Buy Horses in Belgium

Horses for sale in Belgium: Buying and selling horses in Belgium

What makes Belgium stand out in the horse world is how much serious sport is packed into such a small country. You can drive an hour and pass top breeding farms, international show venues, and dealers who are shipping horses to clients all over Europe, the US, and the Middle East. If you’re looking at horses for sale in Belgium, you’re stepping into a very professional, very dense equestrian marketplace where word travels fast and good horses rarely stay available for long.

Belgium has a deep riding culture built around show jumping, dressage, eventing, and recreational riding, but the heartbeat of the market is sport. The Belgian Warmblood (BWP) and SBS studbooks are known worldwide for producing scopey, careful jumpers and increasingly competitive dressage horses. You also see a lot of crossbreds, ponies, and solid all‑rounders for amateur riders and riding schools. From young, just-backed three-year-olds to seasoned 1m60 horses, the range is wide, and that variety is what makes buying and selling horses in Belgium so interesting.

The horse trade here is very network-driven. Many deals never hit the big online sites; they happen through trainers, dealers, and word of mouth. At the same time, you can absolutely find honest leisure horses and straightforward schoolmasters advertised online. The community is used to international buyers flying in for a few days to try a selection of horses, and the infrastructure around vetting, transport, and export from Belgium is highly developed. Whether you’re buying your first horse or moving on a competitive partner, the market is efficient, but you need to know how it works to avoid disappointment and wasted trips.

Buying horses in Belgium - what you need to know

Belgium is attractive for horse buyers because you get high quality and a lot of choice in a compact area. For sport horses, you’ll find everything from unproven youngsters in the €8,000–€15,000 range up to serious 1m45–1m50 horses easily running from €80,000 to well over €200,000, depending on age, results, and rideability. A safe, amateur-friendly 1m20–1m30 jumper or mid-level dressage horse commonly sits between €25,000 and €60,000. Leisure horses and good all‑rounders can still be found from around €6,000–€12,000, though truly reliable family types with good vet checks are creeping up in price.

To find horses for sale in Belgium, most international buyers start online to get a feel for prices and types, then quickly move to personal contacts. Platforms like Sporthorse-related classifieds, social media groups, and professional dealer websites are common starting points, but the real advantage comes from working with a trusted local trainer or agent who knows the barns and can line up several suitable horses within a short drive. Viewing days here are usually quite structured: you watch the horse ridden, feel it yourself on the flat and over fences if relevant, and often see it in different environments if you’re serious. Belgians are used to buyers wanting to see a horse at a show, especially for competition types.

For international buyers, Belgium is relatively straightforward. Once you’ve agreed on a price, the pre-purchase exam (PPE) is the next key step. A full vetting here typically includes a clinical exam plus X‑rays, often 12–24 views for a standard sport horse, with more extensive sets for higher-value horses. Expect costs between €500 and €1,500 depending on how detailed you go. It’s common for foreign buyers to have their own vet review the images remotely. When it comes to transport and import, EU buyers have it easy, while UK, US, and other non-EU buyers need to factor in export papers, possible quarantine, VAT rules, and shipping. Professional transporters in Belgium deal with this daily, so don’t hesitate to ask for fixed quotes upfront.

If you’re buying, ask clearly about competition records, maintenance (joint injections, special shoeing, medications), and any vices. In Belgium, it’s normal to pay a deposit to hold the horse pending the vet check, with a clear agreement on what happens if the horse fails. Be realistic: a perfectly clean vetting is rare in performance horses, so focus on whether findings are compatible with your intended use. And move quickly when you find the right one; the good ones are often being tried by multiple buyers at once.

Everything about selling horses in Belgium

When you’re selling a horse in Belgium, you’re not just targeting local riders. A big share of buyers comes from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the UK, and increasingly from the US and Asia, especially for jumping-bred horses. Belgium has a reputation for producing competitive, commercial horses, so international clients actively search here, both through dealers and directly from owners and breeders.

To stand out in this busy marketplace, presentation matters. Buyers expect recent, clear videos showing flatwork, jumping, and show rounds where relevant, along with honest descriptions: height, age, breeding, competition level, temperament, and any maintenance. A current set of X‑rays is a strong selling point, especially if you’re aiming at the international sport horse market; many Belgian sellers now pre-vet their horses and make images available to serious buyers. For pricing, look at comparable horses, but also consider how “commercial” your horse is: age between 6 and 10, easy rideability, and a consistent record can push prices up significantly. Younger, talented but green horses sell well if the price leaves room for the next owner to add value.

The best venues for selling horses in Belgium depend on the type of horse. Dealers, trainers, and sport yards often have a steady flow of foreign clients and can place good competition horses quickly, usually taking a commission. Online marketplaces and social media work well for amateur and leisure horses, as long as your adverts are detailed and updated. Auctions, both live and online, play a growing role for top-bred foals, three-year-olds, and sport prospects; Belgian auctions often attract serious international buyers willing to pay for quality and pedigree.

Timing also makes a difference. In Belgium, demand is usually strongest from late winter into early summer, when riders are preparing for the outdoor season, and again in early autumn as people look for new horses after the main show circuit. If your buyers are international, be prepared to help them with export arrangements: clear bills of sale, vaccination and health records, and coordination with transporters. Reliability is a big part of the Belgian market’s reputation. Buyers expect transparent communication, straightforward trial conditions, and honest disclosure of any issues. If you price fairly, present professionally, and treat buyers with respect, you’ll find that selling horses in Belgium can be both efficient and rewarding.