Determining fair market values of horses along with the related equestrian equipment and supplies based upon realistic market standards is critical to the appraisal process.

Many times the asking and selling prices of horses take on imaginary financial values with no foundation, such as realistic market standards applied for the breed, type, gender, age, performance record, event winnings, health condition and soundness, level of training, and overall behavior. An important consideration during the assessment is the value added. Value added being those additional factors above and beyond the average that contribute to the horse’s gross fair market value.

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Market values vary throughout the world, depending upon many different factors. One of the most important factors contributing to the difficulty for a realistic evaluation is the influence of a breed’s or discipline's popularity. Popularity drives the demand, and usually impacts upon the supply, hence driving the values upward with little or no true foundation other than buyers willing to spend any amount to purchase a horse. It has become a market where people pay to the bounds of their disposable income with disregard for foundation market values.

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Fair market appraisals can be achieved through factual research, substantiated through public sources of documentation. Comparative pricing is the best method to assist in the valuation process, however, in the horse business it is not always the simplest nor the most publicly available method for determining sale prices. Therefore, to realistically evaluate horses and their equipment requires knowledge and ability which spans many aspects of the horse business.

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All appraisals performed by Hipsley & Associates are submitted with a written statement, complete documentation and related appendix of supportive materials.​​​