What should an unregistered minis price range be?

[paintponylvr]

I think price (s) are relative! Really depends on the horse, location and circumstances.

I've had mini sized shetlands that were trained to ride and drive and had many experiences and lots of miles in different situations that no one wanted to pay my prices. I had other ponies that I had double registrations on - and watched purchasers rip up the registration papers and say..."they aren't worth anything to me...". At that time there were no local shows w/I several states distance that supported pinto or shetlands... These ponies DID go on to do very, very well on H/J circuits and driving circuits. Recently, I found out that a pony I sold in 2006 for not a very high price sold for more than 20x what I sold her for BUT she's in the H/J world where a leadline pony sells for $15,000 and up and boarding prices at the leading barns start at $1500 per month (w/o turnout or other things that many mini owners consider normal everyday includes). That particular mare, after all these years, still has an "entourage" of kids that follow her around at all the shows... I sold her for less than $1,000 already under saddle, shown and jumping courses.

Too bad you couldn't have someone at Dr. Taylor's sale in OH over Mother's Day weekend. I'm pretty sure there were some folks from Canada there. He had several unregistered mini and Shetland geldings go thru the sale that sold for less than $100. NICE ones, some very much show quality. They were sold on application - meaning you signed the paperwork and sent it in and you'd have a registered pony/mini. If you didn't - then you had an unregistered horse/pony.

*****

For $2,000 - for me that horse had better be trained to ride and drive in many situations. But there are so many out there that are priced lower and may work for your needs over the $2,000 horse. Also - is this a horse that that owner has bred/raised and has health records on? That is also important to me and one of the reasons I hated going to auctions or rescues where I might be getting a problem that I wouldn't recognize...

I finally put the prices of our horses on our website. To some, some of the prices are HIGH. Some are reflecting only what I have invested in the horse or pony with outside training - certainly wouldn't gain any profit!!! For the right home, I would take 1/2 what I have some of them advertised at. I did this to "weed out" the flakes that regularly call me in this backcountry area looking for free or $50 horses/ponies. If a person calls me and states (first sentence) ... "I'm looking - do you have any ponies/horses for less than $100"... I usually won't talk to them. MOST of that type person isn't going to be the one I want a horse to go to. Others HAVE called me - starting conversations in different ways, while financially "strapped", and we've done some very creative sales and/or leases to have something that I had, bring them much joy. Those horses/ponies had GREAT care and lots of love - on tight, tight budgets - and I was very happy with where they went.

Last summer I got a call that started ... "You have so many ponies in your pastures, I thought you could give me one". UGH!!

 

[MindyLee]

I've been given FREE double registered, awesome pedigreed, great conformation horses...

So in my opinion... $500 or less; otherwise depends on the situation and horse and all mentioned above.

 

[Tab]

Anyone need a home for a double registered, great conformation, great pedigreed mare or filly? I can offer a good home and we're outnumbered in the boy dept lol

 

[Tremor]

Now, I haven't read many of the previous responses, so bear with me.

I have had numerous foals over the years and have decided to keep my last group. Two geldings, and two fillies. None of them are registered, but all are able to. I owned the stallion and mares during their conception and after they were born. I have the registration papers filled out for three of them (one of the four is a dwarf, and not going to be registered). I could register them now. I take pictures of them ALL the time and I don't take crappy pictures. I take conformation pictures suitable for registration. That's how I learned to take pictures of horses because I can't stand for sale ads of horses where you can't tell their conformation.

Should I register them? Yes. Will I? I don't know. I don't have endless amounts of money to spend $250 on registration papers. This fall I will be a college student. I have a phone cell, a truck, insurance, etc. to pay for. As well as the all around health of my herd of six. I find it smarter to spend my extra money on farrier expenses and vet bills because I will not let my horses suffer. I will always be able to register my horses at no matter the age, but it may be more expensive for my fillies as they mature.

I have tried over the past year to half-heartedly sell two of my youngsters, a 3 year old gelding and his full two year old sister. Do I have them for sale as registerable? No. I look on the internet for hours at horses in my state, especially unregistered horses and I see this horses that aren't kept, aren't groomed, aren't vetted, aren't handled, aren't farriered, aren't whatever. These are the horses that are bred year after year. I have seen the same ad on craigslist in Ames, Iowa for an AMHA registered mare and their other horses for the past 3 years at $250. The pictures? They aren't satisifactory and you can tell the type of care these horses get. There are other "minis" on there aren't registered and are exactly as I described above.

My horses are handled, they're vetted and have an AWESOME vet, they're trained, they KNOW their manners, they have a farrier (1st appt. July 1st!!!!!), they're groomed, fed, etc. etc. etc. etc. They are treated as my children they aren't babied. They know the word "no" and they know they will get disciplined.

My horses are priced lower than their worth. At the moment they're priced at $250. That is extremely low in my opinion. I am not saying that my horses are a godsend or even well conformed. But if you want a well trained animal with manners who could be a heck of a partner at driving, jumping, showmanship, in hand obstacle, or even just palling around with a child, then that's my horses. I firmly believe that my horses ought to be priced at twice the price they are; and as they mature and are trained to drive then it will go up. However, I am not actively selling my horses because I know the people in my area. They do not care for their animals. It is better off for my horses to be priced at their worth or even above so and to be in my ownership than to be neglected and mistreated.

When the time comes that I will be able to register them, its not going to matter anymore. If all goes to plan, I will be going to school for my bachelors, then my masters in Nursing and onwards to become a certified Midwife. That could be 10 years from now. My horses don't have the bloodlines that are "in style" right now, and it sure isn't going to matter in the next 10-15 years. However, I would register to show because I firmly believe I could have a darn good crop of horses that could get HOF in something other than halter. Add 10 years worth of maturation, training, and experience onto my blossoming youngsters and I could have some rock star horses.

That is my opinion and experience. Papers aren't everything, and I would easily buy an unregistered gelding or mare for upwards of $500 if they were exactly the horse I was looking for to show or have raise my child. I would do the same with a riding horse.

Plus, there is always AMHA hardshipping, then AMHA to AMHR hardshipping. Who knows, in 10-15 years maybe both registeries will open up again. Gotta add in new blood sometime.

EDIT: Just calculated the amount it would cost for my membership, 2 late stud fees, and 3 registrations it would cost $240. That's a farrier visit. That's money for a part of a harness. For part of a cart. That's the amount I owe my vet. That could go towards vaccinations, floatings, etc That's MORE than one paycheck for me. That's a 6 tanks of gas.That's 4 insurance payments on my truck. That's money that could go to my college education. There are more important ways for me to spend $240.