In This Guide:

1. What the Service Is and Who It Is For
2. The Three Factors That Drive Every Decision
3. The Data Behind the Assessment
4. The Two Service Models
5. How the Search Process Works
6. The Rider Perspective: Human Analysis Alongside the Data
7. Selling a Horse Through EquiRatings
8. Frequently Asked Questions
9. Further Reading

Introduction

Buying a performance horse is one of the most significant investments a rider, owner, or national programme will ever make. Historically, the process relied on aesthetics, pedigree, word of mouth, and the eye of a trusted scout. These things still matter. But they have always left buyers with incomplete information - no standardised way to compare performance across different competitions, no objective measure of whether a price reflects a horse's genuine competitive value, and no systematic way to find horses that aren't already visible on the open market.

EquiRatings Horse Sourcing exists to fill that gap. Drawing on over 12 years of international results data and a database of more than 8,000 horses competing at FEI level, EquiRatings gives buyers access to objective performance analysis, global price discovery, and an expert human assessment of every horse that passes the data filter before a buyer spends time or money travelling to view.

The service works for buyers at every level from a rider searching for their next championship horse to a national federation building a squad for a four-year Olympic cycle. It also works for sellers who want a professional, discreet route to market rather than publicly advertising a horse.

 

1. What the Service Is and Who It Is For

EquiRatings Horse Sourcing has two goals for every client. The first is helping buyers find a horse that matches their specific performance criteria, budget, and goals. The second is helping sellers find the right buyer for a horse they are considering putting to market without the exposure or complications of a public listing.

The service is built for:

• Riders looking for a horse to take them to a specific level or championship whether that is a CCI4*-L qualifier, a Junior or Young Rider Europeans campaign, a five-star debut, or a build toward a future Olympics
• Owners and syndicates making a commercial investment in a performance horse and needing objective evidence to support the decision
• National high-performance programmes sourcing horses for pathway riders or squad development, where transparency and defensibility of the decision matters
• Sellers who want discreet, professional representation and access to a global network of qualified buyers

The idea of approaching horse sales with a data-driven mindset made complete sense. It addressed so many questions I had been considering throughout my time in the sport — how do I find horses with lesser-known riders where the value might be better? How do I know what I should be paying when pricing is such a taboo subject? — Samantha Lissington, 5* Event Rider and EquiRatings Horse Sourcing Analyst

 

2. The Three Factors That Drive Every Decision

Every horse assessment EquiRatings conducts is built around three factors. They are not equally weighted for every buyer — the balance depends on the buyer's goals — but all three must be addressed before a horse is presented as a serious candidate.

 

 

3. The Data Behind the Assessment

The performance assessment at the heart of every EquiRatings sourcing engagement draws on the same metrics used across the rest of the EquiRatings platform - applied now to the question of whether a horse represents a sound investment for a specific buyer with specific goals.

1. EquiRatings Elo and Elo Trajectory: The Elo rating gives a standardised measure of a horse's true competitive level — adjusted for the quality of opposition it has beaten, not just where it has finished. More important than the current Elo is the direction of travel. A rising Elo indicates a horse still improving. A plateau or decline at a given level may indicate a horse approaching its performance ceiling. Elo trajectory is one of the primary signals used to identify horses with genuine future potential versus those whose best performances are already behind them.
2. Six Run Average (6RA): The average dressage score across a horse's last six international tests. Provides a stable baseline that smooths out one-off performances. In a sourcing context, 6RA tells a buyer what dressage to realistically expect from a horse and, crucially, how much headroom there might be for improvement - important when matching a horse to a rider whose strengths include dressage.
3. SJ6 and SJ6 Adjusted (Show Jumping): Average show jumping faults across the last six international rounds, compared against the difficulty of those courses. A raw fault average can be misleading if a horse has been competing on easy tracks. The adjusted figure shows how the horse jumps relative to the level of challenge it has faced. A horse with a strong SJ6 Adjusted has been jumping consistently well on genuinely competitive tracks.
4. XCJ10 and XCJ10 Adjusted (Cross-Country): Cross-country jumping reliability across the last ten international rounds, compared against the course averages on those same tracks. High XCJ10 Adjusted indicates a horse completing cleanly on courses that are genuinely challenging for its peer group - a reliable cross-country record that the data can verify rather than take on trust.
5. Age-Adjusted Benchmarks: What these metrics look like for a horse of this age, compared against every horse EquiRatings has tracked at the same age since records began. A horse whose 6RA, SJ6, and XCJ10 all sit significantly above its age cohort average is statistically on a trajectory toward elite performance. These benchmarks are the tool for identifying future potential before the wider market has priced it in.

The three-number profile — dressage average, show jumping performance, and cross-country reliability — is the first thing assessed for every horse that enters a draft. It gives an immediate, standardised read of where a horse genuinely sits, independent of which events it has attended or how its leaderboard placings look in isolation.

 

4. The Two Service Models

EquiRatings Horse Sourcing operates two distinct service models, designed for different types of buyer. Both begin with a conversation to understand the buyer's goals, criteria, and budget before any search begins.

Horse Search Complete

The premium, comprehensive service. EquiRatings filters the full database of 8,000+ FEI-level horses against the buyer's criteria to produce an initial draft of approximately 100 matching horses. Direct outreach is made to every horse on the draft to establish availability and price. Videos are gathered and reviewed. The buyer receives a full comparative presentation — performance data, video analysis, price, and personal assessment of each available horse — giving a true picture of the whole market at their level. Support continues through shortlisting, vetting, and negotiation.

Pricing: €5,000 upfront fee plus 5% success fee on the purchase price. For any horse over €100,000 this is lower than the standard industry commission of 10%.

Horse Search Lite

The flexible, no-upfront-cost option. EquiRatings provides a smaller selection of horses matching the buyer's criteria, drawn from horses already in the database rather than a fresh market-wide search. No fee is charged unless a purchase is completed.

Pricing: 7.5% commission on the purchase price only, payable on completion. No upfront cost

 

5. How the Search Process Works

The Horse Search Complete process follows five defined stages, each building on the last. Understanding the process in full is important — both because it explains what a buyer receives, and because the transparency of each stage is central to the value the service provides.

 

 

6. The Rider Perspective: Human Analysis Alongside the Data

Data is the filter that makes the search efficient. The rider's eye is what makes it useful. Every horse that passes the performance criteria in a Complete search is reviewed on video by Samantha Lissington - a five-star eventer who joined the EquiRatings Horse Sourcing team in 2024.

The video review addresses the questions that metrics cannot fully answer. A horse with a strong SJ6 can still have a jumping style that would not suit a particular rider. A horse ridden consistently in strong equipment might present differently than its data suggests. A horse that looks a little unruly in its jumping might have a one-off explanation or it might be a pattern. The rider's assessment adds the context that turns data into a decision.

Each horse reviewed receives a score for movement, jump, and type, and a ranking for suitability across different rider levels and competition goals. The notes made during video review are shared with the buyer as part of the presentation, giving them a documented human assessment alongside the metrics for every horse they are considering.

"The first thing I look at are the three numbers — dressage average, show jumping percentage, cross-country percentage. That tells me immediately whether this horse is worth the next five minutes of my time. The video is where I find out whether I'd want to ride it." - Samantha Lissington

This combination — objective data to establish genuine competitive level, experienced rider assessment to judge what that horse is actually like to work with — is the core of what EquiRatings Horse Sourcing provides that a standard agent relationship or direct market search cannot replicate.

 

7. Selling a Horse Through EquiRatings

EquiRatings Horse Sourcing also works with sellers - riders and owners who are considering putting a horse to market and want a professional, data-backed, discreet route rather than a public listing.

The selling service works in two ways. For horses already in the EquiRatings database, direct outreach from the sourcing team is a regular occurrence. Rozzie Bainbridge contacts owners of horses that match the criteria for active buyer searches to establish whether a horse might be available. This means sellers with a horse that fits a buyer's profile are contacted before the horse has ever been marketed.

For sellers who want to proactively engage EquiRatings, the team can represent the horse to its network of active buyers presenting performance data and video to qualified, serious purchasers rather than broadcasting to the open market. This is particularly valuable for sellers who want price transparency, do not want their horse publicly associated with being for sale, or who want a buyer who understands what they are purchasing rather than simply responding to a listing.

 

8. Frequently Asked Questions

What does EquiRatings Horse Sourcing actually do?

EquiRatings filters a database of 8,000+ FEI-level horses against a buyer's specific performance criteria and goals, contacts sellers directly to establish availability and price, has every shortlisted horse reviewed on video by an experienced five-star rider, and presents the buyer with a full comparative picture of the market at their level - including data, price, and personal analysis for every available horse. Support continues through shortlisting, vetting, and negotiation.

What is the difference between Horse Search Complete and Horse Search Lite?

Horse Search Complete is the premium, full-market service - a fresh search across the entire database, direct price discovery from sellers, and comprehensive video review and presentation. It costs €5,000 upfront plus 5% on completion. Horse Search Lite draws from horses already in the database rather than a full market search, with no upfront cost and a 7.5% commission on purchase if completed. For horses over €100,000, Horse Search Complete works out cheaper than the standard industry commission of 10%.

How many horses does EquiRatings assess?

The EquiRatings database covers 8,000+ horses currently competing at FEI level. The broader ratings history spans more than 40,000 horses evaluated since records began, over 15 years of international competition data. Every horse in a Complete search draft is assessed against this full historical context.

What metrics does EquiRatings use to assess a horse?

The primary data points are the horse's Elo rating and trajectory, 6RA (six-run dressage average), SJ6 Adjusted (show jumping performance relative to course difficulty), XCJ10 Adjusted (cross-country reliability relative to course difficulty), and OBP (Opposition Beaten Percentage). These are placed in the context of age-adjusted benchmarks — where this horse sits relative to every horse EquiRatings has tracked at the same age since records began.

Can EquiRatings help me find a horse to match my riding strengths?

Yes. The search is built around the buyer's specific profile. A rider whose data shows a dressage strength and a show jumping weakness might specifically search for a horse with strong jumping statistics that can be improved in the dressage - matching the horse's profile to the rider's ability to add value in specific areas. The performance criteria are set to reflect both the target level and the buyer's individual characteristics as a rider.

How is price discovery handled?

Direct outreach is made to the owner or rider of every horse that passes the performance filter, establishing whether the horse is for sale and at what price. This is handled by Rozzie Cavers, who manages all seller communications. The result is that buyers can compare performance and price simultaneously across all available horses - understanding how competitive ability maps onto market value at their level, and identifying where geography or circumstances have created genuine value relative to performance.

Does geography affect horse prices?

This is often the case. Price reflects supply and demand in a given market. In the UK, demand for event horses consistently outweighs supply, meaning sellers can command a premium. In markets with fewer active buyers — Scandinavia, parts of Eastern Europe, New Zealand — equivalent performance can be found at meaningfully lower prices. One of the concrete benefits of a Complete search is full market visibility: a buyer can see how a horse in Finland compares to a horse in England on identical performance criteria and understand exactly what they are paying for.

Can EquiRatings help me sell a horse?

Yes. EquiRatings works with sellers in two ways. Horses that match the criteria of an active buyer search receive direct outreach from the team without the seller having to do anything. Sellers can also proactively engage EquiRatings to have their horse represented to a network of qualified, serious buyers - discreetly and with performance data as the foundation of the presentation.

What does the video review add to the data assessment?

The data establishes whether a horse's competitive record justifies further investigation. The video review — conducted by Samantha Lissington, a five-star eventer — establishes whether the horse is the right type for the buyer: its rideability, jumping style, temperament, how it responds under pressure, the equipment it is trained and competed in, and whether any concerns in the data have a plausible explanation or represent a genuine pattern. Every horse reviewed receives scores for movement, jump, and type and a suitability ranking for different rider levels.

What if a horse has had a bad result? does that rule it out?

Not automatically. A single poor result in any phase warrants investigation but not an immediate rejection. The data shows what is typical for a horse across multiple starts. One anomalous result on an otherwise consistent record is a reason to ask more questions, not a reason to walk away. Part of the video and human assessment process is understanding the context behind results that look out of character with the broader data picture.

How do I get started?

Contact the EquiRatings Horse Sourcing team at sales@equiratings.com or via the Horse Sourcing product guide at equiratings.com/solutions/horse-sourcing. The process begins with a conversation to define your goals, criteria, and budget before any search work starts.

 

9. Further Reading

The following articles provide real-world insight into how the EquiRatings Horse Sourcing service works in practice.

 

10. Related Guides

• The EquiRatings Guide to Performance Metrics & Predictive Analytics
• The EquiRatings Guide to Horse & Rider Profiles
• The EquiRatings Guide to High-Performance Strategy & Sport Evolution
• The EquiRatings Guide to Major Event Previews
• The EquiRatings Guide to Data-Driven Horse Sourcing