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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 504
Location: Illinois | After 10 years of being off and just taking a break from horses, I've gotten the desire back and will be starting to look at horses in the next couple of months. I have a Streak of Fling at home I kept and have a good start on him, but want something finished I can haul with him. My budget will be around 20,000. This will be the first time buying something this much so I'm very nervous. Any suggestions, helpful hints, things I might not think about? How much wiggle room do you think there is in prices right now? Like the looks of a few that are priced at 25k but not sure if it's offensive to ask if they will come down to say 22 or even 20k? Thank you!! |
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Veteran
Posts: 234
 
| research research research both the horse and any other owners - its so easy to do now - vet check !!!! |
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Expert
Posts: 1446
Location: California | Not offensive at all. I would be upfront- this my budget. I would be shocked if they turned their head up to cash. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| Not offensive at all. I would take someone that's honest and upfront with me over a tire kicker any day. Worst they can tell you is no. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| If you know someone that is a trainer or just really good with horses and knows prices, I would get them to help you. That way you always have a second opinion and someone to help spot a good deal if you find one. Get a vet check! And research as someone else said.
I agree, it would not be offensive to ask someone that is asking 25K to take less. Unless their add says firm they are willing to come down some. Cash talks for sure. And if you go try the horse and the owner sees that you will be a good fit, that usually helps them be more willing to come off the price a little. As a seller I hate telling someone on the phone that hasnt even seen the horse, I will take less because 90% of those ppl never come try the horse, so I wait until they are in front of me. |
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Regular
Posts: 85
| As far as money goes, you shouldn't offend anyone as long as you make a reasonable offer on their horse. My biggest advice is to vet check hands down. You never know what is hiding in hocks, stifles, front feet etc. Sometimes as buyers we can get pretty excited about a new horse we really like (speaking from experience) so take your vet's opinion and findings to heart before making a decision.
Try to enjoy it!! Trying horses can be a lot of fun or totally exhausting lol. Good Luck!!! |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
 
Location: Texas | Never hurts to ask, and just be honest. They either negotiate or they don't, and I think if you are within a couple thousand of the asking price it's not offensive to ask.
You should be able to find some good horses for that price range. Are you wanting something completely finished and solid or something that's maybe run for a year or two with promise but not 100% seasoned yet? You could get something really nice thats younger, with potential to end up super good, but could also level out where they are. likewise you could get an older bad-A horse who may require a little bit of maintenance but clocks really well if that makes sense. Or you can something in-between.
Edited by casualdust07 2016-07-21 8:58 AM
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | I sent you a pm. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 504
Location: Illinois | Thanks everyone! I will just be honest and upfront, I'm willing to travel pretty good distance to look at horses, but don't want to waste my time or a sellers traveling from IL to FL or TX to try one that is just out of what I have, and I yep I will have cash.
This is exactly my delima, casualdust, do I go with a younger one that "could" be great, or one that I can just hop on and go. I'm leaning more towards hop on and go, but I know what I like and how I ride and looking at horses that fit my riding style, so wouldn't discount something that just needs hauled, so I guess I'm at that in-between level. I'm not an extremely aggressive rider, more quiet and soft handed, so I do get along with hot horses pretty well. I realize that a horse you have to whip, kick, drive and be out of the saddle pushing them the entire pattern is not the horse for me. I'm fine with maintenance and realize that anything going good and well is going to need something (a bleeder is a hard limit for me and I'm not injecting one every 3 months to keep it running). I'm not in a hurry and will start looking in a few months and won't buy until I'm sure, so may take me until next spring to find what I want.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | As long as your upfront about what your budget is and give the option to the seller then I don't find it offensive and I think they'll appreciate the fact you aren't wasting their time.
I am shopping for a client and a couple horses were just out of her price range so I messaged the sellers and asked should the horse be a fit would they consider her budget. I asked upfront before asking for videos and pictures and 100 questions. This way I didn't waste their time or ours. One said no she was firm (her ad was OBO) another said for certain for the right fit, and one said no but she'd take the budget amount and allow payments on the rest if the client was interested.
So you never know until you ask.
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 Saint Stacey
| Make sure to set some aside for a good vet check. I highly recommend neck X-rays!!! |
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Buying questions...