Haggling over horse prices

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lcormack

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In the current climate, with everyone saying horses aren't selling, how realistic do you think the asking price is and how "cheeky" would you be in offering less?
ie a horse is advertised at £6k - what would you offer. Ditto £8k, £10k?
Is it acceptable to ask if the price is negotiable before going to see a horse?
 
I would try and haggle the price after I've seen it, if it isn't the right one then a lower price wouldn't make any difference to me. I'd offer just under what I thought the horse was worth in comparison to some of the rest of the market then I could meet in the middle and still pay what I thought it was worth. I personally don't think it's cheeky - who's pocket is the cash coming from?
 
It is impossible to say I think you get a feel for the person when you see the horse and whether they are desperate or just testing the market. I will generally offer 10 - 20% less than the price being asked unless it is clear they are not open to offers. I do know a few people that have got a lot more off than that.
 
Conversely when I sell a horse that I want a minimum of, say, £4000 for I would advertise it for £4350 or similar and expect to be haggled down to £4000 (my original price).

I suspect many people are similar.
 
In the current climate i think people expect to be haggled. I would even when the money situ is normal or at least try and get tack thrown into the price etc!!!

Its so hard to sell at the moment i'd be happy for someone to haggle the price of mine....thats if anyone ever calls!
 
I would phrase it not so much haggle but offering what the horse is worth!
How many time do you read 'has potential to go to the top!' And when you enquire what they have done to display this potential, they tell you it jumps well on the lunge !!!
I once brought a horse that was advertised for £5.500 All I can tell you was from the phone call and pics, when I arrived the two didn;t match up.
She asked if I would get on without her riding him !!! NO, NO NO was the reply. A poor stable lass got on him and he resembled a camel. (in fact i think I'm doing the camel an injustice) I then got on him and he was awful, however there was something about him that I liked.
I was being honest and told them he was worth no more that £2,200 and at that he would be a gamble !
Obviously she didn't accept it and I went on my merry way, I then got a text saying £100 more he's your! What could I say next day he was on the lorry and on his way home. I gave him a day to settle changed all his tack and haven't looked back. I have been offered numerous amounts for him, he was my bargain buy and has a home for life !
I'm not a dealer but at the same time I'm no mug, if people want to ask stupid prices for potential then I'm sorry they have to document it! I have the potential to win a marathon, but I'm never going to fulfil it !!!
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A horse is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, if I saw a horse and it matched the description given and the price was right, then I would probably pay the asking price. But some people have to be realistic in what they are selling and for how much !
 
I know someone who rang about an 8k horse, told the poeple that they wanted to spend max 2.5k. They said no way and person told them to ring her back if they changed their mind. Sure enough they got a call back the day after and got the horse for 2.5k!!!
 
I allways ask on the phone whats there best price even before going to look at horse car anything, Then when you go you start your haggerling at the revised price they gave you on the phone. normal price paid is 20- 35% off.
If you are not the type to make an offer allways say you will ring them later the same day and make an offer over the phone, that way its not so intimidating.
 
This is interesting because im trying to find myself a nice horse on a limited budget.

Ive been looking, and for a horse of a reasonable age (6-12) thats got BSJA winnings and double clears newcomers, thats sensible, bold and vice free etc. The cheapest ive seen is 3.5k and the most ive seen, well how longs a bit of string, 15k! and every price in between (5k,8k etc etc).
Ive decided from now on that i'll go and see horses that are up to 2k out of my budget, look at them and offer what they are worth.

Ive seen adverts for horses of 8k that ive thought going on whats written are worth 2.5k. I generally wouldnt ring up though as those people obviously havent cottoned on to the fact their horse isnt woth that and its interesting to see how the price drops on horses that have been advertised for a while!

It just depends on the horse and I think you should be able to tell from the person, wether they are living in cloud cuckoo land or wether they just want the horse sold!

Im looking for a house to rent at the moment and its the same with the housing market, theres still those people pricing their properties at last years price and those that have dropped their prices in line with the market and are finding tenants.
 
i would NEVER not haggle no matter what...by the same token no one i know would advertisea horse at the price they expect to get but at an asking price. same as cars
 
Know of someone recntly that offered nearly quarter of asking price and was accepted - I think you need to guage how desperate someone is to sell and assess the situation they are in.
 
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Know of someone recntly that offered nearly quarter of asking price and was accepted - I think you need to guage how desperate someone is to sell and assess the situation they are in.

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Ditto that, and hello
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If you go and look at a more expensive horse and don't think it is worth the asking price, offer what you think its worth but be prepared to walk away if they don't accept it.
Because if you dont think the horse is worth the price and you have a problem and need to sell, other people may also think its not worth what you paid.
So price the horse in your own mind as to what you think its worth offer that amount, but you must be prepared to walk away if they don't accept it. I bet you get a call or a text if you leave.
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at the same time, especially if a person is a professional seller, please dont offend or waste time by offering half the advertised price etc, obviously provided the horse has been correctly advertised!
i got really fed up of people offering 3grand for 6grand horses and then saying sorry, thats all iv got! then dont come in the first place. simple.
so now we always make it clear offers in the region of ......... only!
so id ask first, if you suspect the horse may be a little dodgily advertised, then you could make an offer!
 
I do a lot of negotiation before I even see the horse if I think it is over priced. I make it clear on the phone that the price I am aiming to pay is around £X and give the owner the choice whether to see me or not.
 
This an interesting post as we are just about to advertise a 14.2hh JA pony who has a proven track record (won £6,000) and is snaffle mouthed - and there arn't many of those about!

If people come and see her and offer daft amounts below the asking price I would not be happy, I'm afraid. I will price her realistically, however - ie not at £25,000!!!

Perhaps when people phone I should make it clear then that I won't accept offers?
 
I managed to haggle successfully with one horse, but in was buying off someone I know, and tbh they hadnt a leg to stand on, asif I hadnt of brought it off them, they would hav had noone to sell it for them as I was its only rider!!!!

Goddy they wouldnt accept any offers, they had already been offered his asking price before, but turned he people down cos they didnt like them!!
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But managed to negotiate what was within his price.
 
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I would advertise her as £XXX NO OFFERS
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Yep, could do... but that seems a bit unfriendly and negative. Maybe I'm weird but whether I like the sound of the owners from the way the advert is written will affect whether I'm encouraged to call about a horse or pony.

I had planned to put something like "Realistically priced to a good home who want a top class pony at a sensible price" (Repetition of price not good but will sort that). Bad idea? And sorry to hijack post!
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I think top class ponies are different as parents want their kids well mounted and usually have the money. Would it event? Maybe this is another avenue to add value?
 
i def think its worth haggling and ditto whats been said about people will be more willing to drop price if they are desperate to sell. BUT...personally if had (for example) 5k max to spend i would discuss this on the phone if going to view anything over 6k as wouldn't want to waste owners time and i'd be really peed off if someone came to see my horse and did that to me....but thats just my opinion...
 
I had a horse for sale and a family & friends turned up , one started comerting on one of my other horses , you know the tpye "OH I dont like his head & he's got a long back" etc They left when I started comerting about the very large ears one of her children had . dont you just love some horsey people.
 
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I had a horse for sale and a family & friends turned up , one started comerting on one of my other horses , you know the tpye "OH I dont like his head & he's got a long back" etc They left when I started comerting about the very large ears one of her children had . dont you just love some horsey people.

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Good for you!
 
I think sounding out price on phone 1st is wise. I have done this and given owner option of whether it is worth me pusuing. Conversely when selling I have found it really irritating when someone has tried the horse 2/3 X then comes out with a ridiculously low offer stating...'but thats all we can afford'. Its hardly as if you have sprung the price on them at the last moment!
 
I f i see a few horses advertised which i like, i then wait a few days to see if they have sold, if they havent i would then be straight and say what im willing to pay, before i few, especially if it was considerably less than advertised.

Dont view a horse and offer £1000s less...
 
I once phoned about a horse when no price was on the ad. I asked how much and it was £4500. I immediately told them it was above our price range. They said come and look anyway so we did. He was a super horse but I said aagin that we only had that amount of money. Theseller said she'd think about it. Two or three days late we had a call to say they accepted. I was over the moon and we had him vetted and fetched him the following weekend.
So in this case it was us being honest in what we could afford I think. And maybe the seller liked how son rode etc?
 
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