How much money did you pay for your horse or mule?

Question

I'm wondering about horse prices, and would like to know your answers to these questions to get an idea of the horse market trends.

1. Describe your horse's breed, training level, and age?
2. How much did you pay?
3. What state or region did you buy your horse in?
4. When did you purchase your horse?
5. How did you find your horse (auction, private sale, adoption center, production sale, advertisement in paper, tack store, internet horse classifieds, other)?

You can post answers for more than one horse, if you own several. I'm just wanting to get a good idea of how much horses in other areas are bringing, and what kind of horses they are. I'm curious because horses are bringing less than half what they did two years ago, yet some horses are still priced exorbitantly high!

There are no wrong answers, and as long as you answered all my questions you're in the running for the 10 points. Thanks.

And to answer my own question, here's mine:

1. Grade Appaloosa gelding, six months old, late colt so he was a runt, wild and scared, picked him out of a pen of weanlings because he had a pretty face.
2. $120 was the winning bid.
3. Iowa.
4. January 2005
5. auction barn

1. Quarter Horse mare, 4 years old, gentle but never ridden.
2. $800
3. Iowa
4. September 2004
5. private sale, knew a guy who had a bunch of horses for sale, went and looked at them all and chose her.

1. Grade QH-type mare, 15+ years old, kid-broke and acts like an angel.
2. $800
3. Missourri
4. May 2005
5. internet horse classifieds

Edit to mrsmom: That's fine, if you think it's dangerous, then don't answer. But I seriously doubt if anyone can use your answer to locate your horses and steal them. I'm not doubting your word that yours were stolen before, but I'm doubting that a horse thief would look on Yahoo!Answers Horse Section to find his next target. It's wise not to give out your real name and exact location, but that's why I said "state or region you purchased your horse". Saying "I bought my horse at an auction in the Midwest" is going to keep you pretty much anonymous and invisible. But anyway, if you don't feel safe that's fine.

Thanks to all the answers so far, it's interesting to read about your horses. If you haven't answered yet, please do!

Answer 1

The horse that owned me was Raageyn (Geyn to his friends and I'm proud he included me in that category) grey Arabian gelding, tracing back to Skaranic, Reycene, Bint Gazella, ultimately DB on his papers, 10 yrs old at purchase, $1,100.00 he's just turned 30. Newspaper ad in Campbell TX, moved him to Myrtle Beach, SC, gave him to my daughter....ex sold him, the bustard.

He came with all the bells and whistles, buttons and Auto Pilot. He also could spot a rookie "rider" and use all the "horse tricks" in the book. No dummy. Proper lead canter at a feather touch from a standstill, extended trott to die for, willing to undertake any request from an experienced horseman. Beautiful to look at, a pleasure to have known.

Excellent trail, English Pleasure, Hunter Hack, Western, Halter horse. High point horse with two riding clubs (showed against QH! Tall order for a little grey gentleman)

Saved my sanity...still owns my heart, wherever he is...could show trim his ears, bridle path and coronet while he stood sans cross ties, me crawling around on my hands and knees under him, through his legs. Yeah, boogedy, crayzy AyeRab.

And to MrsMom, sorry about your theft loss, understand the safety issue, but I dare you or anyone to find me in MB, SC.

Fun question, thanks.

Answer 2

First Horse: Target
1. Paint Horse Stallion, Yearling, Halter Broke and already bomb-proof
2. $360
3. Alberta
4. July 2003
5. Auction

Second Horse: Socks
1. Running Quarter Horse, barely halter broke, Yearling
2. $220
3. Alberta
4. July 3003
5. Auction

Third Horse: Pawnee
1. Cutting Quarter Horse, Almost Two-year-old, Never been touched
2. $320
3. Alberta
4. May 2005
5. Auction

Fourth Horse: Unnamed Buckskin
1. Mustang, Never-been touched except when abused, Three
2. $320
3. Alberta
4. May 2005
5. Auction

Fifth Horse: Seven
1. Appaloosa, Seven Months, Never-Been touched (starving)
2. $130
3. Alberta
4. October 2007
5. Auction

Sixth Horse: Jimmy Stewart
1. Quarter HorseX, Seven Months, Never-Been Touched
2. $200
3. Alberta
4. WheOctober 2007
5. Auction

Answer 3

1. Describe your horse's breed, training level, and age?
Rhinelander Mare 5 years old currently schooling 2nd level dressage and beginning jumping
My goal with her is open jumpers

2. How much did you pay? $38,000
3. What state or region did you buy your horse in? Germany

4. When did you purchase your horse?
Purchased in 2006

5. How did you find your horse (auction, private sale, adoption center, production sale, advertisement in paper, tack store, internet horse classifieds, other)?
Purchase through a breeder that I have known for years. Via video tape then had her imported which was $5500

That is currently my only horse, although I have had many others.

Of course with the housing market going bad and so many people losing their jobs this makes purchasing luxury pets such as horses something that just isn't happening like it did.
The price of the horse depends on its level of training and ability. Of course it is only worth what someone will pay. I have purchased horses for $500 then sold them for 50 times that once some training and showing were put on them.
You have raised a great question and I enjoyed answering it.

Answer 4

My first was a grade quarter mare about 13 at the time, she did a little cattle work before she moved to Michigan but hadn't done more than get cow-boyed around on the trails for the last few years. I got her for 1,000 from a neighbor I'd been started riding with because we'd just moved to the country. They only took her out once or twice a year and the last two people to get on her ended up jumping off at high speed because she's hard to stop. I've had her 13 years now so maybe fall of 94. I competed very succesfully in barrels with her for a few years after a little training.

I got a free 5 year old National show horse who would let you sit on her but only if you didn't tell her when to go, or stop or try to steer. I got her through a "sister of a friend/complicted series of events" in late '97 or early '98 eventually made a combined training/eventing horse out of her.

Horses are going for nothing in our area so I know what you mean. But half the people are losing their jobs and houses (I'm in the Detroit area with the auto layoffs) Everyone I know is downsizing or selling out. Well trained sound horses are being sold because people are having to choose their favorites to keep, the last few falls have been major selling times for people worried about feeding through the winter. But the people who are into the showing and had the super priced horses in the first place aren't going to be the ones worried about jobs, they are still dealing in very high quality training and horses without worrying over the prices. Can't really say anything bad on them cause most of us would love to be in the same position and doing the same things, I'm just glad I'm able to tend my little herd with no great worries.

Answer 5

1. Registered buckskin quarterhorse, rideable just doesn't rein very well, 7 when i bought him.
2. $1,500
3. South Dakota
4. Almost a year ago
5. Friend needed the money and so I bought his horse.

1. QH/Arabian, trained for barrels, poles and english riding, 10 years old
2. $700
3. South Dakota
4. May 13th, 2007
5. My sister, who got her from a sale barn auction

1. QH, blond sorrel, was a week old foal that was going to be put down because the buyer of his mom at a sale barn didn't want him.
2. free
3. South Dakota
4. May 13th, 2007
5. Sale Barn

1. QH, buckskin, all around ranch horse, 5 yrs old
2. $1,500
3. South Dakota
4. July 2007
5. I bought him from my sister.

1. QH paint(although she's solid black w/ a white spot on her head) , not even haltered yet, weanling
2. $30
3. South Dakota
4. September 2007
5. Same sale barn

I don't see what is so dangerous. about this information...lol...it's not like you can find me by just the state...but to each their own...

Answer 6

1. Registered QH Appendix- bred to race. Had just "gotten over" his bucking problem. Broke my trainers hand. Been called untrainable by 4 huge barns in the area. My trainer gave him to a 16 year old girl and she worked with him. When I looked at him he had been to shows, won ribbons, hadn't bucked in 6+months and had been on the trails almost every day. He was 10 at the time.
2. $1500 (Partly because my friend who owned him needed the money and Partly because I loved the horse, crazy or not, he needed a chance.)
3. Minnesota, USA
4. April 2006
5. First found an ad for him on dreamhorse.com but he was boarded at the barn I ride at.



1. Solid Paint, shown successfully in pole bending and barrel racing. Not the greatest arena horse, but amazing on the trails. He's good in the outdoor arena too. He is 8 years old.
2. $2000
3. Minnesota, USA
4. October 2007
5. I leased him for two years before I bought my first horse. He was owned by my riding instructor and lived in the same pasture as my horse.

Answer 7

The one I'm riding now, got him a year ago last spring....16hh twh grey gelding, started under saddle, 3 years old. Traded a filly that I'd paid $3500 for for him. He came from TN, from a friend of mine....she picked him out for me when he was born, it just took her three years to talk me in to him. My once in a lifetime horse was a grey gelding that we lost to colic 7 years ago.....I just didn't think I wanted another grey gelding, because he'd have such a high standard to live up to.

Friend of mine just bought a draft driving mare, percheron/morganX, 15 years old, but broke, broke, broke. Pretty much totally safe....or as much as one can get. I thought she was a bit high, given the current market....she paid $4K for her, but how much is one trip to the emergency room??? Plus, the mare came with a 30 day written guarantee, if she doesn't suit them for any reason, the seller will take her back for the purchase price. Oh yeah......Midwest region. She found her through the fact that the seller is a client at the vet's office I work at....I know the quality of his stuff, and when she told me she was looking, that's where I sent her.

On the other side, I have a friend that just bought a 5 year old TWH gelding....lit up champagne and white tobi....not for a beginner, but fun for an experienced rider. Also in the midwest area....the seller bought the horse two years ago for $2700......sold him for $500. But, they wanted "rid" of him, and the market is what it is right now.....They came together because I knew the gal wanted to sell, and I knew the people that were looking to buy.

Answer 8

I have 9. Bought Melly, reg. Shetland in 2003 for $500. Told she was broke to ride and drive. wasn't. Could get the same thing now for $200 or so.
Bought Jack, reg. Appy gelding, great grandson to Secretariat. Well broke with some problems. Bought in 2005 for $1300 they were asking $2500. Could easily buy the same type of horse for $800 now.
Bought Dakota as a weanling reg. Pinto for $500. Could get the same thing now for free.
All the others were free. They range from well broke for children to unbroke and everything in between. All are under 10 years of age.
Local auction prices for well broke (?) horses all under $500. Some auctions will not take unbroke horses because they will not sell. Lots of weanlings and yearlings getting no bids or under $50.
Show quality animals ready to go into the ring are holding their value if ready to win. English and dressage horses going up in value. Gaited horses holding value.

Answer 9

1. registered appy, bought her at 16 months she was small because her mother died and she was hand raised, but she is very gentle and never bucked once when we broke her
2. five hundred dollars. The person I bought her from was raising Thoroughbreds so he just needed to get rid of her
3. We live in Southeast GA
4. Bought her three years ago
5.Friend of a friend knew i loved horses and the owner wanted to make sure she had a good home.

Oh yeah I bred my Ap to an Arabian and now I have a colt that I wouldn't take a million bucks for so I guess breed and training isn't always considered when pricing a horse my horses probably aren't worth anything to anybody but me, but I love them tremendously

Answer 10

Lusitano, 7yrs, some training in Haute Ecole and Doma Vaqeura, but it's all blocked from fear and anxiety. Am discovering things he knows as he gets more confident. The most talented horse with the most potential to learn and go high of any horse I've ever ridden. Learns new things faster than i can teach them. Has much to unlearn too.
6800 Euro (I couldn't afford one like this in the US)
Portugal by way of German importer
Christmas eve 2006
Internet after looking in 4 countries at 20+ horses

Andalusian gelding, 8 yr, Haute Ecole, classical dressage 4th level, Doma Vaquera, competitive trail
6000 Euro
Spain, from German importer
Sept 03
Private recommendation