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 Expert
Posts: 1631
   
Location: Somewhere around here | I know a few people like to stay within a specific amount when buying a non-barrel horse, lets say...3,000 or under. Now I'm not talking about buying a horse with breeding coming out the wazoo, just one that has decent bloodlines (maybe even just so so bloodlines) but is able to ride and over 4 years old. Something you can piddle around on and have fun with. My husband and I are like this and I know there are others out there as well. My question is, where do you go looking for them? Internet, word of mouth?
I am very tempted to sell/kill my husbands horse (Hancock bred one) that bucked me off again last week. Riding is no fun if you can't trust the only horse your able to ride. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| Find a local farm/ranch where a lot of nice all around prospects are sold and go pick one :) There are always good lesser known breeders around. I know they are everywhere here. And you can usually find a diamond in the ruff and turn it into something nice if you pick well. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| I have seen quite a few nice horses on local facebook groups. What state are you in? |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| I have bought and sold several cheap horses on craigslist and dreamhorse. Believe it or not, you can get some great bargains on craigslist! A lot of those people just don't know the best way to promote a horse, or don't know what they have. I have had good luck selling quickly both sites too. Good luck :) |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I find a lot online but also by word of mouth. There are quite a few ranches with well bred prospects sitting there doing nothing. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| We go to the Premier Equine Auction in Lukfin, Tx. They have them 3 or 4 times a year. We have lucked up and bought some nice ones in and around the price range you listed. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | facebook and craigslist. |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | We've bought all but two horses off of craigslist. So that's probably around 15-20 or so. They have all been excellent horses. Many have been purchased for $500 and under that haven't been ridden in years. Those have honestly been the best, beginner type horses we've ever owned and sold.
My mare, whom I run, we bought for $900. She has Some Driftwood and Native Dancer breeding. She is a 2D horse when used consistently. Loves her job. Loves people. But the old owner put a young girl on her that became terrified of her. She and I click tho. She's my best purchase by far. I've had some decent offers on her, but she has a forever home as far as I'm concerned.
The one I bought thru word of mouth is a current issue.
The other, we spent a decent chunk of cash on was A Hancock bred, 4 year old... He was a bad bucker. I also lost a lot of cash on him.
A lot of people steer clear of craigslist, but you can find some pretty decent horses there. Good luck in your search.
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 Veteran
Posts: 234
Location: Oklahoma | Facebook, Craigslist, and the local horse sales. |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Word of mouth, and facebook for me! |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| Have you ever heard of a backyard horse??? LOL I LITERALLY keep my eyes peeled open when I am driving in horse country. lol Sometimes you see a good looking SOB just sitting there in someones back yard. I have no problem playing dumb and knock on a door asking about the beautiful horse in the back yard. LOL Sometimes its a " My brother gave it to me and I am not into horses" type of deal. lol You never know what your going to find. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 274
| FLITASTIC - 2016-03-21 10:23 AM
Have you ever heard of a backyard horse??? LOL I LITERALLY keep my eyes peeled open when I am driving in horse country. lol Sometimes you see a good looking SOB just sitting there in someones back yard. I have no problem playing dumb and knock on a door asking about the beautiful horse in the back yard. LOL Sometimes its a " My brother gave it to me and I am not into horses" type of deal. lol You never know what your going to find.
I wish this worked in Louisiana ..... everyone in their momma has one of these, and they are son and daughters of _______ .... Louisiana is ate up with good blooded horses for cheap $$$ since the majority of running horses do not make ends meet at the track |
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Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | We live in Southern Colorado and I agree, I've found some nice cheap horses looking at FB or Craigslist in the past years (just looking for the heck of it) but I hate horse shopping lol. My gut is always wrong so I rely on my hubbys gut, which is always/usually right. We live about an hour outside of Pueblo and honestly lately I haven't seen too many horses in our area that there price isn't jacked up. |
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| I buy mine off the track......they have always made the best barrel horses for me. |
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Member
Posts: 24
Location: FL | Honestly, the best mare I have ever had was found on Craigslist. Picked her up for $400. We had to put some work into her, but the previous owner just didn't have a clue what he had. He payed a pretty penny for her and his gelding but unfortunately didn't have a clue what to do with either. And as harsh as this sounds, we were able to take advantage that. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Idaho | There is a High Brow Cat granddaughter for sale on facebook for S800. She isn't started, but those highbrow cats are usually born broke. lol You just have to look around, you can find some nice broke ones for the price you're looking for. One of the best horse's I bought was for 2K. He was one of those horses that was passed around literally about 7 times before I got him, he was 13. So he never had stability and was really nervous because of it. But I Put some work and dedication into him, and once he realized he wasn't going anywhere he was awesome. But because of that relationship I formed with him, he wouldn't work for anybody else. Only I could ride and run him, if someone else got on him he wasn't mean, he just wouldn't move lol Or if he did, not very far.
I had a friend of mine sub for me on a show once, for one event at a local gymkhana. He went and got a no time with her, wouldn't really run for her.. I showed up, jumped on him and got 1st place. Those horses are out there, you just have to find them :) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| Craigslist or Facebook. I bought a very well race bred gelding a couple of years ago for $600. He was 6, sold as unbroke and needed some TLC. I could tell from his pic on his registration papers that he had been halter broke, was fat and probably well taken care of until his breeders sold him at approximately 18 months. He is a sweet boy and super talented. I bought another really well bred gelding about 5 yrs ago from the race horse breeding farm I now manage, $650. They had too many horses he was 5 and had been kicked out in a pasture since he came home from track at 3. He wasn't advertised anywhere, the hand told me about him at Subway one day LOL |
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 Nothing Comes Easy
Posts: 2353
Location: Texas | Facebook and craigslist.I picked up a daughter of Executive Menace out of a money earning appendix mare for $600 late last year. Unbroke, unhandled. She now is broke to ride, and works in hand quite well. Buying cheap horses online takes a lot of patience. |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | People have given me several nice horses for free because they know how well I take care of mine and won't just dump them off at the least little behavioral issue. When you have that type of reputation it's not too hard to find better horses for cheaper because people care about where their horses wind up. I've bought a few through word of mouth and got better deals because of that. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2236
Location: Sherman, TX | scwebster - 2016-03-21 9:04 AM
We go to the Premier Equine Auction in Lukfin, Tx. They have them 3 or 4 times a year. We have lucked up and bought some nice ones in and around the price range you listed.
Lots of nice ranch broke horses at this sale.... |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| I buy "well bred" not the omg 12,000$ stud fee horses but like out of a son of _______ ect for cheap. The most expensive horse I have ever bought was $2700. All of mine I buy as projects or prospects. I don't buy problems, I buy the unhandled. I would rather a blank slate than issues to fix. For example, I bought a barely halter broke 3yo with FWF, Fuel Charger, Ole Man, On A High and On The Money Red on her papers for less than $1000 BUT she BARELY led, couldn't catch her, never had her feet done kind of horse lol. I just prowl the internet. Facebook and I worked at a feed store behind the counter and I talk to EVERYONE lol |
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For those who buy their horses cheap