Advertising - Timewasters

Spit That Out

Spit That Out

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 April 2010
Messages
1,364
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
I have a horse for sale at the moment and all i seem to be getting are emails asking for more photos, if I'll consider a swap or loan...

What do these people do with the photos? My advert has 3 recent photos, one of which is a side profile.

The advert clearly states FOR SALE, why do people ask if I'd consider a loan or the worse ones are he people who ask if I'd swap...I'm selling a horse because i no longer want a horse (clearly states that in the advert), why would i want to swap him for another one?

I also get people asking when they will be able to ride him...He's 2 and a half, if your asking that question, you obviously don't know anything about youngsters!!!

But i think the worst ones are when you finally get someone to turn up and they ask if they can see him working...Yes, I'll just pop up a couple of 4ft jumps, oh did you want to see his dressage moves, and he's whiz around the XC...idiots!!

If anyone wants a Shire x TB then PM me for more details...and photos!!!
 
Ive bought a horse recently and the seller was very 'off' with me when I first rang up. I almost didn't persue the matter. It turned out that she was absolutely fed up of people who wanted to loan the horse who was also clearly advertised as 'for sale'.
 
I've just advertised my pony again and am dreading the muppets who will inevitably phone up. I am actually looking to loan him so i imagine i'll have people wanting to buy him, asking ridiculous questions that just make you want to slam the phone down and then there's the people who say they'll call you back and don't, the ones who arrange to view and don't turn up and yes the ones who ask you to send photos and videos and then you never hear from them again. The joys!!!!
 
Yes there does seem to be a lot of idiots ringing about horse/ponies for sale, at least you had some time wasters. After advertising my NF youngster all I had was texts and scam emails :D
 
Last time I advertised an event bred yearling I got a girl from the local stables ringing up to see if she was suitable for hacking, sounded about 14 yrs old. Wanted to know if she could come & ride her. I very polietly said I didn't think she had enough experience for a youngster & this wasn't the kind of horse she was after. Hope she found something suitable in the end.
 
Tell me about it, we have a very talented but quirky jc mare for sale, people have offered to swop for a smaller pony when in fact she is outgrown, loan and they can pay for her weekly as they cant afford to pay it all in one go, am amazed but astounded by some peoples cheekyness but i suppose they keep hearing its a buyers market at the moment.
 
I hate the phrae 'buyers market' at the moment. Think you will take a ridiculous price just to sell. No actually, they are that price because they are beautifully bred animals who will excel in their work. I'd rather hang onto them utnil the market reflects their value than give them away. Then the buyers complain there isn't good stock on the market at the moment, wonder why, it's being kept until the right time. Added bonus is I may get to play at BE next year with the current 3 yr old if hse isn't sold.
 
My friend has just sold her horse, the problem she found with those that actually bothered to turn up was they all overated their riding ability.
Her horse was not a novice horse, the advert stated forward going scopey horse who could do well with a competant rider.

Not only did they overate their riding ability they were also extremely nervous riders so why were they looking on over horsing themselves.

She has just sold him though to a very suitable home a very good rider who will do very well on him, so don't loose heart the right buyer will come along its just how long you may have to wait.
 
I feel your pain, but I am a buyer and a friend forwarded me some details of a horse, there were three dreadful photos, one was out of focus, the other two did not tell you anything. They must have decided the photo's were great because I can see the ad on-line. This is also not a cheap horse £8k. If I saw an advert and was interested, I would not hesitate to ask for more photo's if the one's I had seen were not up to much, especially if I faced a long drive to see the animal. I have also been shown photo's that were years old. Of course you don't know that until you arrive and don't recognise the animal standing before you.
 
i have had nothing but unsuitable calls and emails. i cant seem to get rid of her. she needs an experienced rider and i just havnt had the right person call which is really frustrating because she is being wasted. :-(

i had a phonecall the other day saying im ringing up about your fifeteen point one H H mare. rather than 15.1 hands high.. you just get that gut feeling dont you.
 
I think photos are such a lottery on adverts!

What I really want is a side shot from both sides, a head on shot clearly showing thier feet and a shot from behind. I am looking for straight confirmation and I am not bothered about photos of thier shape over a jump - that might have been the one and only time they made a decent shape!! Videos of paces are really useful showing all three on both legs.

You do get some awful ones - the long distance shot where the horse is a pin prick in the distance, the out of focus ones, the ones of two horses (spot the one for sale!!) and the cute ones (head over stable door etc).

The photos are the hook to draw you in - everything else you really have to visit.
 
We have taken loads of pictures and a couple of videos of the gelding we are trying to sell - again needs a competent experienced rider but still having total beginners and numpties asking really stupid questions. Oh for a serious buyer to come and have a look.
 
Were haveing the total same thing goin on trying to sell a 10month old and a just turned 4year old.
Both are stunning arabs which is actually a major downfall in the fact people just want a pretty pony and ignore all whats written in the ad.

I understand more pictures if you are a long distance away and seeing some adverts, the pictures the seller puts up I would be a little miffed if its actually got a head or is infact a horse.

We are getting 100s of texts, one person wants to know if our filly came with tack for her 3year old daughter to do leadrein on.

Weve also had people turn up and not even want to touch as there not horsey but a palimino arab is what little bratty child wants as its a perfect barbie pony.

Backed but turned away, child turns up asking when she can jump her....??

Its very fustrating at the momment.
 
Have you tried advertising on the EGB forum or the group page for your local area? At least the buyers will be interested in conformation & trainability more than anything else.

We tried to take photos of the then 2 yr old last year. Just when we thought we had it the ginger stable cat wandered beneath her (she's an amazingling chilled tb sport horse), tail high & very in shot. Tried again, this time yapping collie made it into the frame....at least they both show she isn't phased by much I suppose, David Bailey we aren't!
 
Last edited:
I get fed up with the " will you loan" NO ELSE I WOULD OFF PUT THAT.

Or the best one I had was a tb for sale, not novice ride but could do everything with her if you were a decent rider. Who turns up????
Only a young teenage girl who wouldn't even get on her, she was shaking that much. When I said I didn't think they would be suited, being nice about it all when really I was so pissed off. The dad snaps and says " I will be the judge off that" I lost it than and told em where to go.
 
Another email tonight requesting more photos...My email isn't working, it's probably full from sending pictures!!!
Thanks for the replies, glad to see I'm not the only one with advertising issues :rolleyes:

Lets hope there are some genuine buyers out there...somewhere?
 
I actually dread selling/loaning horses.

If its not people's lack of knowledge its their lack of manners. I've lost count of the times people have promised to call back, even when they've been to see the horse, why not just say 'Sorry but he/she is not for me', is that so difficult?

When selling a yearling had a man call up who sounded fairly sensible on the phone, would eventually be for his teenage daughter. They arranged to come and see him. Daughter started talking to me via email, massive alarm bells ringing by some of the things she was saying and I called him back and told him the horse just wasn't suitable. She bought some other yearling a few weeks later and said it was wild and it kicked her, I do not know how people can sell youngsters to people like that and sleep at night. Said yearling is rising 6 now and still with me....

I think the most frustrating one for me was a really lovely 148 mare I had, she had excellent conformation, absolutely stunning, very well mannered. I'd just backed her when she got a kick in the field, long story short after box rest, surgery etc she came back into work 6 months later but I didn't have the time to work her as I was back at college. She was being ridden in walk and trot, could hack out, absolutely perfect temperament. I jumped on her and rode her straight round a massive open field after she'd been off for 6 months. Absolute angel of a pony. Advertised her at £600 as she was still unsound on the leg and needed work to get it right, vet was perfectly happy to show x-rays and give people his opinion that she would come sound with work. Advert clearly stated she was unsound hence price. I then explained to people when they called exactly what had happened to her. Yet I still had people turning up, watching me ride her then saying 'Oh well she's really stiff on that back leg' no ***** sherlock! What do they expect for £600? After about a dozen numpties coming to "try" her, finally sold her to a lovely home where she is completely sound and out winning show jumping.

I'm actually dreading advertising one of mine for share this year. I've had friends advertising green, not novice ride ponies and having people come to try then asking the owner to lead them because they're scared. People bringing their far too heavy trainers, or bringing everyone and the family dog to have a go on the pony. Nightmare.
 
I had it from a buyer's point of view last year.

One place I had the choice of either sitting on a barely backed youngster in a sloping field with other horses in it, or straight out on the road. There wasn't even anywhere safe to trot up. As I'm not a crash test dummy, I passed on that one.

Another, I was told on the phone that the horse had very good conformation. I suppose I should have smelt a rat when I asked for a conformation photo and she said she wasn't very good with emailing, as when I turned up it looked like a cut 'n' shut. I thought maybe the lady just wasn't so hot on conformation, but then she gave herself away with a comment about the conformation of another horse on the yard.
 
Would it be worth putting a video on your ad, if you can do one, and then when they ask for more photos, you can tell them to watch the bloody video! I hope you have some luck selling soon.
 
I feel your frustrations...I'm also surprised at the amount of people who have asked for me to loan my horse with a view to buy because they haven't got the funds at the moment or if they can pay in installments...If you don't have the cash then why are you looking at buying.

It's not as if I'm asking for thousands of pounds, ok, I'm not giving him away but come on buyers don't take the pi55.

I'm not selling him to the first numpty that flashes the cash. I owe him more than that but where are all the sane, sensible, knowledgeable homes?

There was a thread on here earlier asking the question of "why do you think you can give a better home to your horse" Well if the OP put a for sale ad out for their horse then they would soon realise the amount of muppets out there. I'd rather keep him than sell to some of the people who email me.

I don't mean to sound a cow bag, everyone gets the benefit of the doubt when they contact me. I'm always polite, friendly and respond to every inquiry but if i could put on here some of the messages i get, you would be in stitches!!!

I must admit i haven't had the scam email yet asking me to move money in to my back account for some deceased rich man and i get 10% but I'm sure they are on there way!!!
 
The numerous photo thing get's my goat too.

If there are already a couple of decent photo's in the advert and the horse is what you are looking for then get in your car and go and see it in the flesh then you'll know exactly what it looks like won't you.


The serial 'photo looker' is a sure sign of a dreamer or joy-rider in my experience !!
 
I feel your pain. I'm also 'supposed' to be selling one of mine at the mo,don't really want to so no helping the fact i'm getting fed up of 'away with the fairies' people,had one lady who seemed lovely,right size etc for my boy,she turned up,i rode him she got on and it quickly became clear she was vvv nervy and just froze the mintue she got on him,he isn't a hard horse to ride and has superb manners but he wouldn't of suited her as he is forward going. It clearly stated 'competant' rider needed in ad. Another lady seemed nice she came and rode him,seemed great said she really wanted him but wouldn't be getting her inhertiance money until end of april so she'd have him and then give me the money then! errr no love,want the horse, buy the horse! have countless e-mails/texts asking if i'll loan him out. I have had a offer from a lady through a friend and she has a lovely private yard,bit less money offered for what i wanted for him but she's only down the road from me and has said i can come and ride him whenever i want so am thinking about it for now but might take her up on the offer. It really has put me off selling and the fact i'll have another to sell when my mare comes back from being on loan fills me with dread,have decided buying is easier and more fun than selling! never again after these 2 go.
 
I have got so fed up trying to sell my stallion I have decided to geld him and break him to harness. Cannot take anymore numpties!!!

Whats the betting the minute his nadgers are off the perfect stud home will appear!!!
 
oh god... don't- i will have a horse to sell in a few weeks and i feel ill at the thought of all the pillocks who will be ringing up :(

my fave timewaster was a lady who had seen lots of pics of a horse i was selling plus a 30 minute DVD of him. she came to see him, i took his rug off, she said his bottom wasn't round enough and that he didn't have enough muscle under his neck....then she left. bizarre :confused:

i really hate the texters. seriously, pick up the phone and ring if you are interested! i don't mind emails, but texts annoy me :mad:
 
I really empathise :o! I advertised my horse for loan not long ago. The advert had 4 clear photos - a head shot, a side conformation shot with no tack on level ground, 1 of him jumping 1.10m and a picture of him in trot.
I must have had over 20 calls, texts and emails asking for more photos. None wanted to see anything specific - just more pictures!

I generally take the tack that these people aren't serious and are to be ignored. I'm sure it's got worse in recent times.
 
well from a buyers point of view I am starting to get really fed up with sellers who don;t respond to emails asking for photos. There is a fantastic sounding horse advertised on Horsemart, a TB who sounds as though he would suit a livery of mine, however there are no pictures at all of him, so 3 days ago I emailed asking for photos. I want decent photos so i can see his conformation and decide whether he is worth a visit. I don't want to waste time on a phone call, i want to see what he looks like. But no response at all. I even appologised for asking for photos and explained why - because I don;t want to waste anyone's time with a totally unsuitable type. If you want to sell your horse - please respond to your emails. Some of us are not timewasters and a decent photograph sometimes saves a wasted journey.
 
I really feel for you, its hard enough having to part with a friend without any added problems but it works both ways too!! Having recently advertised for a horse suitable for my beginner/novice hubby to accompany me on hacks out with my TB girls only to get replies from people that have "problem" horses they don't want!!
Rearers, gets excited in company etc, its done my head in to the point, I'm not looking anymore!
 
I know i may be taring people with a brush, your right not all buyers are time wasters and not all sellers are genuine or do the best to sell their horse but from my experience with my latest ad...

My ad is long, I've tried to put as much info about him as I'm allowed in the limited character space. Hence why i have put, email me for more info. Nobody has asked for more info, just photos? You deserve a hot chocolate and a cookie for getting to the end of my ad!!!

I have included 3 photos all taken over the last 3 months (3 is the limit you can add to the site) I've had to choose photos that are under 500gb or they don't load!!! I have put a side shot of full body, a head shot and a grazing without a rug shot...Still they want more pictures...fine, these have been sent and then i hear no more...what do these people do with the photos? They must have an album full of other peoples horses?

I have replied to every email/message sent I either don't hear from them again or i get asked if I'll consider a loan, a loan with a view to buy, if they can pay in installments, whats the lowest I'll take as they are on a budget.

I've had people turn up expecting to ride or asking to see him work...he's two and a half what work would you like to see him do? I can trot him up, show you he's not bothered by cars/traffic, he's been bitted and had a roller on. He leads, ties up outside and loves being groomed...not sure what i can show you?
I know that there are professional yards out there that have photos of 2 year olds free schooling over massive jumps but I've not pushed my youngster.

He eats, poops, runs around a field with his mates and gets tucked up in his PJ's in a stable at night. Just a typical youngster.

I'm selling due to finances, time and a new job...I'm not pulling a fast one and i explain that i just don't have the time to give to him due my new job which pays less than i used to earn before i got made redundant. It's not a sob story it's just a fact, life changes.

I appreciate that selling an unbroken horse is harder but that is reflected in the price. I'm not taking in to account his breeding, the time and money i have spent on him. I just want him to go to a nice home where he'll be pampered and loved. Taken to the top by someone who can and someone who will keep in touch to let me know how he's getting on...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top