Hello I am looking at buying an eventing horse to show lower/middle levels with. I want something within the age range of 4-10 I dont care about color, breed, size, ect. please give me some pointers on what to look for in a horse i have a pretty good idea, but tell me what breeds and all! i am 5’2" and weigh 115lbs Im 16yrs old and i am also working with CCI2** event coach Nicole Tur ( check her out on youtube 
) my price range is 2000 and under. Im located in Wi
Well for $2k you are looking at super green/young/off the track horses so I wouldn’t worry about breed or age much. I would look for something that you can at least try under saddle and ride a bit in the ring and in the open, that is quiet and sensible and doesn’t have anything glaringly wrong with it.
But really I would look for something that you can free lease for a year or two. A pony club type or something a bit older that is a good teacher. Especially if you are thinking of going to college in a couple of years.
4 Likes
Definitely have your trainer help you!
4 Likes
thank you guys so much i have been free leasing/riding weekly all the horses at my coaches farm ( that ranges from a 13.2hh arab pony- a 18.1 imported dutch warmblood ) i will also be helping her start a 2yr old oldenburg/thoroughbred cross as soon as he knees are not open. I also am not planing on going to college ( personal reasons ) and i am taking over my coaches farm when she is done. I have been riding cheap, green horses for about 7yrs now so im not a total greenie…
So this is a wanted ad?
3 Likes
This. The good news is that just about any sound and reasonably sane horse can event at the lower levels. Your budget will be limiting but not impossible. Your coach should be able to point you in the right direction. I hate Facebook but a lot of people seem to have luck with ISO ads on there these days. Try the group “Event horses available $10,000 & under.” I’ve looked at it lately and I’ve seen a handful for under $2k, BUT they are all over the country. If you can save money for a year or two and double your budget you’ll have many more options.
I’ll tell you about the two horses I have evented that I got for under $2k.
-
7 y.o. 16 hh unraced TB gelding. I had been riding him for free for several months because the owner no longer had time, and when she also ran out of money she gave him to me for free. He had some recognized show experience at BN and Novice I believe. He turned out to be probably one of the best horses I’ll ever own because he was unfazed by literally anything and would do anything you asked. In addition to eventing at Novice, we tried cow sorting/penning, foxhunting, an Extreme Cowboy Race, and mounted shooting, and he did all of them without ever blinking an eye. He was awesome. (Unfortunately a year later when I went to sell him before I started law school, I discovered that he had pedal osteitis so that cut his price from $15k to almost free. But I did find him a wonderful home, for which I am so thankful.)
-
7 y.o. 13.2 hh Welsh/TB cross mare. I just bought this one over the summer as a project pony. She’s a plain bay but with a lovely face and eye, and decent conformation. Nice mover and athletic jumper though obviously her size will limit how far she can go up the levels. If she were 15+ hh and/or if the seller weren’t very motivated, I’m sure she would have cost significantly more than $2k. She just did wonderfully at her first horse trial (intro-level unrecognized) and we’re entered at BN in November. I think she will be a super fun horse for someone smaller than me, but I already wouldn’t let her go for $2k.
Think your coach can be more help here then strangers scattered all over, particularly since your budget doesn’t allow for shipping outside your local area.
Is your coach your mother? If not, be careful planning your future on talking over your coach’s business without a known, set date. Much can happen between now and whenever they step down to sink your plans.
Having had several trainers I thought I would stay with “forever’”, you need to have a plan B. One died. One had the barn property sold out from under her business with no warning from the landlord and another rather abruptly relocated to another state. At just 16, please remember the only constant in life is change.Be sure you have some other options for your future.
7 Likes
I have been leaning torwards getting an ottb through canterusa or just finding a larger pony. i have a trailer so i can trailer home from other states, i have my own farm at my house so if i need to i can bring the horse home if i need. and feel free to post horses for sale if you want i am looking in wi and surrounding states
You are just going to have too look a lot. I buy a lot of OTTBs and have had all so far go beyond Prelim. Only two were below 2K. I have two lovely 4 year olds and both were well over 2K fresh off the track. They are out there but most good young horses will already be above your budget unless you get a bit lucky.
Take your coach and go to the track this weekend. CanterIllinois says the track shuts down Monday, now is the time to get a deal on an OTTB. I saw a couple of cute 15.2 ones in your range if you don’t mind that size.
crafty prospect is a 16.2 bay 3yo and looks lovely, they may come down in price to move him.
1 Like
Going to go against the grain a bit and say I’d be looking for a non-OTTB; something that is already broke, broke, broke but maybe not experienced in eventing that could be taught basic dressage and jumping skills. I might focus on finding something that maybe has plenty of trail riding experience or at least riding out of the arena, is comfortable going out alone, has been hauled many different places and is confirmed to reliably cross water without issues. I wouldn’t limit your search by breed - at the lower levels what you need is a good brain more than anything. Horses marketed with experience in 4H or other equestrian team work might also be a good place to look, and I would expand that age range up to early teens.
4 Likes
What levels do you mean by lower/middle? To me middle is Training-Prelim. But everyone’s definition is different. Looking at smaller…even chestnut mare…will help keep things in your price range.
