how much can i expect to pay for something special

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Well the issue is something special is different for everyone. What i would consider a top quality horse is very different then what many others would think is top quality.

Are you looking for something proven in the breeding shed? or in the show ring? Or in pedigree?

So many are importing (or in our case exporting) you might find the seller is willing to deal a bit to have there horse go overseas .

While it is great to say price doesnt reflect quality and yes there are some I even have a couple of less expensive horses that have gone top ten in halter I assure everyone it isnt the norm.

If you have a good eye, if you are in the right place at the right time you can sometimes find a great deal however.. really it isnt a 3-400 dollar horse winning National Championships on a regular basis. Yes it happens but not every day.

It is a bit ironic to kinda off topic but that in one thread we have many breeders/sellers saying NO WAY you shouldnt have to pay money for quality the 2 are not connected many top show horses are very inexpensive and then in the next post just ragging on someone who i am sure has read one of these posts when they come up and then dares to ask for a show quality horse for 600 bucks or less

: Just seems a bit silly to me

 

[Lisa Strass]

If you have a good eye, if you are in the right place at the right time you can sometimes find a great deal however.. really it isnt a 3-400 dollar horse winning National Championships on a regular basis. Yes it happens but not every day.

It is a bit ironic to kinda off topic but that in one thread we have many breeders/sellers saying NO WAY you shouldnt have to pay money for quality the 2 are not connected many top show horses are very inexpensive and then in the next post just ragging on someone who i am sure has read one of these posts when they come up and then dares to ask for a show quality horse for 600 bucks or less

: Just seems a bit silly to me

Couldn't agree more, Lisa.

 

[Relic]

l second the above there is for sure it seems a double standard depending if you are the buyer or the seller..

 

[billiethekid40]

I don't know how much you should expect to pay. My advice would be to look, listen, and save. When you think you have enough saved, look around and make offers. If you still don't see anything that you REALLY like, and that TRUELY fits what you're looking for and that you can afford (and you'll have to be brutally honest with yourself while you're looking) then keep saving and keep looking. Don't settle for "something in your budget" if you could just save for another 6 months or another year and get that really outstanding mare you really want. Do not let yourself fall in love with a horse based on its price tag. Fall in love before you ask the price, and then if you can afford the horse, buy it! If you can't, keep saving until you can. You might miss out on a few great horses in the mean time, but one will be there waiting when you're ready. If you just save for X amount of months, or until you have X amount of dollars, then when you reach that goal, you'll be so set on buying a horse that you'll be too tempted to "settle" for something a little less than what you really want. Set your goal as finding the right horse, and then affording that horse, not saving an amount and then finding a horse in that price range. (of course, you'll have to set a limit somewhere, everyone has an upper limit!)

 

[lil hoofbeats]

a year or 2 ago, Toni Reece brought to the Mt. Airy sale, an AMHA National Top 3 horse, he was third in the nation, 28 and under stallion, he was black, and he was very nice. She sold him at the sale that day for 1000.00 I thought that was pretty cheap for that quality of horse. So you can find some pretty nice stock reasonable if you look.

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

I have found in looking at minis for 13 years, that prices not only reflect the actual horse, good bloodlines, great colors, etc or not, but that prices reflect the need of the owner at the time.

A pressing big bill, family illness or disability, over crowding in the barn etc, can drastically change prices of horses.

A really well bred colrful mare could go rather inexpensively if the owner needs some quick cash for one reason or another.

On the other hand, a price can reflect the owners sense of worth of the horse and he or she may have the horse for sale... BUT.... it will be sold for a certain price that will help sop up the tears as that horse goes down the driveway to his new home.

Some people ask really high prices when they really don't want the horse to leave.

So I have found that there are some really good horses out there for reasonable prices.

NOW I have a question....

What do you think a nice homozygous black pinto mare, say 30" or under with correct conformation and a sweet disposition, open , say under 10 years old would go for? Doesn't have to have fancy bloodlines.

 

[irishmini]

i think you are all right in the things you are saying.

i bought my first mini for 700 euros, just because she was extremely quite natured and well handled etc etc, and her owner let me have her for a while to see if we "gelled",,,which we did, she was so suitable for what i wanted i would have payed alot more......she is breeding unknown,but is very very pretty.........actually, the very next week, i was offered 1500 for her, by a dealer, who said he could have 20 buyers for her that day!!!! nice to know.... i am hoping she may have some nice babies for me and my children to enjoy......and she is not for sale even for 10.000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i also bought a colt, for 1000 eoros, just because i liked his attitude, nothing to do with breeding or anything,,, i would have payed more for him too...... he's a special little guy.

but looking around , i have noticed prices vary so much....... you see i am not buying for any specific use!!!! i might like to do a show or two in the future............ i'd like a foal or two, just for pleasure, and i'd like the kids to be able to sit on one occasionally..............i also think i'd quite fancy driving, so i might base my next buy on that....... either way, its like you all said, each to thier own!!!!!!!

and i must admit i am partial to black horses, and pallaminos........... and one with paper work, ive discovered its quite difficult to sort that sort of thing out if there is non with the horse at purchase!!!!!

i better get saving then!!!!!!!!!!!

:

 

[Minimor]

I think anyone selling horses would like to be able to get top dollar. But, when it comes to answering the question posted here, the reality is--if you look around you can find some great deals. How could anyone honestly tell irishminis that to get her dream horse she will have to pay at least $10000.00 ??? It's not a double standard at all--there's just what we'd all like to have for prices, and there is the real truth about what good quality you can get for some low prices.

 

[RockRiverTiff]

As an example in favor of the "it's not all about the money" argument--my grandparents bought their first minis in the late 70's. In the 80's they got horses from Flying W, Komokos, NFC, etc--in other words, the biggest and best at the time. They spent $10,000 on one drafty little thing that quickly went out of style and only had one foal. They spent $8500 on a mare that our vet later deemed sterile and that--though incredibly sweet--did nothing in the showring. They spent $3000 on a filly from a local breeder (a very reasonable price at the time), and she was a Supreme champion that went on to produce a World Top Ten.

Bear in mind though that label horses are like label cars--a Cavalier (which I drive) will get you from here to there, but it's not going to resell well, and it's not going to be featured in any magazines. There's a lot of money behind the money the big farms are asking--pretty pictures and pretty ads and pretty parents are not cheap. If you want a show quality horse, the purchase price is only the starting point. At least here in the U.S., you can plan to spend several thousand dollars pre-Worlds/Nationals alone on training fees, travel, tack, and entries.

 

[Joyce]

My most expensive has been $6500.00 for a stallion I showed on the NEMHS circuit to Champion in his 28" and under halter class. Also paid the same for a broodmare, both from the same seller and she wasn't bred when I bought her. So prices will all depend on what you are buying, size, and what you will be using them for. On the whole prices are down right now on minis here in the East but I know some top notch show horses are still bringing big prices in some areas. Will be interesting to see what you get for answers across the country.

 

[attwoode]

I think you can often find a young national quality show horse in the $3500 range consistently. I have seen many go for cheaper and many go for more. In my experience, however, if you are willing to pay that amount, something special will come along in time.

 

[Erica]

Well as others have said I think the number one thing is you have to really get down to what do you want to accomplish with this horse? Are you wanting a something to excell in halter.......or maybe you are more into the performance side and want a trained driving, or jumping, or obstacle horse. Or possibly something loud and colorful. It is all in what suits your fancy as it will be "yours" to enjoy once you make the purchase.

And for show quality or show winner you have to decide is that a National Champion show winner? or a local AMHR or AMHA winner? As there are several good horses that would do well for a new owner on the local rated circut, but might lack something here or there to make that National Champion.

And then if you are looking for a halter horse you need to get down to the nitty gritty and find the things that you really have to have in that horse; whether it be a beautiful face with big eyes, or an upright long archy neck, flat croup or maybe you prefer more rounded hip, tight tiny ears or larger expressive ears, even color to some - of course a given would be a good "overall" package, but as an example when you get down to the things you have to have in a horse (that already has good legs, bite, tracks well and is "pretty") like for me I have to have a neck, and can deal with a nice,'pretty' head that isn't awesome for an "awesome" long upright neck with flexion at the poll to hook.........where with others it might be the opposite and gotta have that awesome head and can deal with a shorter neck.

For me I took a little different route after I got out of the 'oh I just want minis, have a few babies stage' (have to remember I was 12 at this stage) and wanted to get more serious in my what I wanted to become "program", and most of my expenses I have made are in a good solid breeding program horses. I bought three really nice stallions (of course this is my opinion) and have a equally nice herd of broodmares I think........so I can produce my own show babies. I like to show what I bred and raise, my stock, so for me several years ago I put my finances into some breeding animals instead of just buying a nice show horse.

Now back to your question - I don't know what euros are to dollars, but I think you can find a nice horse in probably a range you can do. It is just like anything, when you go to a farms site and they have one horse for $2000 and one horse for $5000 you can tell which one THEY think has the greater potential to go further, they may both be show quality but in there opinion that $2000 might make top ten, where that $5000 has a shot at top 3 ext........

Most of my babies that I don't intend to show/retain myself sell quickly - before their yearling year when I could really start showing them - so I don't have anything in that department I could even give you an idea on. All I have is a very nice show gelding that has went Grand or Reserve at every show this year and is the Area 5 Grand Champion Gelding this year (his sister is a 4 time National Champion, my special girl Angel) and he is going to Nationals this year as well; he has not been advertised yet at all, but he will be priced very reasonable. And I have a tiny pretty weanling filly (double Buckeroo - double dilute) and then a heck of a weanling show colt who is a Buckeroo grandson that I am debating on keeping...

 

[shane]

: oh erica, dont tempt me, :lol: you know how much i love your horses....ahhh well i can dream

:

 

[irishmini]

now!!!!!thats what i'm talking about. ericas avatar..............those horses look like something special........your right shane!