You know the horse market is crazy when

[BalancingAct]

From what I’m hearing and seeing its like that for everyone. People with good horses aren’t selling. IF they sell it is for $100k+

I did stumble upon a really nice 17.3h jet black hunt seat horse with some holes for $20k. He was part of a divorce sale and had been horribly mismanaged/treated. Owner bought him at the Congress and her husband had a fit. So, she took him back home to her small town in Texas to DIY it. After rehabbing him for six months he is hands down the best horse. I could flip him and make a fortune.

Now, the western type stuff is where the horses are dead ass lame. I went to a barn to try another bargain basement horse and stumbled upon a dream horse. She wasn’t for sale but we managed to work something out. She’s 6x the price of the bargain basement horse though. She’s worth every penny because she is natural AND sound.

My days of buying horses are done. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone because it was such an ordeal!

[streamline]

One of the local FB groups got into it here. Someone was trying to sell a cold backed (stated in the ad) horse, who isn’t finished for 10k. Everyone argued in the comments. I know the local monthly auction here nice ranch horses sell in that 40-60k range. People are still trying to ask 6k plus for green/naughty horses. Seems like it’s starting to settle a bit. I saw an ad for a flashy grey 4 year old, who’s been started for 3000. Just needs finished. Again mostly ranch horses.

I was shocked last year when I saw BN/novice level horses sell for 15-25k. My husband always tells me he will never pay over 2000 for a horse and that everyone is insane. We have 5 nice cheap horses sitting in the pasture. I don’t think I’ll ever get back into jumpers though.

[luvmyhackney]

Amish will spend money on nice horses. I know one Amish family that keeps ASBs at some high end trainers and does well in the show world. Rumor is they paid 150k for their gaited mare. They buy a ton of hackneys and breed some nice ones and sell to the show world.

They have the cash to play.

[sparkygrace]

Such a timely thread! A friend is looking and having no luck despite a healthy budget. Somehow, I got super lucky late last year and found a green prospect (off breed) for under 10k. He’s a very nice mover and has scored well at the first two shows he’s attended, including one USDF recognized show. He’s a quarter horse, a breed I have never owned. He looks more like a TB cross.

@Spudsmyguy, what are you looking for? The seller I bought my horse from may have another one for sale, a half-brother of my horse. The horse is in Northeast Oregon, I believe.

[Spudsmyguy]

@sparkygrace

@Spudsmyguy, what are you looking for? The seller I bought my horse from may have another one for sale, a half-brother of my horse. The horse is in Northeast Oregon, I believe.

Not presently shopping, I have two and that’s my limit. Thanks though.

[sparkygrace]

Got it.

[Moneypitt]

The Vet not charging for a PPE because the horse was SO lame takes the cake! Wow!

[Sancudo]

Does anybody thinks it will normalize, or are these prices the new normal?

I’ve been looking for 2 years for a dressage prospect, could afford to not be desperate at first as my old guy has been going strong. I started out thinking I could get a 6/7 year old with a change and some show mileage and am now down to green broke 3/4 year olds without any luck. Any thing that stays on the market any length of time seems to have issues, and after paying for 2 failed vettings (like, really failed) I’m hesitant to reach out to ones months on the market, but seem to always be 4th in line for the new ads despite me scouring all the sites and Facebook every few hours.

I’m super discouraged!!

[katiepadie12]

Have you tried posting an ISO ad on fb? You might find
a few options that have not yet been put on the market.
At least, that’s how I found mine.

[TheJenners]

@katiepadie12

Have you tried posting an ISO ad on fb?

This. Someone might be dithering on a good horse that isnt a perfect fit for them/their program.

[vxf111]

I do think prices are going to settle a bit this fall when people start going back to the office and decide to sell their Covid projects but I’m not convinced it’s going to go back to “how it was.” I think prices are going to stay high but inventory is going to open up a bit. That’s my best guess.

[TheDBYC]

@vxf111

do think prices are going to settle a bit this fall when people start going back to the office and decide to sell their Covid projects…

This. Plus, it’s a sure bet that plenty of people got themselves in over their heads with an aspirational project & will want to unload it.

I agree with the suggestion of an ISO ad. Don’t forget to troll other people’s ISO ads, too. People always post anything they have that might be remotely suitable (or not!) and you might see something the ISOer doesn’t want but would suit you.

[BITSA]

@Peggy

Just saw a 15-y.o. ex-GP jumper for $50K. Being sold as a confidence builder for up to 1.10-m jumpers. Though if you consider what it currently costs to lease a 3’3” type eq horse, for a year, maybe not such a bad deal. Not saying this is an eq horse, but that’s my known comp. Looks like it has a kind eye.

This seems like a decent deal to me. I think a lot of adult ammys like me would like a horse like this.

[blondewithchrome]

I would love this kind of horse. But not at that kind of budget I do think for an ammy with a healthier budget but not “insane” budget that is a very good deal.

[OfCourseItsAnAlter]

I think this crazy horse market is the result of the confluence of at least two separate factors. There is no doubt that COVID has increased demand. But, we’ve also got the ongoing impact of an ever-decreasing number of people who have both the ability and inclination to start and bring along young horses. A lot of the good ones I once knew have reached a certain age and moved into other aspects of the horse industry.

If you don’t have people bringing along young horses, you’ll never be able to meet the demand for trained horses. I see lots of sales ads for horses that are “great prospects” or “ready to start your way” at what I consider to be fairly reasonable prices. But all the ISO ads are for horses that are further along the pipeline and there seems to be a real lack of people who can get a horse from “great prospect” to “great junior or amateur horse with show record.”

[NaturallyHappy]

Agreed.

[TheJenners]

@OfCourseItsAnAlter

But, we’ve also got the ongoing impact of an ever-decreasing number of people who have both the ability and inclination to start and bring along young horses. A lot of the good ones I once knew have reached a certain age and moved into other aspects of the horse industry.

Yes, I reached out to someone I was referred to as a great baby starter, because I want to try something other than a “cowboy” starter (not that there is anything wrong it, done it before), and she said she no longer does babies. She referred me to someone else, but I bet in two years when the yearling is ready, that person will also no longer be doing babies. Finding dressage/eventing/jumper trainers who start babies is becoming an ever-decreasing group, as said.

@OfCourseItsAnAlter

I see lots of sales ads for horses that are “great prospects” or “ready to start your way” at what I consider to be fairly reasonable prices. But all the ISO ads are for horses that are further along the pipeline

This is where I think the issue is, and as someone with an eye toward small time breeding in a few years, I’m already working into my “budget” the fact that if the weanlings don’t sell, it might be in my best interests (financially and for the future of the baby) to plan NOW for keeping and getting the babies started and even a season under saddle before trying to sell. I like dealing with babies, and I’ve started my share of young horses, but I definitely don’t like it and don’t want to do it, but it is definitely something I should plan for/fence for/budget for - I’m already thinking about how one goes about learning to trim feet just for personal horses.

[lenapesadie]

I have a dear friend that was doing some hobby breeding. Very nice Dutch horses. She was doing exactly like you are thinking. Try to sell as weanlings and if not keep, have started under saddle and then discipline specific training (dressage) a few shows and then sell. She isn’t breeding anymore. She told me that the difficulty finding a suitable baby starter was a major factor. Along with the training costs. She wasn’t riding the babies herself at all, so of course that adds quite a bit of cost.

[TheJenners]

@lenapesadie

She told me that the difficulty finding a suitable baby starter was a major factor. Along with the training costs. She wasn’t riding the babies herself at all, so of course that adds quite a bit of cost.

It does, yes. Thankfully I am one of those employed outside the horse world. Sending a baby off for 30-90 days I plan on being about 1200$ a month, and yes that stings a bit. About the same cost to get a mare bred, not counting stud fee. So you can see why breeders want babies to sell as babies, and why well-started young horses are so much more expensive! The inbetween years are the unknowns.

[lenapesadie]

Selling as weanlings is the way to go for sure. My friend even tried to time foaling so that the babies “were at a good age” at inspection to try and help facilitate sales.

*no clue what a good age is, but I reckon she was doing what she could to get them gone