947 views and 0 phonecalls! What have I done wrong??

[Holly Hocks]

Can I be a bit different here? I think your horse is underpriced. She is the right age, has done what looks like a reasonable standard of XC - is starting to work well on the flat - I think some people might ask "what is wrong with her?" I know she cribs, but in all honesty there are very few horses out there that don't have some vices - especially TBs. I would up the price (I know someone recently who had the horse advertised at £2000 and had no phone calls. They left it a few weeks, put it on at £4500 with some new photos and sold it to the first caller.....good luck - she looks like my sort, but I can't have any more!!

 

[reindeerlover]

Can I be a bit different here? I think your horse is underpriced. She is the right age, has done what looks like a reasonable standard of XC - is starting to work well on the flat - I think some people might ask "what is wrong with her?" I know she cribs, but in all honesty there are very few horses out there that don't have some vices - especially TBs. I would up the price (I know someone recently who had the horse advertised at £2000 and had no phone calls. They left it a few weeks, put it on at £4500 with some new photos and sold it to the first caller.....good luck - she looks like my sort, but I can't have any more!!

I like you Hollyhocks!

That might work, it does seem bizarre though..... I will wait and see, I was hoping for a quick sale so I could concentrate on the ones I will be competing this year but if she stays a bit longer and I do more with her then so be it, the price will rise! You sure you don't need another?

 

[TrakehnerFilly]

The one photo you are missing with your Princess Fairydust Barbielover mares advert is one of her lieing down half asleep in a mucky stable with a pink rug on and someone sitting or lieing over her. That is a sure way to sell her.

In all seriousness she sounds like a lovely mare and I would possibly agree that she is under priced IMHO. None of what you have highlighted as her issues are that big of a problem and I have known competition horses of TB breeding at a similar stage of training and education/experience with worse issues go for three times that value. I know the market is rubbish but I think she is worth more than she is valued at. She is currently aimed at the lower end of the market were owners are potentially looking for something more of a novice horse and she would probably sell easier if aimed at the middle end of the market were people normally look for competition horses with potential.

 

[Holly Hocks]

Trahehner Filly, I think we're thinking the same thing here.....beginners or first time horse owners don't want TBs as they're seen as loopy (wrongly in my opinion), so they look for something with a more sensible nature.... The people who want TBs to compete in eventing/SJ are looking in the higher price bracket, so probably won't have even bothered looking at this one and if they have they'll have discounted it as being a bargain basement horse. Also a lot of TB owners will expect some sort of vice. Farrier lover has the horse raced at all? If so, I would also add that the horse is eligible for ROR classes, but don't use the phrase "ex-racehorse". I've got one stressy one and one weaver, both TBs, but it wouldn't have put me off buying either of them.....I've learned to manage it as well as I can...

 

[Pipkin]

Thanks! Yeah, I had to email to get it changed as there was no "edit" option on my account that's why I misspelled "Novice" for so long.

She is a nice horse, hopefully something magical will happen and we will both sell our ponies. Is it wrong that I feel a bit snobby about free ads?

I feel the same about it tbh but it`s where two of mine have come from and alot of people advertise and look on there. I sold my first horse on there and I had an easy 30 people enquire about him (was a long time ao lol when it was just a paper) it may be worth it,
I would up her price though, cribbing aint so bad and as said a lot of horses have vices, just so few people admit or say in their ads, it`s good to be honest and better than having a buyer ring you and say oh you didnt tell me so and so
In my ad for my old horse i said that he naps and quite likes to bolt down main roads....he still sold lol

 

[lea840]

one of someone standing on her OR a small child with no hat?

I deffo think you should put a pic of her with a hatless child on her back... any chance of making her rear at the same time... that would deffo get your phone ringing ha ha ha

 

[reindeerlover]

I deffo think you should put a pic of her with a hatless child on her back... any chance of making her rear at the same time... that would deffo get your phone ringing ha ha ha

Brilliant! I might have to continually poke her in the eye with a stick though, she stands like a donkey otherwise. A good picture of her looking all wild and beautiful would certainly help!

TF, I think you're right- nothing says "potential eventer" like a lying down in a mucky stable picture. You're all right about the market appeal of course, it just seems wrong to increase her price just to get more serious people looking at her!

 

[Archangel]

It may be right about the price as my friend has a horse for sale at £4,500 and a fair number of people have actually been to see the horse so it is odd that you are not getting any calls at all.

Love the photo in the water, looks like a fun horse.

 

[Kaylum]

Have had a look and the ad looks good. I think the problem is that so many people have first of all lost their jobs over the last month (government jobs cuts for example) and secondly there are so many horses for sale the choice is amazing.

Dont think its particuarly your ad or the horse just everyone is hanging onto their money.

 

[MagicMelon]

Well I've had quite a few calls now, all of them sound super keen but then lose all interest when I say I'm NE Scotland (and they're usually South England). Why are people not willing to travel for something they think could be perfect?!

 

[lannerch]

my friend had the same problem until she advertised on dob and mut ( online add only ) then she got loads of phone calls and horse sold very quickly.

I think people think horsemart has the lower end kind of horse.

I see you have advertised now on dob and mut so fingers crossed you find the same.

 

[caterpillar]

The flatwork photos are awful.
Clearly you need matching bandages and you should not be wearing a hat.
Buy some bandages of ebay and a matching headband rather than hat and the phone will be ringing off the hook.

 

[reindeerlover]

The flatwork photos are awful.
Clearly you need matching bandages and you should not be wearing a hat.
Buy some bandages of ebay and a matching headband rather than hat and the phone will be ringing off the hook.

But the brushing boots are white!!! Surely that makes her a dressage horse? I did tell Nice sharer to take the hat off but she did insist, she's not a dressage rider you see

 

[pardalis]

I can't find the ad! Maybe it's an iPhone problem. But she sounds just the kind of horse I would want if I wasn't so fat! I think a diet beckons if I want the right kind of horse.

 

[reindeerlover]

I can't find the ad! Maybe it's an iPhone problem. But she sounds just the kind of horse I would want if I wasn't so fat! I think a diet beckons if I want the right kind of horse.

I dunno, I'm quite fat and I can ride her without her bending in the middle too much.... I'm in the xc photos.

 

[brown tack]

i would defo be paying you an visit, but your too far, im based up in the midlands

 

[brighteyes]

Right! New advert. *Ahem*

Small brown girl horse, not neutered so perfect for breeding. Jumps over things and also trots in circles when asked. Has never kicked or bitten me and I have only fell off her once when I was trying to drink my alcopop and chatting wiv my pal. Does a really cool trick where she bites a post and makes a weird noise. Sometimes smells of wee (although not a problem unless you are in a bar trying to chat up a surfer). She is currently an odd mangy colour but I gave her a dog flea treatment so she iz ok (innit).

I will shoot her or send her to slaughter if nobody buys her. £5000.

With a picture of my friend standing on her back with a jack russel under each arm and no hat or body protector on. And flip flops (friend, not jack russels). Also maybe one of her in a stable with a fly fringe on?

I DARE you

 

[pardalis]

No, I'm disgracefully fat at the moment. In a few months I'll have the money for a horse. Best start the starvation diet now!! The livery yard behind my house is mocking me at present!
But a few years ago I was fit (physically) and a damned good rider! Modest? Moi?!

 

[Katie__Connie]

Have been schooling a lovely gelding for a friend, who is for sale (the gelding, not the friend ) and she is having the same problem.... maybe just rubbish market atm

 

[Kokopelli]

I take it you haven't seen this?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220768216260&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp5197.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3D220768216260%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1#ht_6846wt_1139

Take some pages out of his book and she will sell in an instant!

In all honesty though she looks a lovely sort and if she was 2 inches smaller I would be off to the bank for a loan!

 

[foxy1]

I can't find the ad; any more clues?!

 

[foxy1]

found it! nice horse!

 

[flowerlady]

OK. OP over the many years of reading adverts this is what jumped out at me.

7+ year old mare,Green, cribs, may not want to be caught sometimes???? £2000

I would completely change the way you have advertised her because at that price and the above jumping out which is what does!! All the positives are lost.

I'm not saying she's not worth that but from YOUR advert and me reading it as a potential buyer I would not even consider her. Sorry

 

[marlyclay]

I don't think there was anything wrong with your advert.It is clear and honest and the photos show her in a good light.
I think the problem for the lack of interest is probably three things..
1 She is typical small tb (probably ex race)nothing wrong with that,but it is a limited market and there are plenty of them around for £1000-1500 if you look.
2 She cribs ,it may be only at feed time,but it is still a vice and this will immediately put many people off even considering her at all.
3 As yet she dosn't have any real form to go on and she is seven,although from the photos she looks lovely and shows promise you don't mention any placings ,sj experience,dressage etcc...
My advice would be if you still can't sell her ,get a good young rider to attend some pc rallies on her ,even take her to summer camp and then advertise her on the pony club web site for £3000 ono.If she has been a good girl at pc and shows promise xc,sj she will sell very quickly and no one will give a stuff that she occasionally cribs.

 

[Foaling Around]

Why in gods name do you NOT have a picture of you standing on her back??!! No wonder she's not selling. Tsskkk.

Also, its a shame she's not a gelding.... could have the classic "wang out" picture for extra appeal. I'm not sure if an "upskirt" teat picture has the same appeal mind

seriously though, hope it picks up - maybe take the advice of wacking the price up (whats there to lose??!!), and I like that paragraph about potential to do......

Also Koko - that is the most incredible thing I have ever seen. Thank you for bringing it into my life...!! Is it wrong I want to be-friend the author?? lol

 

[jeeve]

I had a little pony I was selling, (she is the only one I have loaded up in my photos) we had her 7-8 years, all my kids learnt to ride on her. I got a lot of calls from the ad, but when I started talking to the people that called, i wanted to be totally honest and listed all her quirky/difficult bits - surprise, surprise no one came to see her.

When I readvertised ( a year later) - I sussed out whether I thought they would be suitable, and then made arrangement for them to come out and try her I then ran through her quirks (main one nips when doing up saddle, will kick other ponies if they come up behind her,) (she does have lots of good points) first one out to see bought her, (and I had 2-3 others lined up to come if she did not sell) I have followed up twice and they are really happy with her.

I was totally honest with them, I answered all their questions that they asked on the phone, and would not have had someone come out if I did not think their child was going to be suitable (and vice versa), but I did not over emphasise the bad bits in the first conversation.

Yes you want to be honest, and you want the right person for your horse, but you should not talk them out of it before they even pick up the phone, or see her/him. A lot of screening can be done on the phone, to make sure you are not wasting their time, or they wasting yours, but you do want them to call. I'd take the cribbing bit out, but tell them about it when they ring.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

TBH your advertiser's name 'ponyhugger' would put me off, it sounds very childish. The ad is very 'chatty' in nature, even after editing, which also makes you sound very young (which isn't the impression I get on here).
I suggest that you re-write entirely. You could leave out most of the details, like happy to be washed and loves being groomed. Don't put 'not novice ride', which makes her sound loopy, just say that she is forward-going, which will put most novices off, if it diesn't you can weed them out at the phone-call stage. You don't need the vaccinated and wormed info - dodgy dealers usually put that in,lol! Try to make your sentences shorter and snappier and if she is eligible mention RoR.
I would also add a conformation shot of her standing up well, untacked.