How much would you spend on an OTTB?

[Cowgirl Lindz]

Just in general, I know it depends on the horse. Say it has been raced, retired sound but no other training. Going to be used as a hunter or jumper of course:D

Just looking for a general range more or less

Thanks

[IfWishesWereHorses]

My max is $3k, though a lot of the horses I get are given to me by their trainers who just like to know they are going to have a useful life after racing.

[Linny]

If the conformation is good and horse is sound and seems sane the price might be anyplace from FREE! to maybe a couple of thousand. I know that there are plenty available on the low end of the scale and if the horse was on the high side, but perfect and I was eager to start a project, I might pay the higher price, esp. if he was very nice and might have higher end resale value with a few months of work.
What you pay obviously hinges on quality of the horse and how much you care to pay and what you hope to do with him. For a resale, I'd say, look for a cheaper one with the same quality and get the vet check. If it's a horse to keep, use you best judgement.
Edit: Don't always assume that cost and quality are the same. When it comes to OTTB's, alot of trainers with stock to sell don't know anything about what a hunter/jumper of pleasure rider considers "quality." To them, an open stall might have more value than a slow horse. Some trainers will try to maximize every off track sale, others just want a horse out.

[StorybrookeFarms]

$1000 or less. There are SOOOO many horses and the market is so bad right now that GREAT horses are going for meat market prices. :(

[SquishTheBunny]

It really depends on the horse! If an OTTB was retired sound, and was nicer than an unbroke warmblood....then I would pay more for the OTTB. I dont think I could put a price limit on one. There are some NICE race horses out there!! However, there are a lot of problem horses too....

I know a girl who bought one for $8,000. He raced, three or four times. Vetted clean. Super horse, the same year took him straight into the baby greens and sold him for just under $80,000. He was 17.2hh, and huge. Won every hack he did. So, for an OTTB he was super expensive, but for a "HUNTER" he was dirt cheap.

[Jaideux]

About 3 years ago (aka better market!) in a very fairly horse-saturated area (esp w/ Finger Lakes Race Track not too far away!), I paid $3,500 for an OTTB who didn't ever race, was the soundest horse the head vet in a large local practice had ever vetted, and had the work-ethic of a warmblood. And that price was 2 agents removed from the original seller!!

So... I'd say no more than 2k.

[To the MAX]

I paid $2,500 and it was the best $2,500 I have ever spent!

[Equino]

Wow...I know a seller who sold two OTTB, as in, she bought them less than a month before off the track: sold one for $12,000 and one for $15,000. Pretty good business!

[foursocks]

Around $3000 or less, depending on all sorts of things, obviously.

And, as equino points out- once there is some training put on and the horse is evaluated for hunter/jumper/whatever, all bets are off as far as the original track price is concerned. For example, if you have the whole package for a fancy hunter except training (conformation/looks, movement, mind, jump), well- that one is going to almost immediately be worth more in the hands of a good hunter trainer than a more average joe.

[naters]

I was lucky to see part of the OBS Sale in Ocala the other day, there were some BEAUTIFUL babies and mares going through. There were great buys to be had.

I had to sit on my hands, I really wanted to bid on a couple!!!

[Equine Adhesive]

The days of a fresh-OTTB being sold for over $5k are long gone. They RESELL for $2500-$7500 normally. The problem is the cost of upkeep-- let me walk you thru the steps of an OTTB "investment":

Purchase: $2500
Vetting: $800
Shipping: $350
Total: $3650

Board: $400
Shoeing: $100
Deworm/Misc.: $20
Total Monthly bill: $520 x (3 months? 6 months? = $1560-$3120)

So, you already have well over $5,000 into your OTTB and

That does not include:

1. YOUR TIME
2. Any tack, equipment, blankets, etc. the horse needs
3. Show fees/trailering/misc. show expenses
4. Lessons or training fees
5. YOUR TIME TO SHOW THE HORSE TO BUYERS & MARKET/keeping the horse in show shape/market-shape
6. Marketing expenses
7. Emergency vet expenses, if applicable
8. The possibility the OTTB will not be what you wanted it to be

You better get more than $10k for your OTTB and or you go bust. A risky investment, if you ask me!

As for the OP - spend whatever you feel the horse you are looking at is worth to you. Pick any budget and you'll find something that you like.

[Seven-up]

For the average bear? Not more than 1-2K. For a fancy thing, maybe more, but generally not over 5K. I spent something in the middle of that range for my current TB. If I had more than that to spend, I might, but it would have to be something I was reeeeally sure about (and had 2nd and 3rd opinions who agreed) and it would be a horse like Squish's example. And for that much, it wouldn't be for a horse I was going to keep for myself, it would be a resale project.

I'd also have zero problem with spending little to nothing on a good horse that a trainer needed to get rid of. There's no such thing as "too cheap" for an OTTB. However, I wouldn't skip the vetting. I've gotten lucky before with that, but I would expect to get burned if I tried that again.

[2boys]

$900 adoption fee. :cool:

[TRNasty]

Got mine a year ago for $1,400.00. Knock on wood so far so good and he had very little training on him.

[caffeinated]

It depends on the horse :)

To me, it would be the same as buying any breed of horse... A young, sound horse that I liked and got along with- would take it for free, or pay what I thought it was worth. I don't like the idea that a horse is worth less because it's a racehorse, so it's a difficult question for me. Yes, you can find nice ones dirt cheap if you look hard enough, or adopt one for a reasonable price. But that doesn't necessarily mean to me that a horse they want $4K for isn't worth 4K, either, just because it's at the track.

I know, that's a non-answer. :) But I've seen horses at the track advertised for over $3500, that if they were at a different location people wouldn't hesitate at that price. But since they're at the track, a lot of folks think it's too much and a rip-off, or whatever.

So my real answer is... depends on how much I have to spend and what I stumble on :)

[GollyGee]

You need to clarify..are you buying right from the track...or the farm?

Are you buying from someone who has already bought the OTTB from the track and let it down??

At the track you cannot ride it or see it jump a stick, but you can get it vetted.

Off the track you can at least see it be ridden andhopefull jump a cross rail.

"The free part is putting the shank in your hand" "The rest still costs the same":yes:

[findeight]

Wow...I know a seller who sold two OTTB, as in, she bought them less than a month before off the track: sold one for $12,000 and one for $15,000. Pretty good business!

Well, some people have a history of picking the really good ones off the track as well as good networks with track trainers to get access to them. Plus every day it is off the track in a barn that specializes in this adds to the price. Or she got lucky.

Right off the track untouched by non track personnel? 3500 TOPS and that one would be pretty spectacular. Just looking at a year to let down, get the feet straightened out, get some weight on them and then start your training with no guarantees.

The really dirt cheap ones-like under 1k or free? Be careful, you might get lucky but sometimes there are reasons.

[zahena]

I wouldn't pay more than $2500. I paid $1300 for my horse and he's got some issues and has had alot of time and money put into him.

he was a project and that's how I looked at him. Not an investment. there's really no seeing green on these bad boys unless like previously mentioned you have a good eye and you are in the situation where you know people willing to shell out that kind of money.

Personally I just like to pick them up, train them for awhile and sell them off. Of course I love every single one of them, but they all need to find a forever home that is not in my stable!

[SquishTheBunny]

I really dont understand why someone could say xxx is the max for a racehorse. Why?

That would be like me saying I would never pay more than $2500 for a 3 year old warmblood, regardless of breeding, soundness, how it goes and its suitability for the future.

Stupid. People think because they race, that they need "untraining" I have ridden many race horses and most have BETTER ground manners, BETTER conformation and BETTER basic flatwork than a cheap warmblood!!

Not to say TB's are better, AT ALL. I owned many warmbloods. But, compare horses to horses, not racehorses to non-racers.

I think on average, MOST nice OTTBS do go under 3500, why someone would say 1000 TOPS for a race horse is rediculous...much NICER ottb's around that are going for more than 1k. You realistically cant group ALL race horses into a price categorie. Some are not great, some are stellar.

If the price is right for the individual horse in question, that should be your only concern.

[Czar]

Right off the track untouched by non track personnel? 3500 TOPS and that one would be pretty spectacular.

Precisely.

I do expect to pay less for a TB that is still at the track. There are differences that you need to factor in that go with the territory - with a good one they are minor but there nonetheless and I expect to pay accordingly.

But I feel this way with any horse purchase...I wouldn't pay strictly for quality. There are other things that I consider when purchasing especially since I usually have to sell after a year or so to be able to keep up my habit. If I could afford to buy a forever horse; it would be a different story but as it stands, there are other things that I have to consider...temperament and the amount of retraining being paramount.

[findeight]

I really dont understand why someone could say xxx is the max for a racehorse. Why?


I interpreted this question as buying right off the track for purposes other then racing it. As in having to make the decision within 10 minutes of it stepping out of it's at the track stall. No full PPE. No evaluation of any kind of movement other then what it does routinely at the track to stay fit and race. No idea if it will accept the training and no way to evaluate jumping willingness or form other then basic conformation.

Some people are quite good at this, have a good eye and good track connections. I would pay more from them AFTER it was at their barn for at least 30 days.

On the spot at the track? Nope, not me.

[DMK]

A risky investment, if you ask me!

Oh I know. So totally different from the rest of the horse business world...

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

Sorry, that just cracked me up. Horse trading is risky business no matter what breed, type, sport, discipline or aspect of the business you are in. If you bought two imported WBs for 50K each and one of them didn't work out and you had to sell him for 25K after 6 months work, that would hurt too. The bottom line would still be in the red even if you sold the other one for 100K after 3 months showing!

I totally agree that if you buy one after someone has taken it off the track and worked with it, it should cost more, because undoubtedly they had some who came off the track that just didn't work out, same as our import example above. It's just not a lot riskier than any other aspect of the horse business.

The greater risk is if you are not particularly good at selecting and training OTTBs. I'd probably do poorly going to Europe to buy a WB because I have no contacts, little understanding of the local industry and probably a weaker eye for how a young WB is going to turn out. But those are not my weaknesses, so would probably find it less risky doing OTTBs (in the big scheme of "it's ALL a risk"). But I grant you that since OTTBs are cheaper and easier to find than imported WBs, there are probably a lot more incompetent people attempting to make money in that business.

[rugbygirl]

I just paid $2500 for one off the Chuckwagon circuit. He had been on track prior.

Retired sound at 12.

He's had a fair bit of training on him since the chucks, and is schooling 2nd level and jumping 2'6" on the CC course. I bought him as a Jumper prospect.

All that for $2500. He's a nice, fancy looking horse too. He's only 16.2hh, so a lot of English people passed him over.

His owner had a really warmblood-y OTTB who was 17.3hh (or more. HUGE.) and wanted $5000, more people were interested, mostly on his size.

[TheUnderstudy]

I have purchased 2 OTTBs in the past 5 years.

The first was a complete coincidence as we went to look at a mare and then arrived at the farm to find her not exactly as we expected, and ended up loving another mare that was sound on an old bowed tendon. We got her for$1000. Amazing mare now...took her owners (not me) two hours to get her in the trailer. She is currently in foal to Rosenthal after an injury caused her to become blind in one eye.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/RubyRed06/Mee163.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/RubyRed06/Mee2135.jpg
she's the chestnut

The second was a lovely mare who had the same owner since she was born. Lovely mare, paid $2000 for her. Has a nice jump and moves well. Completely sound.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/RubyRed06/Halory.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/RubyRed06/Mee1144.jpg

Honestly it just really depends on the horse. The first horse was purchased at a farm after she had been of the track for about a year. The second we purchased right on the backside of the track, after only seeing her for about ten minutes, and watching her jog. When I look though, the horses that I look at are a max of $3000 obo.

[SeeHowSheRuns]

I would not pay more than $1000 for a horse coming right off the track, but would really prefer to find a free one. There are plenty of nice free ones out there.

[Equinoxfox]

Glad you brought this up . I have been looking and let me tell you. ONCE the trainers know you are looking they are practically giving me horses. yes some do have issues. I just turned those down. But there are also others that are priced between $ 1K - $2500. and those are very nice , and fancy prospects. I have found that during November - January is when most of the trainers are " hungry" for money and will throw the horses at you.;) Just be patient and there are PLENTY of OTTB's out there . Take your time and choose wisely. You could find a very nice diamond in the rough. Good Luck.:D

[JstMyLuck3]

I would not pay more than $1000 for a horse coming right off the track, but would really prefer to find a free one. There are plenty of nice free ones out there.

I agree if the the horse was literally stepping off the track and onto your trailor. I just paid $1200 for a horse I bought at Suffolk Downs and I thought that was a big gamble.. he turned out to be amazing though so it was actually a bargain!

However, a friend paid $1000 for a 4 y/o, big boned, handsome gelding that appeared sound and he bowed his hind tendon (very rare injury) a few days after she brought him home. He hadn't even been turned out yet and was a mellow guy- no thrashing around in his stall or ANYTHING. The vet said there was nothing my friend could have done that he could have bowed his hind tendon from in that short period of time. The injury had been brewing for a couple weeks before she got him. The vet also thought that the old owner/trainer "patched" him up by injecting the gelding w/ something that shrinks the tendon for 7-10 days (I forget the name of the drug..) b/c he was raced once in that time frame, probably aggrivating the bow. Our vet works on a lot of trainers' horses at the Saratoga meet in the summer so he knows all the dirty tricks some of the low-end trainers can pull..

Anyways, just be careful!

[findeight]

Just in general, I know it depends on the horse. Say it has been raced, retired sound but no other training. Going to be used as a hunter or jumper of course:D

Just looking for a general range more or less

Thanks

OK...on rereading we are not going to the racetrack and yanking the jockey off with this one. So we can look at it for more then 10 minutes and get a PPE. But we can't ride it, see another ride it or get any kind of performance or rideability indication.

So we are basically picking it out of a field with no additional training.

Still not alot more then the 3500 as, except for the let down time and vet/farrier work, about the same situation. Maybe 5k if it is really a nice looking one and passes a good PPE-the term "retired sound" is subjective.

Anything added training wise increases the amount you'd pay because it allows you to see what it might be able to do. The more you can see it do, the more you can tell it will be able to do...not to mention the seller has more in it.

Anyway, unless I can see it jump around and it has been to some shows, I won't give much for it anyway. Under 5k for standing in the field with no additional training. Way under for most.

[JstMyLuck3]

Oh and one more thing... that same day I also took home this ADORABLE, sane, sound gelding "Rubber Bucky" (silly racing names..) for $200. There was room on our trailor from Boston to Saratoga and the trainer was desperate to get rid of him. I couldn't pass it up. He's an absolute doll with a hunter face to DIE for and I'm trying to find him a good home after I put a little training into him.

[foursocks]

The thing that people often don't seem to understand is that what a horse is worth to the trainer/owner is very, very little if it can't or wont run. That and over-production of race TBs are the two factors that make track horses so cheap, I think.

But, again- once you get it off the track and find out that holy cow, this thing has a 10 jump, a great mind, and a canter like butter- well, it is absolutely going to be worth more in the show hunter realm. Those things are all worth less than nothing to a race trainer, but they are exactly what someone wants in a hunter- and therefore when you switch the discipline, you will find an entirely different value placed upon the exact same characteristics.

My second horse was a Secretariat son, bred before people realized the awful truth that his sons weren't very good on the track. The original owners paid more than half a million for him as a yearling, only to find that he was slow and had only his gorgeous head and neck in common with his papa. They gelded him, they tried different types of tracks, etc etc etc. No go. Literally.

They ended up selling him to a H/J trainer in NY who thought: aha! Perfect hunter prospect- and he was. We got him as a pregreen hunter for a fraction of his yearling price (obviously) and ended up selling him as an A/O horse for a lot more than our original price. He wasn't worth half a million to H/J people, but by the time they got through with him he was worth less than nothing to the track people!

So. If you get a 3 year old Dutch Warmblood with stellar breeding who should be a superstar for under 3k- well, there is either something horribly wrong with it and it is a wash as far as what it was intended to do when it was bred- or you just got the deal of the century. But, if you get a TB for under 3k or free or whatever, you could have anything from a star to a nice trail horse to whatever on your hands- there is pretty much no connection between its track price and its potential value in the H/J realm. Trainers will price the big ones more, because H/J people have that bias and the race people know that, or maybe a young, unraced one, but that's about it.

If you like TBs, consider yourself lucky that this is the case, because you absolutely can find a gem if you have a good eye for it.

[RacetrackReject]

My first OTTB was $650 off of the track, 4 days after his last race. He was 4, sound, 15.3ish hands, and had a great mind. I still have him, he's 10 this year and he's the best $650 ever spent.

I recently got this guy http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq111/weltemaker/DSCN0310.jpg off of the track for $500. He was a Christmas gift. He's 5, 16.2ish, sound, and very sweet.

The first horse raced 20 times, with 2nd and 3rds, but no wins. The 2nd horse was a pretty decent runner with some wins, but he started bleeding when raced, so his trainer called me up.

[Cowgirl Lindz]

I'm looking at an OTTB right now, but she is WAY over priced the owner is kidding herself. She is a 6 year old mare, has been off the track for a few years. She has only had racing training nothing more and has been used as a broodmare since (Two foals). They want 5500$ for her! OMG right I could buy almost the same thing but no foals for 900$ adoption fee!! She has "good" conformation but nothing too grand. The owner says she is a very high qualitly mare and with a lot of colour option because she black. She could be pink for all I care. Black is nice and everything but I am not going to pay and extra 4500$ because of it! What do you guys think?
http://classifieds.atlanticrider.com/cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?session_key=&search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=81423&query=retrieval
There she is, I have already posted her picture before.

[Filly85']

You can find a really nice prospect for 3K or less. 1k or less if you look hard enough. Try the trainer listings at CANTER. These trainers practically give these horses away, and you might just find your next hunter or jumper champion among them.

I just bought one with an outstanding temperament who looks to have a very, very nice career ahead of her. She is a 3 yo 15.3+ and a very cute mover. She was almost given to me. I would have easily paid 4k for this horse even though she requires extensive retraining.

Be careful if buying a horse from the CANTER listings though. I would actually go look at the horses located on the farms first so you could easily bring a vet with you for a pre-purchase exam. You might can even ride them on the farms, and their personalities have come out a bit. If you didn't find anything that you really liked on the farms (which would be unlikely), then you could try the track horses.

[MintHillFarm]

I have paid $2,500 and up to $3,500.00. The latter had an asking price of $10,000 when I saw his ad (!) and I offered 3,500 after I rode him, which they took. That was 10 yrs ago and I still think I could have gotten him for less! However, I have still the horse and love him so it was well worth the money (he is 17.3 and very nice)...If I were to buy one this year, I would think the prices will be way down. I also took some risks and did not vet any of the ones I bought.

[Trevelyan96]

I paid $2,000 in 2004 for the chestnut in my sig line. Of course, I was looking for a smaller gelding, which are harder to find than most people think. I think he's only 15.1

He only raced 3 times, has a great mind, cute mover, is super sweet, and totally sound.

Today's market, he'd probably go for $600 at the track. With a little more training as a hunter, I might be able to sell him for betwen 7-10K in a good market as a hunter, but that's mostly because everyone thinks he's cut as a button. He's a total chick magnet.

[Equinoxfox]

YES all these posts are so RIGHT. I am in the market and have looked at TONS of horses OTTB's in the past 90-days and they are all priced under $3K . The horses are out there and you just have to know what you are looking for . I have particulars so for me it is hard. But the average joe can get a horse now practically FREE or close to it. IF you need any numbers to trainers PM me. I get calls , emails , and pics everyday now. They seem to know I am looking hard so they are calling me out the woodwork. I can help you out if need be. GOT plenty of OTTB's right now. Just not the right one for me!!!!!!!!!!!!:cool:

[findeight]

I'm looking at an OTTB right now, but she is WAY over priced the owner is kidding herself. She is a 6 year old mare, has been off the track for a few years. She has only had racing training nothing more and has been used as a broodmare since (Two foals). They want 5500$ for her! OMG right I could buy almost the same thing but no foals for 900$ adoption fee!! She has "good" conformation but nothing too grand. The owner says she is a very high qualitly mare and with a lot of colour option because she black. She could be pink for all I care. Black is nice and everything but I am not going to pay and extra 4500$ because of it! What do you guys think?
http://classifieds.atlanticrider.com/cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?session_key=&search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=81423&query=retrieval
There she is, I have already posted her picture before.

Ummm, the owners may ask whatever they feel is fair-and after having her for years and getting 2 babies out of her, they do have more in her then an average recent OTTB. Without seeing the babies or knowing what they sold for or how they are doing training wise, I have no idea.

Why keep posting the link and asking us to confirm your opinion she is overpriced? That is really not fair to the sellers and it really is not a bad looking mare plus they did take the time to present her healthy and well groomed with no representation she is other then a broodie.

IIRC I posted a week or so ago when you had this up with some others, she did not meet your stated needs therefore to keep looking.

She is certainly not what I thought you meant in this thread when you asked about OTTB pricing.

[Cowgirl Lindz]

well I like her but there is no way I am paying 5500$ for her. The foals are over priced as well in my opinion but not as much as the mare. Maybe I'm crazy but that much for an untrained 6 year old mare who has had some foals is crazy. I could get a warmblood for that if you look hard and with this economy! The reson I want opinions is because I want to know if I'm crazy, I don't think she is worth it but maybe she really a find and I just don't think so

[Cowgirl Lindz]

No she is not what I had in mind I am looking at OTTB is all

[SquishTheBunny]

You are going to pay a heck of a lot more for a TB mare than a gelding. Maybe she has great breeding? Why would the owners let her go for cheap, if she could produce some more little race-babies?

$5500 for a nice mare, regardless of if she is track trash or not, is a good price. If she is what you want, then pay it. If not, then move on and look for something cheaper.

Also, that ad says $4000, which is roughly $3400 USD. She looks like a nice mare, has never raced and has a clean slate as far as training goes. I dont think her price is out of line at all.

[foursocks]

I agree with the previous two posters. She looks like a nice mare and if she produces good babies and has good lines, the price isn't exorbitant. And, why are you looking at a broodie if you want a riding horse? Obviously the two aren't mutually exclusive, but there is a much larger pool of non-broodmares you could look at that wouldn't include breeding value in the price.

Besides, if you think she is over-priced what do you think is going to happen by you posting about it on here? Some sort of posse formed to make the sellers drop her price? Let it go- there are plenty of other prospects out there!

[Seven-up]

Oh and one more thing... that same day I also took home this ADORABLE, sane, sound gelding "Rubber Bucky" (silly racing names..) for $200. There was room on our trailor from Boston to Saratoga and the trainer was desperate to get rid of him. I couldn't pass it up. He's an absolute doll with a hunter face to DIE for and I'm trying to find him a good home after I put a little training into him.



I remember seeing him online! The name Rubber Bucky is so cute I think I'd keep it. Congrats, I'm glad you took him home. :)

[Serah]

well I like her but there is no way I am paying 5500$ for her. The foals are over priced as well in my opinion but not as much as the mare. Maybe I'm crazy but that much for an untrained 6 year old mare who has had some foals is crazy. I could get a warmblood for that if you look hard and with this economy! The reson I want opinions is because I want to know if I'm crazy, I don't think she is worth it but maybe she really a find and I just don't think so


You seem to view her having had foals as a negative... why is that??

Also, track horses are not "untrained"... ask anyone who works at the track, those horses have a lot more flatwork than you would imagine... they need to do more than just run to build their bodies up like they do.

The ad says this horse was never raced, which is a huge plus, less physical and mental damage (coming from the HJ viewpoint)

Without you going and trying the horse, or getting someone else to sit on it, its going to be really hard to tell...whats her temperament? Is she quiet?

If shes a six year old sound, big, quiet, decent moving/jumping mare who is already proven as a broodmare... i would say she is most definitely worth what they are asking....

but a lot of those questions are unanswered.

[Seven-up]

Hoooooold your horses, Cowgirl.


You said you weren't looking at the broodie. So why post her info and talk smack about her price, which you didn't have a problem with UNTIL the majority of us said over 5K is too much? Why trash her publicly on the internet? Do you know anything about her bloodlines? Do you know anything about TB lines at all? For all you know, for that price that mare could be a steal.


I sense that you have no idea what you're talking about.


This thread has just become irrelevant.

[chestnutmarebeware]

Free, except for shipping costs! :lol: Ended up with two big, sound, beautiful 4-y-o mares for the cost of gas between NE PA and Bowie/Laurel Park. Both are Storm Cat granddaughters and have the mind and movement necessary to make nice hunters.

Cat on the Moon: http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p122/kmclaughlin21/?action=view&current=cat1lowres.jpg

Bo's Typhoon: http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p122/kmclaughlin21/?action=view&current=bo.jpg

[JGHIRETIRE]

Doesn't really matter what the initial cost is - it's all the boarding, vet, training etc that can kill you.

[Jumper6252]

If the horse was sound, healthy, good confirmation, and had a pretty good attitude I'd spend around 3,000-3,500

[War Admiral]

$1000 or less. There are SOOOO many horses and the market is so bad right now that GREAT horses are going for meat market prices. :(

I'm with Storybrooke... If you have a good eye, you can get them direct from the auctions for $100 right now.

[peco]

I really dont understand why someone could say xxx is the max for a racehorse. Why?

That would be like me saying I would never pay more than $2500 for a 3 year old warmblood, regardless of breeding, soundness, how it goes and its suitability for the future.

Stupid. People think because they race, that they need "untraining" I have ridden many race horses and most have BETTER ground manners, BETTER conformation and BETTER basic flatwork than a cheap warmblood!!

Not to say TB's are better, AT ALL. I owned many warmbloods. But, compare horses to horses, not racehorses to non-racers.

I think on average, MOST nice OTTBS do go under 3500, why someone would say 1000 TOPS for a race horse is rediculous...much NICER ottb's around that are going for more than 1k. You realistically cant group ALL race horses into a price categorie. Some are not great, some are stellar.

If the price is right for the individual horse in question, that should be your only concern.

better an ottb than someones pushy back yard pet to me! i mean you are saying (generally speaking) if the horse is still at the track or recently left that is has ALWAYS been handled by a horse person who knows what they are doing. It hasn't been handled by someone who thougt a baby horse was "cute" and just had to have it like a lot of "really nice" project horse i have seen who just happened to be warmbloods! these back yard pets are often pushy and disrepectful.
btw my ottb is 25 still showing and placing in the 2'3" and teaching my students tons! he raced till he was 5!

[jenarby]

I was just given a good looking, sound bay gelding with chrome. The most I've ever paid for anyhting off the track is 1k. I'm fortunate though because my famliy and I run a racing farm and I have tons of contacts. ONce you get an "in" on the track you may find you get an over abundence of calls from trainers wanting to sell you horses. The majority of the horses I have bought in the past for resale purpoases are around $600. Not to say I have not found pricier horses for others but it also depends on the trainer. ONe in particular never prices anything under $1500 no matter what it is. 9 times out of 10 they are worth the money.

[jetandmegs4]

Oh and one more thing... that same day I also took home this ADORABLE, sane, sound gelding "Rubber Bucky" (silly racing names..) for $200. There was room on our trailor from Boston to Saratoga and the trainer was desperate to get rid of him. I couldn't pass it up. He's an absolute doll with a hunter face to DIE for and I'm trying to find him a good home after I put a little training into him.

I looked at him once in 2007, he was very cute! Good luck with him.

[Proffie]

I just posted on Off Course about my visit to a friend's barn today... I rode 2 OTTBs and am going NUTS trying to choose between them. Please send your thoughts... They are both under $3k.

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=189533