Market for the small AMHA

[Suzie]

While I love the look of the bigger horses, we will stay breeding 30 to 32" horses here. We may go even a bit smaller, but I agree the ability to keep the refined quality is harder to achieve. We bred in 2010 to 26.75" stallion and 28" stallion and had nice refined foals from larger mares, which we decided to keep for ourselves. We chose not to breed at all for 2012 foals. The most recent stallion I purchased is 29" and nothing here is over 31" stallion-wise. I prefer to breed to 32 to 34" mares, just my personal preference. We have not had any problem selling the A sized horses here over the years. However, all of our foals are AMHA/AMHR registered, so that gives some versatility to the buyer.

We are going to expand our advertising this year, I think that is a key point in development of any program, showing or breeding. It is an expensive one no doubt, but you have to be out there to be able to get interest in your horses.

The most important thing to being able to sell in any market is to strive to produce the very best you can for sale, and constantly do research and your own critiques to improve. Quality over quantity is the course we have chosen to take in this very iffy economy.

 

[midnight star stables]

A size minis will always be around.

I only own one A mini (and have only ever owned 3 A size minis of all the minis that I have owned), but oddly enough, I also prefer the A minis. I like ALL minis under 38" but when I am looking for a certain look/colour/style/movement, sometimes the only way I can get it is to buy a bigger version that was more affordable at the time. I do not regret owning any big minis, but I am planning to make my next several purchases much smaller in size all under 35"...

I would also love to one day own a super tiny (under 30") mini... Genie, maybe a visit is in order one day

.

Just because I own big B's and have a few ASPC/AMHR horses, doesn't mean that I am (or anyone for that matter

) out of the A size market.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

We are actually "downsizing" and going into the under 34" Minis now. Definitely prefer AMHA/AMHR over AMHR/ASPC. Jusy more options of the A/R horse, IMHO.

 

[minie812]

We really do like our smaller minis and had planned at one point to sell out as nothing was selling and I will not give them away. We can afford to keep them. My health is not the best & hubby helps with the heavy stuff for me. We only breed 1-3 minis and enjoy the littles. We have two fillies born so far and both will be tiny girls...one more to go. Pic of one of our little powerhouse-Ms Sassy!

 

[horsehug]

minie812, your filly is adorable!

I have never had trouble selling the tiny ones. I recently sold one to a neighboring state and two days later a friend of hers called me wanting to know if I had anymore that small for sale.

And we are not talking dwarfs, just nice but tiny miniature horses

Susan O.

 

[MindyLee]

Advertizing to sell minis still dont help. You can spend hundreds if not thousands and still cant sell but for small give away prices.

Again more $$$ in then get out.

Horse are for hobbys now of days, if ya want to get rich from them, breeding is not the answer...

 

[AshleyNicole]

Advertizing to sell minis still dont help. You can spend hundreds if not thousands and still cant sell but for small give away prices.

Again more $$$ in then get out.

Horse are for hobbys now of days, if ya want to get rich from them, breeding is not the answer...

I kinda agree with you.... I think if you aren't a well known farm it's kind of hard to sell at reasonable prices. Almost all of our horses come from well known farms and a lot are champions and champion producing horses for those farms. I advertise and IMHO my horses are just as good as the well known farms. I have several I want to sell because like many on this thread I have decided to focus on my 34" and under herd. I am very hesitant to sell my larger horses because I want to get at least what I paid for them and not sure that will happen right now. I may not show as much (can't this year) and maybe that is my problem who knows? Maybe my prices aren't right? lol I have no idea

 

[disneyhorse]

Advertizing to sell minis still dont help. You can spend hundreds if not thousands and still cant sell but for small give away prices.

Again more $$$ in then get out.

Horse are for hobbys now of days, if ya want to get rich from them, breeding is not the answer...

I don't necessarily agree... The QUALITY of the horse, advertisements, and reputation of the seller are VERY important.

Sure, you could spend lots of $$$ making mediocre photos and ads of mediocre horses and hurt your reputation telling buyers they're worth a lot of money... I see it all the time.

But I know that a good horse, in the hands of a reputable seller, with good advertising will still fetch a good price.

Those who can't, might be doing something wrong somewhere.

I've sold horses for thousands and I've also given them away for free. Depends on the situation of both the horse and myself.

But even with the economy I don't feel it's necessarily a hobby market only.

Andrea

 

[minie812]

I kinda agree with you.... I think if you aren't a well known farm it's kind of hard to sell at reasonable prices. Almost all of our horses come from well known farms and a lot are champions and champion producing horses for those farms. I advertise and IMHO my horses are just as good as the well known farms. I have several I want to sell because like many on this thread I have decided to focus on my 34" and under herd. I am very hesitant to sell my larger horses because I want to get at least what I paid for them and not sure that will happen right now. I may not show as much (can't this year) and maybe that is my problem who knows? Maybe my prices aren't right? lol I have no idea

Ashley-The little filly I pictured is a grandaughter to your stallion SKY

 

[AshleyNicole]

Ashley-The little filly I pictured is a grandaughter to your stallion SKY

Congrats...very cute little girl. Love Sky and what he produces for me so far. Everyone who has a Sky foal has contacted me and I think thats neat...shows how much they love his foals I guess

Hi Andrea....

we may be doing something wrong somewhere. For me it might be the pictures...it's usually me by myself taking pictures (something I have never been great at) so that might be the case with me. Like I said most of mine are champions and/or have produced champions so I am thinking the quality of the horse isn't the problem. I really am at a loss I guess lol.

 

[rimmerpaints]

Its not just the minis it all horses that arent selling and the ones that are selling are going dirt cheap here. Take a horse I have the stud fee was 500 dollars and he is now 4 and people come to look and offer me an unreal and honestly insulting prices. I send them right to the road. So its not just minis.Horse prices here are super low. You can go to sale barn and buy one for less then 100 dollars . They look thin very thin also. Its all sad. I didnt breed my mares last year and wont this year either its just not worth it.

 

[Jean A]

It's the same all over, except for the highest priced polos, jumpers, and other special interests. Many here have reduced to nothing over feed/hay prices..lovely dairy herds were auctioned off and trucked to who-knows-where..hay was harvested and instead of selling locally, was taken out of state to sell at high prices to those suffering drought or floods. At $15 for a bale of average hay, no one could last till spring. It's just the way commerce works, but it is painful. We are all trying to build back up..so you can't buy a heifer or calf at any price. Sad to see mini horses here treated like stray dogs..and sold at auction. My fear is they will be back yard slaughtered as are goats and dogs..just not always done humanely like most would hope for.

 

[AshleyNicole]

I think you both are right...I have TBs and although I am not selling any at this point I have bought some. Although my stallion wasn't cheap for a stud who has won the type of races he did, we got him for a great price. I figured that it was because it was out of TX and the owner couldn't afford hay.

 

[Norah]

I still see a lot of people breeding and buying AMHA horses .....however ,once shipped here they sometimes outgrow their papers

: ( ASPC horses are making their way here , and are winning in the show ring ... people are now interested in driving the taller horses (ASPC) they look elegant , and people seem to be very interested in the breed. The ASPC registry is friendly ,helpful , and not as expensive as AMHA . This is why I dropped out of AMHA,I also imported horses from a quarentine that AMHA supports and the horses arrives sick , thin , and dehydrated....this does not make the association look good : (

 

[Jean A]

I have a feeling there will be, for some time into the future, a fairly large group of folks who own nice, but unregistered minis. Because of the nature of the sales, and the prices being so low...making registration an 'extra'..we are seeing lots of horses and other animals without their papers. Unless I plan to breed or show a dog, why register it? Then the papers are lost..and there you go..

Our stud Oliver is a lovely fellow, silver dapple and around 30" (a tiny spitfire that makes me laugh). No papers though. No way to trace anything on anyone. They are part of our family, for us and our granddaughters (soon to be six of them, lol!!) to enjoy. Not income, not show stock other than 4-H..so no worries.

I really do feel the frustrations of those who are well invested, and see this happening. It happens in nearly everything, eventually. This is the result of the economy and weather conditions..not people responding to the popularity of a movie, as happened to Dalmations and Jack Russels. I am glad horses are one at a time..or there would be backyard breeders looking to make quick cash on litters of foals. With or without papers.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

We get calls all the time for "cheap" Minis. They don't care about papers, most don't show. Once you add up registration fees, stallion report fees, all of our foals are AMHR Futurity nominated, all the little costs associated with raising a foal, time spent doing foal watch, all of a sudden it adds up. I'd at least like to break even rasing a foal! And $100-200 doesn't cover it. But you also have to look at the fact, you aren't feeding him/her anymore. But I still cringe at the thought of selling "cheap".

 

[Jean A]

Going prices locally, not at auction, for unregistered minis with some basic care, though usually little to no farrier, and very little vet (without paper proof, I'd start shots and worm right away). Most have been fed ok, nothing fancy. Iyr/2yr fillies and whole colts (gelding here can run upwards of $300) $150-$250, less if bought in groups. Saw several nice ones for $100 ea in group of 3. Mares 4yr to 12 yr $200-250, in foal. A bit less if not, but is hard to tell sometimes, and they are all pasture bred, so no dates.

I know the fact that this is how we entered the mini world makes us different from many here..but there are also many who are much like us. We have owned stock and horses in the past..and missed them greatly. We have the land and resources..and along came some little hoofed folks needing caring families. They found a home with us. They are not show ponies, but they are loved and cared for as if they are.

Honestly, other than 'pet people' where else would they go? Few people who really think things through would breed truly undesirable animals unless there was a lot of money involved, and we all know the costs of keeping horses. We do plan to breed our stud a couple of times..so the next set of granddaughters can have the experience and education. If we come up with glaring issues, we will not. Our mares are under 34", our stud under 30"..and we look forward to training to drive when the time is right.

I am thankful that we are welcomed here..I had some fears in the beginning. After all, I love a beautiful horse, they all look great to me, lol..some are just more great than others. Y'all have been helpful and welcoming whether we spent a small fortune, or had bought them at auction. In the end it will be most beneficial to the horses..that's what matters.