While stopping at our vet's the other day for a Rx for one of our dogs, I casually asked the receptionist whether she knew of anyone who sold Percherons, Clydesdales, etc. Much to my surprise, it turned out one of the vets there happened to have one stabled about 500 feet away, and he's interested in selling her. She's a beautiful 2-year old Percheron, coal black and gentle as a puppy...been hand-raised since she was orphaned at a month old. He says he can get the papers on her. She has zero training - is not broken to saddle or harness, but I'm relatively familiar with that aspect of horsekeeping...

All that being said, the 'problem' is that he doesn't know what he wants for her, and asked me what I'd offer. I've bought other horses (quarter horses are what are commonly used around here for rodeo and cattle work, and my wife trail rides an Appaloosa mare) but have no idea what kind of price a Percheron commands. I'm sure it varies with geographical location, but there apparently aren't too many Percherons in this area (Texas), and I really have no frame of reference for a price for her. We've gone online to a couple of Percheron/draft sites, but the prices vary wildly and there doesn't seem to be a 'norm'.

Any ideas or opinions?

Thanks in advance -

Bill

It is very regional. Up here, an unbroke two year old would probably run $1000 - $2000, and maybe more - it also depends on the qualities of the horse. In Western Canada where there is an ongoing 6 year drought and a hay shortage, you may be able to pick one up for $500 or less.

Of all the drafts, if you must have a draft, the Perch is one of the best choices. They seem a bit more 'athletic' than other draft breeds and don't run as tall. My mount is a draft quaterhorse cross that was bred to be a heavy hunter, and he is very agile for his size and has a very even temperment. I think he will work out very well for a courser although he is a bit on the tall side (16.1hh)

What you are looking for is a horse that is a heavy hunter in type, that isn't too long in the back, that isn't too tall to clamber on, that idealy had a heavier bone structure than most riding horses but isn't as heavy as full blooded drafts, that has decent withers and isn't too large in the barrel so your saddle doesn't slide off when you try to clamber in with harness. You want a good action moving, and idealy for a re-enactment mount you want it to be even tempered.

A full blood might do the trick, and a Perch more likely than monstrousities like Shires. Sometimes God puts animals in our path for a reason (corny sounding, I know), but maybe she will work out as an ideal mount for you.

The Yankee horsetrader in me says make as sharp a bargin as you can ! (I paid more for my saddle than my mount, and have been offered 20 times (roughly) what I paid for him. Not that it matters, I wouldn't trade or sell him for the world.). Do what yer heart tells you.

Bon Chance !

To be frank, the leg problems I've noticed stem from them being used as riding animals at higher speeds than drafts were intended to be used. They were bred to pull, primarily at a walk or sometimes at a trot. Riding at a canter quite abit seems to be where I've seen some trouble but I certainly haven't seen it in "all" draft types used for riding.

The worst example of problems I can think of was several years back. There was a young woman in Central Florida riding a full blooded Belgian in dressage. Jetta had been worked up through first level and at the age of 10 developed bone spurs on her legs from the impact she had to be put down. The general consensus from the vets involved was that "God hadn't intended for a draft horse to do that." In other words, continual work under saddle at the trot and canter had taken it's toll. However, even riding the way most of us would at medieval/living history events are probably not going to cause the same type of thing as 6 day a week dressage schooling.

I also recommend putting any horse on a condrohtin type joint supplement from the time they are weaned and such problems do seem to be minimized. (I'm not a supplement junkie but that's one I do believe in. That and vitamin B1 for the easily rattled types.)