The Pleasurehorse forum, Dreamhorse, Equine.com used to be good sources for well bred pleasure horse youngsters but it seems there just aren’t many these days. Are the breeders just not there anymore? I see Western Pleasure prospects listed but most aren’t well bred or just aren’t quality yet listed for five figures. Where do people shop for nice pleasure bred Quarter Horses and Paints, weanlings and yearlings?
I would research the breeders and go there. Most of this stuff is on FB now, but not in one forum. I find myself following a bunch of random small breeders with nice horses, if I was shopping I have ideas where I’d start.
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might check Morgan breeders who breed for color, there are a few who do produce excellent all around stock and will be stunning in appearance
For the most part, these horses of any age will be in the mid four figure
They’re talking Paint, as in the breed. That type of WP is worlds different than morgan anything.
OP, there’s a facebook group “snaffle bit and longeline prospects” that has some nice flesh on it.
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ok
if they are seeking seeking such a horse five figures is reasonable
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Definitely Facebook groups! But yes, I agree that there are a lot of crap prospects with no pedigree out there.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to a few breeding farms. I actually found that breeders like Debbi Trubee and Leeman Farm had yearlings that were quite reasonably priced when the market was stupid crazy. Yearlings by great stallions out of proven producer mares.
I found a really nice VS Goodride colt from a small breeder for just under 10k. They are out there, don’t give up!
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Check out the Facebook page “LOOKING FOR AN ALL-AROUND PLEASURE HORSE.”
Also Whittington Equine Marketing Group. They sell babies and young horses in addition to finished horses. https://www.whittingtonequine.com/
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Everyone I know gets their WP and all-around prospects either through word of mouth (especially at major shows) or through a few Facebook groups. A few are Dressed to Sell Equine, AQHA/APHADouble Registered Horses, Western Pleasure Show Horses, etc.
You don’t mention your location, but there are a lot of Quarter Horse Breeders in southern Manitoba, most are sold as weanlings all under $10K Cdn. Foothills Ranch just sold a 2 yr old (started under saddle) to Montana for $10K. Most of their stock has sold already for this season. There is Linwood Ranch that has paints as well as AQHA. There are a lot more breeders in Manitoba and most are in southern MB close to US border.
Forgot to mention Laura Gilmer’s site on FB, Serious Inquiries Only Equine. There is always a wide range of well bred, good moving, quality horses on there. Some are youngsters, but lots of horses with show points, too.
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Just took a quick look and saw a horse that was shown at our local AQHA shows here in Ontario. Recognized the show grounds though sadly the horse is hours away.
Are they show WP bred or more Ranch pleasure types?
If you’re not in a rush, many universities have excellent breeding programs, and great quality horses. Most have production sales in the Spring. I own a university produced horse and would buy another in a heartbeat!
Penn State, SUNY Cobbleskill, University of Findlay, University of Wisconsin- River Falls, Truman State University, Texas A & M and Mississippi State University all have breeding programs. I am sure many others do to that I am unaware of.
I was told recently that many are breeding horses more geared towards the ranch side of competition because it is a very hot market right now.
I bid on a really nice VS Code Blue colt in the Mississippi State auction a few years ago but sadly didn’t win him. He was a cute mover!
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I found my now 2YO as a weanling on the AQHA/APHA Weanlings/Yearlings for sale Facebook Page.
She’s a gorgeous APHA Regular registry filly by Full Medal Jacket, and the price was very reasonable.
As someone else pointed out, you do have to wade through a lot of… er… non-purpose-bred horses being touted as Unbelievable prospects!!! but… there are also nice babies on there too, usually from smaller breeders who don’t have the name power as the big guys, but still have nice stock.
Here’s one such page:
Trainers.
The best prospects are generally already in programs as yearlings. Most breeders who truly have quality animals are not going through the hassle that is selling on the internet and all of the tire kickers. They use their connections to place these prospects with trainers who network them out to buyers.
The top horses are generally never actively marketed. They’re purchased before a breeder ever posts a photo of them, and spoken for between barns.
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Unfortunately a lot of us cannot afford a prospect out a trainer’s program, so it’s nice to have other options. 
I’m not looking for a “top” horse, just a decent one I can have fun with. I don’t think anyone is really expecting to find a Congress top 10 horse on Facebook, but a friend of mine actually did. So let us dream okay? LOL
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I will say it’s hard to find them. I don’t breed western pleasure but AQHA hus based with two mares that one is a world champion, one is world champion blood lines but lack of significant showing due to pasture injury. And the foals look like they are legitimate contender prospects. However it is soooo hard for me to get them advertised as my oldest is a 2yo, I’m not in a huge hus barn (I’m actually the only pure hunt seat rider but have placed top ten in a class at every world show since 2016) but not a single person has come to look at the yearling I have for sale. I’m not going to lunge line him, he’s too growthy. The 2yo I sold by pure luck. I’m trying to revamp my Facebook presence right now to get these babies in front of more people but I usually limit my Facebook due to my job and privacy reasons so it’s a work in progress. Oh well. I’m sure once he’s started and I get my other 2yo out there it will help.
Best of luck to you!! It’s a hard thing to navigate on both ends.
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My friend with the VS gelding found him when looking at another horse. He liked the first horse, but they said “ugh we don’t want to sell him and he’s not on the market, but you like roans, so look at this guy…”
That horse was a WP horse straight out of the womb. He’s a big fella, probably 16.3.
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Sounds like my kind of horse! So jealous. After my Standardbred, I want big, slow and gentle just like him, but preferably in a QH this time just in case I actually get around to showing again.
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