Home more important than price

[BlackDiamond]

How often is this really true? I am soon to sell my little mare and I am very aware that there are too many unsuitable owners out there. So I was thinking, if you had someone suitable would you take considerably less for your horse than you wanted - to ensure a good home?

 

[carys220]

If I knew that the person would genuinely love and care for the horse but simply didn't have the initial outlay to pay what it was worth then I would consider this. However, you need to realise that you can't judge someone on what they say, I wouldn't like to sell to someone I didn't know in this way. In addition, you need to make sure that, if they can't afford the full price of the horse can they afford for it's upkeep and any unexpected bills that might come along.

There have been lots of stories recently about people selling their horses to what they thought were permanent loving homes, only to find them sold on for a profit a few months later. So be careful.

 

[BlackDiamond]

There is that to consider. Though I must admit when I originally bought my horse, I didnt have much capitol, but I did have credit cards and a wage etc - just not wads of cold hard cash, so vets bills got paid etc but I could never have gone out and bought a 5k horse.

I totally agree that you cannot judge people by what they say, I guess Im one of the silly trusting bunch that would probably accept it without question!!!

 

[polyphonic]

I sold my horse to someone who said it would be a home for life so I dropped the price... he was up for sale 6 months later and I bought him back for twice what I sold him for. I would stick to the price you have in mind.

 

[Nudibranch]

I wouldn't believe it at all and would want to be able to check up on the new home in future - and be able to buy my horse back if need be. A friend sold her ex-dressage mare to a man who promised a loving home, etc, etc. The horse was sold as a broodmare as she had navicular (yes, I know, wouldn't have done that myself) and literally the next afternoon she had a call from a girl asking what level she competed at. The girl had bought her at an auction as a competition horse, and the man had obviously taken her straight to the auction and left her there overnight. No doubt doped her right up with bute too....

A lot of lessons to be learn there.

 

[Maisy]

If I genuinely had to get rid of mine, I would put her on loan as I couldnt face her being sold on again and again or to unsuitable people, but then I would only ever get rid of her for financial reasons and wouldnt replace her.

I guess it would be different if I was selling to buy another.....

Its very hard....I couldnt do it!!

 

[redmerl]

My old horse is out on loan to someone as there is not enough money in the world to buy him from me. His loaners are perfect.

I had to sell my big horse as he was unsuitable for me. I let him go for less than half the money I had been offered by other buyers as I liked the lady and she promised a home for life. He is still with her and he had an injury about a year after she bought him, she has done everything possible to keep him sound and he is now a much loved garden orniment.

So I am the ultimate "home more important than price person!!

The people are there. (PS Im always skint, no wonder)!!!

 

[Grumpy Herbert]

I think stick to your price, but say that a good home is important and you would like to keep in touch. Once they are sold, at whatever price, you lose all control of their future anyway (unless you buy them back). You might as well get what your horse is worth.

I sold a cracking little Highland mare a few years ago (big mistake, I should have kept her). I kept in touch with the people I sold her to, but then they sold her on. I don't know where she is now, or what she's doing.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Jeez, its a minefield selling, but that said, surely the same could be said wether I advertise my mare for £2500 or £1500 - its not like she's worth a mint, which would hopefully separate the wheat from the chaff eh?
(is that the right saying I wonder?)

 

[carys220]

I think the dealers and so on are looking for the bargains. If you were to put the real value, or even a little higher then you would get the people who were genuinely interested in the horse. If you state that you are open to negotiation for the right owner then you wont put people off.

 

[kendra2705]

this is a good idea for both parties if you are lucky , I sold my gelding to a lovely home for life they told me, and because i knew he was such a lovely character I knew he would guarantee his future, however the lady who was lovely sadly got cancer and died two years later, but he was pledged in her will to the family and is still in the same home and with a brilliant life he is now 19, and was 7 when I sold him I had had him from a baby, this worked for him but there are so many people out there who deliberately tell you that they will keep him but cant for some reason or another or some just say they will to get a cheap horse to make a quick buck, you cannot have a say in what happens to your beloved friend once money has changed hands, my advice is let him out on loan first for a few years and you will see if they are serious and it will give them chance to fall for him , I would never sell my current horse because I feel that she isnt the easiest mount and wouldnt suit some people, and the fear of her ending up on a meat lorry is unbearable, she is so willing but would scare some people and she is stressy and lets face it people want horses for relaxation and she is definitely not that, loan first or forever ,

 

[DiablosGold]

I was given my horse for free, after loaning him for 6 months, even though his previous owner had already made a deal with a dealer for 5k, I got him because he knew he'd have a home for life (where possible) and be well treated.

My friend also got a discount on her horse of about 2k, after loaning him for a year, for the same reasons.

So it can work, but only with people you know well IMO.

 

[MagicMelon]

I haven't met many people who would damatically reduce their price to ensure the horse went to a good home, I probably would to a degree but I wouldn't knock a huge amount off since what Id put it on at is what IMO it is worth. If they couldn't afford the horse in the first place, Id probably be a little worried they may not have enough money to spoilt it I sold one of mine for under what he was worth because a good home was most important to me and I was told the home offered would be for life, they sold him on after a year! Luckily Ive kept in touch with the new owners but even so now I dont feel you can always believe someone is the perfect home.

 

[Nikiolola]

I sold my tb for a lot less than she was worth. However she needed an experianced rider and I kept getting numptys coming to see her (despite explaining she needed an experianced rider in the advert). This dragged on for months but then one lady came to see her and she got on with her so well, even though she wasn't really what she was looking for. She said she liked her but couldn't offer much because she would still want another horse, but she was perfect with her so I accepted. A year on she still has her - I saw her riding her at a show recently, so I firmly believe it was the right descision to make.

 

[luckilotti]

i actually was given 2 horses - because the owners wanted a fab home.
one is an old man, he is still full of life though but they expected no-one would want to buy him (i would have paid quite a bit for him as he is fb!)
the other was only 9, but had in the past had a few health issues, which could have resulted in vets bills mounting up to thousands in the future, hence they preferred to give her to a good home, who was prepared to treat the problem should it have reoccured, (i was the mug who said i would!) her breeding was amazing, and i could ride her and planned to breed from her, sadly though she severed a tendon and nothing could be done for her

i would have kept her for life no matter what way her health had turned.

i can see the other point though, when people say one thing and then sell on a few months/years later, but there are a few of us out there who do keep to our word, i guess you have to be a good judge of character.