Where to buy an event horse?

My good friend, Tavy, is shopping for a horse. Fun! I naturally felt the need to help her out and went horse shopping online. If only we had more money! I found a bunch of nice horses for us, I mean her. :)

Here are some of my favorite sites for eventers and event prospects sales...

• Sport Horse Nation: This is Eventing Nation's companion site. All classifieds. It's hard to search entries but there is superb eventing horse flesh listed on there, if you can find it.
• Off Track Horses for Sale: This Facebook page is the best place I can think of for young thoroughbreds and eventing prospects. Jen Johnston, who runs the site, works with a large network of horse people selling the best quality off the track thoroughbreds I have seen. Most of the horses are in southeastern PA and surrounding areas.
• Three Plain Bays: This Maryland farm also specializes in off the track thoroughbreds. Before I purchased Apollo, I tried a couple horses here. One of the horses, The Optimist, was a 3 yr old with a fabulous canter. He is now competing at Training level and always in the ribbons!
• Classic Bay Eventing: More off the track thoroughbreds! Shelley Heckles, the trainer here, does a lovely job with her horses. Her sale prospects always vary but those I have seen have had a solid education.
• Windchase Farm and Phyllis Dawson: These horses are total eye-candy and most have primo eventing pedigrees, as well as a good solid foundation in all 3 disciplines. Many are homebred by Phyllis herself.
• Equine.com: I have to plug Equine.com since this is where I am advertising Apollo and gotten a lot of response. It's easy to put in the exact criteria you're interested in and see what's available.
• Aiken Horse Sale: I'm not sure if this is annual event, but Full Gallop Farm in Aiken, SC is hosting a Horse Sale and Fair. Perspective buyers can come and look at a couple dozen sport horses all at one location this January.
• Sally Shirley: Located in Maryland, Sally produces just a couple young thoroughbreds at a time. Not only does she have a tremendous eye for spotting brave, level-headed thoroughbreds, she produces them extremely well. I have wanted every horse she has brought to Sally Cousins for lessons. 

Or you can check out what the professionals have for sale. Here are just a few to check out from time to time.

• Courtney Cooper
• Kelli McMullen-Temple
• Stephen Bradley
• Amy Barrington
• Katie Ruppel
• Robert Costello