To anyone looking to buy minis today

[minimomNC]

Please if your someone looking to buy minis, don't insult the good breeders who put in the time, effort and money to produce well bred, healthy, sane babies by telling them you can buy minis under $500 all day long. Yes there are alot out there that are cheap, but please do your homework and make sure what your buying isn't going to cost you another $1000 before your done. Because there are people who breed so many every year just to make the quick buck, no vaccinations, no deworming, no handling, its very hard for good breeders to continue. This is why you see so many selling out today. What you don't understand is that a good breeder has spent money to make sure what you buy is a happy, healthy baby. Not a wormy, sick shell of a horse. You will spend more trying to get it healthy, hoping it won't die and maybe or maybe not getting papers than if you just go to good breeders and buy a nice horse with papers that has had the care and treatment they should have.

So please, as your looking for a new addition, make sure you do your homework so your next post on here isn't telling us your new baby died because it was sick and had never had any attention at all or that now that you have that new horse, its going to cost you a fortune to get any papers on it if they even exhist.

This is not directed at anyone, just to hopefully open some eyes before you end up unhappy. And one last thing, if your told your baby is sold on applications, check it out first. Ask someone on here to make sure the sire and dam are registered, call AMHA and AMHR and ask if the mare is on the stallion report for that year, they will tell you. If it doesn't check out, then you haven't lost anything.

 

[HGFarm]

Some good advice for newbies, or even those that aren't new, but perhaps overly trusting.

 

[MindyLee]

WELL SAID!!!

I get insulted almost everyday by folks locally who freak when I say how much Im selling a foal (currently under $1000) And I say excactlly what you just said to them every time! I say If ya only knew what I paid for their parents and YES the price is reflected on the ecomany! Their not free, but sure dose feel like it at my asking price. If ya want a crazy unhealthy horse at $200 or less, try a auction for that price!!! Otherwise good luck finding them this nice with paperwork and conformation! You will get what ya pay for.

As you can tell, Im getting tired of explaining Y mine coast more then $200. I also am tired of saying... No my horse's dont walk on water and s*** gold, too. As Ive heard that one many times! I also hate that a local lady who sells AMHA horses for $300-$600 as she breeds a lot of cow hock, bad bites, very weak ends, and club feet and folks always compare me to hers cause hers are registered too. Drives me crazy!

 

[Cricket8]

Thankfully someone said it. No im not a breeder and yes I rescue those horrible situations and yes they do cost a lot and yes you do have that horrible feeling of losing them.

 

[eagles ring farm]

So well said , there are plenty of minis for $200 ...but you usually get what you pay for ...then maybe also alot of headaches with health and paperwork. I agree the economy is bad but when horses are cared for properly there is no way they can possibly be sold at that price. So you must wonder about their health. And on application is a dangerous move to me.

And rescues I believe are free so why not just get a rescue you may have a chance of better quality

 

[Lizzie]

I also hate that a local lady who sells AMHA horses for $300-$600 as she breeds a lot of cow hock, bad bites, very weak ends, and club feet and folks always compare me to hers cause hers are registered too. Drives me crazy!

Smacks of the dog world, doesn't it. We see thousands of poor quality dogs advertised as 'AKC registered'. Some even registered with the 'off' registries, which will register anything. But people continue to think that being registered = quality. Definitely not so. We see in in all breeds of dogs and horses. Registration is really, only as good as the animal it represents. These days, anyone can register anything. If dog breeders have been banned from the AKC for one offense or another, then breeders most usually, register with the CKC. (The Continental Kennel Club - which will register anything for a fee and NOT the Canadian Kennel Club, which is a legit registering body)

Many, still don't seem to understand registries. Some are legit and some not. Anyone can start a registry for anything, on their kitchen table. They charge a fee, send out some official looking papers and that's it. And of course, even a legit registry, only does paperwork, keeps track of sire and dam and so on. They do NOT guarantee quality.

The quality is only as good as the knowledge of the breeder. Whether or not one purchases an animal of quality - ie: a good or excellent example of the breed, is only as good as the amount of time the buyer has put into his/her homework before purchase. Certainly, with the current economy, we have seen prices fall. Real bargains are still out there. But I cringe, when I see people bragging about how little they paid for their animals, when they are truly poor quality and often registered with some 'registry', the rest of us wouldn't entertain.

Lizzie

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I always tell my purchasers, you not only buy a healthy, well adjusted Mini but you also get US. If you have a problem, question, just want to BS, we are HERE for YOU. Try that with some other BYBs.

I have a friend who continuously buys "cheapo" Minis. The last one she bought was a weanling filly. She purchased her before weaning, when she went to pick her up she was skin and bone! All this farm's horses were herd fed- so the youngstock and omega horses didn't get their fair share. Months later the filly is finally turning around- at one point they weren't even sure she would LIVE! They also gave her a yearling filly who was the size of a weanling. For all the $$ she's put into these inexpensive horses she could have gotten a really nice show horse!

 

[Genie]

Excellent post. THank you!

 

[little lady]

Excellent info! And yes for the seller to be there for a buyer is great, especially for a newbie coming into this wonderful world of mini's.

 

[Crabtree Farm]

On application . . . Not weanlings, bt yearlings and two year olds. I see that not only on websites, but auctions and of course craigslist.

Are they so bad off they can't spend $20 to register it as a baby. Instead make it enticing by allowing you to name it . . . As a yearling, two year old or even older.

Too bad there isn't a "Better Business Bureau" for horse breeders where both positive comments and negative complaints can be filed.

 

[mshasta88]

I’m glad someone posted this!

I get insulted on almost a daily bases to the point that I put my partner in charge of selling the horses because he won’t be nice to someone trying to snowball down on price.

Like many have said in many other posts. My babies are handled every day, have the proper health care and records to show it and they are breed very well.

I had someone recently tell me that she couldn’t pay $500 for a mini because she had to figure in breaking the horse. First off, the horse was already started and had all the ground work done. Secondly, these people were large horse breeders thinking that minis aren’t valued as much as quarter horses. I may have told them that they were out of their freaking minds but that is another story.

 

[MountainWoman]

You can't even do shots, worming, farrier work for 200.00 let alone have a vet come out on a farm call and do a health certificate and coggins.

 

[Riverdance]

Around here there are people who breed every year their junk, then sell them for next to nothing. I saw one farms horses and almost every one of them was a dwarf or had dwarf characteristics and all had feet and leg problems. But when people come out to my home, they are amazed that there were Mini's out there that actually look like little horses. But then they say they can go out there and buy something for less. Go figure.

I will sell a horse for less if it is going to be shown. Gets my name out there more.

 

[MrsCaptain]

Wish I had found this site before I bought my two! Have lots to learn! But loving being a mini owner!

 

[ksoomekh]

I believe in paying good money for a good horse large or small. I was thrilled to pay what both the seller and I considered to be a fair price for my new 14 year old unregistered 38" mini because of his training, experience, good temperament, and nice conformation.

Karen

 

[wingnut]

You don't know, what you don't know, until you know it. You know?

I did everything wrong and backward in the process of getting my horses. I was willing to pay more than a couple of hundred dollars but the husband wasn't! And even when I *did* pay more, I still didn't get the quality of animal I should have. I've learned so much since April 2009. I now know that my next horse, if there is one, will be of a certain quality. Period. I know how and where to look. I know that I can get a GREAT animal for an affordable price if I'm just patient, barring a major upswing in the market that is...where prices soar to the heavens. And honestly? With what I'm doing with my horses, just one step above a pet, I don't need a $5K horses. I'm not breeding. I'm not showing on a premium level. I know now what I need and want for my next horse purchase. And that will only happen should I lose one of the 4 we have at this point. Even then, I won't be jumping to get a "replacement". I've learned a lot about our limits on nearly every level.

 

[MrsCaptain]

So true! I've retrained LOTS Of big horses and just assumed the little ones would be easy never thinking that I was starting from scratch! ha ha!

They do have great breeding on their sires side from what I can see. Who knows what I'll have until they mature thought really , regardless I've loved pintos all my life and now I've got two , I love them no matter what they are! I imagine I will geld them both but toying with the idea of seeing what the little black and white ends up being but the chocolate is going to be much too big for mini standards I'm sure so he'll be gelded as soon as the vet thinks its time. I really really want to show them for sure will be training them to drive someday!

 

[Minimor]

That's a very good point--I wanted to say it and wasn't sure that I should...please don't lead anyone to believe that they have to pay big money to get a good horse. High price does NOT guarantee quality. There are plenty of people who have paid high prices and all that got them was 'taken' worse than if they had bought a cheap horse somewhere.

Speaking for myself, I have bought some very nice horses for $500 or less. I've paid $1000 for one particular horse and really should not have paid more than half that--he wasn't worth it. If I could go back in time I would not have bought him at all. He's okay, he just didn't grow up to be what we like. But I have certainly seen worse advertised for a lot more.

If a $500 horse can fill the bill for someone there is no reason for them to go and spend twice that much on a different horse.

I have had people tell me they can buy a good horse at auction for $50...implying that I should lower the price on mine--I don't get offended, I just smile and say well yes, you should just go and do that then...bye bye!!!

 

[MrsCaptain]

Ha ha good response! I have bought horses at Auctions before but would never consider that for the reason now I've got Grandchildren and I needed to visit the farm where these boys came from and meet the "parents" so to speak. And your right the saying "you get what you pay for" doesn't always apply. One just needs to be careful. I paid $1200 for the pair of these boys, knowing that one of them would grow to be too big for mini standards but hoping that he grows big enough that my grand daughter can ride him..

The other boy I'm planning on driving and want to train him for dressage/cart...we'll see what happens!

 

[Mareish Mom]

In response to "adopting is free", actually it isn't. Usually there is an adoption fee of at LEAST $300-$500 to adopt from a rescue agency. I "bought" my mini for $300, but considered her a rescue case and knew it would cost quite a bit of money to get her healthy and up to date on shots etc. (about $1000). And her papers are unrecoverable. But I feel good about what I've done for her and she's a great little companion horse. Now if I wanted a mini to show or breed, I'd definately be looking at the better breeders out there and pay accordingly. However, these cheap little Craigslist minis DO need good new homes, so I guess if I was breeding and selling high quality minis and having people tell me how cheap they can get them, I'd advise them to please do so and RESCUE one of those poor critters!