Price advice (shire) please.......

[Blitzen]

Hi all,

I have some friends who are looking to sell two horses.

Basically, they are both shires.
One is a mare (10-12 years....need to check), and her gelded son (around 3 years? I think). (unsure what paperwork is available)

The mare used to be used for ploughing, and has bred three foals, but she has done nothing at all for the last few years.
I believe she can be sat on and ridden, but as far as I am aware, she has never been properly 'broken'.
Mare is lovely and sweet, well etc.
gelding, unfortunately has bad sweetitch, and is literally only halter broken - he needs a heck of alot of work. He isn't paticually 'pretty' either (infact, quite the opposite lol!)
At the moment, they are pretty much left to their own devices, other than to be fed, and now, their owner wants to find them new homes.
I think the mare will be ok.....not sure about the gelding, due to the lack of work that has been put into him, and the sweetitch (and his huge roman nose does him no favours lol!!)......what do you guys think in regards to pricing these two?
I want to go and thoroughly check them both over etc, as the owners want me to help with advertising, as they know very little about the horse world - only in the sense of farm-work horses.
I will try and take/post some piccies later.
xxx

 

[Tazanne]

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[Ruskii]

The son I would say ... hmm give the fact he's only halter broken and suffered bad sweet itch about £1000 -£1500.

Mum : Depending on how good she is ridden, but has a lovely nature and easy to handle probably round the 2k - 2.5k mark.

 

[domane]

I love shires, but I think they have quite a short lifespan compared to average-sized horses and also all of the associated costs with them are astronomical - I've heard that a standard set of shoes for them is around £120, for starters and I just couldn't afford that Plus the extra feed a large animal would need, specialist tack, etc.

It's a shame as they are such beautiful noble beasts. I wish your friend all the best with selling her two.

 

[devonlass]

Ok I have a clydie which is not the same as they go for more money (bit more versatile I think is why,not as heavy as the shire),but I know a *bit* about the heavies market.

The mare is going to depend on breeding,if she is registered and a good sort she *could* go for around the 3-3.5k mark,if someone wants something to breed from.The fact that she ploughs is a bonus and could add to her value if you advertise her within the heavy horse clubs.I am a member of the western counties heavy horse club and they have ploughing matches,so am assuming other area clubs do??

The gelding is another matter I'm afraid.Someone who wants to break him to ride might be willing to pay £1000+ for him,they are usually easy to break and even tempered.Sadly his sweetitch might put people off,finding special rugs and the extra amount of lotions and potions you would need to treat something of this size with sweet itch could work out a difficult and expensive enterprise.I saw a 2 yr old shire gelding in the paper recently with sweet itch for £800,still hasn't sold I don't think.

Of course all this depends on where you are and what the market is like there,varies so much at the moment.
Good luck with them both,hope it all works out