Fall is coming, the show season is winding down and those of you with competition horses are surely planning on giving them some much needed rest in the not too distant future. So that means it's a perfect time to start shopping for a project horse that you can upgrade, train over the winter and rehome!
If you hate the current state of the horse market and how many nice, nice horses are going to kill, this is the A #1 BEST thing you can do. There are so many horses for whom training is the one thing that will ensure they go to a good home and do not wind up on a double-decker bound for Mexico.
So today I've picked out what I think is a good deal online in every single state of the USA. I know, not all of you are here in the US, but hey, I only have so much time to research. You all know where to find cheap horses, don't you?
Remember, you can donate to rescues - and donations are great - but if you have the skills to hands-on train a horse and re-route the entire course of his life, that is what is MOST needed, based upon what I'm seeing. If you can do it, please do it. If you can provide the labor but not the cost of care/boarding, please contact a local rescue and offer your services.
Here are some guidelines that may prove helpful:
1. I still hear people say they want $700 or the horse goes to auction. Are they smoking crack? The horse is not going to get $700 at the auction, and they are going to have gas money and the auction fee down the tubes. If anybody threatens you with the auction, walk away and simply go to the auction and buy the horse there. DO NOT let yourself get blackmailed. There are a LOT of asshats out there blackmailing kindhearted people. Do NOT reward them. (Also bear in mind, if Joe Kill Buyer pays $600 for a horse at auction, it isn't going to kill and you do not have to "save it." Joe Kill Buyer typically also sells riding horses. He isn't in the business of losing money - a horse he pays $500 or $600 for is a riding horse, not a canner.)
2. Choose wisely so you can rehome easily when your work is done. A well conformed, registered horse makes the best upgrade project if you do not intend to keep it. If you are going to fall in love and keep it forever, by all means, go grab yourself a sweet-tempered fugly!
3. Resist the urge to take on a horse with big problems. There are plenty of $300 horses in this market that don't have any problems. Remember when you're doing this that probably 90% of horse buyers are beginner to intermediate riders who want a sensible horse that trail rides and can maybe do some low level competitive stuff like local gaming or team penning or open shows. If you fall in love with an upgrade project that you suspect is going to need a good rider, it had better be fancy looking and fancy moving to attract that kind of buyer's attention. I'm telling you now, if you lose your mind and grab up some hammerheaded grade horse that bucks, you are gonna own him forever. He is going nowhere in this market.
4. Look past condition. You can put weight on a horse. You can trim the feet. You can fix things like lice pretty easily. Be more wary of soundness. I know you are all going to find some absolutely stunning warmblood for $300 with a mystery lameness but be careful. Again, unless you can afford to keep it, try to choose something you can actually fix and rehome.
My project for the fall ('cause I know you're all wondering if I'm going to do this myself!) is going to be a little APHA filly that was donated to Cowgirl Spirit. She is a small three year old and needs a petite rider so we will be perfect for each other. She has had a few rides so far and has been an angel. I'll be blogging about her on the VLC blog in the future.
OK, here we go - my cheap Craigslist/DH/Equinehits picks from everywhere! (So that none of you can say, oh, I'm too far away....hehe)
Alabama - $200 QH Gelding. With large scar on nose, god only knows how he got that. Looks sweet, says he can be pushy u/s but pushy is usually easily fixed as opposed to broncy!
Alaska - Free Thoroughbred Mare. Owner sounds young and like she probably doesn't understand the dangers here.
Arizona - Darn cute teenaged Arabian gelding. $200. Polish bred, seized in court case and then the sheriff's department adopted him out to people not equipped to train him. I'll tell you, this happens a lot. The Sheriff seizing horses often ends with out of the frying pan into the fire. Bottom line, this is a cute horse who could still make something of himself.
Arkansas - Ok, DON'T PAY MORE THAN $300 FOR THIS, but I would like to see her get rescued (and that other horse she is turned out with!!!) Poor starving Quarter pony mare. Looks kinda decent structurally, bad pics, but could be a diamond in the rough with some care.
California - For you draft fans, Lily is a very cute Belgian for $350 in Waterford. All I can think looking at her is "meat buyer's dream." (pictured left)Colorado - Poor little grade yearlings. They might as well have tags on their butts already. Whoever keeps breeding these things should be shot. I'd bet you could get any of them for less than $250 - they won't bring that at the sale.
Connecticut - Congratulations, Connecticut. I could hardly find any horse-dumpers in your state (well, not of anything that sounds like a project, anyway) I DID find a good home offered if someone has a light use only horse. Could be worth checking out!
Delaware - Also found no super cheap horses here, but I did find some clever individual that thinks they can lease out a yearling. Now don't get me wrong - I'm sorry about her health issues but nobody wants to free board her horse for a year with hay at the price it's at.
Florida - With what gray ponies go for in Florida if you can knock some manners into them, this $200 Welsh cross medium pony is definitely worth a look.
Georgia - Way cute little tobiano gelding from a horse rescue, $250. I LOVE that they say right out he's NOT old enough to ride at this point. YAY, common sense! I see a lot that I like here including nice length to the neck and nice bone and good sized feet. He does look like he's still gaining back weight and recovering from lack of deworming but I bet he will be nice and you can register him PtHA too.
Not a project but I had to mention an older TWH gelding. For FUCK'S SAKE, you can't pay for retirement board after this horse has won THIS MUCH for you??? Yeah, the farm he lives on is being sold AND THERE ARE NO OTHER FARMS IN GEORGIA. None at all! Ridiculous. I hope someone can rescue him.
Hawaii - There is nothing cheap in Hawaii. In fact, I am thinking we should start shipping boatloads of horses we can't sell in the PNW over there...
Idaho - Tons, tons, tons of cheap projects here. Darn cute dark bay Appendix mare for $300. Registered true black AQHA gelding, $300. Pretty flaxen chestnut TWH gelding for $300.
And good God, some Appy person go get this poor old $50 mare...
Illinois - OK, go upgrade something and give these people a kick in the ass from me on your way out, 'k? Not as cheap but I have to mention her because OMG this is a bargain - $500 AQHA mare, broke and nicely put together and has some excellent breeding in her. If there is nothing wrong with her, that one is a DEFINITE money maker for someone who can finish her or just for someone who wants a show horse at a bargain price.
Indiana - Who cares if she's not broke? If it really is a Connemara for $250, I'd grab it and break it! OK, and while you're at it, someone please buy this poor Arabian mare AND STOP FEEDING HER (so much!). If she isn't foundered already. Yeesh, people.
Iowa - Two year old black APHA gelding. $300, size is anybody's guess LOL
Kansas - $300 buckskin Quarter type gelding. In the "good grief" category...another fence-jumping Mustang (aka "hunter prospect"...folks, stop by a hunter show sometime and count the mustangs, would ya?) and it MIGHT be bred to an Arabian!
Kentucky - Hey, mule people, $50 mule! Here's a pretty gray filly...looks like she needs another year to grow up before riding, but she's decent looking for $300.
Louisiana - someone please go get this sweet-sounding 3 year old APHA mare for $300, before she breaks a leg in the cattle guard. *eye roll*
Maine - Darn cute Morab if you can take her down on the price a bit. She still wants $500 or thinks someone is going to trade her a well broke horse. Why do people think someone wants to take a greenie and give them a well broke horse? The two things are usually extremely far apart in value! (Pictured left)Maryland - PLEASE someone go get this cute 8 year old TB gelding...he is free and they claim he is sound.
Massachusetts - For you mini fans, this is a great colored $200 mini...just needs brain surgery!
Michigan - Black two year old, sounds like a stock type, confiscated for back board. $250.
Minnesota - Much like Idaho, this is the Land of hte Cheap Project. Those of you on the East coast really do need to fly out for a weekend and go shopping. These folks had a bunch listed so I checked out their web site and it looks like they rescue from auctions and are doing a great job fattening them up and placing them at very reasonable prices. They're not doing the greedy rescuer thing, and it looks like a good place to find a bargain project.
Mississippi - Yearling QH filly for $250. I can't tell which is which picture but if she's the sorrel, she is cute.
Missouri - Geld it, Geld it, Geld it. $100 Doc O'Lena bred stallion. Hey, the good thing about an unbroke 8 year old is you know nobody has f'ed up their legs! I actually helped train an 8 year old ex-stallion last year and, you know what, he was a piece of cake. I wouldn't let it scare you off of a nice registered prospect.
Gah! Poor little mini yearling, looks like shit AND they are riding it!
Montana - 10 year old Anglo-Arabian mare, needs to stop reproducing and get broke, $300.
Nebraska - Granddaughter of Sham and Mr. Prospector for $400. Need I say more? If she's sound, she could easily be retrained and she's very cute and has a beautiful shoulder. (Pictured left)Nevada - Registered AQHA mare, 5 years old and ready to train. $300.
New Hampshire - 10 year old TB gelding, started o/f, doesn't sound like there's anything wrong with him, FREE
New Jersey - $300 dark bay TB mare, green broke, doesn't look like there is anything wrong with this one either! See, and you East coasters keep telling me there are no cheap prospects on the East coast. Sure there are, you just have to look harder.
New Mexico - I really do like how this colt is put together, and someone needs to buy the mare just to make sure nobody breeds her just because she's cremello. This is another seller you can kick in the ass on the way out the door because it sounds like he bred the unregisterable colt.
New York - Free Thoroughbred mare. Translation of ad: Smart older schoolie got beginner permissive owners figured out and has been using them for a doormat to wipe her hoofies on. Probably a nice mare, worth looking into! $10 says they have tried to Parelli her, LOL!
North Carolina - Gaited horse lovers, sounds like a nice Paso Fino gelding in need of some experienced care. He's broke - $200.
North Dakota - This chick's ditching her young stock on DreamHorse for $100 and up and threatening to take them to the sale. Go rescue one and then kick her in the butt on the way out for breeding grade foals. Idiot!
Ohio - Sorry, this caught my eye. What the hell? Why is this colt so cheap? Does he have horns? Even in this crappy market, he should be worth a lot more...or someone can go pick up one heck of a deal. OK, back to topic. This is a VERY cute teenaged palomino rescue mare that would be a great "train the ex-broodmare" project. Free.
Oklahoma - My head hurts reading this ad but I suspect anyone halfway competent could resell both for $1000-$1500 with 60 days on them. They are "registred" at least.
Oregon - Someone needs to grab this cute 9 year old TB mare for $300 to prevent me from wanting to take her, LOL. She is cute and they seem to want to inflict a Parelli person on her. Yeeeek. And here's a broke one for the same price.
Pennsylvania - OMG, cute ears. Standardbred pony, rides and drives, rescued from Amish. $300. Nice shoulder for a Standardbred, lots of them are kind of upright.
Rhode Island is so small it's hard to find horses for sale, LOL, but I have to have you read this jerk. She was gonna keep her horse until he developed arthritis in the back so NOW she's ditching him. (People, read your ads...sheesh...) I googled her number and he's "sold." I hope not to the meat buyer!
South Carolina - Hmmmm. $300 jumping pinto pony? I wonder if it jumps under saddle or just out of the pasture? Hey, might be worth a look!
South Dakota - APHA horses going to auction if not sold. You know the drill by now...rescue one as cheap as possible, kick seller in the ass on your way out the door for breeding $100 colts!
Tennessee - A bow in the neck? Probably not as bad as a bow in the tendon! $300 gelding. Also QH mare and filly, $300 each. 'Cause it wasn't enough to have one $300 horse, we had to make another just like her!
Texas - $250 two year old filly. Because somehow we thought a 2 y.o. filly would be good for our 13 y.o. kid!
Utah - I'm sorry. I was trying to find something in Utah when I read this ad and had a brain hemorrhage.
Vermont - Good thing this one is far away, she is screaming my name. Adorable red chestnut TB mare, sound and ready to retrain. $250.
Virginia - Another good ex-broodie project. Has an old bow from the track, but who cares? That was a long time ago. $300 and she's big!
Washington - Nice solid APHA filly, dam has halter points, $300.
West Virginia - For the mustang fans, palomino mustang filly, $300.
Wisconsin - Hmmm cute. Sorrel rescued auction filly, really looks like she could turn out to be something nice, $250.
Wyoming - My FAVORITE part of this ad is "some were in stalls so some are dirty." Did you know that does not happen when you get off your ass and clean your stalls? Normally, they are CLEANER when they are in stalls! Sadly, their web site has been disabled so we cannot see the parade of fugly in all of its glory. But hey, if you are in WY and feeling charitable, you know these little squirts may as well have an auction tag on their butt already. I'm sure they'd appreciate an upgrade!
