Just curious, for those that “make” and sell foxhunters, how many season(s) do you hunt them before you can sell as seasoned or at least foxhunter worthy? (Three years seems along time to me --if nothing esle more wear and tear -risk of injury before you can get them sold?) If you hunt them regularly, wont you knw by the end of the first season if a horse has got the brains for it? (That is, assuming the horse knew how to jump before you started the endeavor and that was not skill he had to learn too!) Thanks
If they are hunted regularly, ie, 1-2 x a week for 1-2 months, you will surely know what you have on your hands. Six hunts will usually tell you what you have. If they are bad, they usually stay as bad or get worse quickly.
Some are basket cases from the start, some are born hunters, some are sticky in the beginning but work out with a little time. The trick is knowing which is which and making that executive decision to keep on trying or not when you are #1 or #3. #2 is the easy one!
I can’t afford made…or anything even near it. If it has been out on trails and maybe a hunt trail ride and stayed quiet, has an incredibly quiet disposition to begin with, then along with a lot of other things like conformation etc., I may take a chance on it.
There are tons, TONS of prospects, as it has been pointed out on this board; many are not feasible prospects and you have to carefully comb through a lot of…ahem, junk, to find the few serious possible fieldhunters.
I now have to spend on a serious prospect as much as what I used to spend 15 years ago on a made hunter (hunted one season).
To Omar:
“Made” depends on the buyer. Some riders are fine with a horse that has been hunted several times and was fine/getting better, some people need a horse that has been hunted three years or more and is a saint.
To hone in on the prospect thing…
I have a 16.2h 5yo ISH gelding and a 16.2+h 2yo (yes only two and 16.2h already!) ISH gelding. Both of which I’d love to see in hunt homes, but do not live near any hunts.
Is there a market for them “out of the field” for the 2yo? And well started but not hunted at all (been to small events) for the 5yo? How much do bloodlines, etc play into it? The 5yo’s sire is a master hunt horse in Ireland. He seems to be quiet enough (dead quiet- but again never been in hunt field). The 2yo is my homebred that is definitely hunt worthy.
Is hunting like the event world where I would send them to someone to hunt and sell for me? We are talking $12-$20k range now.
For me a 12K to 20K horse better be the best thing on four legs, incredibly flashy and a pure saint in the hunt field. That horse needs to have hunted for two to three seasons.
Your 2 yo prospect, I would give you $1,500 for as is. Get it trained and hunted for a few years and if it is superb, then we can talk five digits. Low five digits. A 20K horse will have to be the absolute best hunter out there. In my market, and budget, a hunter rarely crests the 10K range. If the 2 yo grows past 17 hands, and is flashy, smooth coat, a bit more, just a wee bit more.
The whole notion of selling a hunt horse for 10K to 20K is only going to happen in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Outside of that niche market, move the decimal point one spot to the left.
I cannot speak to the hunt world vs. the eventing world. I do think most horses are WAY overpriced. At the same time I also think that I am only willing to pay for what I need. I don’t need an eventer or a dressage horse. All I need is a good all around hunter. I am not willing to pay for a horse who can sidepass or dance when I will never use that skill. I need a horse who can keep up with the hounds.
I know we all want our horses to be the most expensive thing out there, but realize it is only worth what someone will pay for. And right now, with the cost of everything being so high from fuel, to hay, to grain, to board, your purchase price will be the thing that gets cut the most.
Bloodlines don’t hold a lot of meaning for me.
If the 5 yo has been to events, why wouldn’t you market him as an event prospect? This is what I do not understand - I think there are far, far more people eventing than foxhunting, so why would you target a much smaller segment of the potential purchasers?
And could you get 12-20 K for an unhunted prospect? Maybe in some place like Cheshire country, but not at a lot of places I wouldn’t think.
Breeding can play a small part in it…but I would not think buyers here in the states are going to be terribly familiar with Irish sporthorse bloodlines.
As to the two year old, “out of the field”, yes, you could possibly sell him for a fieldhunter prospect but bear in mind like someone mentioned earlier, you are probably looking at someone buying him who is a good enough rider to bring him along and make him and it will be 2 years before he is out seriously hunting and those type of people are going to pay maybe…1-3K maximum. They can go elsewhere and find plenty of prospects in that price range and they will not care about bloodlines.
To pp: I am in Delaware and not far from Chesire Hunt. I just do not hunt and don’t know anyone in that hunt to talk to about it. Not like I’m in the boondocks and trying to sell sister Sally to a bunch of blind hackers.
They are both being marketed as eventers and the 5yo’s sale is actually pending right now. I just love foxhunting (only what I know from the crowd of people I talk with- just not from right around here) and thought about the idea of marketing them in the hunt field as well.
As for the 2yo- he is extremely well bred, well put together, and well minded. Imported dam, 1/2 brother to Advanced eventing mount, etc etc etc. Has the moves, disposition, mind to go far. Maybe I’d rather see him in a hunt and not breaking his leg going Advanced with the state of things out there now??? Better yet, he can sit in my yard for $12k and be a pet… I surely wouldn’t entertain the idea of $1500!!
Tantivy… Funny bc I’m one of those people that really doesn’t care about bloodlines either (!) if the horse goes on all fours the way it’s supposed to! But after advertising and dealing with a lot of the fellow eventers in selling my guys- they are really wrapped up in bloodlines and I’ve had to get used to mentioning “who they are by/out of, etc”.
I’m all for the out of the field prospects for $2k, especially in this flooded market… which is why I’m happy to hold on to my homebred and see what shakes in a year or two. He’ll be broke/going by then and we’ll have an idea what he’ll suit for. As you mentioned- hard to sell a 2yo bc you need a good enough rider that can break/start him and those are hard to find! I would much rather do all that here on the farm myself and ensure his good home down the road. That’s what I did with the 5yo- I actually imported him as a yearling and did everything myself- slowly. I’m not in a rush to place them.
Just thought I’d throw out the idea of sending him somewhere to learn to hunt, much like we’d send our guys to an event trainer for x-months to get started xc and such…
[QUOTE=DiablosHalo;3459335]
To pp: I am in Delaware and not far from Chesire Hunt. I just do not hunt and don’t know anyone in that hunt to talk to about it.
My dad always use to tell us kids…your tongue is the strongest muscle in your body, use it; ie, pick up the phone or attend a hunt event and USE YOUR MOUTH. Communication can be a wonderful thing! 
They are both being marketed as eventers and the 5yo’s sale is actually pending right now.
BINGO! and congrats!
I just love foxhunting (only what I know from the crowd of people I talk with- just not from right around here) and thought about the idea of marketing them in the hunt field as well.
Why don’t you keep the 2 yo and hunt him yourself? The last 2 yo I bought home (he was supposed to be a 3 yo, duh) I turned out to grow up for one year, at three, he was handwalked to his first hunt on foot and proceeded ot hunt in second/third fields as the winter wore on, as a 4 yo he moved up to the bak of first at slow hunts.
People like to buy made hunt horses and for a lot of people, that is the right horse. But for some of the good riders with common sense horse sense, buying a youngster (esp, to bring along if you have a second, older horse that you can first flight in on those days when the ground is galloping good and you just have to hunt hard!) and taking all that time to let them grow up, but growing up with them and bonding over that time, can be a world of fun and good experiences.
As for the 2yo- he is extremely well bred, well put together, and well minded. Imported dam, 1/2 brother to Advanced eventing mount, etc etc etc. Has the moves, disposition, mind to go far.
Sorry, but in the hunt field, the only, the ONLY thing that counts is:
PERFORMANCE.
Maybe I’d rather see him in a hunt and not breaking his leg going Advanced with the state of things out there now??? Better yet, he can sit in my yard for $12k and be a pet… I surely wouldn’t entertain the idea of $1500!![/QUOTE]
What makes you think he might not break his leg when turned out…or on a trailer…or a hack…or out hunting?
I do not think I wouldn’t not let him go eventing for that reason…you cannot control, oh, call it…destiny.
[QUOTE=DiablosHalo;3459335]
As for the 2yo- he is extremely well bred, well put together, and well minded. Imported dam, 1/2 brother to Advanced eventing mount, etc etc etc. Has the moves, disposition, mind to go far. Maybe I’d rather see him in a hunt and not breaking his leg going Advanced with the state of things out there now??? Better yet, he can sit in my yard for $12k and be a pet… I surely wouldn’t entertain the idea of $1500!![/QUOTE]
He sounds wonderful, Now get him out hunting and when he is cresting 4’ coops, stands at checks quietly, doesn’t get worked up and feeds off the excitement of the other horses, is an angel around the hounds and rides on the buckle, then you can move the $1,500 decimal point one spot to the right and market him for $15,000.
The people I know who pay 20,000$ for a hunt horse are pretty wealthy and started to ride late in life. They absolutely need a made saint and can pay for it. (and can pay for people to get them to the hunt, into the saddle, keep the horses fit, etc.) Hey, more power to em!
But, oh, I’d say they would not be paying that for an unhunted youngster. Not unless some sort of slickness was involved anyway. wink.
Warning…I’m kinda crabby this morning! :winkgrin:
Why OH Why do people insist on assigning a horse a niche or job or discipline and think that’s what he is or all he can do!!! Why can’t horses just be horses!!! :yes: ` Some do some things a little better than others. Some have a talent for some aspects of a discipline but it doesn’t mean that’s all he can do! Why does he have to be defined?!! And then if he washes out? He’s toast!!! Or needs to be dumped on another discipline? PLENTY of horses are good at more than 1 discipline and A GOOD HORSE IS A GOOD HORSE!!! :mad: OK so Dobbin isn’t a “good enough” mover to win ribbons at high level dressage but he can still do dressage! AND hunt, and trailride, and do some h/j shows! And event and team pen; or whatever. It’s we humans who limit them!! And many sellers seem to just want to sell the horse as a THIS or a THAT. 
And oh BTW; I think the OTHER disciplines are the most limiting…foxhunters and trail riders walk on water and don’t do that! ;):lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
I have started and sold many field hunters. I feel that if a horse has hunted at least six times well, that it has the mind to handle being a hunt horse. I wouldn’t say a horse is “seasoned” unless it had hunted weekly for an entire season.
The bigger and better a horse is, the bigger the price tag. There are always gentlemen (sorry ladies) that will pay a premium for a fancy, big, good jumping field hunter that passes the prepurchase exam. Unfortunately, there are not very many horses like this available.
Rosemarie
www.virginiafieldhunters.com
I posted this under the pricing poll but I think it applies here as well…
I guess the difference is whether you want to “make” your own hunter or buy one. Obviously I think you would pay more for a proven field hunter, more than a few times out, several seasons of regular hunting. It also depends on whether the horse went with the field or the staff. Some whip horses are horrible when you try and take them with the field, and vice versa.
I have always “made” my own. I look for a solid good minded horse who is clever and has a sense of self preservation. Lots of trail riding in company, hunter paces, exposure to lots of horses doing all kinds of things around them, and you will know if you have a hunt horse or not.
I’ve never paid more than $5000 for a horse. If I wanted a proven hunter that had 10 plus years of hunting life left in them I guess I might go up to $10,000 but never to the $25,000 I see advertised in COTH! It’s just not that hard to bring a prospect along to be a good hunter. (If you start with the right prospect!) JMHO
[QUOTE=Ponyclubrocks;3465466]
It’s just not that hard to bring a prospect along to be a good hunter. (If you start with the right prospect!) JMHO[/QUOTE]
And therein lies the problem…a lot of people do not have the time, desire nor skills and knowledge base to bring along even an “easy” horse.
More importantly, they do not know what constitutes a good prospect.
Have seen countless, endless numbers of people spending their time, energy and money on “prospects” that have no business being in the hunt field once much less twice.
[QUOTE=omare;3456813]
Just curious, for those that “make” and sell foxhunters, how many season(s) do you hunt them before you can sell as seasoned or at least foxhunter worthy? (Three years seems along time to me --if nothing esle more wear and tear -risk of injury before you can get them sold?) If you hunt them regularly, wont you knw by the end of the first season if a horse has got the brains for it? (That is, assuming the horse knew how to jump before you started the endeavor and that was not skill he had to learn too!) Thanks[/QUOTE]
At this point a delicate dance begins in the horse selling world…were I searching for a hunt horse, I would risk purchasing a horse with one season under it’s belt from a proven/reputable provider of hunt horses long before I would risk that with an unknown seller, be they an amatuer or an unknown “pro” who was offering a horse with two or more seasons under it’s belt.
The foxhunting world has a built in security net, everyone knows someone in some hunt. Within hours/days of becoming interested in a horse available to purchase it is possible to get “bystander” specs on that specific horse.
That’s for sure
When I sold my mare to a fellow foxhunter I think that her huntsman called my huntsman or something like that. I know that my huntsman mentioned that someone had contacted her. It pays to be nice to the huntsman. It was near Christmas time and I sent her a little check with a Thankyou for providing a good reference. The horse was definitely a great hunt horse anyway.
If you are selling a supposedly made hunter I guarantee that horse’s references will be checked. The contact info is provided in the Chronicle yearly and on the MFA site for all to see. They will always ask what hunt you hunt with. Then they will find out how often you really hunt and how your horse behaves.
