Why Are Some Horses So Pricey?

Horse prices currently vary from R2 000 to several millions, says Dr Mac, depending on the animal’s breeding and training.

- Dr Mac

Registered breeding horses used in sports where there is a lot of money to be made go for high prices. Racehorses and showjumpers, for example, can earn their owners thousands of rands and it is usually possible to estimate how much a foal is worth if it has a number of prizewinning ancestors in its pedigree, and if it is well managed and well trained. The American Quarter Horse Association and Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association rate sires and dams in line with their winnings.

So, a million-dollar stallion can earn even more than what he earned on the race track through service fees. Prizewinning progeny further increases the service fees. Only the best mares, with good racing pedigrees, are served by the most expensive stallions, as there is an immediate profit when the foal is taken to the yearling sales.