The market is pulling back

Australia is at a crossroads at the moment. We have had EI , drought, flood, and Covid, and now drought and flood again, and again everyone is back breeding, and the warning signs are already there. WE ARE BREEDING TOO MANY HORSES and TOO MANY HORSES OF THE WRONG TYPE, the FUGLY TYPE or not giving them the start they need TO GET GOOD HOMES.

This is not unique to Australia!

Recent prices show that the best of the best always sell, but the middle is slowing down.

For every unsound, or purposeless, ill-trained, untrained or poorly bred horse, there is only one place for it. Rescues see this all the time at the auction clearance sales going for pet food. If you are concerned, please don't put your mare in foal this year. There is so much overproduction, you can make a difference by buying what you are looking for. You will get the sex, colour and type and probably height you want, by going directly to a reputable breeder, for much less than it will cost you to produce.

This assumes of course that you are breeding a foal for yourself.

Do not support those breeders who are dumping horses on the market, who sell everything to "make way for this seasons foals", who breed without a genuine purpose in mind, without proper training and care, or have a responsible long term plan!

Do not put a mare in foal, simply because you want to sell the mare. Buyers in the main do not want to buy your mare in foal! It does not increase its market appeal, or add to its price because it has become a 2-in-1 package.

Breeding to sell always has additional responsibilities. Seriously consider whether you should be breeding at all. Everything points to the fact you should breed for the market. While this is true, underneath it all, you must breed for yourself, what you like, and over time, the market comes to you.

If not, are you kidding yourself that what you’re breeding is of a high enough standard? You are either not breeding good enough horses, or you’re breeding a type that has lost its appeal. Either way, reassess what you’re doing, and do a reset if needed.

If you are concerned about your horses, buy/sell a registered horse, and transfer the papers. That way you have more opportunity to find a new home, if your situation changes and you need to sell, and more opportunity to track it later, should you wish.

It gives you greater marketing power and does not cost all that much more over the lifetime of your horse, to give it every chance.

Find a good home rather than sell to the first person who comes along.

If you have let your membership lapse, please rejoin and have a voice. Read the magazine and newsletter or join the committee. Vote. Don’t breed in isolation, thinking you know what goes on or because “I can sell everything I need to easily enough”.

Contribute!

Owners, please contact the breeder of your horse from time to time and give feedback!

How else will they know if they got it right?

I devote a full chapter on changing market conditions and how to adjust in my book The Thinking Horse Breeder. You can buy it on Amazon or from me Direct

Is It Time to Rethink Selling Horses?

The market is tightening.
Top-end horses? Still moving to greater heights.
Middle-tier and low-end? Stalled or sitting.

So I’m thinking of building a practical, no-BS resource on how to sell horses in a market that’s… well, less-than-generous. Tools. Strategy. Real talk. No fairy dust.

But first, I want to hear from you. Would a resource like that be helpful to you right now?

I also have chapters on Buying and Selling in The Thinking Horse Breeder, and of course my book on Buy The Right Horse, is ideal for showing you what buyers want. Both ebooks are on special at the moment on Amazon, so check them out.