Buy Horses in Germany

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

If you spend any time around European sport horses, you quickly realize that Germany is one of the places where the global horse market really lives and breathes. This is a country where stallion approvals are on livestream, where local riding clubs anchor villages, and where buying and selling horses is almost a national skill set. Whether you’re looking at young Hanoverians in Lower Saxony, seasoned jumpers in Westphalia, or reliable all‑rounders from private yards, the German horse market feels both professional and surprisingly approachable once you understand how it works.

Germany’s equestrian culture runs deep: FN registrations, breeding associations like Hannoveraner Verband, Oldenburger, Holsteiner, and Westfälisches Pferdestammbuch, and thousands of riding clubs create a structured, traceable system around each horse. Warmbloods for dressage and showjumping dominate, but you’ll also find hardy ponies, solid leisure horses, and specialist eventers and driving horses. What makes horses for sale in Germany stand out is the combination of detailed documentation, consistent training systems, and a huge range of price points, from under 8,000 EUR for simple riding horses to six‑figure Grand Prix prospects.

At the same time, it’s still a people’s market. Deals are made in stable aisles over coffee, at weekend training shows, and at regional auctions. The German approach is generally straightforward: clear pedigrees, competition records through the FN database, structured vettings, and a shared understanding of what “riding horse,” “amateur‑friendly,” or “S‑level prospect” usually mean. For both buying and selling, once you understand the unwritten rules and customs, Germany can be one of the most transparent and efficient places to trade horses.

Buying horses in Germany - what you need to know

Germany attracts horse buyers because you get both volume and quality in one place. Within a two‑hour drive you might view ten young dressage horses, a truckload of showjumpers, and a couple of honest schoolmasters. For a decent amateur dressage or jumping horse with basic show experience, you’ll often see prices in the 15,000–35,000 EUR range. Well‑bred, lightly started 3‑ to 4‑year‑olds often sit between 10,000 and 25,000 EUR depending on pedigree, movement, and rideability. Serious sport prospects with results or top x‑rays can easily move into the 50,000–150,000 EUR bracket, especially in popular breeding areas.

Most buyers start on German online platforms such as ehorses.de, local studbook websites, or social media, then follow up with visits. Professional dealers and training stables are common, and many are used to international buyers who want to try several horses in one day. Auctions hosted by studbooks or private sales organisations are another typical route, particularly for young horses; there you’ll find pre‑purchase x‑rays already available, clear terms of sale, and set commission structures. The usual buying process in Germany is: initial contact, exchange of videos and basic information, viewing and trial ride, then vetting (the “Ankaufsuntersuchung”) and contract.

The vetting culture is well established. A standard pre‑purchase exam often includes clinical checks plus 10–18 x‑rays; sport horses or export horses may have extended packages with back and neck images. You as the buyer usually choose and pay the vet, though many sellers will suggest local clinics they work with. It’s normal to share x‑rays with your home vet before committing, especially for international buyers. Keep in mind that German vets tend to be precise in their reports; not every small finding is a deal‑breaker, but you should match the risk level to the horse’s intended use and price.

If you’re buying from abroad, factor in export papers, transport, and any quarantine or import VAT requirements for your country. Professional horse transporters run regular routes from Germany across Europe, the UK, North America, and the Middle East, and many dealers can help coordinate logistics. Make sure the sales contract clearly states who is responsible at each step, what’s included in the price (tack rarely is), and when ownership and risk transfer. Take your time, ask direct questions, and don’t be shy about riding a horse more than once; in Germany, a careful buyer is respected, not resented.

Everything about selling horses in Germany

From inside Germany, you’re selling into a genuinely international market. Domestic riders, Scandinavian amateurs, professional stables from the Netherlands and Belgium, British and Irish buyers, and clients from the US, Canada, and the Gulf states all come here because they know they can find sport horses with traceable pedigrees and structured training. That means, as a seller, you’re not just competing with the farm down the road; you’re presenting your horse to a global marketplace of buyers who already expect a certain level of transparency and professionalism.

To sell successfully, preparation is everything. Buyers in Germany want to see up‑to‑date videos in normal tack, clear photos standing on level ground, and honest descriptions: height measured correctly in centimeters, age, breed, pedigree, current level of training, and any known quirks. A clean vet history and recent x‑rays can significantly speed up a sale, especially for horses priced above 20,000 EUR or likely to be exported. Platforms like ehorses.de, studbook marketplaces, and well‑connected dealers or trainers are the main channels; auctions can be effective for correctly prepared young horses with good movement and pedigree, but they require planning and entry fees.

Pricing is very sensitive to training level, temperament, and location. A similar horse marketed through a known professional in a strong breeding area can bring 20–30% more than one sold quietly from a private yard with poor video. As a rough guide, simple leisure horses and older schoolmasters may sell between 6,000 and 15,000 EUR, amateur sport horses between 15,000 and 40,000 EUR, and high‑quality youngsters or successful competition horses far above that. For international buyers, be ready to handle questions about export, stabling until transport, and paperwork; having passport, ownership records, vaccination history, and any x‑rays neatly organized gives buyers confidence and justifies your price.

Timing also plays a role. Spring and early summer, when the competition season starts and riders are shopping, are usually the most active months for selling horses in Germany. Autumn can be strong for young horses just backed and for buyers planning ahead for the next season. Be realistic, communicate promptly, and allow serious buyers to try the horse more than once or even see it at a small show. The more open and structured you are as a seller, the more likely you are to attract the kind of buyer who is willing to pay a fair price and give your horse the right next home, whether they come from the next Bundesland or from the other side of the world.