I agree that it’s doable I’ve had free horses jump 1.20 lol but they were almost all TBs. I’m just saying it’s silly to completely count out the category of horses where you’re most likely to find this horse.
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I’m not saying it’s the same. But my horse is young and green, and stepping over 2’6. I have no doubt he will be able to jump 4’, he free jumps that with ease now. But I’m not in a hurry to have him at that height right now, he’s still green. My point was there are babies out there to be had for a good price.
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Yes but 4’ jumpers are not exactly thick on the ground and it’s not at all comparable. There are probably many horses that can hit the trails in a western saddle to be bought for 4 figures but that doesn’t mean a WEG quality Reiner is just as easily found. Completely different. With all due respect a 2’6 hunter is not a hard horse to find. A 4’ jumper is. It’s just not at all comparable. A horse that can jump one 4’ free jump is not a 4’ jumper. If OP needed a 2’6 hunter prospect I’d say she could spit and hit one in the mid Atlantic for her budget. But that’s not what she’s looking for.
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Hmm, the last 4’6 jumper I bought was well within your budget. Appendix QH that was barrel racing at the time (4 yo) and NOT an easy ride. Had an uphill canter to die for and I took a risk that paid off. A USET rider offered me $75k as a 5 yo but the horse died with me 20 years later, you can’t replace talent easily. He could have done the GPs if I was a better rider.
a well bred WB is out of the question unless you can wait on a weanling. I have one now but have to see what she will jump. Her dad and many of mom’s offspring are competing to 1.3m, one is a 5 Star FEI horse and dad is a hunter now doing derbies with a kid. But there are NO guarantees, and mine just had colic surgery at 3 so that bargain price has become five-figures as she ages. And most of the weanlings catching my eye are 12-15k these days.
OTTB is the best bet, from a reliable reseller. Do a vet check. I have had several 4’ jumper TBs with scope for days…but it isn’t usually available for $500 like some people expect. TB people aren’t dumb and have learned to sell the good ones for decent prices or through connections.
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Just an update on her situation 
She has 3 local ones lined up to look at in the upcoming week. None are high class imports, but they all are warmblood or wb crosses. She found 2 on FB and one through word of mouth.
There is one I spied on the sporthorse auctions that looks like it is nice and will go in her range. Anyone have experience with that website? I will also forward that canadian one to her. Thanks
Have her vet them really thoroughly if she buys a bargain basement WB. But really I have seen a lot of super average WBs that aren’t going to jump 4’ ever. I would not look for a bargain WB…better off to get a really talented off breed.
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Yeah but also talented and scopey enough to do it is =/= will hold up to long term training or will want to do it consistently with a rider.
Also my mare who is retired now schooled 1.30+ courses at home easily and did 1.45 single fences nicely and even trotted a 1.20 jump free lunging but competing at 1.20 was different. We did it for a bit and did well enough but I wouldn’t say she was a true 1.20 horse, she was a 1.10 horse that could do 1.20 because she was awesome and loved it and worked hard. But I think if I had been greedier with her and pushed more I would have abused/worn out her good will and soundness.
Dream horses are out there, sometimes you just have to be patient and/or change your parameters. I was looking for a small 3-4 year old athletic horse with the potential to do 1.20m+ eventually and was completely open to hot quirky rides, and small provided they had the step to make the lines. What did I end up with a yearling who is now 17 hands as a 7 year old and the quietest most rideable/trainable horse I have ever owned. Ironically he is also likely to be more successful as a 4 ft hunter/derby horse than jumper. That isn’t to say he won’t be a jumper as he will jump anything and is pretty careful but realistically his niche is the hunter ring (although I have a few people also saying he should be a dressage horse…).
As for Alberta to find some well priced warmblood prospects that isn’t a bad suggestion (although I went in reverse and purchased a horse in the US as he had the movement, conformation, and bloodlines I wanted within my budget). Some of the breeders may have a slightly older horse at a budget price because it was one that for whatever reason hasn’t been started yet and is a little older. Especially if you are open to not as trendy bloodlines bargains are out there.
A few breeders worth checking out in AB would be
- touchstone farms
- smoky river sport horses
there are tons of other AB breeders as well but those are two that I would talk to if I was looking for a prospect in that price range.
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Well I have a TB (not OTTB the TB never raced) who can do 1.25 meters easily, is quirky about ground stuff but not under saddle things, and there is no chance I would sell for the price point your friend is looking in now that the holes in the flat work are fixed from before I got her. I know of a bunch of green non TBs who fit the bill but they all start at $25,000
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OP: I have not used the auction site, but my concern about an auction is not being able to ride the horse. I imported a 4 yo bc I was on a budget and, he can easily jump 4’ – maybe higher he has scope for days, but the question is can he do everything in between the jumps to show at that height. Your friend needs to be looking at more than just ability to jump high over a single jump. If she tries horses make sure she rides some in and outs etc to see if it has the brain for the in between, even if at lower heights. And yes–very thorough vet check and xrays.
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I haven’t read the whole thread, but is your friend prepared to pay for colic surgery to the time of $12,000 or rehab of a soft tissue injury which can add up to $25k?? Posts like this irk me, without more information it sounds like she plainly can’t afford horse ownership … perhaps she needs a free lease and not a purchase
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I think OP’s friend may have a tough time even finding a US-bred WB weanling 1.2-1.3m prospect at her price point. Most of the local breeders I’m in touch with are selling their in utero stock for $10K+ and weanlings are obviously higher priced than that. My recommendation is same as basically everybody else: go for OTTB, other type off breed, or look to Canada.
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I think you meant this in a different way than this comes across, but it’s sounding a lot like you are saying anyone who can’t afford an expensive horse shouldn’t have horses.
I hope I don’t have to explain how ridiculous that is.
I came on here asking for advice… not for criticisms of a good friend of mine. That was the reason she didn’t want to ask on COTH herself, because she thought she would get very negative answers. She is a hardworking ammy who strives to give her horses the top care possible. It is her dream to ride at the higher levels of competition, but as a mom dropping more than 8k just seems selfish to her.
Thank you to everyone who gave constructive answers. She has had more success than I had thought and is trying out quite a few local horses. If nothing works out locally she is very interested in canada.
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I mean, don’t most of us dream of riding at “high levels of competition?”
The reality is that campaigning even a 4’ jumper can be $50k per year or more. If she’s not prepared to spend that to compete, maybe she doesn’t need quite as fancy of a horse.
being realistic about what is possible is a part of horse buying.
for what it’s worth I wouldn’t spend $8k on a Tb, either. Too many health issues and too many quirky personalities. You make up the money saved in all the maintenance, feed for a hard keeper, and $400 shoes for those bad tb feet. Hard pass from me.
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I’m not really concerned with how it came across. The “dream horse on a budget,” pie in the sky tone of your post makes me think the buyer is not well-versed in the realities of horse ownership.
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Soooo much wrong here. I get the whole one person’s opinion thing but this is just flat misinformation.
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I have a 4’ jumper I am campaigning. News Flash it is possible to do 1.20 classes at local shows for around $175 a weekend* (1 day show, 3 classes etc, pre-enter, low office and nom fees)
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Tb’s don’t have as many flaws as a populous as you’re attributing in your sample.
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I had a 4’ Tb jumper, he cost $1k and his feet were great. Shoes only cost me $95, same as the ones my import gets right now.
There are bad footed, not easy keeping Warmbloods as well.
@TooManyBays it can be done. Ignore the naysayers and I am happy to chat with you about how I did it.
Emily
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I said it was my opinion and why I won’t own one. You yourself have an imported horse because TBs weren’t good enough for you, so I’m not sure what this is all about. Seems hypocritical.
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If you don’t live in close proximity to shows, need a trainer or to pay day fees and shipping point, or want to go to Florida or indoors - sorry but that’s what it costs. You can spend $50k just on a season in Florida. I guess this depends on your definition of campaigning but to me a show season means qualifying for and going to indoors or finals.
Not exactly the truth, but I can see how from the outside looking in it could be construed that way.
I bought myself a more made horse that I could afford to help me learn more. I couldn’t afford any US based horse that I could find, and that included some Tb’s. I would gladly have ridden a more experienced Tb to teach me the skills I am learning, but even looking at leases there were not any horses that were equal to or better than Cudo here in the US for the same price point.
My goal is to learn from Cudo and be able to help my future Tb purchases to go through the ranks a bit higher with me now more solid in the skill sets from 1.15 - 1.35m (ideally)
It absolutely wasn’t about there being an anti-Tb feeling. It was more an anti $50k+ feeling.
Emily
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Thank you. I think sometimes people forget we aren’t all trying to get on the Olympic team
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Also no where did I say she was campaigning this horse. This is local shows and local AA shows only. She has kids in school, there isn’t any time to go to WEF or all over the country.
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