miniature horse buying

[mountain_waif]

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[Field-of-Dreams]

The price of pet Minis can vary greatly depending on location, size, color, disposition, and other factors. Sometimes as low as $200-$300 and sometimes much higher.

I am familiar with horses. I would be interested in showing so would want show quality. How can someone afford to sell horses for $200.00? What would be a price for a nice show horse?

We have a very nice 2 yo gelding who is for sale for $300. He would make a nice show gelding- BUT- he has a screw loose somewhere. We bred him, never raised a hand to him, handled him, everything. But he is still twitchy and cringes when people touch him. (Maybe I need Bonnie to talk to him...

: ) He will ONLY go to a horse home, where they know about such stuff. I've refused several sales on him already. He'll live out his days here if I don't find just the right home. THAT'S why he is so "cheap". And it's a shame, because he is very nicely proportioned, and we originally wanted him to be a team mate for his half-sister (who IS a smart, safe little girl.)

But our show quality "normal" Minis start at $1200. We don't have a "big" enough name to ask more, but hopefully someday!

Lucy

 

[arealeyeopener]

OK understand that one being cheap. But alot of people are or have to be taking a loss on these horses. wouldn't be it better to just have a couple and show and not keep producing where there doesn't seem to be a market?

Who are some of the more reputable farms and how do you determine who is and isn't?

 

[Leeana]

Okay i think before you start thinking of questions to ask the seller you should start asking yourself some questions.

When i got my first miniature horse i didnt get to ask myself these things and think about colors, confirmation, types, heads, necks ext. Are you QH type or a arab type mini person. Do you want to drive, jump, showmanship or just have a companion. Do you want to spend big bucks for show horses or get a quality pet?

I think that show quality will for a Mare/Stallion will run you $2,200+ of course you can get show quality for way less than that from time to time. What really bothers me are the foals that are priced way up in $3,000+ even if show quality. Unless that horse is going to be worth $5,000-$7,000 when it matures i think that paying over 3 thouthand is crazy for a foal w/out a show history that just started leading 2 weeks ago. That is my personal opinion on the foal prices. Of course there are sons/daughters of big time horses/bloodlines that i can understand but some of these that i see that have 'old time' bloodlines that are priced at $4,000 just bugs the heck out of me.

Show geldings you will generally pay less for. Show geldings can run from what i've seen from $900-2,500 w/ of course eceptions. These prices are based on what i've seen on the sale board and farm sites.

Goodluck and welcome!!

 

[JWC sr.]

I have a little bit of a problem understanding what you mean when you say that you have a problem with foals being priced at 3,000.00 plus. Many times I have bought foals (3,000.00 +)that had bloodlines that I wanted and even though with foals it can be hard to see thru the "cute" after 19 years plus we have gotten pretty good at it.

We have made a few mistakes, but usually we can see the potencial in a baby. Of course I would rather buy older horses as the risk is not as great, but they are normally much more expensive after someone has gone to the expense and time to raise and show them as younger horses.

We breed all of our show horses now days, but when we started to put the herd together we bought sound conformation, good bloodlines and then if they were show quality so much the better. We still buy occasionally using those guidelines.

Maybe you can explain what you meant for me, sometimes I am a little slow. LOL

:saludando:

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

We bought an absolutely stunning AMHA/AMHR chestnut blanket app colt at one month for $1800. Most we ever paid for a horse at that time. GORGEOUS fellow! When we picked him up at four months he was a TALL varnish roan. Now, at five years old he is WAY oversize AMHA and might even be over AMHR, he's that close. I can never recoup my loss on him. He moves beautifully, though, so hopefully once he's gelded and driving trained, the VSE CDE people may want him.

AH, well. You learn your lessons if you're smart. :lol: I know I did!

Lucy

 

[Leeana]

JWC.jr i was just stating that i dont think i could buy a foal that was $3,000 or $4,000 and not be 100% sure that this foal would be my next champion. That is a big investment and i dont think you can ever be completely sure how a foal will mature, i think you can have a good idea looking at the dam/sire and the things that are obvious on even a foal. I know there are foals out there that are worth 4,000+ but i dont think i have the courage to risk my bank account of one of them lol. Basically its like you said, you feel safer buying an older matured horse as the risk is not as high. Personally if i spent $4,000 on a foal, i would have high blood pressure untill that horse was 2 or 3 years old LOL.

There are always acceptions though!!!!!

:

 

[JWC sr.]

Thanks, I understand exactly what you are saying. It is a significanty risk. but then again we just can't afford to spend the really big bucks for some of the top horses that are out there in the show ring. We have either had to buy them young or not at all. Some of the prices we have paid stops me in my tracks sometimes.

Now days we rely on breeding our show horses and so far it has been sucessful for us as our herd is pretty set with the exception of a new stallion or something like that when the opurtunity arises. Heck we bought Whistle Britches last year and added him as an exabmple. As you probally know he was the 28 & under national champion an I just could not pass him up. lol

There is also an added bit of enjoyment to see a plan come together when a horse you specfically planned for is produced from your stallion,your mare and then becomes a winner in the ring. Add that to having your grandchildren showing them and it does not get much better. LOL

In response to the other poster, it is so important to get a height guarantee when purchasing a weanling or yearling. One other note is to check/verify heights that are represented at some of the sales. In the past we have a few problems with that also even with adult horses.

Thanks for the clarification. :aktion033: :aktion033:

:saludando:

 

[littlearab]

Thanks, I have been surfing the website for a couple of months to lots of different places and have been amazed. So with the prices you are giving me how are some of the people asking so much more for them. I have seen miniatures with prices of $20,000.00 and some that say they are show quality for $500.00. How can there be so much difference and is this normal?

Hi :saludando:

Welcome to our crazy world.. the best things do come in little halters!! The minis are like poetatoe chips, you can have jsut one....

Yes is normal to see that much of a price range...

I believe that location and farm name have allot to do with pricing of miniature horses.

Some times that $500 show quailty miniature is just that... a show quailty horse priced far below what another farm would or could ask for the same horse.

I myself have a colt for sale right now who is show quailty, good bloodlines and priced at only $800 because of my location. Shipping cost can really drive down a price!!

Also I'm new to breeding so can not ask the prices that long time better know breeder can.

If you look around you can find show quailty at pet prices.