Advert phrases that put you off

jokadoka

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Morning all! I have been asked by a friend to help her put an advert together to sell her horses. What would put you off instantly? Phrases? Endless rambling? Fluffy bunny stuff?
 

ROMANY 1959

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Re advertised due to "timewasters"
In other words, someone drove for hours, to try your horse, maybe it did not suit them, not as advertised, but seller thinks they are timewasters!!!
We drove 2 hours to see a horse 4 years ago to find it lame behind when tried!
Seller said he been standing in for hours waiting for you...he just needs loosed up.!! Duu.��
 

Finlib

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accurate measurement vital actually put a measuring stick against the horse .Be honest about what it has done .Drove for 2 hours to see a 15.2 middleweight that was ready to 'go' done everything hacked out traffic /etc.In actuality 14.2 lightweight never been on the roads only hacked when taken to the beach in a trailer!!!!! Didn't even bother to get on saw it lead out of the box then got in the car and drove 2 hours home and YES i was the timewaster.
 

be positive

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Endless pointless rambling yet missing a few vital details, statements that are the opinion of the seller such as stunning, accompanied by photos that give a different view!, conformation spelt incorrectly, no timewasters, potential whatever when the horse is over the age where potential should be at least proven to some extent. POA does not put me off if I am looking but the ad does need to say enough to make me call.

Poor photos that show the horse lying down, rugged up, from miles away, no jumping photo of the show jumper/ eventer, no ridden ones of the horse that has been in a long term home or even worse photos all taken on the same day, if you have owned it for years surely you have some photos to prove that.

I like fairly concise ads, with all the relevant details and just a little about their personality.
 

Cortez

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Anything other than age, height, sex, breeding, training, competition record is largely irrelevant if there is a decent photograph.

Things that annoy the hell out of me: photos of horse's cutesey-wutesy face; lying down; draped with a small child; rugged; head on or contorted; or the best one of all - a picture of someone falling off the horse (this actually happened - and I bought the horse!). The term "loving", and especially: "stunning".
 

windand rain

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no price is my biggest hate if a horse sounds ideal and you phone up and it is 3 times your budget you have just wasted your and their time enquiring. Height is another I have driven to many a viewing to find the horse at least a hand smaller than advertised a full up 13.2 was smaller than my 12hh dartmoor on one notable occassion and the sellers knew it was for an adult. timewater comments are annoying but it seems anyone who doesnt buy on the spot is a timewaster so I am quite happy to be called one it means nothing
potential is something else that cannot be quantified so a silly statement
 
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thistledonicely

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"no timewasters" instantly puts me off. As does "first to see will buy" - not quite a deal breaker, but it irritates me! I'm not a huge fan of claims of what the horse might be good at with no history of sellers having tried or starting working towards it;tends to make me wonder why it's not doing those things... Obviously younger horses are the exception.

Good photos are a must! Include at least one nice conformation shot untacked. And be honest about any blemishes, if not in the actual advert then at least in the conversation pre-viewing.

Good luck :)
 

ossy

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Re-advertised due to time wasters, POA, endless ramblings written as the horse in first tense ie hi my name sparky and I need a new home lol.
 

be positive

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"jumping machine" or "rosette machine"

I'm curious - what's wrong with that?

I don't have a problem with that if it is part of a longer sentence such as " he has been a real jumping machine and has given the rider great confidence" it may not be the nicest description but if it is true and can be backed up by videos and a pile of rosettes then why not use it, slightly different if it is accompanied by a photo of the pony jumping a x pole.
 

rascal

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I hate to see POA why not just put the price? I also hate to see horses described as machines, jumping machine/hunting machine or whatever it does. Cars are machines, horses are animals.
It is also amazing how horses are not as described or very much smaller than the advert says. When we were looking for a new friend for my youngest daughter we wanted something around 15.2 the amount we saw that were only 14.2 was frustrating to say the least.
 

Ddraig_wen

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Mine are : No time wasters/hoof kickers, PoA and must have experienced home to release full potential.

Another that annoys me is : Homes/Yards will be vetted.

This is because a friend of mine fell in love with a beautiful hunter and paid the deposit. Owners were delivering him and rest of funds were ro be paid when he arrived. They came, unloaded horse, inspected the place and the had an epi because there was a single strand of barbed wire on the field that bordered with her cattle. Loaded horse and drove off. He came from a yard with barely any turnout and knee deep mud and was going to a nice dry private yard with acres of turnout and nice new stables.
 

frostyfingers

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Age, height, colour, sex (yes, I've seen ads where these have all been left off) essential. Brief history of what it's done while you've had it. TBH they all say good with farrier, load, clip etc so not sure that they're especially helpful. Most important - decent photographs - side on, head on and from the back. If you include video then show it trotting up on a hard surface and possibly being jumped. Cut any of the sentimental stuff and stick to the facts. When I was selling mine I had a crib sheet so that when people rang I didn't miss anything. Be open and helpful regarding viewings - I rang about a horse and in the end there were so many times they couldn't make a viewing that I'd seen and bought another before the first appointment they could keep (over a week after I rang in response to the ad).
 

Peter7917

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It doesn't put me off but I do find it funny when people use the term 'stunning' to describe your average joe horse. It seems that everything is stunning if you look through horse adds.
 

FDLady

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"POA" - wont even bother to read the advert, like in a shop; if it isnt listed then you either cant afford it or theres something not quite right.
"No Timewasters" - does asking a question and not liking the answer really make you the bad person?
First person for example "My names teddy and i love cuddles..."- this just irritates me so i give up reading.
Breeding - obviously if there is good breeding then its nice to know but if it isnt anything to note then why spell it out? Why do i want to know the name of a stallion nobodies heard of of no real promise?
Size/Age/Breed - these are basic things that should be right. My mare turned out to be 4 years older than her advert when i went to view her; thankfully she was still in the age boundaries i had set myself so this didnt effect me but if she had been older i would have been swayed possibly as i probably wouldnt want to re-back her.
"Selling due to *** injury (not this horse)".... - if the horse for sale isnt concerned then i dont want to know as it sounds again like your hiding something.
"No Novices" - why? I've been around horses since i was very little but this still makes me question the reasoning; is the seller hiding something? By all means this is something to put down if its true but an explanation would be more helpful eg No novices as can be strong to handle

This might just be me personally but id rather have a long advert that is honest and states the negatives than have to do a 101 question session to find out things that weren't initially apparent - your more likely to find a buyer who is more genuine this way as know what they are getting themselves into. eg my mare cant be turned out with others.
 

TuscanBunnyGirl

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HOYS potential...pretty sure everything now has HOYS potential...
I went to see a horse for a client that apparently had done a bit of everything and was 'ready to go' and was suitable for the less experienced rider..turned up to a horse that was constantly windsucking, very ribby with a massive belly and very grumpy. Got on him, he was crippled in both front feet and very nappy. Client wanted to have a sit anyway...horse then bolted across a field with him bucking...oh dear.
 

lrw0250

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Need gone ASAP
Loads of potential - when horse is in late teens
Any of the ones on Dragon Driving that start "Here she is boys, you know this filly..." etc.
Only for sale due to lack of time then states may swap or part exchange
 
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