground manners, sound & big beautiful gaits. We got him for $450.00 & took him home with us…120 days & he was already winning hunter as classes & 2-2…5 hunter jump classes. He was sold after just the 120 days for I believe 15k. I found a Warmblood grazing in a pasture just driving around & asked about him. Payed $800.00 w/ papers for him & he’d been dressage trained & hunter/jumper so you gotta LOOK look look. More $$ does NOT mean better in all cases…💕ðŸŽðŸ˜…
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I find the choice between leasing and buying really has to do with your (financial/personal) preferences: Are you able/willing to support a horse for the rest of its life if it needs to retire? Knowing horses, this is a distinct possibility. I am one horse person who is not about the 18-month injury rehab life or supporting a horse for its lifetime, so I lease.
There are deals to be had out there - especially right now. But that 30-day return clause in my lease is everything. I pay a small amount each month for a six-figure horse I could never afford to buy IRL, and I get to keep her until she sells or I decide I don’t want her anymore. It’s a nice, low-pressure situation that I appreciate immensely. That is worth its weight in gold, in my opinion. Consider the future, your priorities, any showing or personal (i.e. career and family) goals, and finances, and that will help inform the “lease or buy?” question.
ETA: Also, look at eventers. They are usually MUCH cheaper (my mare being an exception to that rule), desensitized to all the crazy-looking jumps and they tend to be more autonomous if you can’t decide on a distance. It’s nice to have that in your mind as an amateur. Our top horses are all prior eventers that became hunters, jumpers, and eq horses - or as my lease horse probably wants to be, all three!
Thanks so much everyone- and I did not know about a 30-day return clause, Jumpoff87. I haven’t found someone who has offered that- and kudos to you hunterjumperj- you certainly sound like you know what you are doing- far more than me! I don’t think I have the ability to attend an auction and pick out such a prospect- never mind the fact that they must all be ‘virtual’ auctions right now?!
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One downside to leasing I haven’t seen anyone bring up- having to find that next lease all the time. It is time consuming and can impact your finances trying to find the right horse only to potentially have to do it all over again in a year. Some barns are set up for this better than others obviously but for me, its a big consideration.
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OP, one big factor here is how much of a packer you need/want. If you need/want a true packer that is essentially a “seeing eye dog“ who will go around the ring and do your job for you, you are certainly not going to find that to purchase or lease for $25K. Those horses are worth their weight in gold and usually sell and lease for close to it. But if you are willing to find your distances and ask for changes if needed - and you sound committed and knowledgeable enough to do so - I think you can find a horse who is right for the job in your price range, if:
you look outside of your immediate area
you have patience and. a trainer who is willing to give it time
you don’t need to win the hack
you don’t plan to show at A or AA shows
There are lots of lovely warmbloods who do not like the 3 foot and above job and would love to have an adult amateur to love on them forever and give them a fun job. You just have to know where to look. Feel free to pm me if you want suggested Facebook groups. I am an adult ammy, not a pro. I do not have a horse to sell or know anyone who does. I just love to look. 😊
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Weighing in again because several people have said it is impossible to find the 2’-2’6" packer for $25k. It is not. It is HARD. And you have to get lucky. But I speak from personal experience that it can be found (at least in some areas of the country), and it can pin at AA shows if you come up with a good trip (remember at the 2’-2’6" height, the fancy ones may be super green, or their riders may miss a lot!), and it can even get a decent hack ribbon. That said, I agree with most of the rest of this post. You are probably not going to find it in the NYC metro area, where prices are undoubtedly higher. But if you expand your search and use resources like an ISO ad in the Facebook groups, eventing sales barns (Pippa Moon and Courtney Cooper are examples), and shopping local show programs not A/AA barns, something will come along if you are patient and keep digging. Particularly if you are flexible on your parameters and your ISO ad doesn’t say “warmbloods only, 16.2+, age 7-10, must get hack ribbon” – suitable and safe are the most important things at the 2’-2’6" height! There are warmbloods in your budget, but breed shouldn’t matter if it does the job. And fun to ride really has to be #1 on the list any time you shop! Good luck!!
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Shoot, both of my first horses were safe and sound and jumped my kid butt around without complaint or tricks or issues. One was a free lease from a gal who went to college. And the other one was a grade QH that was $1500 (and we often won at local shows).
So if showing isn’t actually important to you, then there are a bunch of very safe and sane horses out here in the Midwest that would fit your bill easily.
Look at non-warmbloods to help your budget. There are also nice enough warmbloods in the Midwest for that budget, but they may need maintenance or have a quirk or two.
Honestly though, if you actually want something smart and sane and don’t care about showing all that much–get an off breed. You’ll have a horse you can trust to do anything with and you’ll have money in your pocket at the end of the day.
My first horse was a free lease from a gal who had gone to college. Super sane, sound, and smart enough to take care of me when I was too dumb to know the difference.
My third horse was a $1500 grade QH who was the sanest horse around and we often cleaned up at local shows (admittedly wouldn’t have done nearly that well at rated shows) but I couldn’t afford those anyway as my parents didn’t pay for shows.
Basically, what I’m saying is to look at off-breeds and look in the Midwest. You could even find a warmblood that has some rated show experience for that price (it may not be a winner, nor free from quirks though). But you sound like you’re more interested in a ride you can trust than a ride you can win with. So if I were you, I’d look in less traditional places and go out there to have fun with money leftover in my pocket.
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Thanks B-burg. I am (more) interested in having fun and continuing to develop and improve than becoming a “A” show competitor- I’m too old for that and lack the time, talent and money. And did I mention Old? I wish I could find a college student who would trust me to take care of her horse for a year or so. I ride at a lovely barn with a good trainer. But as everyone or most everyone has said here- you also need to be lucky. And yes, I know about the Midwest- I’m from there- I just can’t get there now under Covid conditions!
Another possible market in your area… dressage horses. One that doesn’t want to do an upper level job or maybe is too kick along quiet and is being sold as a green jumping prospect (and appropriate price cut). They have experience getting out and while they might be green to the jumps, if you find one with a level head, teaching them to do a 2’-2’6" job will not be hard, even for the ones less naturally talented at jumping. So long as it’s brave, not looky, has experience going places and isn’t a baby. You’d want one that has been at least started o/f in anticipation of this career change.
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Thanks IPEsq- funny you should say that - I just inquired about such a horse! But I’m not sure he’s in my price range.
Unless you are in your 80s age is not an excuse. You need to be in your 60s to be older than me and even then, my older brothers and sisters are all still riding, training, and showing as amateurs.
“I’m too old” is an excuse. Time and money are valid reasons.
Getting to the Midwest is as hard as you want to make it. The roads, train stations, airports, are all open. You just have to be smart and use good sense.
Dressage horses at even 2nd level are in your price range across the US.
