Last Updated on December 7, 2021
We all personally may know horses who have gone for a hefty price tag, but have you ever wondered what the most expensive show horse was sold for? We broke down the top sales of each riding discipline for you. And if you’re wondering if you could afford one of these horses, here’s a hint- you better be a millionaire.
How Much Money Was Spent On The Most Expensive Show Horse Ever Sold?
Dressage
Coming in at the top of the list in the Dressage world – Totilas. You may remember hearing about this horse due to his controversial sale and recent passing.
Standing at 17.1 hands, this Dutch Warmblood stallion was considered to be the top dressage horse in the world. This was partly due to him being the first horse to score above 90% at a dressage competition, a record which he later shattered.
Totilas rose to fame with rider Edward Gal, winning both the 2010 Word Cup Finals and winning triple gold in the 2010 World Equestrian Games. He was then sold for an estimated 11,200,000 euros (around 12.6 million dollars) to German owners, sparking controversy at the separation of such a successful horse and rider team.
Totilas was plagued with injuries in the years after this sale. There were even accusations of animal abuse, which sparked involvement from PETA. Totilas, unfortunately, passed away due to colic in 2020.
If you’d like to learn more about the controversy surrounding the treatment of Totilas, a documentary was made about him in 2018 and is still available to watch online.
Show Jumping
Palloubet D’Halong tops the board as the most expensive horse in the showjumping world. Swiss rider Janika Sprunger started working with Palloubet D’Halong as a 6-year-old and eventually brought him up into a Grand Prix prospect. The gelding was then sold as a 10-year-old in 2013 for around 15 million dollars to Jan Tops.
The top is an Olympic rider and the coach of the Qatar Equestrian team. The trainer allegedly bought the horse for his wife, Australian rider Edwina Tops-Alexander, who at the time was ranked 14th in the Longines World Rankings.
Racehorse Prospect
Are you still wondering how much money was spent on the most expensive show horse ever sold? Coming in at the top of our list is Fusaichi Pegasus, which was sold in 2000 for an impressive, estimated 70 million dollars.
Fusaichi Pegasus won the Kentucky Derby in 2000 but came short of the Triple Crown when he finished second in the Preakness. His total career earnings came in at just under 2 million dollars.
After the sale, Fusaichi Pegasus began his new career as a breeding stallion. However, he was failed to live up to expectations and his stud fee has consistently decreased through the years.
Final Words
Think you’re ready to make a bid on the next million-dollar horse? While we all try to recover from our sticker shock, it’s also nice to take a minute to remember these great horses and all they have given to their disciplines.
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to comment below.
Michael Dehaan is a passionate horse owner, horse rider, and lover of all things equine. He has been around horses since he was a child, and has grown to become an expert in the field. He has owned and ridden a variety of horses of different breeds, and has trained many to compete in shows and competitions. He is an experienced horseman, having worked with and competed many horses, including his own. He is an active member of the equestrian community, participating in events and teaching riding lessons.
