I don’t know what my horse is worth. He is gorgeous, dead broke, excellent comfortable gaits , pure breed TWH but just turned 14. A been there done that horse.Ride alone or in group just ,no spook on and on and healthy .
A good friend wants him but I have no idea of market value as its been 10 yrs since I bought a horse. My friend will give him a great home which is the most important thing to me. He was $$$ as a 5 yr old but now at 14 ?
Right now, I see similar going for around 10K but horse prices are pretty inflated right now
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Have you checked websites for horses for sale in your area? This would give you an idea of the asking price for similar horses and could be a starting point for negotiating with your friend.
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Middle aged, papered TWHBEA horses, who are trail masters, are going for 3-5k here in Michigan for reference. What did you pay for him as a 5 year old? What has he done since then? Showing record? Titles? Trail riding miles?
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He sounds like a horse that is impossible to replace. Are you sure you want to sell him?
I would say $5000 at the very least but more like $7-8000 around here if he is everything you say he is.
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Sadly I can’t ride anymore but for 30 minutes . When I got him he was a show horse doing well and was trained for a very experienced 72 yr old women .
He was to be my growing old horse but a little boring because he is trained so well.
so yes impossible to replace
I had wanted to just let my friend have him for the summer but she isn’t comfortable with that . I just can’t face that my riding life is over… I still have a 20 yr old gorgeous big mover but he is a lot of horse for me.
I’m in NC and haven’t bought or sold a horse in ten years and around here people think 14 is old. .
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I don’t know about pricing but if you know of any hunting dog groups in your area you may find a nice opportunity for him. TWHs are often used while running pointing dogs in trials and lots of people want a 2nd or 3rd horse for their wife, friends, or for the trainer or judges to ride in competition, etc. “Mature” and well-trained/easy would be huge selling points. Many times the rider is not terribly skilled as a rider so the “easy” horses are really coveted.
If you’d prefer not to sell him, why not just lease him to your friend? Draw up a contract for a 6 months lease. Put everything in writing (who pays for routine stuff like the farrier and vaccinations, etc.), how you’ll handle it if he comes up lame, any special feed or supplements he needs, etc. You can make it either a free-lease (no monthly fee paid to you, but typically the person who is leasing pays for all routine stuff), or a monthly fee.
Just as a precaution, it’s usually a good idea to have the horse vetted before sending it on a lease.
Then you can re-assess the situation at the end of the lease.
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When I was younger this is how I got to ride horses. Where ever I lived I’d find someone with a horse than needed riding and pay a monthly fee sometimes pay for the farrier. It was a great education as I rode so many different horses but almost always the horses stayed where they were boarded.
My friend now wants to buy the horse and I just can’t seem to pull the trigger.
If I sell then this is the end of my riding days (60 yrs) even though I know that I haven’t ridden but briefly the last few years selling would means the end of hope.
You are able to ride a wonderful horse like this for 30 minutes a day and you think 60 is getting old? Girl. 
Please get off your hinny and keep and love your good saddle horse. He is your old friend and riding is part of your persona and identity. You would be sad to give this up and you are not old. Horseback riding, even for 30 minutes a day is both physical and soul food.
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AragoASB
Thanks for the shove but yea did not give my real age as who can ever believe they have gotten that old. I have a 30 yr old and a 20 yr old lifelong horses that I will have to keep till …
If I was 60 and if I was healthy then no way would he be sold.
As many threads have stated this is a great way to lose a friend and it looks like that is happenning . She offered her terms when I countered she quit responding.
Sounds like he is a great horse and if you can still afford him and ride him (hell even if you just wanted to keep him as a pasture pet/ companion for your older horses) then that’s fine too. He’s not ‘going to waste his talent’- what’s important is he has a good home and is loved whether you ride him 3 hours every day or don’t ride him at all. Once you sell the horse you lose control of what happens to him, so I’d only sell if I was comfortable with that. Just tell your friend you love your boy too much to fully give him up but you’d be willing to lease him out to her. If she gets upset with that, it might be time to consider the kind of friend she is.
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Vyce
I didn’t even mention he is chestnut with Flaxen mane and tail, so lovely as a pasture pet but he is a great mover and I think if I wait till he is older than re homing will really be an problem. He is sound and healthy now .
Yes I started with my friend just using him for the summer kind of wait and see as her horse is lame but now she wants to buy him. I could sell him easily as lots of people have seen him on the trails and know him from his show days.
Since I have the expense of two horses for the rest of their lives boarding a 3rd-Ouch.
Nothing ruins a friendship or marriage ( or any relationship) like money. If you really think it is best for your finances and his future that he go why not reach out to your friend and accept her terms?
If he is getting a great home with the best care, I would always take that over the unknown purchaser who can spend more?
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