How much are horses worth in this economy?

[Chicks_N_Horses]

It all depends on the area, the breeding, the training, and the soundness of them as to what price you can get for one or sell one for.

They are a dime a dozen around here. You can get horses for free all day long here. If you want one that has some training, has a great bloodline, and is bombproof then be prepared to pay for it and even then you can strike a good deal in the economy now.

 

[KinderKorner]

So madelyn I think I might see if I can come up with enough money to get her trained. But do you think I shoudl go english or western with her?

There is absolutely no english riders around here. Infact. I don't even know where I could get her trained for that. I am deep in Western Country.

Perhaps she would sell better if she gets trained to be a western pleasure horse? I don't think she would make a good pole or barrel horse. Nor a cow horse. But she has a sweet and calm enough personality I think she could do Western Pleasure.

If I spend $500 and get her professionally trained. Then work really well on her ground. You think I could sell her for $3,500?

I just can't imagine. But it is true. Well trained, registered horses with training for show do go around that price. hmmm

I think I just might. Of course. After I get her all tamed down, I know I am going to want to keep her. lol. I really love her.

But I need the money and extra time more than I need an expense and another horse to ride.

 

[mandelyn]

You're sure there's no secret hidden English barns? If so, they're using TBs and QHs I betcha.

If you want to go the western route, the head set and jog seems to be the most important feature.

Which ever way you decide is best for her, you'll most definately want to line her up pretty for photos, up against a building or green bush, low key background, level ground, no other horses in the photo. When asking more money, presentation is really important.

Browse adds using a search, go under Quarter Horse, set the minimum price at $3500, see what their photos look like. That's what your photos need to look like.

No tack in the photos, Or maybe one with tack if you have a friend that has show gear. But, tackless, photos from each side with her head looking forward, ears up, alert looking, standing square. You have to really watch those legs, and make sure they're placed right. One shot from the back to show her hips, rear legs, shot from the front, and a head shot that doesn't make her head look big.

Any photo that has the side view of the body, and a head turned towards the camera, gives the appearance of a giant head. She needs to look her best in photos, so that people want to come see her. People need to see her add, and go "That one is worth visiting in person".

Market her for show, present her as show, price her at show, and you'll get it.

 

[KinderKorner]

There are some english barns about an hour away. But dang they are expensive. I'm just debating on which would sell higher. Besides the fact that me nor anyone else around here rides english.

I'm just not sure how well an english horse would sell.

ETA: Yeah one problem about pictures now. She is an ugly cream color. I might just have to wait to list her until spring.

 

[mandelyn]

Oh and I was just thinking, if you're handy at grooming, clip the end of her tail straight so that it's not pointed (but shoot for keeping as long as possible, just nip the pointy end off to a straight line, like the bottom 2 inches)

Trim her bridle path if she'll let you (and it's a good thing to brag about if she stands good for grooming). Don't cut on her mane, but if you can do a running braid that hangs 3 inches, that'll showcase her neck without any cutting. It's like a one sided french braid.

If you can do 60 days training, go for a video at day 45-ish to link in the add. You can upload it to youtube and link it in email responce or in the add itself, without paying for a video add.

Keeping her fresh under saddle, adding some training, and figuring out which niche to market her in, will get her sold into a good home. Avoid phrases like "Can go any direction", "Finish your way", ect.

Don't do the broodmare thing, unless she has foals on the ground who've turned out great out of a good stud. A lot of people have gotten out of breeding, or they're only breeding the best they have. There's a lot of stallions out there that would make fantastic geldings, so mentioning broodmare anything will turn off some buyers. Focus on the riding and what she already knows, how sweet/willing/smart she is. It's the finished riding horses with show potential or show experience that are selling.

If you have a rider on her for photos, make sure they have a good seat and can give a good turn out, nothing like a bad seat/bad hands to make a great horse look awful. A photo is a snap of an instant, so that instant pictured needs to be amazing.

Like a trotting photo.. has to be at the most extended form. A bad trot photo will show a short stride, poor leg, bad carriage.. if the photo was during a movement and not at the end of a movement.

If your camera has a setting for snapping numerous photos one after another, use that and select the photo that shows her best in movement, or get a video.

Don't do pasture videos, people want to see a settled, well behaved horse. They don't want to see what she looks like with the fall feel-good kicks and bucks. Pasture videos are only good for "dream" stallions... nothing like a Fresian stud showing his stuff, mane blowing in the wind, acting wild and free. But for a potential show mare, calm, cool, collected.

But groom her till she shines, find a pleasing setting for a photo op, make her look like a show horse and stand her square, raise the price up to $2500, and throw an add out just to see. No harm in listing her before training, and throw a blip in the add about how the price will go up with further training to finish her out.

 

[sbarab]

why not train her to drive and then you can still enjoy her?

 

[()relics]

Unfortunately, it seems the economy has really hurt the horse hobby/sport/trade...As I have read, there seems to be an awful lot of decent/good horses that are being given away. I recently sold a little 10 yearold mare, well trained , to a 4Her...I only sold her because she was so well trained and could, essentially, be trailered to an event and showed the day they bought her....Weanlings and yearlings are even worse....I am always on the lookout for a good prospective youngster and look at alot of them every month...Several weeks ago a "horse trader" called me and asked if he could stop on the yard so I could look at some horses that he was "transporting"...Naturally I said yes because he said they were all weanling Qhorses with papers in tow....He arrived with a TRAILER load,10, weanlings....he wanted $500 ...Not for 1 BUT FOR THE WHOLE LOAD....What was I going to do with 10 young horses with questionable health/soundness....I regret now but I didn't take any of them...I'm sure they were bound for north of the border.....So good luck with your horse...I doubt I would spend any money on her....Maybe you can find someone to ride her for you and get her into some sort of shape with the hope of being able to sell her later....

 

[KinderKorner]

Alright so let me get this straight.

Take some good photos and list her now. Offer her at 2,500 and say it will go up with training.

Then get her some professional training, and work on her ground work.

She has been ridden english and western.

I have a friend who rides english and could work with her some more in that.

 

[onthespot]

You got it backwards with the training plan. If you can do ground work, get all that done BEFORE you send her to the trainer, because the trainer will do it themselves (which they need to do with a horse like that) and bill you for work you could have done yourself. Get the donkey OUT and AWAY from the mare. Just that could explain her behavior if he is acting studdy and jackish and nipping their hocks and just being a normal boy. Even gelded donkeys can be very aggravating to horses.

Move the donkey.
Do a lot of ground work.
While you are getting your ground work done, scope out your market.
Take pics before she hairs up. DO THIS NOW!
Make sure her feet are well taken care of and look right before you try to sell her. Never try to explain or apologize for bad feet. Just take care of it. Not saying she needs a trim, just saying what will kill a sale.
Pull the grain ration if you are giving her any. Put her on plain grass hay.
You might want to get her checked out by a horse chiro.
Check the fit of your saddle by setting it on her back and then putting your hand flat on her shoulder, slide it under the saddle and see if there is equal pressure all over, or if you feel a spot (most likely withers) where the saddle sticks out a bit and puts more pressure. If it used to fit, it may no now if she has gained weight. You may need to borrow or buy a saddle that fits, and DON'T let anyone who comes to try her use their own saddle if it doesn't!!!
Might get a vet out to see if she could go on Regumate if her hormones are out of whack.
You could probably do ALL of the above for less than $500 you would spend on a trainer, and get a lot more for your hard earned dollars. I do NOT have great faith that a trainer will jump through hoops and get your horse fixed and help sell it if all that is in it is $500 for a month's training, plus $150-200 commission, which would drop your profit back down again.
Selling her yourself for $500 now is probably money ahead, in the long run. I would dump her for $500 and be done if I was pregnant and she was bucking and has "problems" that need addressing. I think the chances of you selling her for $3000 is slim to none, not meaning any disrespect to the other poster.
There ARE people with money still, and they ARE buying horses, but most people with money who are buying horses are not getting problem horses to gamble their safety with to save a few bills. They are buying problem free horses that can go on to safely serve their needs. That is my $.02 worth.

 

[KinderKorner]

The donkey is for sale and I have a person coming to look at him today.

I do agree though. I think he is what is causing the problems. He is constantly nipping and chasing and biting, and it has turned her into a little stinker. Hopefully he will find a new home today.

I am going to work on her ground work before the trainer.

Too late. She is already haired up. It's been really cold here.

A vet has already looked at her, and I have several fitting saddles.

I really like my trainer. He charges $500 a month total. He trained my old gelding for me. And he's great.

She is on no grain, only grass and grass hay.

I'm not pregnent. lol I had heart surgery.

And I don't really think I could get $3000

But if I get her trained and everything. I would like $1,500-$2,000. Which is possible in my area.

And I don't plan on selling her for nothing, and not finding her a good home. I rescued her, she means a lot to me. I will hang onto her if I can't find a good home and make my money back.