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Cobbysmum

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Had a family come to look at my cob last weekend, I hadn't advertised him but was asked if I would sell by a friend and I said they could come and look. Had my doubts as although they would have a bit of support from their livery yard, they are complete novices, they didn't want to ride him but wanted to put their young daughter on without a hat or proper footwear and I refused of course. The horse is great when handled by people who know what they are doing but although he is a plod in the right hands I wouldn't describe him as a completely novice ride as he can take the mickey sometimes. In the end we couldn't agree a price so I wished them well in looking for another horse. Have had a few texts from them now asking to have him on loan with a view to buy. I honestly don't think he's right for them, and have told them so but I believe they now think I should let them have him whatever. He means too much to me just to let him go to anyone - has anyone else done something similar.
 
It doesn't sound as if they have the right amount of experience so if I were in your shoes would just say a firm NO and then not answer any calls/texts from them.
 
I stupidly once sold a horse of mine to a family with little experience, depite being told they had plenty of help on their yard. Six months later he was sold on to a dealer, all ribby and neglected as they couldnt cope with seeing to a horse properly. Luckily he was bought by a good kind owner, so all is well, but I would never do it again...
 
Just be honest, tell them that you don't consider them to have enough experience to loan or own him. End.
 
That's my biggest fear tangoharvey, I really don't have to sell him but as I am riding my daughter's horse I don't have too much time to ride him (not that he minds at all lol). He has his quirks but you can pull him out of the field, hop on and have a mosey round the countryside with no bother. I couldn't bear to have to part with him, something happen while on loan (which has happened to me before and cost me a fortune) and get a broken horse back. If one of them was knowledgeable it would be a different matter but they don't seem very sure of what they're doing. In the end it's not about money, I would have advertised and sold him before now if it was, he's a good friend and deserves the best.
 
I would not sell him to them. He is your horse, not theirs, it's up to you who you sell him to.

I had a just backed welsh, who I bought as a companion pony, and was too small for me to keep to ride. I turned down the first 3 or 4 people as they, didn't have the experience or their children, to cope with a youngster, even though he was well behaved.

As far as I am concerned, as his owner, it is my responsibility to give him the best chance for his future. The least I could do for him was make sure the home he went to had the experience to care for him properly.
 
go with your gut! Be honest with them and tell them you don't think they could handle him or simply tell them you thought about it and can't let him go
 
Don't sell him to these people! They sound incredibly naive (who would put their kid on an unknown horse and without a hat on?!!) and they are bound to get into a lot of trouble whatever horse they end up buying.

I am sure you can find him a much better home if you advertise.
 
Don't worry, I'm not selling him yet, I'm really bad at selling horses, I have promised hubby that I will get him sorted once his summer coat's come through and maybe advertise him then, but only maybe lol
 
Yes, I had to do it, as three people wanted to buy my mare and I took time to think about which would be the best home. In the end, I chose a hunting home for her and it was definately the right decision. The others I thought were too inexperienced and too pony clubbish/brattish respectively.

I would have had no qualms about not selling her to any of them had none of them been right and waiting longer for the right home.


In your case, these people aren't even offering the money up front - they could send him back, completely ruined and needing reschooling and never pay with a penny. They aren't even suggesting trial of a say two weeks with view to buy!
 
Wow, he sounds just like my cob! Safe as houses in the right hands, even a plod sometimes, but possessing a little bit of 'something else' and definitely not a first or novice horse - one of my livery yard friends calls it having 'a bit of the cobs' about them. Go with your gut feeling, if you dont need to sell then dont. If he is happy doing what you are doing with him, dont worry. Certainly dont let him go to these people, you will regret it and it will only end in tears. If you are set on selling then wait until the perfect match comes along. There are always riders wanting just what you are selling, and it would be nice to pick and choose, and see him go to a lovely home where he will be looked after and appreciated for what he is - a bit of fun.

Shame I am not inthe market for another horse - no time. He sounds like my perfect match.
 
No, you're not

You let them come out and you don'y feel happy to let him go to them, for good reasons! Your horse, you can sell him to however you want whenever you want.

If you don't really want to part with him, have you thought about part loaning him? Then he can stay with you and you have total control over everything? If he's a good boy generally then I'm sure you'd have people queueing up.
 
Thanks all, was feeling a bit like I had wasted their time. Would love to part loan him and him stay with me, the only problem being that I live in a part of the world where everyone who wants a horse has one - there are masses of horses round here. I have some lovely friends who come and hack out with me but they have their own horses too and to be honest they prefer the tb as he's got a bit more spark so cobby doesn't get used as much as he could be.
 
Think you are doing the right thing by telling them that they are not suitable.

To be fair, I was a novice in the care aspect hence why I loaned for a while. Even now, after 12 weeks I am still a worrier! He goes out to the field covered in sudocream making everyone chuckle.

If they contact you again just tell them where you stand and that you didn't wish to discuss the matter further. I would hate to think what would happen if they didn't have the support that they say they have.
 
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