Importing my new horse from Europe

[HunterJumper4321]

Hi everyone!!

Im currently looking for my next 3 ring horse, my trainer is heading over to europe soon and has one lined up for me. He is a 8 year old dark bay stunning (and I mean literally jaw dropping) warmblood he is 16.2hh. He is based in Great Britain and he has done their versio n of jumpers up to 1.20 with great success. He has a beautiful way of going and carriage so would definetley do very well in the hunter ring. He is extremley well bred with his father medalling in the Olympics. I of course know the asking price of this horse but was Just wondering what you guys would value him at?

Thanks so much!!

[luvmyhackney]

He’s worth what someone is willing to pay.

Congrats on the new horse, he sounds lovely.

[HunterJumper4321]

Thank you so so much!!
I more want to know just to be sure of the going rate of european horses of this standard as it is all quite new to me. Mainly I just want to know if I am paying the average price for this calibre of horse.

[Irene2022]

There are so many factors that go into pricing a horse… but for friends that have recently imported horses with 1.20 records that could do a hunter or eq job, anywhere from 30k - 90k. It also depends on how close they are to that job. If it’s a total project but with some hard work and luck could do the job then 30k, but if it’s step off the plane ready then that’s a whole different price range.

It’s great you are working with a trainer. Which must mean you trust them to be honest and act as a good steward for your budget and goals. So ask them questions, i’m sure they’d love to help educate you on how they view pricing and what they look for. There are prices that I will roll my eyes at but my friend next to me absolutely agrees with. As the other poster said, it’s what someone is willing to pay for.

Have fun with your new horse. Hope it works out!

[outside_leg]

I import at few horses each year. The value depends on a lot of other factors: scope (1.20m isn’t considered that high in Europe, so if that’s the max he jumps, it could push his value lower unless he jumps in US hunter form), rideability (does he go with an amateur/junior, or is his record solely with a pro), demeanor on the ground and under saddle (does he take a joke), etc.

A horse that can go around with a junior or ammy, ignore a mistake, jump in good form, and moves nicely will command a higher price than a horse that’s only been ridden by a pro, needs to be guided to just the right spot, doesn’t know how to handle a miss, moves like a sewing machine, and jumps over the shoulder.

[HunterJumper4321]

Thank you guys so much for all this useful information!!
In my opinion hes definetley not a total project hes ready to get off the plane and go. He already has a superb hunter form but would obviously take some getting used to for him! It is the max he has jumped and while he does have a stunning jump I am not sure he would go much higher and my trainer agrees. He was produced by a professional until he was 5 when a 15 year old girl got him and he has been with her for the past 3/4 years and he was her first horse so can definetley put up with any of my misses!! However unsually for England the girl who owns him now is based at a show barn so she regularly has her trainer schooling him so he is all correct.

[ParadoxFarm]

Remember to allow for a good Pre-Purchase Exam!

[Rel6]

@HunterJumper4321

He was produced by a professional until he was 5 when a 15 year old girl got him and he has been with her for the past 3/4 years and he was her first horse so can definetley put up with any of my misses!!

Have you seen videos of how the 15 year old rides him? I’ve seen videos of horses in Europe with the tagline “horse going with child” and the child is coasting around a 1.30m course on a green horse effortlessly. Obviously I don’t know your skill level, I would just personally want videos to assess how similarly (or dissimilarly!) my level and ride is to what he is used to. First horse could easily mean “first horse after doing the 1.20m on a pony.”

[Willesdon]

138cm ponies jump up to 1.35.

ETA, for clarity, in Ireland and UK

[dags]

I don’t think anyone’s going to be able to give you a standard or average on that. I will say, Great Britain is not the hotbed of export sales like Holland or Germany, so I’d expect it to be a bit more “affordable” than a similar type from a more prolific area. $65k would not surprise me, but neither would 25k. A lot will depend simply on what yard he’s at (and his daddy going to the Olympics has zero bearing on the price ).

But I would temper your expectations a bit, there’s a lot more to a successful hunter than style. He may get off the plane and decide flower boxes are absolutely the most terrifying thing he’s ever encountered. And if he’s truly been successful in the 1.20m jumpers he likely will need quite a bit of re-tooling to go around like a hunter.

I would also not assume that he’s seen a bunch of bad distances either. And even when those euro kids do miss, they miss with commitment— butt in the tack and leg on. Generally speaking, that’s not how American kids miss, and a lot of the imports flunk out because they can’t deal with the abandonment.

And finally, I would caution against expecting him to get off the plane and go. It will be fabulous if he does, but also completely acceptable for him to need some time to adjust.

When you say you’re trainer has “one lined up”, are they going to ride it and then decide if it suits you? Or are you going over with them? And why only this one horse? A trip to Europe generally involves trying 30+ head.

[OutsidersOpinion]

Agreed with what’s been said above, a horse that only jumped 1.20 in Europe/England is actually a red flag to me as that means they are probably not scopey. Anywhere from 25k-90k.

Also like mentioned above, doubtful he will get off the plane and be ready to go. Those are rare.

Your trainer should be trying enough over there that you can find the right one, not flying over to only try one.

[findeight]

Another thought. “Ridden by a kid” means little or nothing. YOU need to be able to ride him. I mean, LK was a 15 year old kid not that long ago and I remember KF in the Juniors too. Do not recall him on fancy horses he actually owned, mostly catch rides, sale horses and leases. Kid on first horse may be absolutely true but not mean what you think.

They do not have huge Adult Amateur classes like we do over here and there are nowhere near as many shows restricted to them to build mileage at. Plus, as noted above, 1.2m at age 8 is behind the best and with frozen horse can have 40-60+ half siblings out there so famous baby daddy may mean very little.

Does this horse have a show record? Any videos? Why did he not sell over there?

Said on that thread, say again here. Your trainer has an inherent conflict of interest between what is best for you and what will put more money in her pocket via needed training and lessons to get you where you want to be. Some trainers are honest and upfront. Others not at all reluctant to put you on an unsuitable horse just so they can keep money coming in for the foreseeable future.

Be Careful, trust but VERIFY.

See the thread about the kissing spines import who sounds similar to this one to underline the importance of a PPE and insist on seeing the actual report and any imaging that is done over there. It is your money and your right.

[sixteenhands]

@HunterJumper4321

It is the max he has jumped and while he does have a stunning jump I am not sure he would go much higher and my trainer agrees

If the horse is potentially maxed out at 1.20mm, if it was me, I’d think about jumping a cross country or show jumping course at that height. As an amateur I want my horse to have the scope to get me out of trouble.

[findeight]

@HunterJumper4321

Im currently looking for my next 3 ring horse,

Which of those 3 rings would be your main focus? Do you need a 1.2m horse for that ring? Asking because even a confirmed 1.1m jumper with right canter and jump for Hunters will mean a much higher price then one not quite so smooth a mover and jumper better suited to CA Jumpers and Eq. And are you still Junior looking at the 3’6” Medals and age group Eq or an Adult where Eq is 3’ and Hunters 3’”-or 3’6”? How much horse do you really need? Don’t over buy and find yourself over horsed or supporting a continuing ride for your trainer unless that is what you intend.

If it is the former, the Hunter, it is going to price high 5s, the more Jumper type could be anywhere from 40ish on up depending on rideability, age, show record and PPE.

Don’t forget to include 10k+ for flying him over, trainers travel expenses and 10-20% commission plus that PPE.

[Xanthoria]

@sixteenhands

If the horse is potentially maxed out at 1.20mm, if it was me, I’d think about jumping a cross country or show jumping course at that height.

Like, take him for a quick spin round an Advanced xc course just to see what he does?

[Rel6]

We don’t know her goals though or what she is doing now. If she wants to finish out her junior years playing in all three rings and maxing out at the 1.10m with a 1.15m classic, a horse that is successfully competing in the 1.20ms (not barely scraping by at that height, but just won’t do well in the 1.30ms) could be plenty scopey to help her out.

[Sarah616]

I have found that the European description of
“Beginner horse”
“First horse for a kid”
“Amateur friendly”
Are WAY different from the way most Americans would use them. Watch videos of horses they’re advertising “this class with beginner rider”. It’s not a beginner by our term. You have to take everything with a grain of salt and adapt it to the Americanized way of thinking

[sixteenhands]

@Xanthoria

Like, take him for a quick spin round an Advanced xc course just to see what he does?

You go first.

[Farosh]

I haven’t really imported much myself, but I’ve seen the European ads of horses I know jumping around the horse shows near me because I research A LOT. I see a lot of bad riders jumping higher then they should be and tbh from what I’ve seen if it says amateur friendly… it is. There’s one girl I know whose hands go up and down as she posts and literally has no clue what lead she’s cantering around on missing 8/10 distances jumping those 1.20m amateur friendly horses in the 1.15s so don’t count them out. I think those European people know exactly who they’re making horses for.

There’s a person in Wellington jumping one of those 1.30m horses around the 1.25s who cannot see a spot or stay with the horse even when she manages to see it to save her life. And you know what the ad says? Amateur friendly. I know sales people can be hustlers but idk I’ve been comparing real life horses vs ads for a few years now and I agree strongly that the horses are amateur friendly.

While I’ve never bought from, I know 3 horses in my area jumping around great sold on the you horse auction. They have a lot of horses listed as prospect or great for someone who likes blood, and all the ones I saw in person were listed as amateur friendly and they were definitely that.

[dags]

Auction experience aside (and for the sake of their reputation, with folks buying off bids and not trials, and them needing the buyer to trust them enough to bid outrageously, they may be inclined to be a bit more honest/realistic), what you aren’t seeing is all the ones purchased as “amateur friendly” that were decidedly not, and thus never made it to the amateur ring.

And ads tend to get more honest as the prices go up. When it’s truly worth $200k+ there’s just not much you have to stretch the truth about. Obviously I didn’t see the ad as you did but given the nature of Wellington horse prices, I’d gamble that the one biffing around the 1.25m was probably not a washed up 1.30m horse but one that was more or less doing the same job there, priced accordingly, and would likely be jumping higher in the hands of a competent rider.