Good home more important than price adds - opinions

Holding said:
I actually can see the OP's thinking - it is wasting everyone's time to go and see a horse you can't afford. I found my horse advertised at twice my budget, and I wouldn't have dreamed of just going to see him without sending an e-mail first explaining my situation and budget, and asking if it would be okay to see him anyway. Luckily for me she said yes, but I wouldn't have been at all offended if she had said no. And as a seller I'd rather know that upfront before spend my time showing you a horse only to find you can't afford it.
Click to expand...

Thats a good point to be honest and one I hadnt thought of! Personally I wouldnt dream of looking at a horse for 6k if i only had a budget of 3k but thats just me!
 
I certainly wouldn't expect to lower a price on an advert until I'd seen them ride the horse and how they were around it, so would also say a straight out no to someone who phoned and asked. Especially on a cheap horse that comes with a full wardrobe, its just a bit cheeky.

And most horses that you will buy will need new shoes in the next few weeks, so that's hardly a deciding issue. COPD is not that much of a big deal, easily managed, so again, at that price shouldn't affect the price too much..
 
Ah, well you see the phrase used to be a bit longer, its been shortened generally nowadays, it would usually have read "home more important than price, hence £800 - indicating that the price had already been lowered...
 
For a horse only worth £800 that I loved and wanted to make sure it went to the right home I wouldn't sell it anyway. I would offer a loan and then if everything worked out I would give it away. You'd soon make £800 back in avoiding the cost of keeping it. Livery, Feed, shoes, vets, wormers, etc, etc.
 
But loan horses aren't gone forever, they can come back at a drop of a hat in the middle of winter when you can't afford them to (has happened to me when I was a student)...
 
alma said:
you cant guarantee a good home surely? anyone can promise this and sell a horse on
Click to expand...

No, you can't but you can use your eyes and ears to pick up clues.
I would not sell a horse with issues, therefore I'm able to be 100% honest, and selective about who buys.
I ask for first refusal if they need to sell and the one's I've sold have gone on to great home-for-life homes. There was one exception where a lady was made redundant and I bought the horse back without even seeing him. I've also had a couple back temporarily to help out when needed, just to ensure the horses future.

I know not everyone is in the same position as me, sometimes life forces hard choices, but generally, you do the work to give the horse the best chance of a good home.
 
I sold my horse and stated on the advert 'forever home more important than price'. She was sold to first people that viewed..they took her on a month trial but bought after 2 weeks and they have stayed in touch with me about her. They love her to bits! Which to me was far more important than getting asking price-they were simply honest people looking for their next horse without a big budget and I liked them. They also had references etc. I visited my mare in her new home before accepting the sale for definite and she looked a million dollars and clearly loved it where she was.
FWIW I originally advertised her as £1800 so already a lot lower than what she was worth, and accepted £1200. That included tack..
 
I'm a bit confused, perhaps because where I am horses are far more of a business and less an emotional thing. If I was going to look at a horse I would ALWAYS expect to pay less than the asking price, even if it stated "no offers". If I was travelling far I would ask if the price was negotiable before setting off. And I frequently buy horses without vetting, and from a photo or video if I like what I see and the breeding looks right, so I think many of you are doing yourselves out of a sale by dismissing buyers out of hand.
 
I've just agreed to buy a horse (subject to vetting) with a similar situation regarding cost.

He was up for 3750, which was a bit over my budget of 3.5k, but certainly as far as i was concerned in the ball park range.

He was a very very long way away so i spoke to the sellers at length and took up references with the local pc where he had attended for the last 2 years.

The ad had said might lower price for the right home.

After talking with the family at length i asked how negotiable price was and they said they felt he was fairly priced (which i think he was!) but they liked us so as a gesture of goodwill they could drop it to 3650 but that was as low as they could go. I really liked the horse so said ok, we will make the trip to view him (ended up taking nearly 10 hours return trip due to traffic!!).

He was lovely, they were a very genuine family and he seems a wonderful pony and i hope that we will be happy with him and he'll be happy with us. They said they were pleased that he was clearly going to a home where he would have a lovely life and be adored. If he is as good as i'm hoping, and as the references have said, i will have had a bargain, even tho when i initially saw the add i honestly thought we would negotiate to 3.4/3.5k.
 
Hi thanks for the replies a few more since I was here yesterday!

I have been 120% open and honest with the seller and have been discussing him at length. I have stated the reason my budget to pay out isn't much as I would like and the home I am offering is a home for life.

My reason for being "stingy" is that I am not stingy it's in fact far from it! I have recently bought my own land with stables (which has cost me an arm and a leg! But in the long run this is an investment for me and my neds) which I have advised seller about. I took on three Shetlands last year as their owner died suddenly - I was only supposed to rehome two out of the five needng homes as another lady had said she would take two so that left three needing homes. I took the three as I couldn't leave one out I took them in fed them all winter cared for them and they now have a home for life with me. Paid to have them pass ported and microchipped etc

I also have my ISH who is now a field ornament as he sustained a fracture in his hock a few years ago but he is with me for life as I couldn't bare for him to be sold or loaned oh an my *****land who I took in some 8 years ago. So I go from 2-5 (nutter I know)

Loan horses locally don't come up often and always to stay at current yard and if they do they tend to be nutter which I am not after.

I have spoken with the seller at length about him and only made her aware of my budget before wasting her time with a viewing and my time also.

This is why I put this post up as I was interested in what other people's interpretations were of this "good home more important than price".

Thanks again I am sure I will find another horse I will be able to offer a loving forever home to some day :)
 
Lozhug, sounds like you enjoy taking 'rescue' type horses, so why don't you go to one of the rescue centres and rehome one from there? Won't cost so much and you'd be giving a nice home to an unfortunate animal thus freeing up more space for another horse in need.
 
Ok so , ive never had to respond to a good home above price ad......roll on hunt for number two lol!! Horse was not even for sale until my instructor asked the owner, it was of prime concern to them that horse went to fab home , but price reduction based on home i could offer never came into it! They met me, saw yard, asked around about me etc but paid full price, and would have paid double for him tbh as he is perfect for me! What im reading from this thread is that if people think if they can offer a great home in response to ads stating home more important they can get a good horse for a knockdown price!
 
Im in NZ but I did exactly what OP did knocked $500 off the price before I visited, was sold on pics and breeding (broodmare to break to riding horse). She is now with me and going nicely under saddle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top