How Much is a Horse Worth?

It is maybe the craziest question ever asked, but still no one knows the answer on it. When you start riding your first goal is to have your own pony around the house. But what is a horse worth? There is no exact formula to price a horse. Everybody has his own methodology. Recently I heard a man proclaiming that any sound, papered horse standing in a pasture is worth $1,000. A pretty coat color tacked on an extra $1,000. If it is a gelding add a minimum of $500. If the horse can go forward, turn left and right and back up is worth another $500 extra.... basically the more it can, the better the looks, the better the character the more it was worth according to the man.

Prices for horses vary from $1,000 up to Millions of dollars. But who decides the price and why is a certain price given to a horse? Well to be honest no one knows. What is sure is we live in a post recession era. Average horse prices have fallen to all-time lows. Ten years ago, most owners and breeders considered a young horse an asset that could gain value with training and show experience. Today, in many cases, they’re liabilities, with their prices declining as they age.

This is a big problem, because what will happen when when we as an industry stop valuing the breeding, time, training, and campaigning that go into a horse? It's a big question without a straightforward answer. On the one hand one might benefit from the low prices. People who just come into the sport can now lease international push-button horses for lower rates. On the other hand we might consider the fact that a business with a limited income is also a business that can't invest as much. Yes a big problem, because we like our horses in a good shape, healthy condition, etc. And unfortunately those aspects are sometimes the first to cut budget on.

Deciding the price of a horse has become a subjective matter. The calculation includes the costs of training, the costs of maintenance, the costs of welfare for the horse, etc. But in the end there is never a conclusive answer. Because we are all looking into different things when buying a horse. Sometimes we just like to see the horse galloping in the fields, we just enjoy having a look at it. For others it's the ambition to ride to the top together with their four-legged friend.

So a horse is worth what the "fool" wants to give for it... No checklists, only an emotional feeling that binds you to the buy. Of course you can implement basic features and price them accordingly. But the price still depends on you...

One could easily buy a horse on ...

- looks : worth $$$$
- sex : $$$$
- color : $$$$
- character : $$$$
- health : $$$$
- technique (work related) : $$$$
- skills : $$$$
- feeling (when riding) : $$$$
- feeling (when not riding) : $$$$
- ....

But it is up to you to make that checklist and just value what you want ...