The dream horse on a budget

[HJdaydream]

@TooManyBays Wow, I feel for you, you have received some extremely negative and holier-than-though responses. No wonder people think equestrians are snobs… moving on though!

I was able to find my “pie in the sky” dream horse. Hanoverian with some fancy bloodlines, 17.3, and 5 yrs old, in a budget that was also quite low for this type of horse. I’m a hunter, and I found him at a dressage barn where he was being sold by the trainer for the breeder, and they didn’t feel he would have upper level potential. He was lightly started under saddle, but definitely did not have any jump training. I also couldn’t get him to pick up the right lead when I tried him- that’s the kind of green I’m talking about. He didn’t vet perfectly, but the issues were ones that I was comfortable with.

Do I have 12k to drop on colic surgery? Not exactly, but I do have $800 a year to pay for major medical and mortality insurance, so I am covered in case of catastrophic injury, and I don’t have to worry about the cost of caring for him.

I got to local A/AA shows and show in the Adult Amateurs. I know a 3 ft hunter isn’t the same as 4ft jumper, but I found my dream horse on a budget. No on at the shows would have any idea that he was a “bargain basement” horse. I strongly believe that the dollar you pay does not correlate with quality. He doesn’t know he was inexpensive horse after all :winkgrin:. People constantly ask me where I found him at and look so confused when I say a dressage barn.

[ExpialidociousOTTB]

Another dream horse on a (super) budget here :-). Major concession - purchased as a track-broke 3 yo, and put into a program with my trainer (I do most of the riding). Just over a year later, schooling 2’ courses with me (timid AA, and had a 12 year break before getting him). Obviously, he’s a prospect, because we don’t know what he can do - and I’m not even sure what I want to do with him - but he’s athletic, fancy, and super ammy friendly. My trainer is confident he’s a 3’6" horse, though I don’t know if I ever want to jump a 3’6" fence.

Trainer wanted me to get the nicest horse we could find, regardless of my desire or ability to pursue A-rated shows. It’s a huge investment, so why not make it in an outstanding horse!

I personally love TBs - mine is young and lean, so eats a lot. Has good feet, though I expect when we start jumping more/higher, he will need front shoes.

Hope your friend is able to find exactly what she is looking for!

[Right_on_Target]

@TooManyBays

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

I’ve never purchased from the auction site, but there is one horse on there that they say was imported this year, but the papers were “lost”.
The horse was campaigned LAST year in FLA, winning over fences. Now advertised as a dressage prospect.
so many red flags.
And you are welcome to waste you money vetting…
IDK, but that seems very sketchy to me.
On the other hand, online it seems that some have luck with this auction.

[ace]

I think other posters have covered most of the options, but I think there is one more that hasn’t been talked about much. If she is willing to look at older and take a chance at reschooling - broodmares that are sound to go back to work MIGHT be in her price range. I am also an ammy with a low budget, but have a lot of experience with young horses and projects in my background including TBs. My diamond in the rough story:

The mare I bought last year definately appears talented enough for 1.20-1.25, and was well within your friends budget. BUT there are a lot of “buts” to the story:

• mare was a 12 year old warmblood that was green broke and then a broodmare on and off (more history below)
• mare was brought back into work as a 10 year old for a few months and sold to a trainer as a project
• mare was ridden badly with a lot of pressure and was extremely crooked under saddle, head up in the air and absolutely no trust of the contact, basically a hot mess. We also think she was ran at the jumps.
• She had then sat in a pasture for about 6 months so was completely unfit.
• mare was body sore due to being ridden so crookedly so has needed regular chiro and massage (now better)
• arthritic changes showed up in hocks on x-rays, normal for 12 year old horse (but still not "clean" vet check)
• Mare is very hot, sensitive and strong by nature. However very sweet and a real trier which is why I took a chance on her.

A year later of 5-6 day per week rides she is fit and trusting the bridle, and has her confidence back. We just did a schooling show at 2'6" jumpers and had great confident (but very forward!) rounds. Lead changes still not reliable, but that will be the winter project for us.

So now the future looks pretty bright, she can easily do the heights, but it is the turns, collection, and dealing with stress in the warm-up ring especially that will be a challenge for her (see notes on hot and sensitive above). Ultimately it is a crap shoot whether we will ever get to an A-level 1.20m for lots of reasons including my lack of experience at that height, and her age - the training process might take longer than she will stay sound for.

So it (possibly) can be done, all she can do is try! I think the key is to be prepared to enjoy the training process no matter what she gets, and not to get discouraged if it takes longer to progress than she likes. Low budgets require a lot of patience and tenacity LOL

[Farosh]

Just a few notes:

Insurance that covers colic surgery is not that expensive. I don’t make a lot of money and I can afford it.

I know that in general tbs have bad feet and maybe I’ve just been lucky but I haven’t had too many issues with this. I’ve also known farriers that complain more about warmblood feet than tbs. But I think you should just judge that on a case by case basis.

As for soundness, I think you should also just judge that case by case. Being really keen on conformation helps with that. Sometimes horses that raced a lot and may have some issues but are super proportional and correct and don’t have issues jumping. I had one with 80+ career starts with some minor jewelry who was really sore and sour when he got off the track. I thought initially he would at best be a 2’6" lesson horse. He was really excellently proportioned though and after a year was sound, happy, and jumping an extra foot over everything. Sold him to someone who only wanted to jump 3’ but he schooled 4’ with a smile and no issues with room to spare. It’s been years and that horse is still trucking around. I’ve known horses with clean vetting but obvious conformational flaws that didn’t really last jumping frequently (warmbloods and tbs).

Anyway I’m not trying to pressure you into anything just hoping my experiences are helpful and relevant in some way. Good luck! I know it can be done with warmbloods I just personally think tbs are the more convenient route. And it makes me happier as a horse lover to work with horses that usually really need homes.

[lovezehorses]

I own a thoroughbred who is built like a tank and has amazing feet! I trail ride her barefoot all the time and it is never an issue and she has never been lame. There are good, well built ones out there. As others have mentioned, I got her for basically nothing because she was an unbroke broodmare. Today, I get complimented by her movement and extensions although, we still got ways to go.

[TooManyBays]

I decided to update this, as she ended up getting exactly what she wanted, though greener than she had hoped, for way under her budget. So it is possible, still, in the Facebook age!

[mmeqcenter]

“Exactly what she wanted” and “greener than she had hoped” contradict each other, but that’s great she found a horse!

[TooManyBays]

@mmeqcenter

“Exactly what she wanted” and “greener than she had hoped” contradict each other, but that’s great she found a horse!

Well, she got a registered WB in the right age group with athletic potential and an amazing brain, for less the cost than some people spend on board a month. I would say she walked out the the deal with everything she was hoping for.