If you are new to the equestrian world, it is advisable to seek assistance from an experienced trainer before buying your first racehorse. Chances are that you won’t be able to tell the difference between a good deal or a bad deal, unless you have enough experience in the matter. However, if you are wondering which factors are responsible for determining the price and value of a racehorse, read on to know more about them.
Breed
Before you go looking for a horse, you need to determine what is the purpose behind your purchase? No one spends money on a young, well-trained thoroughbred horse, unless they wish to see it race. However, thoroughbreds are not the only racehorses as there are other valuable breeds out there. The following should provide readers with a decent idea about how the horse’s breed is the prime factor that determines its initial value.
Thoroughbred:
- Inexperienced thoroughbreds from a good bloodline could easily cost around $50,000 – S$150,000+
- Experienced, champion thoroughbreds cost millions
- Off-track thoroughbreds can be bought for as little as $500 – $1,000
Standardbred:
- Standardbred horses are suited for harness racing events and on an average, they can cost anything in between $1,000 – $6,000.
Dutch Warmblood:
- Untrained Dutch Warmbloods (steeplechase, dressage, hunter) cost between $5,000 – $15,000 on an average
- Trained Dutch warmblood racehorses can cost upwards of $25,000 – $50,000 though
Arabian:
- Arabian horses have extremely high endurance, and they are more suited if you are looking for an adventure horse
- At roughly $10,000 per trained horse, Arabian horses are unbeatable in terms of value for money in endurance races
Andalusian:
- Andalusian horses are purebred Spanish horses (P.R.E.) which primarily serve as show horses
- The highly intelligent and noble Andalusian is valued at about $30,000 per show-ready, young horse, but foals cost below $5,000
Friesian:
- Endangered and almost extinct, Friesian horses are gorgeous black stallions with flowing manes, right out of a fantasy novel
- The Friesian purebloods are valued at roughly $25,000 on an average, but the price goes up if you are looking for a studbook-approved stallion
- They are show/dressage horses with unmatched charisma and looks
Hanoverian:
- The German horse is huge and strong, primarily bred for farm work
- With some intelligent crossbreeding, the new generation of lighter Hanoverians have proven themselves to be highly successful at dressage, eventing and show jumping competitions
- On an average, the best of the breed can be bought for roughly $5,000
Holsteiner:
- The Holsteiner is another German horse, but this one is a purebred
- These are champion horses for elite dressage, hunter shows, carriage races, and eventing.
- Average price of the Holsteiner purebred is around the $20,000 mark
Quarter Horse
- The all-purpose horse and a favourite across the globe, a trained quarter horse costs about $6,000 on average
- The horse of the American Cowboys, there is arguably no better horse for riding and driving
Performance
If you are looking to evaluate champion thoroughbred horses in terms of their chances of winning an upcoming race, that’s where the odds come in. Pay a visit to Australia’s best online bookmakers to find the odds and the past performance info you need to place successful bets. The same performance history also plays the most important role in determining the value of a champion racehorse for those with the means to buy them.
Bloodline
The bloodline is of more importance than the breed because champion mares and stallions usually pass on at least some of their special genetic gifts to their offspring. For example, a thoroughbred foal is always going to be expensive, but the price will be beyond most people if one or both of the parents were former champions. As you may have noted, breed is the first determinant for evaluating a racehorse, but it is the bloodline or parentage that truly adds value to a horse.
Take the Selle Francais as an example, which is a famous show and dressage horse that sells at a steep price of $30,000 (avg.). However, Selle Francais horses belonging to elite bloodlines fetch millions. Sold for a whopping $12.8 million in 2013, the Palloubet D’Halong remains the most valuable show horse ever sold.
