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Member
Posts: 31
Location: Oklahoma | Is there a "best" time of the year to purchase a horse?
I'm talking about something patterened and maybe needs seasoned, or something that is already seasoned. (Not talking about something that would be bought at a certain time to meet a age requirement)
Is it better to buy something in the winter that might be on time off or in the summer during prime season.
I'm asking about both quantitative and qualitative aspects. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
  
Location: Texas | From what I've experienced and what I've been told by others, selling is down in the winter, and picks up in the spring. Especially with tax refunds and all that fun stuff. So as a buyer I would probably think people are more willing to deal in fall and winter because it tends to cost more to feed them during that time, buy more hay, etc.. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
 
Location: Kansas | casualdust07 - 2014-01-19 10:01 PM
From what I've experienced and what I've been told by others, selling is down in the winter, and picks up in the spring. Especially with tax refunds and all that fun stuff. So as a buyer I would probably think people are more willing to deal in fall and winter because it tends to cost more to feed them during that time, buy more hay, etc..
agree, most people don't buy during winter. I've seen horses sell quickly during spring months |
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 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: SoCal | We usually try to sell horses before winter hits because of feed and feed prices. So for us, we see the market usually turn down right before winter and pick up usually late spring right before summer. |
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  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
Location: ND | If I'm thinking about buying I usually look in the fall. Around here winters are long & not much riding with the weather. So people tend to be willing to deal to get one off their feed bill. If I'm selling I wait until spring. |
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Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| I look year round... if you cant feed the horse through winter you shouldn't have it to start with. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Winter or fall
around here, folks don't want to feed one through the winter if they can avoid it. Plus, WAY less people are buying at this time, so if someone really wants to get a horse sold, then you can get a good deal.
Downside is that you will have to haul them somewhere to try them (if the owner does not have an indoor) and you won't be able to see them run at a show unless they run a winter series at one of the indoor arenas. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | I usually have the best luck selling in the fall. I have found that people that want something to show or run the following spring, want to have the horse to ride all winter so they are ready when the season begins. |
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | SwishMiss - 2014-01-20 7:22 AM
I look year round... if you cant feed the horse through winter you shouldn't have it to start with.
It's not that they CANT its that it'd be easier on their feed bill to get them gone before they had to load up on hay for the winter. we feed the same year round but I know thats why other people are motivated to sell in the winter time. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | SwishMiss - 2014-01-20 7:22 AM I look year round... if you cant feed the horse through winter you shouldn't have it to start with.
I think part of that has to do with hay supply. Once your hay for the year is bought and stored, it's likely going to be a PIA to acquire more. So unless you planned to add another and bought extra hay, it's difficult to add an extra mouth to feed going into or in the middle of winter. I sold 1 and bought 2 last winter and was lucky the weather was mild for the winter/spring grass because I didn't have enough hay to feed that many for a hard winter. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 907
Location: a secret | JMO Any time of year works when you are buying the right horse! |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I've bought in the spring, late summer and late fall and felt like I got a good deal every time. I spent the most on the horse I bought in April but he also had the most training and most popular barrel horse bloodlines. I have sold in the fall and in the late summer and did all right both times.
I like to buy one in the fall because I've got my others in shape & can focus on the new horse and I usually don't haul a full trailer in the winter so I can take a new one along if I go to an indoor jackpot. Heck last year I patterned Clifford at the winter shows. We had a mild winter and I was lucky to get to do some barrel work in the local outdoor pen but most of his early runs were indoors.
Heck yesterday I found a project horse I'm interested in if the price is right. Even if the weather gets nasty in February, I would be able to spend a lot of time just hanging out and messing with the horse and have that bond established when spring hits and we can get right to work. |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | It seems the horse market floods here just before Christmas. Everyone wants extra Christmas money and one less mouth to feed during the winter months. The prices seem to go up when the weather is good. |
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Member
Posts: 31
Location: Oklahoma | Thanks, everyone!
Feed and hay won't necessarily be a problem. I rode consistently back when I was in elementary school, junior high and I stopped riding about my junior year of HS. I am wanting to get back into it, but my two horses I used to run are now 16 and each have their own issues keeping them from being my main mount... which puts me in the market for something new.
I'm not looking for a solid 1D horse (I'm still a ways away from riding like I did before I quit!) or anything that, I just want something that I can get acquainted with over time and gradually get back into running. I'm not concerned with trying to hit shows in the spring/summer seasons. I have been looking at a few horses (just online, not in person) over the past couple weeks and it seems like they are selling fast! My budget needs to be kept around $5k, and the horses I was looking at were "running 3-4d times without being pushed and lots of room for improvement" or "needed to be seasoned".
Does this seem like a wise plan? I know when I first started riding (around 9, I'm 24 now) I started off with older horses, but at this point in my life I don't feel like I want to start with something old that would possibly require extensive upkeep and put me back in the market for another new horse in a couple of years.
I guess I am trying to find out when I can get the most bang for my buck!
Any suggestions?
Edited by landis 2014-01-20 10:02 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 333
| HotPants - 2014-01-20 9:24 AM
JMO Any time of year works when you are buying the right horse!
My thoughts exactly...IF you find what you want, doesn't matter what time of the year it is...better buy it before it disappears. |
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| landis - 2014-01-19 9:36 PM
Is there a "best" time of the year to purchase a horse?
I'm talking about something patterened and maybe needs seasoned, or something that is already seasoned. (Not talking about something that would be bought at a certain time to meet a age requirement)
Is it better to buy something in the winter that might be on time off or in the summer during prime season.
I'm asking about both quantitative and qualitative aspects.
*********************************************************
If I was buying this type of horse I would buy it when the barrel season was in full swing so I could see and/or ride the horse at his best and great arena conditions. .. I would also make sure I got the bits and headstall they are using on him ... period!!
On well trained and well bred horses the prices do not fluctuate that much in the off season. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | If YOU are buying, I'd say winter. People don't want to feed a horse all winter if they are trying to sell it. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
Location: sunny california | I am almost ready to start looking but want to go to a big sale for one stop shopping. I am tired of running around. where is a good sale come this spring? |
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Member
Posts: 31
Location: Oklahoma | BARRELHORSE USA - 2014-01-20 12:51 PM
landis - 2014-01-19 9:36 PM
Is there a "best" time of the year to purchase a horse?
I'm talking about something patterened and maybe needs seasoned, or something that is already seasoned. (Not talking about something that would be bought at a certain time to meet a age requirement)
Is it better to buy something in the winter that might be on time off or in the summer during prime season.
I'm asking about both quantitative and qualitative aspects.
*********************************************************
If I was buying this type of horse I would buy it when the barrel season was in full swing so I could see and/or ride the horse at his best and great arena conditions. .. I would also make sure I got the bits and headstall they are using on him ... period!!
On well trained and well bred horses the prices do not fluctuate that much in the off season.
Thanks!
More time to save up the cash! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Seems like the fall is prime time for futurity horses. |
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My mind still works
Posts: 8912
| Fall- right after the season ends when they're till legged up
no one wants to feed one all winter imo |
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"best" time of year for buying a horse?