Price of a good hunter?

medicine12345

Hi all,
I am thinking about getting back into horses after several years of a break, as a teenager I had done some hunting and really enjoyed it. That was during the boom times and we paid around 3500 for a good horse who unfortunately then had an injury and had to be retired.
My question is what would be the price these days for a safe, experienced hunter, ~16hh or that, 7-11yrs old roughly; doesnt have to be flashy or anything.
Thank you for any thoughts

Ave Sodalis

Hi OP,
Firstly, I'd like to ask, would you not consider a few lessons first, to make sure this is something you still like doing? Secondly, have you considered other expenses of horse ownership and made sure you can afford it? I'm not implying that you haven't by these questions, just making sure
To answer your question, a good hunter can cost from a grand upwards, depending on the horse. Have a look at done deal and other places that sell them, to get a rough idea as to what people are asking for

mothoin

a thousand euro is generally only going to buy you trouble!

if you are looking for a good honest armchair ride, that will be deemed fit for purpose after a 5 stage vetting, you are still looking at 2500 upwards, realisticly for a good looker which knows his job, 3500 to 5000 is run of the mill! if you don't mind a mare, you can get a good one closer to the 2500.

beware of donedeal, 8 times out of ten they are lying through their hole! if you want a hand finding something, drop me a pm, I won't shill!

timmy4u2

Even though there is a recession the price of good horses did not change very much.
You will still pay €3500 or so for a safe hunter.
If you want a very good + safe hunter you will go to someplace between €5000 and €6500.

Ave Sodalis

Where are ye all selling horses at that price?! You can easily get a good horse between 1 and 2 grand. Where about are you based OP?

monflat

sup_dude wrote: »

Where are ye all selling horses at that price?! You can easily get a good horse between 1 and 2 grand. Where about are you based OP?

Probably one with good breeding recorded proven hunter quiet turn hoof to anythin and in the summer would be a type to win in the show ring. Upper end of the hunter scale i would say

Ave Sodalis

monflat wrote: »

Probably one with good breeding recorded proven hunter quiet turn hoof to anythin and in the summer would be a type to win in the show ring. Upper end of the hunter scale i would say

As the OP said, they don't want anything flashy and if your are only getting back into it, bloodlines etc wouldn't be a priority. What I gathered from the OP is that they want a quiet hunter that can carry them safely over most jumps without getting too worked up. Nothing special or fancy... Or have I just picked up on it wrong?

medicine12345

Thanks everyone for the replies. Yes my priority would be a horse that knows his job when hunting.
Is it acceptable to hunt such a horse once a week and maybe not be able to ride them during the week again until the lest week. Is it reasonable that a horse could maintain his fitness enough to hunt every weekend without work done during the week? I'm thinking in terms of the winter when it may not be possible to ride him during the week.
Thanks again everyone

fits

medicine12345 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies. Yes my priority would be a horse that knows his job when hunting.
Is it acceptable to hunt such a horse once a week and maybe not be able to ride them during the week again until the lest week. Is it reasonable that a horse could maintain his fitness enough to hunt every weekend without work done during the week? I'm thinking in terms of the winter when it may not be possible to ride him during the week.
Thanks again everyone

What I have done is a lot of hacking in august September October, making sure to get out on charity rides etc. Then once the season starts he maintains his fitness with riding both weekend days (hack Saturday, hunt Sunday) and the odd Wednesday hunt. That's what I do anyway. Oh and he also lives out full time, fully clipped with good rugs. He is very healthy and fit on that regime.

monflat

medicine12345 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies. Yes my priority would be a horse that knows his job when hunting.
Is it acceptable to hunt such a horse once a week and maybe not be able to ride them during the week again until the lest week. Is it reasonable that a horse could maintain his fitness enough to hunt every weekend without work done during the week? I'm thinking in terms of the winter when it may not be possible to ride him during the week.


I would do an exercise regime similar
Make sure you are starting around august to get him fit.
Loads of charity rides late sept oct.
Xc schooling also .

Then once the dark evenings come i used to hunt on wednesday. Horse off thursday maybe fri a 20 min jaunt
Saturday n sunday would be hackin or xc schooling including a quick blow out .
May then not get to ride till d hunt on wed.
But with some of them once you gain that level of fitness it helps them
However me personally tried to do as much as i could cause if you get on your horse at 12 mid day d day of d hunt. You coulld be 4 hrs on their back and then if you dont do anything with them until the next week its not really fair on them or good for their muscles.

But then if the horse is living out this benefits them too.

timmy4u2

medicine12345 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies. Yes my priority would be a horse that knows his job when hunting.
Is it acceptable to hunt such a horse once a week and maybe not be able to ride them during the week again until the lest week. Is it reasonable that a horse could maintain his fitness enough to hunt every weekend without work done during the week? I'm thinking in terms of the winter when it may not be possible to ride him during the week.
Thanks again everyone

Again if you need a well trained hunter who is also a wise and safe ride you will pay good money.
If you pay peanuts you will get monkeys.

The UK market is wide open for good Irish hunters who are safe thus keeping the prices high. There are loads of good hunters out there but not ones that are safe for novice and or occasional riders.
If you hunt your horse just every weekend without been exercised and ridden out in between you are heading for a disaster.
In those circumstances you are better off getting a horse for €1500 as it will soon be fit only for Kit-E-Kat.

finbarrk

A good hunter made over €8k at the last sale in Goresbridge.