Any horse owner will tell you how expensive it is to maintain their horsey lifestyle. But it’s not just keeping a horse that takes lots of money, buying one can be expensive too. Some breeds are rare and have ancient bloodlines so their prices can soar into the millions. To give you a clear idea about the cost of horses, take a look at our list of the 13 most expensive horse breeds from around the world.
What Makes a Horse Expensive?
Lots of equestrian sports such as racing and dressage have cash prizes, so sports horses such as Thoroughbreds are usually the most expensive breeds. Another thing that will make horse breeds expensive is their rarity. Rare or ancient breeds of horses such as Friesians can be very expensive too.
13 of the World's Most Expensive Horse Breeds
We've previously written about the cheapest horse breeds, so if you're on a budget check that out. Now, let's take a look at the top 13 most expensive horse breeds in the world. Every horse on this list will set you back a pretty penny or two.
1. Arabian
The Arabian horse is one of the oldest breeds in the world, and many of our modern-day horse breeds come from Arabian bloodlines. Arabians are hot-blooded equines, traditionally used for war, and to cross long distances in the desert.
These dessert horses are famous for their endurance, they regularly compete in 100-mile long endurance races. They’re elegant and have a slender, petite body and they stand between 14.2 and 15.3 hands.
Arabians are intelligent, friendly and pretty highly strung, so they’re not always a suitable breed for beginner riders.
The most expensive Arab horse in the world was called Pepita who sold for 2 million dollars. In the USA, you can pay over 50,000 to 100,000 dollars for a well trained, top-quality Arab horse. And an average Arabian horse or crossbreed will come with a price tag of around 1 to 8 thousand dollars.
2. Akhal Teke
The Akhal Teke is the national horse of Turkmenistan. Akhal Tekes share lots of physical traits with Arabians but they have a distinctive metallic gold or silver coat. These horses stand between 14.2 and 15.2 hands and they come from the desert regions of Turkmenistan.
Just like Arabian horses, the Akhal Teke has huge amounts of stamina. And they can reach speeds of up to 45mph in a short sprint. These are loyal horses that form a deep bond with their owners. But they do have a fiery temperament, so they’re not suitable for beginners.
There are fewer than 8,000 Akhal Tekes that exist in the world today which means that they’re rare and cost a lot of money. The average Akhal Teke will set you back around 10o,000 dollars.
3. American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter horse was first established in Colonial America and they were used for races over a quarter mile, hence the name. These horses have compact powerful bodies so they can turn and sprint quickly. This is why they are one of the favored horse breeds in Western events such as barrel racing.
Quarter horses can reach speeds of up to 55mph which is faster than most horses but they can only maintain this speed in short bursts. This breed is calm and willing to work so they’re fantastic on the ranch.
A well trained, prize bred quarter horse will cost around 25 to 100,000 dollars. But you can buy a hobby quarter horse for around 3,500 to 10,000.
4. Friesian
This horse is from Friesland, a northern province in the Netherlands. They're tall, elegant creatures and they stand between 15.3 and 17 hands. These are hairy horses with a long black, silk tail and mane and lots of feathers around the legs.
One of the things that define a Friesian is its pure black coat. They are considered one the most stunning black horse breeds in the world.
These horses are built like a draft horse, yet they’re elegant, agile and athletic with a calm temperament. However, they typically don't live as long as the average horse breed.
Friesians are quite rare and they have a very strict studbook and breeding standards which means the cost of a prized Friesian horse is around 100,000 dollars. For an average or crossbreed Friesian, the average prices are around 5,000 to 10,000 dollars.
5. Thoroughbred
Thoroughbreds are famous for their speed, stamina and their skills at horse racing. They were first bred in the 17th and 18th centuries over in the UK. The locals used selective breeding of the Barb, Turk and Arabian with local racehorses, to produce the Thoroughbred we know today.
Thoroughbreds stand between 15 and 17 hands tall and have a lean body, long legs, and bags of stamina. They’re hot-blooded, highly alert and intelligent creatures, so they’re not great for beginners.
The large amounts of money involved in horse racing make the thoroughbred the most expensive horse breed in the world. You can pay millions for a thoroughbred with a good bloodline.
The most expensive horse in the world is a thoroughbred called Fusaichi Pegasus, who won the Kentucky derby in the year 2000, and he sold for 70 million dollars. He also made several million dollars in stud fees and prize money. Over in the UK, champion racehorse and sire Frankle is worth an estimated 100 million dollars.
Learn everything there is to know about the Thoroughbred in our facts guide.
6. Dutch Warmblood
The Dutch Warmblood horse is quite a modern breed, established in 1958 in the Netherlands. They’re tall, usually, around 16 hands and they’re strong, athletic and elegant which means they excel in dressage. This breed is in high demand because they're good all-rounders and they do well in most sports and as pleasure rides.
Dutch Warmbloods are pretty high on the list of most expensive horse breeds in the world. This is because, just like with racing, a high level dressage competition will also offer lots of prize money.
The most expensive Dutch Warmblood was a champion dressage horse called Totilas who sold for 13 million dollars, so this makes them one of the most expensive horse breeds. On average, the cost of a Dutch Warmblood is between 4 and 25,000 dollars.
7. Andalusian
The Andalusian comes from the Iberian peninsular in Spain and is an ancient breed that hasn’t changed a lot in the past 500 years. This majestic Spanish horse breed is distinctively gray with a long mane and tail. They have strong legs and a deep chest which makes them strong and agile.
Andalusian's are intelligent with a relaxed, calm attitude, and they’re good at many disciplines such as show jumping and dressage.
You can expect to pay around 3,000 dollars for an Andalusian cross breed but for an imported purebred, you’ll pay prices in the range of 15 and 50,000 dollars.
8. Appaloosa
Appaloosas were first bred by the Native American tribe Nez Perce in the northwestern USA. They’re a mixture of many breeds including the Spanish horse, Thoroughbred and Quarter horse. Appaloosas were traditionally used for hunting and as war horses.
More Native American Breeds: The Nokota Horse
This gaited horse breed has a strong, compact body and usually stand between 14.2 and 16 hands. Appaloosas are incredibly versatile and work well in both English and Western riding disciplines. They are also one of the most stunning spotted horse breeds.
The average appaloosa costs between 2 and 10 thousand dollars.
9. American Standardbred
The Standardbred horse comes from New England and they’re also known as trotting horses. This breed is famous for harness racing and they can reach speeds of 30mph, just in trot. They’re good all-round creatures because they excel in many different riding disciplines, and they’re a particularly good horse breed for trail riding.
Standardbred horses are calm and strong and are a very friendly breed. They’re easy to train and willing to learn so they’re a good horse for beginners.
The average price for a standardbred is around 1,000 to 10,000 dollars. However, the most costly Standardbred ever sold was Mavric who fetched 1.1million.
10. Gypsy Vanner
The Gypsy Vanner horse was traditionally bred as a cart-horse by the Romani gipsies of the UK. These are a sturdy breed with the stature of a draft horse, even though they are usually much smaller horses, between 14 and 15 hands.
Their breeding includes lineage from British horses such as the Clydesdale, Shire and Dales. However, it was only registered as a breed when it came to North America in 1996.
These are pretty equines, with a long main and tail. They have a friendly, gentle nature so they’re a good breed for children, and they’re often used as therapy horses.
The Gypsy Vanner is good for both English and Western riding as well as using the harness. Depending on age, you can expect to pay around 10-30,000 for a Gypsy Vanner horse.
11. Selle Francais
The Selle Francais is one of the popular horse breeds originating from France. It’s a relatively new breed which is the combination of several of the best competition horse breeds. The Selle Francais is also known as the French Saddle horse and it excels in athletic competitions, particularly show jumping. And this breed often features in equine competition teams at the Olympics.
These horses are gentle, intelligent, easy to train. They’re usually bay or chestnut and have a delicate stature.
The highest price for a Selle Francais is 15 million dollars. His name was Palloubet d’Halong and this is the largest amount ever paid for a show jumping horse. The average price range for a well trained horse of this breed is between 3 and 40,000 dollars.
12. Oldenburg
The Oldenburg Horse comes from Germany and is a reasonably old horse breed that was popular in the 17th century. The Oldenburg was developed from the local farm and carriage horses and they often served in wars.
These days they make top-level show jumping and dressage horses and are one of the most expensive horse breeds. Even though Oldenburg horses are quite tall, they have relatively short legs.
Oldenburg's are powerful and calm and they’re usually black, brown or gray. The most expensive Oldenburg horse ever sold is called Vivat Rex and he sold for 200,000 dollars. On average you will pay in the range of 10 to 250,000 dollars for an Oldenburg, with prized competition horses averaging around 100,000 dollars.
13. Paint Horse
The American Paint Horse has a very distinctive two-toned coat of dark skin with white patches. These are versatile horses that are descendants of the Spanish Barb, Andalusian, Arabian and Thoroughbred. They have a small, balanced frame which makes them fast and agile. Paint horses are strong and athletic too so they perform well in most equine events.
Paint horses have a friendly nature. They’re calm and placid, yet intelligent and easy to train. The average price for an American Paint horse here in the USA is between 1 and 5,000 dollars. However, some exceptionally well-bred paint horses can sell for much more than this.
Most Expensive Horse Breeds - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rarest breed of horse?
Akel Teke is one of the rarest horse breeds in the world and this is why they can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Other rare, expensive breeds include the Friesian.
What horse sells for the most money?
Thoroughbred racing is popular worldwide and prize money for races can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. As well as this, they have a very well documented studbook and pure breeding so it can cost hundreds of thousands just to breed with a champion stallion. This means that thoroughbreds are the most expensive horses.
How expensive is the most expensive horse?
The most expensive horse in the world is a champion racehorse named Fusaichi Pegasus. He sold for a record-breaking 70 million dollars. Over in the UK, champion thoroughbred racing sire Frankel has an estimated value of 100 million, making him one of the most expensive horses in the world.
Why are Arabian horses so expensive?
Arabians are a very ancient breed with a pure bloodline as well as this, the best ones are champion endurance horses. Not only are Arabian's stunning to look at, but they’re also super agile with endless stamina. So this is what makes them such an expensive horse breed.
Why are Friesian horses so expensive?
Friesian horses are very rare and at one point they almost faced extinction. This means that they have a very strict studbook and breeding standards so few Friesians are registered each year.
Conclusion
The most expensive horse breeds in the world can sell for millions of dollars. What determines their price is a mixture of many things including their rarity, pure bloodlines or sporting ability. However, you don’t have to spend millions of dollars to get a good horse. If you don’t mind about bloodlines, you can buy mixed breed horses that encompass the positive traits of two different breeds.
