Lease price range for this horse (for adult hunters)

[Foitin]

Just trying to get a grip on lease prices, I trust my trainer, but took some 20 years away from this and want to see what y’all think! Not sure if this is enough info, but here is what I can give:

Horse has a strong record in the 3’6 juniors with championships at a lot of regional A shows and some bigger ones, got some ribbons at Devon and at an indoor show. But the junior could ride anything and was crazy accurate.

More recently the horse has had some experience in the children’s. Horse has jumped around and has gotten decent ribbons, a couple reserve championships. About 1 show season of this, but with COVID, so not a normal one.

Horse is honest, but if the distance is too off, he is known to stop instead of chipping and packing. I am not sure if this is normal or what you’d expect of a smart horse. Doesn’t seem to mind chipping in general (if rider misses from doing nothing) but if too long, he won’t figure it out, so to speak.

Horse is sound and comes from a reputable barn

Thank you!

[Smiles]

Depends on how accurate of a rider you are. I wouldn’t pay good money for a horse that is known to stop. Keep looking. If you are spending money get the best your money can pay for.

[Faye]

I have a question related to this, hope OP doesn’t mind, my lease horse now stops a lot. Like every single lesson, not dirty, but if the distance is wonky, or he’s a bit underpace, he will stop. These are small fences, nothing bigger than 2"9. If it looks different (new fill, new element) he will either stop or over jump. He’s also green. is this a training/experience issue? Reason i asked is that my old horse, also green, never stopped the 2 years i had him.

[Peggy]

I would also question why the horse was stepped down to 3’. If it was for a performance or soundness issue then the horse should not command a lease price appropriate for a going 3’6” horse.

[Redlei44]

At 3’6” the stopping is more understandable as a self preservation tactic. At 3’ it’s a bigger fault, I’d say.

I don’t have a good sense of price from the details you’ve given. Purchase price seems like it could be anywhere from $20k (say, if it vets terribly and will never jump above 3’ again) to $200k+ if it could still ribbon at 3’6” at Indoors with an accurate ride.

Annual lease fee for a rated show hunter is generally 1/3 to 1/2 of purchase price.

[Foitin]

Just a followup, it vets well and could theoretically jump 3´6 again with a capable rider.

[Redlei44]

Purchase price might be in the high five figure, based on currently showing 3’ with scope for more. So lease price might be in the range of $25k - $35k per year. Higher if they get it ribboning at 3’6” again.

Have you checked out comparable horses on BigEq?

[fourfillies]

This is a tough one. Complicated drops the size of the possible lessee pool and therefore price in the A/A market. Maybe A LOT. In the right program to the right barn and if a good piece of the hack around here $20-30K a year, easily. But if it quits for an A/A consistently I’d pass. Also, if it would do the 3’6” why isn’t it targeted to the JR Hunter market?

[blondewithchrome]

Agree with you here @Redlei44. If it’s fancy fancy, gets a piece of the hack, and you’re a good enough rider to ride through the stop it’s probably worth 30-40k a year lease, maybe more. But it all depends on the complexity of the quirk and how big of “the winner” this horse is with a good rider. Wins at 3’6, ribbons at indoors? I’d say that’s easily a 6 figure horse without the stop - so the question really is how much someone is willing to pay for a stopper, I guess.

1/2 purchase price foe a year lease is pretty common in my parts (z3) - but 1/3 for the more expensive ones I’ve seen, too.

[Foitin]

Thanks everybody, I really appreciate it! I get the feeling that this horse is being marketed for 3ft because they’re finding a bigger market there, I suspect he would require a really good junior to jump around the 3’6, though maybe just a solid junior for the low jrs.

[Justice]

Movement is a huge price indicator, a hack winner goes for nearly 2x what an ok mover goes for. To me it sounds like you are saying if you try to leave from the parking lot, he’s going to tell you no. That’s not a stopper (nor did you say it was but I think some people misunderstood), that’s just not a unicorn. I’ll ballpark you $25-50k for a 3ft lease on this one depending on where he usually pins on the flat.

[staceymc]

A horse that stops when presented with a stupid scary distance (especially at 3’6”) is not a “stopper” to me. That is a horse who is saving me from myself and doing his very best not to get either of us hurt. Even at 3’, if the distance is bad enough where the horse would have to do a really ugly chip and then require a large effort to contort his/her body to jump it…well I’m ok with that stop too. Sometimes it is better to not jump!

A “stopper” to me is one that quits when ridden to a distance that is acceptably in range and still stops. If that’s not what this horse is doing, then I would definitely expect a lease fee of 1/3 it’s purchase price as mentioned before. And I could see a nice horse like this being anywhere from $100-$200k depending on movement/hack ribbon.

[Halternatively]

From what I’ve seen while very recently looking at jr hunters, if this horse qualified for and ribboned at indoors and Devon (i.e. not a JHF held at Devon), and can still do the 3’6”, that’s a horse priced well into the six figures. Even a lease will be mid-upper 5 figures.

That being said, if it requires a precise ride that few can give, the price will be more negotiable. But IME it’s a sellers/ lessors market and 3’6” junior horses are pretty hot.

[Foitin]

Glad you mentioned JHF at Devon, that is where the horse ribboned I think, thank you!

[Halternatively]

Sure thing!

[173north]

My thoughts exactly. 3’6 horse that can pin at indoors is a strong 6 figure sale / high 5 lease. If it needs a really accurate ride to do that height, maybe that drops closer to a mid 5. A solid, fancy 3 ft hunter around here is also around a mid 5 lease.

[Limerick2017]

173 North, May I ask what zone you are in?

[Tha_Ridge]

@Limerick2017

173 North, May I ask what zone you are in?

The prices they quoted are in line with what I’ve seen where I am—Zone 2. A lease on the winning 3’ horse is going to be anywhere from $40-80k.

[nycjumper]

A horse that ribbons at 3’6 indoors is definitely a six figure purchase. And a lease would be most likely closer to half the horses value.
My reading is that this isn’t an easy 3’6 horse so they’re broadening the market to get him leased. It’s not uncommon. Given the record and if it truly is a packer at 3’, I’d certainly expect to be paying at least mid 5 on a lease.

[Moneypitt]

Apparently I’m out of the loop.

Noticed an advertisement for a WT horse for lease for 10K. WT as in walk, trot. No cantering, no jumping.

Person also had another ad wanting to acquire older been there done that h/j show horses.

I guess their business is leasing out horses? Must be lucrative? IDK