Hi everyone! Me and my family are going to Eastern Europe in search of a horse next summer. We will be looking in Germany, Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia and other areas around Albainia. Our budget is 10k-20k(for the right fit) not including import. We are looking for a younger-ish warmblood (5-12)that is already started WTC as a potential 1.15 and above prospect. I’m wondering if anyone knows some reputable sellers and agents to help me in my search.
Is that your budget “All-In” or your budget plus importing (ie your total budget is closer to 25K-30K).
Be aware that it will likely cost more than 12K to just import to the US and that mares/stallions will cost more than importing a gelding… and it all depends on where you’re going once they land here… as the further you are from Miami/JFK… the more it can cost in hauling to a quarantine and then getting to your home barn.
Probably best to talk a bit more about what you’re looking for… hunter? jumper? eq horse? young and unbroken? Doing 1.30M with a junior? A lot of options but once you disclose a bit more about what you’re looking for… probably easiest to direct you appropriately?
Also, you mentioned you’re going with your family. Are they horse people? Are you a pro or is your pro coming along? Do they have connections overseas? I’ve seen a ton of people sent completely inappropriate horses bc they worked outside of an agent or pro. Much easier to scam when you’re not dealing with someone that’s familiar with imports and/or has a reputation of developing horses once they hit the US. It’s worth the commission to not get completely screwed over.
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I am an amateur and my career has vastly been in starting and selling horses. My budget is 12k not including import (budget also can go higher general low fives area) and I would love to know where I could find an agent as I am not experienced with imports. And I am looking for a quieter jumper to do above 1.15 with but I will look at anything that has a reputable seller.
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Your budget is not realistic.
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In Eastern Europe I have found many horses for around that price…?
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Then why are you on an Internet forum looking for agents and sellers?
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I have honestly not found anything over 20k in those areas in fb. I see a ton on https://www.ehorses.com/ and have a friend who has found a very nice gelding around that range in Czech Republic with an agent. There is nothing wrong with looking for many sources and sellers ESPECIALLY when buying a horse
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Just pointing out, the former Czechoslovakia has not existed since 1992.
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People from the balkans as myself usually refer to it as “Czechoslovakia” because many people from the area still consider it that. Same situation with Serbia and Kosovo being separate.
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Ah, in the Balkans, a totally different situation from being in the USA. You don’t need air transport! Look in your local horse magazines and see who is breeding what and where. Contact breeders directly. Often they will have both young stock and also know of other horses, by their stallions, that are available for sale.
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I don’t live in the balkans anymore, currently I’m in zone 3 however I am from there and my parents currently live there.
Several years ago (late 2020) my barn at the time imported a group of horses from Poland. One has turned out to be an awesome horse and one was way greener than advertised and had some poor dental work done that caused him to have some pretty severe mouth pain. I don’t know who they went through, but it seemed like they were only half honest. TLDR version: not everyone selling horses in that region is honest or reliable. At that time, the one horse was imported for $36k all in to Zone 7. I would imagine prices have not decreased since that time.
Was it 36 including base cost or simply for import + quarantine?
So, before I bow out of this conversation, I’ll go back to what I was originally going to say: contact an international shipping agent and ask them about the process, the paper work, the cost, the time, the routes. That way you will be able to work out what budget you have available to spend on a horse, should you even find one.
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36k to purchase the horse and to have it imported to the US
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I import multiple horses each year. I will echo what others have said: that budget is tight if not impossible for what you want. Europeans based in Europe can get a better price than US shoppers for multiple reasons, and some of the prices you’re seeing are very much geared towards the European market. Also, even for a European that’s going to be a tough price.
I tend to import from Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. However, I’ve imported three from the Czech and I’ve seen a lot of people (especially during the pandemic) import from there. I won’t say I’ll never do it again, but it has to be special, and I have my eyes wide open.
Horses in the Czech tend not to get the same foundation as you’d see in Germany or Holland for instance. I’m not sure how they start them, but they have overwhelmingly seemed to lack balance, the same degree of steering, adjustability within the gaits, etc. When I watch young horse classes in Eastern Europe, I see more horses bombing around with their heads up, jumping over the shoulder, missing most of their distances, etc. That’s different from what you see elsewhere, where the goal is to get the horses to learn striding and balance and rhythm. So when those Czech horses get here, they can be a little rushy and hard to steer.
Vetting is another thing to be aware of. European vets don’t think certain defects are as big of a problem as we do. Debating what’s an issue on an x-ray versus what’s not is a different topic, but get an American vet to look over everything. And definitely get back and neck rads. If there is any chance you may sell this horse one day, you need to know it will pass an American vetting.
Finally, horse sellers in general have a bad reputation. I don’t agree with the assessment that every seller is a huckster (I sell horses too lol). But an American shopping in Europe is a bit of an easy mark. It’s harder for us to sue or send the horse back if there’s an issue. And there are absolutely bad apples out there, not just in Eastern Europe but all over. I can think of one based in the Czech who makes very nice social media posts for the sales horses, but the dozen or so I’ve seen in person all have very questionable vetting or behavioral issues. Or both.
The price range you’re looking at means you’re going to see more questionable horses than not. You’re looking at horses that are either recently backed or that likely have a serious quirk. Or there may be major holes in their training or a vetting issue.
I work with a few trusted folks in Europe, and I import horses every few months. Doing volume means you get access to better horses before they hit the wider market, and sometimes they work with you on the price in a way they won’t for one-off buyers. Even so, I haven’t been able to find good amateur horses for less than about 30k since before the pandemic. That doesn’t include import.
I’m not saying those horses don’t exist. I’ve looked at some in your price range, and I’ve found each and every time there was a reason it was being offered below market value. Most of the time it was a major vetting flaw. I’m not talking mild arthritic changes, I’m talking full on fractured legs, severe neurologic defects, kissing spines in multiple processes with severe remodeling, fractured withers, significant neck malformations, etc.
Importing a quality horse is more likely going to require a budget between 40-50k including shipping. I don’t want to be discouraging, I just want you to go into this with your eyes wide open. Maybe you will find a diamond in the rough. Crazier things have happened. And by going over there, you at least can get a sense of how the horse rides rather than buying off video. But just be prepared that what you see online may not match the animal in front of you when you make that trip. Be prepared for it to be greener and quirkier than you think, and do a thorough vetting.
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Ok thank you! I will make sure to look for a reputable agent for that reason (and raise my budget) I also was wondering if you could pm me the name of the problematic seller and agents that you have worked with as I am open to going all around Eastern Europe.
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