I saw one just recently that isn’t even registered - they want $12K.
I love Morgans, at least the more old-skool, less “fancy” lines. They’re small, sturdy, require little maintenance, smart, easy keepers, and IMHO very handsome well-put-together horses. Maybe because they’ve never been super-popular or faddy, or been trendy in the major English disciplines, they just seem to be good steady-Eddie type horses. Like the Subarus of the horse world. The one I leased for a long time grew a thick winter coat and tail, but didn’t have feathers.
I’m not the first to observe that the horse market is priced based on what people will pay. The Friesans I’ve known have just been too spooky for my taste, and don’t look that fun to ride. Unless you’re a historical reenactor and that’s what your public wants to see, I don’t see the value. But there are quite a few animal breed appearances I’ve just never quite “got”–like French bulldogs, super-hairy feathered horses–that obviously appeal to enough consumers to generate a huge profit.
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Same! It started out with Silver from the Lone Ranger. I think next was the brumby in Man From Snowy River. I still get chills thinking about the scene where they go over the ditch and everyone else has to pull up. I used to think that would be awesome to do, but at this point in my life I would be terrified to do so, even if the horse knew what he were doing!
That said, have never been a Friesan fan.
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I came across an ad for a not especially attractive five year old draft-x with 30 days training for 25k today- the main selling point was the hair and the height, which was 18hh. I find the penchant for giant draft-x horses confusing. I’m not saying they can’t make great riding horses, because lots of people have them and seem to enjoy them but they are so often just earthbound. I also know the TB-draft crosses can make excellent field hunters and go for a lot of money, but they seem to be carefully bred to hold up to that kind of job. The great big hairy ones with a little person perched on top trying to get them to trot instead of shamble seem so cloddish and unfun. And they are so expensive!!!
That said, I’ve known really sweet, willing ones, but I’ve also known ones that are a big NOPE. Years ago we had one in our barn that was a draft-QH cross and OMG was he a jerk on the ground. He routinely just ran over people to get to food. I once had to beat him over the head with a bucket to get him to stop squishing me into the wall because he was trying to push past to get to the hay sitting in the aisle. He eventually moved over with the equivalent of a horsey shrug, but I had bruising all along my sides for days. Like most of these guys, he wasn’t built to jump or do dressage so whenever the owners tried to move him past a certain level in eventing he would be unsound. They spent a ton of money on diagnostics, never really found anything, would give him time off, and then try again, with the same results. It was really kind of ridiculous but they just kept doing it until they gave up and retired him.
I had a friend who had a wonderful, kind Perch-TB x, and he evented her up through Training, but she really couldn’t hold up to it. She actually had relatively good conformation but her back just couldn’t take XC, despite being in a really good fitness and general care program. There are lots of people eventing these guys lower level, but you just don’t see too many that can go above Novice and remain comfortable, I think. The feeling of solidity and general level-headedness that the good ones have is worth it to people, which makes sense, but the prices they pay are astounding to me, and I’d never, ever want something that huge to deal with all the time!
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Yep… I watched Man From Snowy River countless times. I wanted all those horses.
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Oh gosh! How many of us wanted a black Arabian horse as kids? 
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Not just A black Arabian. I wanted THAT one. I saw the movie when it came out. I think I was 5 at the time, and the first movie I remember seeing in a theater. I started riding lessons that summer.
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I’m so jealous! We have plenty of hairy cobs and more than a few Friesians in my neck of the woods but not sure I’ve ever seen a Morgan or Mustang in person.
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I am a big hairy draft person! Shires. Both of mine sport roached manes and tails. What I do NOT understand is the instance on taking a heavy draft horse and trying to make it a tall, light riding horse (and with more hair). It is a draft horse. It will never be a Grand Prix anything. Except in pulling competitions. Except now, Shires in particular are being turned into neither good pulling horses nor good riding horses: too light and leggy for one, too big and drafty for the other.
Neither drafts nor Friesians (which are not drafts) were bred for riding. It frustrates me to no end.
That being said, I think we should be careful about the idea that a bomb proof, dirt bike proof, ultra sane, easy keeper who is not athletic but is a joy to be around and can take anyone out on a trail should be cheap. In my view, those horses actually should sell for just as much as a competitive prospect. They just have a different skill set. The much maligned Gypsy horse is taking advantage of that niche and the prices correctly reflect that. The disconnect is when the Gypsy owner thinks they can have that skill set and jump Grand Prix…or dressage, or endurance, or any other competition.
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Great points! I agree that the steady eddie super-safe ones are worth their weight in gold, or whatever people want to sell/buy them for, but there is a whole market of unproven ones selling for high prices. That aspect is what I don’t quite get.
That is sad about the Shire breed- I’ve always thought they are amazing, gorgeous animals.
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I agree. I used to fly out to spend time with a friend who was a major breeder (20 to 40 foals annually), for extended visits riding her greenies – multiple per day – just because I enjoyed it (ETA: I was invited to visit). I’ve started colts since I was mid-teens; always liked bringing along young horses, and developing solid citizens. That’s my personal skill set, so this was a lot of fun.
She’d say that she didn’t know why buyers thought that a kind, trustworthy, willing horse that could pack an ammy down a trail, give a go at various activities, and so forth wasn’t considered to be as valuable – that such a horse should be worth more, not less.
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One of our best horses was a Shire/Morgan/QH, he had the best of all those breeds and was a stunning beautiful smart good horse. Also the one we paid the most for at 2K. We’ve never paid more than that and currently have the least horses ever at 4. We’ve always been dumpster divers on horses and rarely got a dud, we’ve had some amazing horses. Grandson of Mr San Peppy, $125 Morgan mare that DH had 38 years, $700 TWH buckskin paint sweet and born broke we got as a weanling… my best horse was $700, the horse I bought 3 years ago was a $600 RMH that “needed his own person”… granted we made them with miles and time and rarely had any papers on anything other than a bill of sale. We got some freebies from our trainer friend that people would give horses and he knew that with our approach they would be fine… and they usually were. Not always but enough to keep trying.
ETA b/c it matters, we don’t show or compete, we do pack trips into the wilderness. Different skillset.
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I agree that good family horses should have a high price tag. In the thousands, definitely. But paying for a special color or feathers on their feet is not something I’m willing to do to get a horse, especially when they aren’t well broke. Ten of thousands? Nah, I can find a nice horse for less.
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I say this as the devoted human servant of several full draft horses…
…Draft crosses. How many times have I looked at a “Percheron X” and thought: “Yes. That’s a Percheron crossed with a Percheron.” The prices at sales are a whole 'nother level of insane. The Amish around here are getting uppity – stop standing on their backs at sales trying to demonstrate how allegedly bombproof they are – Idgaf if you can stand on it’s back! It’s not bombproof. It a) doesn’t even realize your puny butt is up there, or b) is too jaded and fed up with you to argue.
I don’t get the idea of riding them; let alone why people think they’re dead head, nervous Nelly, 50+ adult beginner coddling kinds of horses. They’re conformed to push against heavy stuff; leaning low onto the forehand and bracing their massive necks. Sure they can develop suppleness and self-carriage with consistent, correct training. But IME, more often than not, they don’t get that training. And it ends up being a very novice rider on a horse that they lack the skills and strength to stop or turn.
Runner up: anything pony sized. Daughter saw a large pony Arabian X Appy that she thought could be a fun project. Was about 6yo. Schooling 2’ at home, a few local shows with a strong teenager piloting. I contacted the seller. $20K. I get it. They’ve put a ton of time and $ into the horse. And when you look around this area and all you see are unbacked, 2yo German Riding Ponies for $50K, you’d be forgiven for trying to get traction at $20K. But this little guy? Unfortunately, that pony wouldn’t be competitive at even the unrated local Hunter shows in our area. Personally, I’d happily give you my $$ for a mule with 4 left feet and a hatred of adult humans so long as it was the nurturing, Steady Eddie type that would carry a pre-SS kid around the show with white kid gloves. This pony still needed considerable show miles with a petite teen or adult on board before you could reasonably pop a short stirrup kid up there, though. Serious pony jumpers can command low-mid 5s. But while I’ve yet to encounter either an Arabian or Appy who was a poor jumper; I just wasn’t seeing the raw athleticism and scope of a serious pony jumper prospect in the videos of this little guy…
I suppose the right buyer will come along eventually.
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Interestingly this has not been my experience with drafts at all. I’ve ridden quite a few full drafts, and crosses. In all the ones I’ve ridden, just one was trying to yank my arms off.
My draft is actually quite a lovely ride, and I can most certainly say it wasn’t because of his wonderful training; I got him from a field he has been abandoned in, and from what I can tell his care in the 10 years previous was very poor. He teachers beginner lessons. He also has a surprisingly wonderful canter.
I also know two women who event their drafts. They are both well over 18h. Both love it. No, they won’t be running a 5*, but they are still horses after all and can be trained to do pretty much any task. It is pretty funny to watch their giant horses just step over the jumps.
I actually think that for some riders, a draft is the perfect fit.
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Wow.
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I shouldn’t overstate what is happening with the Shires. Because there are a lot of dedicated breeders out there. But it is frustrating when one of the most prominent breeders is advertising their main stallion through pictures of it in the dressage ring and not working in harness. And not that it is doing a bad job in the dressage ring, it is an entirely acceptable 1st level ride. But you do NOT breed for that! No stallion that tops out at 1st level is a dressage stallion. And it has legs for miles with a light draft body.
And when your breed’s foals are counted, worldwide, in tens of foals per year…that matters. A rare breed should be advertised for what it does well. In the case of the Shire? A reactive, but to use dog terminology ‘Velcro’, personable, draft. It isn’t going to top the Belgians in a pulling competition, but it is going to top them if you want pulling power plus personable. It also makes the best draft cross, but cross the Shire stallion with the mare, not the other way around!
Picture of a Shire on the way home from work, just for fun
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I wouldn’t describe you as a novice rider, though @StormyDay 
. And I agree, they are great for certain riders.
@jvanrens, I don’t know how else to put it. They’re breeding for flash and color now just the same as English.
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I agree that it would be a terrible shame to lose the original use of the Shire. Cleveland Bays are incredibly rare carriage horses. I can imagine the loss if they were also turned into dressage horses. 
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But Cleveland Bays were developed to be all-rounders with an affinity for carriage work. They were originally designed to do some ploughing, pull the family carriage to church on Sunday morning, then take the farmer hunting Sunday afternoon, so a true all-rounder, who are light enough on their feet to actually be good dressage horses- and we know how good they are as hunters and eventers. (My association with the breed extends back 29 years with cross breds, but have been an admirer for 35 years)
They’re intelligent, honest, sometimes stubborn, but all the ones I’ve known have been completely trustworthy (and not a lot of hair where there shouldn’t be).
I think it would be a shame if they’re only considered as carriage horses, as impressive as a full hitch of matching Bays may be!
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