am I out of date re selling horses?

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trick123

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We only sell a horse occassionally but i've found recent experiences very off putting, am I old fashioned or what? We had a number of young people texting to say thay were coming to look at one we had for sale, not to find out about the horse but 'I want to come and see the horse on ... date.' Not even 'is this day convenient?'. Coupled with the fact it was after 10 'o clock at night. First of all we are particular about who buys our horses, only in the fact we wouldn't want to waste people's time if we had a plod and they wanted an eventer or vice versa.
And to cap it all when we say no, ring me first we get a very rude reply!!!
I find some people who are buying and selling horses these days very scarey indeed, and worry for the welfare of our horses and ponies, I hate legislation and paper work but sometimes I do think there is a case for people being licensed to buy or sell.
 
I feel for you i really do.
I have just tried to sell my boy and i just got loads of texts, mainly from teenagers and at silly o'clock times :mad:
So amended ad to say no texts and got no calls at all! :rolleyes:
 
trick123 said:
We only sell a horse occassionally but i've found recent experiences very off putting, am I old fashioned or what? We had a number of young people texting to say thay were coming to look at one we had for sale, not to find out about the horse but 'I want to come and see the horse on ... date.' Not even 'is this day convenient?'. Coupled with the fact it was after 10 'o clock at night. First of all we are particular about who buys our horses, only in the fact we wouldn't want to waste people's time if we had a plod and they wanted an eventer or vice versa.
And to cap it all when we say no, ring me first we get a very rude reply!!!
I find some people who are buying and selling horses these days very scarey indeed, and worry for the welfare of our horses and ponies, I hate legislation and paper work but sometimes I do think there is a case for people being licensed to buy or sell.
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You are not alone. WHY would anyone text? There should be lots of questions to be asked, plus you get a good feel from talking to someone. I always put no texts in ads.
Call me a dinosaur, but I think it is downright rude.
 
I hardly ever call people. I am a mad keen texter. However, when buying a horse even I manage to call up at a sensible time. I have too many questions to consider texting.

People are quite bonkers. Why would you want to drive out to look at a horse without even knowing if there is any chance of you wanting it?!
 
I might send an initial text to ask if the horse is still available and if so, phone to speak to the people in person. I certainly wouldn't send a text right off to arrange a viewing. I expect it's just 'horse-mad' teenagers sending wishful texts. Total wate of time for the poor seller. I really feel for you. Selling is absolutely horrid. Selling anything infact is absolutely horrid.
 
When I was looking I will admit I would text first to see if the horse was still available, and then said I will phone for more details. I think a text is less obtrusive in the first place, but I would always want a chat with the seller before I trogged over to see a horse.

I think you can find out a lot by what they don't say, too! Also, I was always perfectly honest about my (lack of) ability and knowledge and found most people very straight with me back. One or two said their horse would not be suitable, so saving a long journey and time on both parts. Best in the long-run. :)
 
I emailed quite a few when I was looking. Sometimes just to ask for more pictures as some ads had the worst pictures on! But also I could ask the questions I wanted and have a written response in case of any future problems arising!! Most people emailed back but there was a few who just ignored me.
 
i must be old fashioned too.
i think texting is rude and lazy and would always phone .
if i ever have to sell i will put no texts ,sounds a nightmare
 
irish_only said:
You are not alone. WHY would anyone text? There should be lots of questions to be asked, plus you get a good feel from talking to someone. I always put no texts in ads.
Call me a dinosaur, but I think it is downright rude.
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I don't mind a text just to ask if the horse is still available, but nothing more, I had one of those from a recent ad, replied to say yes please call for more info and heard nothing back!
 
That sort of texting is rude.

I do think its perfectly fine to text to ask if the horse is available before phoning to discuss in more detail - next time I'm looking I'll probably do this because I find it really difficult to cold call people and get really embarrassed. I'd rather check if the horse is still available and arrange a mutually convenient time to call and talk about it than call loads of people only to find they're driving, eating dinner, horse is sold etc.

I also quite like emails for the same reason, and think in this day and age its silly not to include an email address for enquiries.
 
Interesting. I am not selling horses, but I do have a stallion at stud, and actually much prefer it if breeders email me with enquiries rather than phoning.

With email, both the breeder and I can ask all the necessary questions, reply in detail, exchange photos and pedigrees and so on - and it's all there in writing to refer back to, which can be very helpful when trying to remember small details about umpteen mares!

We usually do end up talking on the phone at some stage as well, to arrange viewing dates and so on, but I have had many happy and successful relationships with breeders conducted entirely by email.

Texting is more 'casual' than email, I know - and I would not be happy doing all of this by text. But I think many people nowadays prefer to text or email first, as it is less intrusive than phoning someone. When I was 'shopping' for a colt, I always emailed first rather than phoning, if at all possible.

Do those of you selling and buying horses feel that emails are better than texts - or even as good as phone calls?
 
I've never sold a horse but as a buyer I've always phoned first as I guess in my mind I think the seller may feel I'm more serious if I speak on the phone. You can also get a "feel" for who the person is by speaking in person (and the same could be said from the sellers POV). I may ask them to email me pictures or videos and then perhaps ask more questions over an email but would always phone to arrange a viewing if I decided I'd like to see the horse. I'd never text in response to an advert but that's just me I guess.
 
I prefer it if people provide a landline or mobile number too. But if the advert is old I may text to find out if available still. I would prefer to phone with my long list of questions to be answered and agree to get a feel as to the genuine welfare concern for the horse vibe!

I suppose if its a nuisance just text back and stipulate time for them to come along and could they phone and speak to you?
 
If they are texting telling you they will view the horse at such and such a time, will they actually know where the horse is stabled? If not I'd just ignore them :)
 
i had a very similar experience recently when putting my mare out on part loan, i had a young teenager txt me asking when she could come and ride my mare, i was quite taken a back! i was like woah i dont even know who you are? i said id like to ask her abit about herself etc before i decided if my horse would be suitable and when i did ask it turned out she was totally unsuitable, i have a big strong sec D mare who is not suitable for a novice and it turned out this girl was straight out of the riding school with not alot of experience. but i couldnt get rid of her!!! i told her she wasnt suitable and she was like oh ill be fine i ride bigger horses at the riding school all the time. i tried to be nice about it and just said that i was looking for someone with more experience and she carried on to ask could she come see her the next day in the end i just had to say NO!!! nightmare!!
 
Don't sell or buy many but have to agree that a text asking if still for sale and a convient time to ring is fine, trying to arrange a viewing by text and not ringing at all is not. With my new horse I did text orginally but this was partly beacause we had heard about her from a mutual friend and she wasn't actually advertised at that point, so just sent a text saying was I interested, how I'd heard about her etc, and the old owner rang me up, had a long talk sounded v suitable and she thought we sounded ideal, tryed a day later, loved her and got 2 days later :), I do send the old owner texts letting her know how she is getting always get a reply so that's acceptable :). If however I had seen an advert I would properly ring intianally, alltho do think a quick text asking if still for sale is fine, but then some pep just don't like texting anyway, if a recent advert they will be expecting phonecalls :)
 
i also find more and more people dont answer to numbers they dont know(even when they have things for sale)!!! so a quick text lets them know who you are,
 
It's rude to text someone you don't know IMHO for the first contact, I would always phone (and I never phone after 8 at night as feel that most ppl are up at 8 but some ppl do go to bed at 9 (especially if they have to be up at 5 to muck out etc)...

BUT

I don't ask may questions on the phone - just the basics - and if that is in the advert I don't ask those. I like to see the horse before I get down to the nitty gritty as if I don't like the horse I don't need to know all the little bits and bobs - and tbh I rarely trust the answer anyway... but I like to waste as little time as possible, and will try to agree a mutually convenient time.

Teenagers as a rule are a polite bunch but I've met a lot who think it's grown up to be direct and assertive but get it wrong and come across as rude... We were all there once, they have a lot to learn but it's only when you've learnt it, you realise how much you had to learn!!

BnBX
 
vixiem said:
i had a very similar experience recently when putting my mare out on part loan, i had a young teenager txt me asking when she could come and ride my mare, i was quite taken a back! i was like woah i dont even know who you are? i said id like to ask her abit about herself etc before i decided if my horse would be suitable and when i did ask it turned out she was totally unsuitable, i have a big strong sec D mare who is not suitable for a novice and it turned out this girl was straight out of the riding school with not alot of experience. but i couldnt get rid of her!!!
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Rings a bell, from back in the day trying to find a sharer for a sharp green Welsh D. Had a novice teenage girl not only invite herself, but also her friend over to loan him! :eek: She got quite impatient when I tried to find out a little more about her, and pretty irate when I told her no, too :rolleyes: Called me a time waster, as she had organised to get a lift and rearranged plans and told all her friends she was loaning this new horse - all within the space of 48 hours after sending me an initial text asking to come and ride him that day. :eek: The advert even said over 18s only :rolleyes:
 
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debsflo said:
i must be old fashioned too.
i think texting is rude and lazy and would always phone .
if i ever have to sell i will put no texts ,sounds a nightmare
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Hmm.... what if a deaf person need to contact through the text to find out if horse is avilable.... i am deaf and own some horses i always texting never phone or whatever...
 
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