Help! I have a lowest of 5 figure budget and am having a really difficult time finding anything suitable. I am looking for a mare or filly that is sound, sensible, and a suitable prospect for upper level dressage. I do not need anything that is super competitive, I probably wont be doing a lot of showing, I am just looking for a horse that can hold up to the training.
I am not particular as to breed but would like to stay away from full TB, and would like purpose bred. I do love a nice mover, and want something with a big walk, uphill canter and really nice hooves without a tendency toward under run heels. I don’t need huge -15.2-16.2 would be fine.
I do a fair amount of trail riding and would like to dabble in low level eventing for fun, so brave, bold, and sensible would be great.
Does such an animal exist, or do I need to lower my expectations? Where is a good place to search?
Thanks for any help!
It does exist and can be done. I was looking for one last year and had very similar criteria to you. A friend of mine was also shopping with similar criteria. How old are you looking for? Started or unstarted?
My friend found and purchased a Dutch filly from a VERY reputable breeding farm. The filly was on consignment but sired by one of their stallions so they took her in. Filly is super smart and brave and a little over 15hh. She was advertised on Warmblood Sales and the farm’s sales page. My friend found her on the sales page. She got lucky looking on a whim because all of their other horses are priced in the mid 5 figures. The horse cost her less $15k all included (purchase price, PPE, shipping, etc.).
Mine was free. I took her in after a vet friend of mine said a filly needed a place to stay after animal control had gotten involved in a neglect case. The people were quite vocal about how unhappy they were about their animals being taken and all of them were moved to undisclosed locations in various parts of the country. I did help out with the shipping costs and put in about $500. She was pretty feral when she got here and still very opinionated, but really smart. Her brain goes 24/7 and gets her into lots of trouble. I’m still not sure where she will end up. I was looking for a forever horse when I got her. I was originally going to start her and sell her, and that’s still my plan, but her gaits have improved a ton with growth and strength. She’s not an easy horse so if she can only do the lower levels I’m not sure where the market will be, but I’m enjoying her for the time being.
Regarding where to look-- everyone will tell you to reach out to trainers and horse people you know and see if they know of anything. I’ve never found a horse this way but you might as well. Facebook seems to be the niche for horse sales these days. Sometimes there are horses in your price range listed on sales sites like WB Sales and Dream horse. I was seriously considering importing a horse from Europe because it was less expensive than buying in the States, but import costs for mares are much higher than geldings.
So you are looking for a mare with upper level potential that can also jump well and is purpose bred (I read that as a warmblood) for 10k? Good luck. I couldn’t even find a truly sound horse for 10k. You didn’t state an age, but I think your best bet for that price range is to either go older (late teens with maintenance needed) or go for a baby. If you have connections put the word out about what you are looking for. Networking might just find you the unicorn you are looking for. I don’t have a big network so that didn’t work for me, but it has worked for other people.
fwiw I went up to 15k to get a horse that met my requirements (and upper level potential was not one of them. safe and sound were my top 2 requirements).
I’d be looking for an unstarted crossbreed. There are some nice WB/Arabian crosses that are less expensive than full WB and quite talented. Andalusian cross might also be a possibility.
It sounds like you both lucked into your ponies. I gives me hope I will come across a deal like that too. Thank you.
I guess that depends on what you mean by "jump well’. I have had grade ponies capable of novice eventing (and a little Arab gelding). It doesn’t have to be a warmblood, but a horse bred for western pleasure is not what I am looking for.
I would love something just started, but a 2023 filly would be just fine if it checked the boxes.
I would be fine with a cross. I found a lovely friesian X Morgan mare whom I loved (except the one confo shot looked like her front hooves are out in front of her bony column. Is that I a thing with Friesians, I have seen quite a few that appeared that way?). In any case she had already been sold. I am just not seeing much for sale right now. Maybe I need to find some FB groups.
Sure. Any deal exists. People get Grand Prix horses for free.
Whether you specifically can find a horse that meets your definition of these criteria with your connections on your desired timeline within your budget is not something anyone can guarantee.
What level are you currently schooling? By upper level do you mean you want a horse capable of developing a clean change, half passes, and can play around the three Ps or something capable of being competitive at the upper levels? Do you have the time, resources, and outside help to actually develop a horse to UL or you are hoping to one day gain those pieces?
Most good minded horses that are suitable for an AA can learn to pop over little things and hack out. The likelihood of finding one already with these skills further reduces your eligibility pool.
For $10k you can find a nicely started young horse with three good gaits that’s a non traditional breed or an unregistered cross. If you want a warmblood you’re likely looking at a yearling or weanling without prominent bloodlines from a small breeder.
All the one in a million stories are fun but I don’t think it lends much help to your actual question. You’re looking for a diamond on a glass budget. I’ve been there and ended up with a neuro youngster followed by a second medical mystery heartbreaker. If I’d pocketed what I put into the two I could have a nice $40k horse and instead I’m on a borrowed ride. Just food for thought.
I’m not in pure dressage markets so YMMV, but reading the OP it doesn’t sound like that would be an easy find, if it exists.
What is upper level dressage to you? 3rd? 4th? GP? IME “upper level” is relative to the person and a horse with 3rd level potential is different than one for GP.
Big walk and uphill canter are (again, IME) relative. Some horses that are described as having an uphill canter are not what I would call uphill.
I am breed biased but I think you’re shorting yourself by cutting out TBs. All of my TBs could have done to 3rd (at least) and all have been excellent Trail partners and great for any other equine adventure I wanted to pursue.
Being flexible on age, size, and breed will go a long way. Can you handle something green? Or that has “quirks”? I got my WB, who has done the 1.3M and Prelim, for a steal partly due to her dislike of dressage and her being a tougher ride to the jump (on the ground she is perfect and she is almost always perfect to flat too).
I just want to put out there that a nice moving, warmblood filly with good feet and upper level potential has 10k in her before she is born.
Potential to stay sound doing upper level work correlates with good conformation, which costs money to produce and can be tough to judge in a young horse.
I have a broken OTTB, so currently trail riding a teenage paint pony. Once upon a time I did low level eventing with a just started TB mare (not a track horse). I have started babies, and retrained a couple of OTTB. I had a fabulous Oldenburg gelding out of my TB mare, but he was injured in the paddock early in his career and ended up being a lovely trail horse. He had a great brain which I loved. So I feel your pain on the unsound horses.
By upper level I do not mean competitive, but would love to get my bronze at least and be able to play with half passes and the three Ps one day. This horse may well be my last chance at climbing the levels as I am not getting any younger.
I am flexible. I can handle green, or unstarted, but do not want anything quirky. I am looking for sensible. Sensitive is fine as long as it is not spooky or explosive. I am not as fit as I once was and I don’t bounce as well either. I love a nice TB, but I love TB crosses more at this point in my life.
I understand. I just don’t want to start with something that is a deal breaker right out of the gate.
I would look at a sport bred morgan. They can do everything you’re asking for…
I would def look at andalusian crosses. arab x wb can also be very good. Morgans can def go up the levels, but you may need to increase your budget a bit for a good one. there are also lots of friesian crosses out there. some are really good, some not so much. just look at each one as an individual. draft crosses are a possibility but they are trendy so again may need to up the budget a bit. The problem I ran into was ads sounded great but then I would get a video and the horse was lame. yet ad said sound and will vet. Ya right. But keep looking there are nice horses out there.
I think they are pretty high in price now too.
Andalusians that do dressage well are not cheap. They’re also not what I think of when someone says they want something brave and sensible to event*. I don’t know what you would want to cross one with to move better or have a better temperament and also keep it cheap. And I say this as someone who loves Lusitanos and PREs.
Arab or Morgan crosses might be good candidates, but I would not get caught up on breed unless you really care or want to breed it later.
*Standard disclaimer applies, every horse is an individual, etc.
Is there a particular reason you are excluding geldings completely? They can sometimes be more budget-friendly, since they don’t have reproductive value or potential.
It’s hard to get a purpose bred dressage foal (WB) on the ground for less than $8k these days. Heck, my vet’s call fee is $140 now, and that doesn’t include any work. If you are open to foals, you should find something between $8 and $12k with potential.
It’s also not super uncommon to find breeders who have too many 2/3 year olds, and can’t afford to send them all out to be started. You may luck out and get a similar price on one of those.
I agree. There are some really lovely TBs that are very nice floaty movers and can also easily do the lower-level eventing. I picked up one in July for $5K that is 17.1, raced 4 times and was retired because he is SLOW. He came from an odd circumstance (owner/breeder has cancer) so had been turned out for a year and needed some time with groundwork before putting him back under saddle, but he’s going to be quite fancy as he muscles up.
