Best solution for 17/18 year old?

[marion95]

I'm toying with the idea of selling/loaning my 17 year old (turns 18 in May) TB mare. She is currently on livery in Devon and I am in South Africa! She was out on loan but had to come back through no fault of her own (teenager lost interest) and because I am not in the country I couldn't find her a suitable home for loan or sale with the peace of mind I would need to ensure she was going to a good home. So I put her on rest/retirement livery although she is sound and does not need to rest!

Anyway, I don't know when I'm returning to the UK and I don't want her wasted, un-ridden for a prolonged amount of time. There is a possibility that the lady who runs the place where she is kept will look for a home for her and I trust her judgement - a good home is the most important thing.

She has done a bit of everything successfully: BE/BD/BSJA and has stunning paces. She is easy to do in every way and has no vices - she hacks alone or in company. I'd like her to have a quieter life now - she would be perfect for someone who wanted a fun hack (she is a TB so not a novice ride simply because she's quite sharp). I'm thinking she'd be perfect for a mother/daughter share or for a mother who wanted to ride out with her kids on ponies etc. Or just someone who wants a beautiful well schooled horse for hacking and dressage.

Anyway, my question is - do people want to buy this type/age of horse, or am I better to focus on loaning?

Thanks,

 

[Sheep]

I bought a sixteen year old in June last year. He is in excellent condition and was fairly 'low mileage' so he is perfect for what I need- a fun horse for low level RC type things. I think your mare sounds great and if I was looking again, age certainly wouldn't deter me, provided they were happy and sound. As I am sure you know many horses do continue at a decent level of work well into their twenties. Perhaps your girl would suit a confident teenager moving away from ponies, as a horse that they can learn from and that would also keep them on their toes, I loved sharp tb types when I was that age!

 

[Shay]

If you don't know when you'll be returning to the UK you would be better looking to sell her I'm afraid. 17/18 should be no barrier to sale now - but if you put her on loan then she'll come back to you in her mid 20's and will be nearly impossible to sell.

 

[Sparkles]

I've just sold my 17 year old pony, for quite decent money, so do not worry about her age if she's a true school master and useful type. Safe ones are always priceless.

 

[marion95]

That's good to hear. She wasn't really ridden much until she was 10 when I bought her, so she is low mileage and isn't seeming any older!

I'm just so worried about finding her a good home, but I also don't know if I'm going to be in a position to have her back any time in the next couple of years, so seems silly to keep her hanging around when someone else could be enjoying her.

Thanks for replies so far.

 

[Nudibranch]

I have just bought a 17yo, we needed a sensible hack to lead out a youngster and something my completely novice OH could ride. She is well schooled, perfectly fit and healthy, and a genuinely kind horse. So there is a market.

I would say the difficulty would be pricing her low enough to sell but high enough to put off anyone with an ulterior motive. If you trust your retirement YO to find a sensible home then fair enough. Personally I would look to loan with a view to either having her back for retirement when she's too old to ride, or pts. That way you can keep track of her and if she does end up with muppets she could return to retirement livery? Obviously more difficult being out of the country but may be the best option.

 

[Zirach]

We are specifically looking for an older horse as we would like to do some veteran showing and also would prefer something that has been there done that. Age isn't necessarily an issue with some people if the horse is fit and well.

Loaning presents its own issues, for example if you will be out of the country what happens if for some un foreseeable reason the loaner has to return the horse? You will have to try and rehome and it will be a nightmare.


I woukd expect price to reflect the horses age however but if your horse gets a good home.

If it gives you hope, the horses we have called about were all sold within a week and they were both aged between 15-18 so age isn't the be all and end all.

Good luck

 

[marion95]

Thanks Zirach, That's good to hear.

I don't care about the money, but as someone else said if you price too low it can attract dodgy people so I would need to get that right. She is stunning, so I'm sure she would attract lots of interest - I just hate the thought of her getting into the wrong hands. Ina way maybe being older is of benefit there as most people buying an older horse will not be looking to sell on quickly (I hope)?

 

[OWLIE185]

I appreciate that you are out of the country but a word of caution about loaning a horse out as a number of horses disapear each year while loaned out. You may well be better keeping the horse were it is even if not ridden as the horse is safe.
Ensure you see the original passport, driving licence, rates bill and a utility bill of the person intending to loan out the horse and photocopy them.
Also have your horse freezemarked on a part of it's body that the freezemark can be seen before loaning it out.
Also thoroughly check the place thay they intend keeping the horse at and check the horse every month.
Please see the following web site.:
www.missinghorsesonloan.webs.com

 

[Zirach]

Yep def price right or you are right could end up bring snapped up to sell on. The ones we were looking at we're smaller non tb types and they were from £1500-£2000 and were sold as being confidence givers etc good in all respects. I think that figure is about right, I would expect to see this type up for a bit more as well as safe horses come at a premium irrespective of age.

Too low a price and people either wonder what is wrong with them or buy to sell on and too expensive they may well go for something younger.

It obvs depends on what your horse has done as well. The ones we looked at which were that price had done pony club but nothing of real note.

Don't give up hope, it is a rubbish time for selling horses but the good ones are still selling

 

[marion95]

Thanks Owlie. I'm very aware of all this and when I loaned her before I did all those things and she ended up with a fab family for three years.

But this is one of the reasons I am so worried as I don't like the idea of entrusting the job of vetting a new home to someone else!