I said I thought you couldn’t be NP because you are literate and articulate. That’s a compliment 
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I agree, especially having read all the recent accounts of dishonesty. And I have a bit of flexibility for just the right horse but feel if I give my top number, than all I will see if horses priced close to it, especially since there is no real standard on how to price a horse besides asking what somebody is willing to pay for it
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Thanks! Appreciate it! While English is not my native language, I try to use correct verbiage and grammar. I don’t always get it right though!
I’ve exchanged PMs with Roni4444 a few times over the past year and, though we haven’t met in person, I’m confident she isn’t NP.
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If someone is selling a product, I expect it to have a price.
I will walk away from a seller whose answer to my “price” question is to answer with another question, “What is your budget.”
My “budget” is no one’s business.
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Great that you are such an expert… Some years ago a friend of mine was looking for a horse. she was working with an agent and obviously told him the budget. She saw about 30 horses for exactly that price…
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[edit] I am not sure where you are located,but if nobody has mentioned him,I would check out Pierre Cousyns.
He found a great horse for a person I know, he is a very correct rider and has a good reputation.
He travels all over for clinics. Check out his website and you tube for videos of him riding.
Good Luck!
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You just made my point…EXACTLY!!!
When you tell someone your “budget,” the horses’ price will magically be EXACTLY your budget.
I am confident enough in what I want in a horse that I don’t work thru intermediaries or agents and prefer to deal with the seller. Most good horses are never advertised.
Products have prices. Good sellers know this. If a seller wants to know your “budget” first…(s)he wants to price the animal at your budget point.
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So I assume low 6 figures to be in the $100-$150k type of range. I agree that’s a healthy budget (and again - I am making an assumption based on the OP not wanting to give exact details, understandably.)
It isn’t, however, a budget which will cover all horses as described. You can easily find horses as described in a $250k-$500k range. Who have been pre-screened to know they’ll pass your vet check, lots of experience, nice movement. Horses who appear certain to be international competitors will be out of that range, but that’s a more than healthy budget. At lower 6 figures, you can find horses who are not as clearly advertised who are really well trained by someone who isn’t as well known. You can find horses who are with trainers who ride with the named trainers, more easily than horses with the trainers themselves. It depends on level of fancy. I don’t have regional/national aspirations, and don’t care if I ride a horse with the kind of movement who could do that (I get to sometimes, but not my own horses!), so for me low 6 figures would be above what I needed to spend for a horse doing those levels at a young age, and if I had it available I also wouldn’t share my limit, hoping to find something for less but willing to spend what it took for the horse who is just the right match for me.
Anyway, I think it’s a pretty reasonable request and budget - good luck to you, OP. I still think contacting the specific trainers whose riding you most admire will be a really good start for you.
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Are you familiar with Esther Mortimer at M2dressage? They are in Ontario and often have well trained horses for sale.
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Oh, good point! They have a lovely mare available, although perhaps not quite as far along in her training as the OP is looking for. A super gelding as well working at a higher level who may fit the bill. I don’t believe either of those is currently listed on their website, and they often have other horses for sale that don’t make it to the website either. Great people, trustworthy sellers and good horses. If travel to Canada isn’t convenient they and their top horses will be in Wellington early in the new year.
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I disagree; why expect a seller to waste their time if your budget and their “product” are not close?
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“I disagree; why expect a seller to waste their time if your budget and their “product” are not close?” If they have a price or even a price range on a horse, you will know whether or not it is in your budget. I agree with pluvinel - your budget is no one’s business but your own. Sellers that put “private treaty” or $0 on an obviously pricey horse are doing themselves no favors.
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If one is casting a broad net searching for a horse, it sure helps if the people you are asking for help know your budget.
If one is calling about a specific horse from a specific ad, then yes, the appropriate response to “what’s the price” is the price.
This thread is about the former.
One more than one occasion, I’ve called on a horse to find out the price and when told replied that it was out of my price range. Every single time, the seller then asked my range and when I told them, indicated whether or not there was sufficient room for negotiation. I bought 2 horses, one literally just months ago, in exactly this scenario.
YMMV
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I expect a seller to clearly advertise the price of a horse and to disclose it up front when asked. Including that info in the ad / sales listing is the most effective first step towards not wasting anyone’s time. Obviously your trainer, agent or whomever you have enlisted to help you search needs to know your budget. Prices magically go up and down all the time from less-than-transparent sellers. Would be much easier if horses all had sticker prices like groceries in a shop
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I totally agree it is not appropriate to waste anyone’s time…mine included.
A conversation with an up-front seller would go something like this.
ME:
I am interested in looking at your horses. I am looking for a horse that meets:
>> Height
>> Age
>> Sex
>> Capabilities/Performance/Credentials
SELLER:
Ok, I have a number of potential candidates. They are:
Horse A: $350k
Horse B: $65k
Horse C: $105k
Horse D: $250k
ME:
Ok…I would like to look at horses B, C.
Simple…seller states the price of his/her horses. Buyer decides whether to proceed and look or not.
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My comments in blue
Thank you on both fronts!! I am amazed to see some of the responses to my question. I don’r know all the trainers out there and know that often word of mouth is the best way to find a gem! I am actually going to schedule a visit with a place in TX that I found due to a response! Again - thanks!
I agree! Given that there is no objective standard to price a horse by, I feel that providing a number might line up a number of horses that are then “worth” that amount. I prefer to know upfront what the price of a horse is. Then I can decide if it is worth that amount to me or not.
I also agree to not waste the seller or buyer’s time if there is no close relation between the cost and budget. But I would expect a seller to have a price for a horse listed or available and the buyer should be honest about being able to pay it or not. But the seller should not first ask the buyer how much they are willing to spend. I inquired about the price of a horse and it was above what I want to spend - so I asked if there was room for negotiations and there was not enough - so I we both moved on (all initial emails - no visits). When I will look for a home for my horse, I also would not want to have people come to try him out if they are not even close to wanting to pay the price.
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