Me and my crazy ideas: how much would you pay for this horse?

[StormyDay]

So I’ve been having this idea for a while (and as many of you know, I have the best ideas ) to go out west, pick up some horses, and ship them to the east coast to be sold as h/j horses. I have family in the western states who ride and they believe they could pick up some bombproof, nice horses for pretty darn cheap for me. I’d put a few months of ‘English’ basics on them and sell them to ammys wanting a reliable, sensible horse that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

In the past few weeks I’ve seen QH’s and paints being sold to the 2-2’6” crowd for 10-15k on Facebook. Even if I only sold them for 5-6 grand, I’d still make a profit.
And yes, I know it’s pretty hard to make a profit selling horses.

So in your area, how much would you pay for a 7-8 YO, 15.3h paint or QH who was bombproof, was extremely broke WTC, and started over 2-2’3” fences and started lead changes?

[outerbanks77]

I’m out west and that horse would be $10k + here. I don’t think there’s much of a.profit margin to be made unless you find a diamond in the rough that has some special talent.

Ive been on the lookout on a few occasions for the 16 h off breed prospect and it’s hard to find much I. the 5-10k range.

[Redlei44]

Depends - does it seem like a 3’/AA prospect, how fancy, and does it have the step for the lines? A green-broke sub-16hh off breed prospect is probably in the $10k range around here - less for one that looks like it will top out in the local/pre-adults, more if not.

ETA- are you thinking of repurposing ranch horses? I believe @Foxglove has a good one with this background and I believe is East Coast.

[StormyDay]

@Redlei44

Depends - does it seem like a 3’/AA prospect, how fancy, and does it have the step for the lines? A green-broke sub-16hh off breed prospect is probably in the $10k range around here - less for one that looks like it will top out in the local/pre-adults, more if not.

ETA- are you thinking of repurposing ranch horses? I believe @Foxglove has a good one with this background and I believe is East Coast.

Yes, ranch horses and also probably ‘rodeo’ horses as that’s what my family does. Horses too slow for the barrels, not cow-y enough, etc. These horses are broke, not green broke at all. But where they are from there are too many horses, not enough riders, and hay bills are high in the winter.

[Scribbler]

Really depends what you mean by bombproof.

An English horse still needs to have a big forward canter and a good motor. Good ranch horses have been exposed to a lot of stuff and still have the ability to move out.

But there are also Western horses that for whatever reason are bomb proof because they are just slow and lethargic. They aren’t good ranch horses. I can’t see them becoming good jumpers either.

As far as what you’ve seen on FB or any other online sales, that is asking price. What they actually sell for is a mystery. Also horses sell for more if they come through an established and proven trainer or program.

If you can get the horses cheap enough and if your transportation and boarding costs are low enough, and if you can put the basics on them fast enough you might be able to make a little money. It sounds like the same business plan basically as starting OTTB just much less dangerous!

[Fillabeana]

I’m also out west…

Quiet, reliable, broke, sound… not likely to be cheap enough to flip for a profit.

Rodeo horses that are quiet, useful/trained but slow are in demand as mounts for kids.

You might maybe find grade trail horses, quiet and tolerant but maybe not well educated, and flip that. There are big outfits that provide horses seasonally for dude ranches and hunting outfitters, they will sell horses in the fall.

But otherwise, I think you’re looking for a bargain, where there’s already a stout demand.

[StormyDay]

@Fillabeana

I’m also out west…

Quiet, reliable, broke, sound… not likely to be cheap enough to flip for a profit.

Rodeo horses that are quiet, useful/trained but slow are in demand as mounts for kids.

You might maybe find grade trail horses, quiet and tolerant but maybe not well educated, and flip that. There are big outfits that provide horses seasonally for dude ranches and hunting outfitters, they will sell horses in the fall.

But otherwise, I think you’re looking for a bargain, where there’s already a stout demand.

I think it depends on what part of the west we are talking about here though, because I grew up in the west and I know where I grew up you couldn’t find what I’m talking about. But where my family lives, there’s less money and more horses. So, I’m pretty much covered on finding them.

Transportation will be the most $$. Probably 1k each at minimum to get them to me.
Ive got the acres for them so no issue there, and I don’t have to feed hay March-December so that really helps.

[gertie06]

We’ve got a kid in the barn looking for just that. Her budget is $10K. That said, she wants something that moves decent, has a prayer of making the lines, is very honest, and preferably has a lead change.

[MsM]

Most of the lower level dealers around here follow a similar plan and bring horses in “from the West”. I think they save on shipping by bringing a trailer load all at once. Of course they also cut their losses by sending those that don’t work out to auction.

[McGurk]

Another obstacle to this plan IMO is finding horses of size that move vaguely like hunters. (I am a huge QH fan, and showed several of them in the regular hunters.) Most of the ranch type QHs won’t have the size and stride to compete successfully in hunters, even local hunters. So whoever is “scouting” your prospects for you out west will have to have an understanding of what to look for.

As a sideline, have them ship you horses under 14.2 that can be sold as local ponies. There’s a heck of a market for sweet, broke QH honies that will measure for the pony divisions.

[LilRanger]

I’m Out West (intermountain) and you’ll find some really nice horses in the price point you want-most are under 10k. I can’t say they are all awesome but it’s doable sure. There is someone near me (only 200 miles away) already doing this. The horses are lovely and mountain trained and are priced around10k.

The pony hony idea is great!

[jherold]

30 yrs ago the barn manager where I rode in Illinois did that same thing. He’d go out west and pick up a van load of green horses. Have his working students and advanced lesson kids get them broke and put miles on them and then sell them. Frequently, he sold the horse to the same kid that trained it. He also had a local hunt and pony club market. It must have been profitable or he wouldn’t have done it. On the other hand, times are different now…

[StormyDay]

@McGurk

Another obstacle to this plan IMO is finding horses of size that move vaguely like hunters. (I am a huge QH fan, and showed several of them in the regular hunters.) Most of the ranch type QHs won’t have the size and stride to compete successfully in hunters, even local hunters. So whoever is “scouting” your prospects for you out west will have to have an understanding of what to look for.

As a sideline, have them ship you horses under 14.2 that can be sold as local ponies. There’s a heck of a market for sweet, broke QH honies that will measure for the pony divisions.

Oh the pony idea is gooooood. Didn’t think about that.

[eightpondfarm]

why not buy mustangs of suitable size and confo/abilities from TIP trainers? They usually go for pretty cheap.

[StormyDay]

@eightpondfarm

why not buy mustangs of suitable size and confo/abilities from TIP trainers? They usually go for pretty cheap.

I have a mustang, I love him, but their brand makes their value plummet in the h/j world.

[LilRanger]

Oh I just re read you post and realized that I am in no position to say what would sell back East!

[chestnutmarebeware]

Here in East TN you’re probably looking at $5k or under unless there’s an impressive show record. English riders are looking for big fancy horses and casual riders can find plenty of QH, paint or grade horses for even less than that.

[Equibrit]

Nothing.

[McGurk]

Even harder to find a mustang with the size and stride to be successful in hunterland than it would be to find a QH.

I’m not sure that the 14.2 mustang hony would work in the pony ring either.

[streamline]

Ehhhh unstarted 2-3 year olds sell for 3-5k around here. Still blows my mind 2’3-2’6 horses sell for 10k+.

Unless you’re buying in bulk/not spending a ton of money to keep said horses I don’t think it would be profitable…