WHAT DETERMINES A HORSE'S PRICE? 

Recently I had a woman write me and say she wanted something with a good mind, family safe, but she didn't want to spend much and so it didn't matter if it was registered.  It is not the registration that costs, it is the TRAINING that makes a horse worth what he is worth.  We deal mostly in registered horses, not because we are snooty, but because most well trained horses ARE usually registered. 

People don't put the money into training unregistered horses, so many of them are broke by uncle Billy Bob, who learned to ride on his grandaddy's farm!!!  He doesn't know a thing about REAL horsemanship, but Billy Bob had a good seat and more guts than brains, so he jumps on "Sparky" and starts kicking and flapping and Sparky takes off, probably bucking and plunging.  Eventually "Sparky" stops and so Uncle Billy Bob proclaims him "safe." 

HE ISN'T!!!  Sparky will hurt you, not out of bad temper, but because Sparky is ignorant.  He doesn't know what you want, and in the beginning he is half scared.  Later, he will just get resentful when he finds out you can't MAKE him do it.  TRAINING is what makes a horse safe, and it has to be good training, even if you don't want a show horse.  It has to be training where the horse UNDERSTANDS what to do and WANTS to do it.  That kind of training is usually only afforded a registered horse where the money invested will help increase the value of the horse.

So, the value of a horse is determined by a number of things.  Training being the major variable.  Natural temperament is another.  95% of my calls are from people who want something safe and quiet ~ it's what we specialize in.  Unlike most sale barns that sell what they find, we actively SEEK OUT horses with good training and good temperaments.  Some horses, just like some people, are just better horses than others.  They WANT to be a good horse, they WANT to please and cooperate with the rider.  That is a characteristic that cannot be trained into a horse, but one which raises the price because it makes the horse trustworthy.

Supply and demand also play a part.  Think of buyers as a pyramid. 

1. At the top are the performance horse riders, who want a lot of motor in a performance horse and they can ride those horses without any trouble.  example = 1 buyer.
2. The next level is the show riders who can handle a horse with more spirit, and the riders who just like a horse with some motor.  There are ten or twenty of these for every rider in the top group.  example = 15 buyers
3. Group three are the experienced recreational riders, they CAN handle some motor, but the generally WANT something quiet and reliable.  There are ten of THESE riders for every ONE rider in group 2. example = 150 buyers
4. This group has either lost confidence or they are learning. They need something quiet and stable without a motor, a horse that will BUILD their skills and confidence. There are AT LEAST 10 of these for every rider in group 3.  example =  1500 buyers
5. This group has virtually no background in horses but have decided they want to enter the world of horses. They need something SAFE, preferably something that is a little on the lazy side so that when they are off balance or grip with their heels (we refer to this as the "happy frog" position, the horse will not decide it SHOULD speed up or turn.  These horses should NOT have leg cues, they should be fairly dead sided so they wouldn't get confused when the rider asks for things they don't want.  These horses are as close to "bombproof" as you are going to get. But they are usually lazy or quiet and they may sometimes be difficult to get moving.  IF YOU ARE NEW TO HORSES STICK WITH THIS KIND.  As your riding improves, the horse will pay more attention and move out.  But it wouldn't try to outsmart the rider and get into bad habits!!  There are two of these buyers for every one in group 4. example = 3000 buyers.

Unfortunately, the available horses are in the REVERSE order.  Green, young horses, often referred to as "having potential" need one of the first, or second group of riders, but there are LOTS OF THEM, AND THEY ARE CHEAP, especially in today's market. 

Horses with some motor are also plentiful, but again, there aren't as many riders who want them. 

EVERYONE WANTS QUIET, HONEST, RELIABLE HORSE and they are harder to find then a water hole in the desert ~ they're out there, but you better know where to look!!!  (Every year we send back about 30% of the horses we bring in because they aren't suitable for on of these bottom two groups where most of our customers are.  And this is AFTER our suppliers have evaluated horses and brought us only the best of what they find.) So, our less expensive horses are going to have a little more motor and our "bombproof" horses are going to be more expensive.  If they are just trail horses, they are less expensive, but they aren't going to show as well in the ring because they aren't "sophisticated" (Which means they are used to working in the ring and doing schooling patterns, cantering circles slowly, staying on the rail ~ which isn't natural to a horse.) 

It is easier to take a ring horse out on the trail if he is well broke than to put a trail horse in the ring.  You don't lope circles out on the trail, you don't need a lot of steering, because you make turns not circles. The horse seems to drift or wander because it no longer has a marked trail, other horses or simply the perspective of open ground.  The rail of the ring cuts that perspective.  He has no trail, no other horses, no line of sight and he has no idea that the rail is the guideline.  So he drifts into the center and appears untrained.  These are often GREAT trail horses and they do well outside the ring.  AND they are cheaper because they don't have the duel purpose of being able to do lessons and ring riding.  Take them out in the field and ride them, you will find some great bargains if all you want to do is ride on the trail.

Other things which will increase the price are:  Size (16h+), and Color ~ Palomino, Paint, Gray, roan (especially blue roans) and especially Buckskin.

Training also affects some other common urban myths.  1) "I don't want a mare, you know how funny they can get."  I have geldings, and I am happy to sell you a gelding, but to say a well trained mare can't do her job at that time of the month is an insult to all working women, who know their job, and do their work 365 days a year.  If a mare is TRAINED, she comes out, does her job, and I don't care if she wants to be cranky in her stall!!!!  I literally could not tell you when ANY of our mares are in season.  2) "Will this horse go out alone?"  Again, training.  If you buy a trail horse that has only been on the trail, chances are he has some bad habits.  Our horses come out alone, go to our ring, which is a good distance away.  They can NEVER be in front ~ ITS A CIRCLE, YOU CAN'T LEAD IN A CIRCLE!  Other horses come up and work, other horses leave.  TRAINING means the horse doesn't care.  He isn't going to care on the trail if he is in front, in the rear, or gets left behind.  And he will go out alone.  We do periodically trail test our horses ~ AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD ONE THAT WASN'T GOOD ON THE TRAIL, FROM THE 4 YEAR OLDS ON UP!  If they are broke in the ring, they will be broke on the trail!