Low Prices!

[eagles ring farm]

Things are definitely tough everywhere

But many people today have a good reason for their lower prices, be it health, retiring, losing a job, less hours , expenses higher and income lower, switch their breeding program or deciding to stop breeding minis at least in larger numbers and with all these decisions there will be alot more horses on the market than in better times. (many good deals to be had) It seems to have affected the middle priced horses the most I agree.

And anyone who wants that $50-$100 miniature is looking for a pet IMO most of us are more serious about purchasing our animals than that. Heck their shots and a trims would put you in the red already at those prices not to mention all the other expenses of caring for our horses the cost of a foal being born healthy is not cheep moreless having problems. But even the $50-$100 horses need a loving home so pet home will love and take care of them hopefully in most cases. I don't see them being a threat as I would think most of those clients aren't interested in registration, top show quality, top breeding quality, etc. just a little horse to love and have fun with. We have them also 10 minutes down the road but it sure is nice when someone compares the $50 to the $2,000 and even as a pet chooses the $2000.

Another thing is experienced horse people will be looking for that great looking little horse and all of our clients so far have been horse owners many from the full size horse world as well as miniature world. The best thing with dealing with a horse owner is they know what they are committing to in care and cost and possibly many $50 purchasers may not and loose interest quickly as soon as they learn all that is involved. Care and expense wise.

But I agree with the other posts that what anyone sells their horses for is their choice and their business.

 

[Eagle]

I will never judge what someone else sells their horses for because it is none of my business. A few years back, I gave a super nice colt to a woman overseas who was going to show and promote him and when another breeder found out about it she actually had the nerve to email me a nasty gram saying that I had just killed the whole overseas market for colts! Are you kidding me??? Long story short, the colt kept growing and I advised the client that we shouldn't send him as he would be more of a "B" size. If I get another outstanding colt, would I offer it for free to get it overseas........You betcha. I think a sale is between the two parties involved and nobody else.

Please feel free to send one my way, Italy needs some quality colts

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

I had another breeder once accuse me of 'ruining' the market in our area. This was a few years ago when 'pets' were selling in the $1,500 range and the average Mini was $3-5K. I told her, the day you pay my bills is the day you can set my prices! Those were the prices I was selling at BTW, but she thought I should have mine in the $7,500-15K range, which I thought was laughable.

It does hurt ALL of us trying to breed quality Minis when they're being dumped on the market for under $500, but in this economy especially, horses are a luxury item and many people can't afford to support them. I'd rather have someone disperse their herd than have it end up in a rescue situation.

There is also the factor we ALL need to be responsible in selling colts that would be better off gelded. It just cuts down on the breeding, BUT to many people won't take the financial hit that gelding costs and/or just don't want to deal with it.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Hi All, My 2 cents, don't fry me. I will never be a breeder. My boys are geldings. The market is awful everywhere. I think that with this economy it will get alot worse before it gets better. IMO practically giving a mini away to a good home is not a bad thing. Good home being the word of choice.

With the price of feed going through the roof, hay being scarce everywhere and straw and bedding is high, we have droughts, flooding and wildfires affecting our feed prices...... Gas prices are so high it cost a mint to ship anywhere... etc etc...

The big picture not the price of the mini right now, but how quickly you can save money by reducing headcount. That savings alone will drive down the prices considerably...

One winter with one less head count... that is feed and bedding saved... Farrier bills reduced... It wouldn't take many months of saving on that one horse, to more than make up for the drastic drop in sale price... Think about it... sell the horse for $400 now and save $400 in expenses or sell the horse in the spring $800 + and feel better about it? (making up those numbers, but you get the gist)...

The longer you go with that one less, the more you save, and there is somebody you gave the horse too, feeling very happy they have an awesome new horse they love and will care for for a decent price or free, who can go wrong?

How can people continue to breed and breed miniatures, with the market so saturated, I just don't get it. Regardless of the quality, there are too many out there. Something has to give somewhere and we are seeing it everywhere in prices..

Lets face it, for many of us, horses are a luxury. People are losing their jobs everywhere. I think you will see even lower prices and giveaway minis more and more often. It can only go one direction right now.

I frequent auctions... people are sending their cows, horses and taking a huge hit financially figuring in the long run they will be ahead in feed and other expenses. I have seen seasoned driving full sized horses not bringing $100 at auction. Sad and scary, I feel bad for all you dedicated miniature horse breeders and how sad it must be to raise quality awesome babies and not be able to sell them right now. It is heartwrenching.

My hay provider says hay is in such demand that he had a woman willing to trailer to him and pay $20 a bale to pick up fine 2nd cutting hay. She wanted to buy all he had, but he declined to sell all so he can protect the people like me that rely on him for a hay source all winter. I am socking in hay right now to get me through the winter, because people are starting to scramble locally to find decent clean horse hay.

I do believe that there is still a market for seasoned trained performance minis. I also would like to see people begin to view miniature horses as more than pasture pets, and value them for performance horses that cost a lot less to keep.

Hang in there

It's all we can do. Don't fry me, typing fast here...

 

[midnight star stables]

And then there are people who pay good money for a horse still and get taken for a loop(unfed, uncared for, unhandled, unwormed, etc)...

I'm glad that I have nothing for sale in this market. I have bought a few horses in the last few year, but not one was cheap. I don't think I could get the prices I paid for them right now, in this market... But again, I'm glad my guys are not for sale!

 

[horsenut50]

Shorthorsemom and many others on here have hit the nail on the head! The thing that makes me so very mad is when I see ads for babies for sale, big or small that state that they have to sell quickly (for cheap) to make room for the upcoming babies. Ummm hello, if you haven't sold last and or this years crop, Why are you still breeding? Usually these are sub par babies at best but honestly I've seen it at big name farms too. Shame on them for not being responsible! If you can't keep them for life if they do not sell, don't breed them. These places need to take responsibility for the horses they produce. They need to train them and make something of them other than just pets to make them worth something. The economy is just not here now for "just pets"

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I agree it's tough for everyone right now. Ecomony, jobs, increased healthcare costs, ect. are all part of the overall problem and has many of you have said...horses, big or small, are a luxury.

However, I'm not going to judge someone else's selling price because I don't know their circumstance. They may have lost a job, or fear losing their job; they may be experiencing a divorce or unexpected baby. But I'm also not going to buy a horse from somene that I know is selling baby after baby just to "make room" for more babies.

I've never bred for what I considered a lot of babies; I believe the most I ever had in any one year was 8 and two of those were sold in utero. But I've been impacted by the type of changes that life can throw at you and I've had to reduce even further. I had one baby in 2011 (did not survive) and I have one baking in the oven for 2012. At this time I have no plans for 2013, but in time I may decide on one. But at one per year, it's more like I'm breeding for my own personal use (to show and love on) instead of breeding for sale. I still have 2010 babies to find good homes for so I am personally aware of how hard it is to find quality homes for the babies that are already on the ground. Poor homes are a dime a dozen; great homes are priceless and oh so very hard to find.

I wish everyone the best. I do believe things will get better, but I understand the frustration with the current situation.

 

[Minimor]

I can actually see having foals due when the last foal crop hasn't yet sold--because it could be that your foals have been selling every year, so you breed the mares back this year....then suddenly your sales drop off & you are left with all of the current year foals and you are regretting the fact that you rebred all the mares...by the time you know that this year's foal crop isn't going to sell, your mares are all in foal again. I can see that. But, if you've still got 30 2 year olds, 50 yearlings and 60 foals that you are trying to sell with no success, why on earth would you have your 60 mares all bred back for next spring???

I know, too, that many aren't really desperate for room for the upcoming foal crop--but they think that makes a good sales pitch to draw buyers in to check out their deals, so year after year that is their sales pitch.

 

[mydaddysjag]

I agree that the lower prices arent helping the farms with higher end prices, especially when you can buy a horse with a show record for $500 if you look long enough, but on the other hand, I would much rather see them sold dirt cheap than see them come up half starved in the spring.

The price of hay, or simply even the availability of it is hurting a lot of people. Drought in one area of the country, flooding in another, and in the areas that do have hay its being trucked to the areas that dont have it, because they are willing to pay big money for it.

 

[StacyRz]

Hello,

I am new here, and new to minis... I also agree with what all of you are saying. I am in an area where we are in a drought and it is seriously reflecting in the price of horses, exactly as mydaddysjag said.

This weekend I will be going to meet my new mini. (Even though I haven't yet seen him in person, I have pretty much already fallen in love with him and made up my mind lol.)

He is a yearling who has already started showing successfully. His price was so drastically reduced, I thought the ad was a typo, until I saw the same ad on a different website and spoke to the owner. When I asked about purchasing a second mini to keep the yearling company, the owner offered me two if I would like, for a steal.

As tempting as the offer is, I'm going to have to sit and refigure my finances before I decide for sure.

Too many people jump on "good deals" on animals and then are not able to afford their upkeep. Very sad to see.

Stacy