Advert phrases that put you off

Nicnac

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"First to see will buy"

Presumptuous and most likely seller will be left with a few dozen eggs on their face.

Apart from that all of the above pre-mentioned ones!
 

SpringArising

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Any of the ones on Dragon Driving that start "Here she is boys, you know this filly..." etc.

This one made me laugh. Usually followed by the sire's name that literally no one has heard of.

Also agree with the other person who said calling a horse a person is annoying.

'Homes will be vetted' and 'Time wasters need not apply' comes across as arrogant and puts me right off.

Saying something has show potential when it looks like a cut and shut job.

Buckskins being called duns and chestnuts being called strawberry roan/any other roan that the horse definitely isn't.
 

cobgoblin

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' has been ridden in the heaviest of traffic'....no mention of whether it was any good in said traffic..or dumped rider and pi**ed off.
 

LinzyD

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HOYS potential - especially when it doesn't conform to any particular type or discipline
Need gone - makes me really sad
For sale through no fault of his/her own - for some reason makes me suspicious

Good photos are essential. Be prepared to provide photos of the horse standing still and square side on from both sides, front on to show limbs and chest, rear on to show quarters and full length of hind limbs, head, photos/video of the horse ridden in the relevant discipline, and video of the horse trotting up on a hard surface in a straight line from front and rear. Providing all that stuff up front saves time in the long-run as it allows potential buyers to assess quite a lot before committing to view. A couple of times I've been sent a really good DVD showing close-ups of the horse's limbs, handling, loading, ridden at home and at competition, or I've been given a DVD to take away after a viewing, which is really helpful but quite rare.

It's also important to ensure that photos are current or if not that it's made clear how old they are and that current photos are also provided. Too often the horse in question looks nothing like the photos and then the vendor says, "Oh yes those were from x number of years ago, but I don't have any recent ones," (presumably because the horse has been out of work for some reason).
 

onemorehorse

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Ditto POA
Endless photos of horse jumping (of no interest to me!), but none on the flat or standing still
Photos/videos of horse being ridden by rider without a hat on annoys me
Competition home only
 

jumbyjack

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The 'stunning' description is so over used and rarely true; photos with someone standing on the horses back make me want to scream, just what does that prove!
 

gallopingby

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Lets just be clear about time wasters, although I agree IF you are one you probably don't realise. In my book a time waster is someone who views your horse, phones next day to say yes would like to buy, would you like a deposit and can we collect next weekend. In future my answer to the deposit will be yes please. The buyer then says sorry can't collect tomorrow because of x y z i.e. problem on the yard but could arrange to use a friends yard if you really can't keep any longer. Soooo you agree to keep longer and longer and.......!! So when do you readvertise? Why can't people be honest if they change their minds and just leave a message to say sorry change of plan, not difficult and then people know where they stand. So to all of those who don't like the 'no timewasters' maybe have a think before you go 'shopping' and remember good manners cost nothing!
 

Merlod

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'Hi my name is Horsey and I am looking for a new mummy to love me and feed me...' and blah blah blah vomity adverts written from the horses perspective. Usually see it more on facebook.
 

asterope

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"A couple of times I've been sent a really good DVD showing close-ups of the horse's limbs, handling, loading, ridden at home and at competition, or I've been given a DVD to take away after a viewing, which is really helpful but quite rare."

I've seen ads that have included footage of the horse hacking out alone, in traffic, and so on, which is really useful (especially with young horses). It's such a simple thing to do and immediately makes me a lot more interested!

I really hate poor photos - I've seen quite a lot of horses advertised for showjumping/eventing that are shown hollowing over a jump or hanging their knees, which is incredibly off putting. As other people have said, photos need to be useful and show the horse and its abilities honestly but also in a positive light.
 

Meowy Catkin

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An advert for a tiny, rising two year old filly included the following statement 'has been broken and ridden by children.'
doh.gif
 

honetpot

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Nails on blackboard,
'here we have'
'always in the ribbons'
Photo of them,
Lying in a stable
Head over door
Someone standing on their back
Small child with no hat on.
 

TelH

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Jumps 1.20/1.30/insert reasonable height of own choice/ with ease... Accompanied by pics of horse stepping one leg at a time over a 50cm cross pole...
And the HOYS potential one- pic with 1st place rosette from Bonny Pony class at local riding club show, therefore it must be top class LR pony...
Stunning... accompanied by pic of bin end coloured colt that looks like it has gone @r$e first through a hedge and never seen a grooming kit in its life...
Words to the effect of I rescued it from xxx sales and it is now looking for its forever home... No, you didn't- you purchased it from the sales and are now selling it on...
 

huskydamage

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adverts without the price and no timewasters. I will definetly waste your time enquiring about the price. If its too high to put then maybe it is too high! If the horse is truelly worth the price then why leave it off? Isn't that a pretty crucial piece of info?
 

YorksG

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Any advert describing any equine as any sort of machine, usually means it has been fired over jumps with little or no ground work or regard for the animals soundness.
 

be positive

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Described as a "schoolmaster" when it's a youngish horse that's done very little. I expect a schoolmaster to know it's job, have a competition record if appropriate and be established.

Perfect first horse/ pony when it is 4 years old, very similar to the 5 year old schoolmaster, just not possible or realistic.
 

stormox

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A 13 yr old - with potential to be xxxx........ if it hasnt got there by now it never will.
A colt 'with stallion potential'.......... haven't all colts got that?
Show standard traditional...... at what show? Pic shows a 2 yr old gypsy colt with a big head, hairy body, scrawny neck and bog-burnt legs.
 

ShadowHunter

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POA
Competition/show home only - why? whats it to you what i do with horse afterwards.. really winds me up
No time wasters
First to see will buy
No novices - tells me it's off its rocker
Too much fluff and not enough (or no) fact.
Really low price makes me suspicious too.
 

Smitty

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My horse buying days are over, but 5* home (what is that?), forever home required (like the one you gave it then), needs experienced rider (this conjours up 4* eventers in my mind), no time wasters, any sentence telling me to 'apply to ...' for further info and POA.
 

sallyg

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All of the above plus 'to good hunting home only' or 'serious competition home only'. Why does a horse have to compete, surely a good home with a suitable rider is more important?

Pictures of horse wearing full neck heavyweight turnout rug or saddle with giant fluffy leopardskin saddle cover

'Can't believe this one hasn't been snapped up yet'

'Sold from field' with loads of obviously ancient pictures of it at shows and no reason why it has been turned away for years
 

Shooting Star

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An ad that starts with an amazing lead photo, so you click on it, read the first 2 chapters of the very long winded write up and eventually discover that....

the bleedin' first photo is the great great grand sire of the dams half sister and the runty thing that is actually for sale can be seen only in photo 4, slightly out of focus at a squiffy angle:mad:
 

lannerch

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POA and no txts please.
I have sold a horse by someone that totally arranged to view by txt.
Why cut of your market by making such stipulations.
Serious buyers can txt and you get to vet them when they view.
 

Toby_Zaphod

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POA
Competition/show home only - why? whats it to you what i do with horse afterwards.. really winds me up
No novices - tells me it's off its rocker

whats it to you what i do with horse afterwards.. really winds me up....... because I wouldn't sell to you if that was your attitude. Some people care about their horse's future, where they will go to, who will ride them & what they will be doing. Selling a horse is easy, but to the right home isn't.

My horses are competition horses & a novice would be over horsed. The horse would probably be moved on quickly as they wouldn't be able to handle him. They aren't dangerous but when a novice tries to ride them it would probably be a recipe for disaster. :(
 

Equestrienne

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My big annoyance is when I'm looking for a young/green thing to bring on (so looking in the cheap sections) and see a nice jumping picture only to click on the ad to find out it's a 20yo retired due to injury paddock mate. Use a suitable photo for your horse! I think it's great that they were jumping well in their prime but this has nothing to do with the horse now. Here's a place instead that a child draped over it would be helpful.

'competition home only' I can sort of understand - screening to probably find a very keen person/child with a lovely budget to boot. Especially if this is what you've trained your horse for - I've got a cracking jumping pony who I would love to see excel with a kid. Although it's true I'm selling them and would technically have no say....

Btw this is my favourite thread, have had so many laughs over some of these phrases.
 
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