Horse Market Poll

[Horse Feathers]

.....

 

[targetsmom]

I will admit that I am very discouraged right now (and I doubt I am the only one) but I do think the market for minis will come back some day. Markets tend to be cyclical and the pendulum almost always swings the other way, as long as the "product" doesn't become obsolete, and I don't see horses doing that. In the meantime, I can't even seem to give our minis away, and dealing with sick horses on a daily basis is not helping. I know I need to think positive and I THINK there will someday be a market for the kind of minis we have, but it just isn't now.

 

[Reble]

I believe in 5 years, so many have not been able to hold on.

That means less breeding, and some have downsized which makes less foaling.

So I am thinking positive, my prices have stayed the same here, so no change.

Must keep prices realistic in this time people without jobs,

and prices did get a little ridiculous, so we must come back down to earth.

 

[Joanne]

We have continued to sell our horses. The buyers may only buy one when they might have bought two a few years ago, but they are continuing to buy.

We are very focused on our breeding program and that is helpful to buyers. The buyers are also very focused on what they want.

For us, this year has been better than last year. So for us, we see the turn around has already happened. Many of the buyers are new to miniatures which is good to encourage new blood into the shows and miniature horse owning base.

 

[Magic]

With so many people out of work, which affects countless other businesses, times are just hard, and horses are a luxury. But, a lot of people do have jobs and for many, horses are a way of life (we can all relate!) so the horse market will endure. With this caveat: so many having gotten completely out of miniatures or drastically downsized there *is* an overabundance of horses, and it will take time for the market to even out again.

We have sold a few horses this year but since I had a bad ankle injury and then a long recovery time from the surgery on it, we haven't done any photos for sales horses or done any real marketing on them this year. I'd much rather hang on to my horses than try to sell them with hairy or bad pictures and end up practically giving them away. I figure I'll be much more mobile next year and be able to show some of the sale horses and people can really see how nice they are. We've had quite a bit of outside interest in breeding to our stallions so maybe we'll take a year or two off of breeding our own mares and just breed outside mares. Lots to think about, but I'll tell you what-- we are in this for the long haul!

 

[supaspot]

I think 2-3 years , for many people horses are "in the blood " so they may have to sell up or cut down in the short term but no matter how difficult times are horse lovers will alway find a way to get them back in their lives , I seen a couple of recessions (Im showing my age!) and each time people have predicted years of doom and gloom but it always picks up again , usually quicker than you think

 

[JWC sr.]

Joanne,

I agree with you the market haas already started to turn around. The interest in the last 3 months has been equal to the preceding 12 months. I think folks are beginning to get back to work and the economy is starting to turn around for the better slowly, but surely.

Yes the prices are down some, but that to us is okay with us as it lets some folks that in the past have been priced out of a really good show horse get in the game so to speak. We are selling horses for prices that folks would have laughed at a few years ago, but as I said before that is fine for us.

The on-line aution we are having right now is getting a lot of attention and so far 6 horses have hit the reserves and going to new homes in Great Britan, Montana, Kansas and here in Texas.

We are breeders first and show folks second, so the fact that folks are interested in what we do signals a good thing for us and the industry I think!

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

I voted 5 years, but think it will be 2-3 to see a real turn around. So much of this is economy driven and at the end of the day horses are a luxury item. I may 'need' my horses, but many people are holding off until there is a bit of stability in the work/housing/government.

That said, I doubt I will ever breed the number I did 5-6 years ago. Too many people are breeding in quantity not quality. And I'm not just talking about the 'big' ranches, if you have two mediocre horses and breed them, that adds to the problem too.

 

[eagles ring farm]

I voted I don't know but we love these guys and we are small enough to see it through.

And fortunate enough to have jobs

although they cut mine to 4 days a week

instead of 5

We have been fortunate enough to sell 4 horses this year

3 colts and 1 mare

Of couse we bought another stallion

But we just have

2 stallions

2 geldings

4 mares

1 colt

and no mares are bred for 2011, so that helps us stay

quite small until we are ready to buy or breed more

Of course we are looking this winter for maybe a mare

or 2. If we can. Still working on paying off the cc

for the new stallion.

Being real small as we are really does help with all the bills that come along just for feed, farrior and teeth even without the vet bills that hopefully won't come we have been fortunate in that area also

 

[HGFarm]

I also picked 5 years but am HOPING 2 to 3 years. Really hard to tell what is going to continue to happen with the economy. I also have sold several this year- all I advertised, and have had several people asking if I had any more or any more foals coming, so this is good. My neighbor also has sold everything they had for sale too.

I am in it for the long haul too.

 

[Minimor]

I voted 5 years. Surely financial circumstances will improve for many within 5 years and there will again be more of a market for the small equine. I could be wrong, perhaps it will be 10 years?

However, I don't believe the market will ever rebound to where it was a number of years ago, back when the Minis were still considered novelties and people would pay huge prices just because the horse was so small. I think those days are gone for good. I think people are mostly going to want something more than small and cute.

 

[wildoak]

I agree with minimor that we will probably never see the days when minis were considered a novelty and were priced accordingly. The days of "little & cute" bringing high dollar are long gone, but that's not altogether a bad thing. What is happening may ultimately be good for the breed - less foals, more thought and quality being put into each breeding because that's what it will take in the future to sell anything beyond pets. I do think they will always fill a need for a lot of people who want horses in their lives. I don't know that it's that black and white, that there will be a time when we can say definitively the market is "back".

We are still selling horses here, although prices are off from what they were and the sales are a little harder to come by with so many herd reduction sales. I've only bred one mare for next year for what should be an exceptional foal - we still have several coming three year olds, and some of this years crop to put time into, so I'm taking a year off LOL. Plenty to do without watching mares all spring. I will actually get enough sleep and not be tied to the barn cam for long - this could be a good thing!

Jan

 

[MajorClementine]

The market for well broke riding horses is climbing back up so I am pretty sure minis will follow suit. It's going to be the quality, honest breeders found at LB that will still be in the running when things do come back. Sometimes I think it is a good thing for the market to drop on things like minis. It weeds out those who are breeding anything just to make a $$. Operations like that will not stay in "business" once there isn't the $ in it. They will loose interest. I don't see that with anyone here though. You all LOVE minis and that's why you do this. Not to try and make an easy buck. Best of luck to all of you with breeding programs.

One note I have to make it the price drops in minis has allowed people like me, who have always wanted minis but couldn't afford them, to get and enjoy these wonderful little creatures.

 

[Becky]

I agree with John. I think the market is slowly coming back. As the economy stabilizes, so will the demand for quality horses. Prices for the average horse are lower than they were a few years ago, but the interest is still there and horses are selling. I sold two horses over the weekend and a couple more prospects. People are looking and if the price is right, they will buy.

 

[Horse Feathers]

Thanks for all the replys, I eas wondering based on a talk I had with a big horse friend a couple of days ago.

 

[PrestigeMiniHorses]

I voted 5 years but I am thinking it will pick up before then. Atleast I hope so. I did alot of buying this year. Pretty much every horse here I bought this year. I keep seeing more horses and if I could have them all I would. LOL. Times are tough but it will all level out in time