Horse ads - 7* homes

[Meowy Catkin]

I've read a few with this in and I find it a bit weird.

Surely if your star system is out of five, then a 5* home = a top quality home (what actually constitutes a top quality home is another matter of course ). So if you want a 7* home for your horse, I always think that they must logically mean seven out of ten, even if they *think* that they mean seven out of five.

So how on earth do you judge if a home is exactly a 7* home, as obviously an 8*, 9* or even a 10* home won't do?!

 

[rara007]

There are 7* hotels abroad

 

[numptynoelle]

Yes, it makes my teeth itch a bit - sort of like when people say 110%! Think the 7* rating is in response to the Burj Al Arab luxury hotel in Dubai who are (apparently) 7*, but officially 5* deluxe (or something like that!). Never seen any 6* ratings mind you!

All a bit silly really, I'd probably pay more attention to an ad with "5* home wanted, 100% perfect in all ways" than one with "7* home, 115% perfect in all ways" - the extra hyperbole is just superfluous, isn't it!

(aha, rara beat me to it, I have slow typing skills!)

 

[SmallHunter]

Add in the word "potential" and I switch off

 

[SpringArising]

The ads I find most annoying are the ones that say "Will be a great hunter, dressage or RC horse" and the thing isn't even broken in yet! Where are people getting their genuine crystal balls from?

 

[pennyturner]

Add in the word "potential" and I switch off

My favourite is the 10+ years old, won't leave the yard alone, needs experienced confident rider etc. "Potential" HOYS, 5* eventer etc, despite that only thing it's ever been demonstrably good at is pissing off it's former owners.

 

[SmallHunter]

My favourite is the 10+ years old, won't leave the yard alone, needs experienced confident rider etc. "Potential" HOYS, 5* eventer etc, despite that only thing it's ever been demonstrably good at is pissing off it's former owners.

haha yes , those are my favourites with a picture of said horse "Potential HOYS 10+ years, 150% , 7* home wanted" ,flat out asleep in a rug.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Or even better, just a photo of the horse's ears (taken by the rider).

 

[RunToEarth]

Haha, I'm horse hunting at the moment and I'm also baffled by the 7*, just like the 150% in traffic.

The one thing I am finding a bit tiresome is: no timewasters or joyriders. I mean, why bother? The likelihood of the actual timewasters reading that generic caveat and thinking "Oh damn, it says no timewasting so I mustn't go" are minimal.

 

[RunToEarth]

Or even better, just a photo of the horse's ears (taken by the rider).

I saw an advert yesterday when the only photo was an arty side shop of the rider's leg and arm and the horse's head and neck as it moved forwards. Lovely Facebook profile picture, but not something that would persuade me to drive 60miles to try a £5K horse out..

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I suppose at least this photo shows the whole pony, but if you look closely I think she may be peeing.

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/113352313/companion-pony.html

 

[Amicus]

I suppose at least this photo shows the whole pony, but if you look closely I think she may be peeing.

Do you think they'd throw in the pickup tractor and trailer?

I also hate ridiculous percentages, although maybe they think pony doesn't merit a 10/10 home but only a 7/10 good but not that good. Kindest interpretation.

 

[Gloi]

I suppose at least this photo shows the whole pony, but if you look closely I think she may be peeing.

It says she's very nervous , perhaps they had to hide behind the hedge to get a picture of her. At least you know her bladder is in working order

 

[Penumbra]

My favourite is the 10+ years old, won't leave the yard alone, needs experienced confident rider etc. "Potential" HOYS, 5* eventer etc, despite that only thing it's ever been demonstrably good at is pissing off it's former owners.

I saw one similar recently that was for a 9yo 16.2hh horse, saying "due to age and size NOT A NOVICE RIDE" despite the rest of the advert saying how wonderful the horse was in all ways.

I agree that trying to sell an older horse on potential is silly- I usually think the owners are just a bit deluded!

 

[tallyho!]

The whole timewaster thing bugs me...

If a genuine person is going horsehunting and sees 5 and buys one... well that's four people she's SPENT time going to see! I think it's really arrogant.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

What actually makes someone a time waster anyway?? :/
Adverts with no price on annoy me...I like to have an idea if I'm in with a chance of affording something.
Never seen ads for 7* homes though...that's just random lol

 

[Cobbytype]

There are a few for sale ads on Done Deal at the moment with the imaginative title 'Horse'. I guess little things like age, height, type/breed, temperament and gender are fairly irrelevant.

 

[Nessa4]

I suppose at least this photo shows the whole pony, but if you look closely I think she may be peeing.

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/113352313/companion-pony.html

You don't even have to look that closely!!

 

[Amicus]

What actually makes someone a time waster anyway?? :/
Adverts with no price on annoy me...I like to have an idea if I'm in with a chance of affording something.
Never seen ads for 7* homes though...that's just random lol

Had one recently thought I was discussing mother coming to see horse for her instead father turned up with three children all who wanted to ride him... It was literally a day trip.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

The times on this forum someone says they're trying to sell their horse. They go on to mention time wasters who have come to try their animal but haven't bought it. Why is someone who decides that the horse is not for them suddenly branded a time waster? If you actually got the other side of the story you would probably hear that the horse was not as described or has had some history/injury that the seller has not wanted to disclose.

There are many reasons why someone wants to sell their horse, the main one appears to be that they've broken it & want to pass it off on someone else. I've been looking for a horse for months & unfortunately have found this to be all too true.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Yes the 5* + home wanted usually comes with a considerably over priced horse.

As for mentioning time wasters in ads, I am sure these do exist, but how many of these horses have failed vettings?

 

[Dry Rot]

I love bad adverts.

It often means the seller hasn't a clue. But that doesn't necessarily mean that what they are selling is rubbish as well and, if it puts everyone else off viewing, that's less competition and more room to haggle!

I also like buying things that are broken but will take little to fix. The table I am writing on was £20 cheaper that identical tables in the same lot because it was "broken". It took five minutes and a 25mm nail to fix a broken hinge!

 

[RunToEarth]

The times on this forum someone says they're trying to sell their horse. They go on to mention time wasters who have come to try their animal but haven't bought it. Why is someone who decides that the horse is not for them suddenly branded a time waster? If you actually got the other side of the story you would probably hear that the horse was not as described or has had some history/injury that the seller has not wanted to disclose.

I drove a three hour round trip to view a horse who was described as 16.2 8yo allrounder. It was more like 15.3, very green and spooky and couldn't hold itself in the school. I was actually quite upset when I got home to carry on my search and saw the advert now read "Readvertised due to timewasters". If anything she wasted my time and my petrol, and she wasn't readvertising - no one withdraws an advert on the strength of a potential viewing.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Ahhh the height issue and magical measuring sticks. It's one that I have come across myself, but I had it where the horse was bigger than advertised.

I did see an ad recently for a 14.2hh, that was then updated with a 'we measured him and he's actually 15hh' and I thought good on them for correcting the info.

 

[Sameru]

here here!!

 

[Sameru]

About advertise my horse and if I'm honest, for the right price I would settle for 4*!!! I'm not selling a £20k horse so why should I assume someone who is browsing under £10k is able to offer a solarium, swimming pool and hand picked meadow grass for him to snack on!!

In another vein, he is 9yo and nothing to do with age (more low mileage and breeding) he is a competition horse and can be 'off the leg', a little spooky and therefore a Novice learning rising trot would not be suitable!!!

All in all, people can be moronic when writing adverts and expect that their ISH with no record and 'potential' is worth £10k+ come on guys... Make it £3000 and we'd have a deal!!!

 

[vam]

Ah yes the 7* homes, I could say I can give your horse this, that and the other and it could still not meet the lofty expectations of some people. Then again someone promising the earth can still abuse them. It personally puts me off as I could travel all that way, the horse be perfect and they decide that although it’s the perfect home my horsebox isn’t nice enough or something. I’ll then be a time waster I'm sure.

I have to admit horse hunting is making me want to take up a new hobby so I have backed right off for the moment. That said I still find myself scouring the ads, it’s like some sort of morbid curiosity to see what rubbish some people are spouting. Currently I have seen a few ads for average bred non-descript 7 to 11 year olds that have either no competition experience or none recordable other than the sellers word, yet because they jump 1m at home they show potential so they want 10k. I’m mean really.

On a side note I thought I had an ok budget but knew I would probably have to buy something young and green for my money as a more established, talented horse would be more pennies than I have. I keep seeing nice 6/7 year olds out jumping well ticking all the boxes for under my budget. For some reason all I think is ‘what’s wrong with it?’ possibly nothing they are just being realistic but buying makes you so cynical you can’t help but wonder.
I have seen a few wanted ads that have raised an eyebrow or 2 at times so it’s not just sellers who can be unrealistic. The amount of people wanting a quality horse, perfect in every way and jumping big stuff for under 3k is surprising.
Honestly the whole thing makes my head want to explode….

 

[Pigeon]

Or 'forever homes only'. It puts me off and I will never sell a horse, my dobbins are stuck with me. I guess if you are that worried about their future you really need to loan.

 

[misskk88]

What actually makes someone a time waster anyway?? :/
Adverts with no price on annoy me...I like to have an idea if I'm in with a chance of affording something.
Never seen ads for 7* homes though...that's just random lol

Usually the person posting! Because it is accompanied with 'might be thinking about selling', 'putting the feelers out there', '7* home only', or an ad which says it isn't a novice ride, yet their description of the horse and the photos give the impression that they are in fact the novices! I think a lot of buyers who don't really have a clue how to present themselves and their horse use these type of terms(at least that's the way it comes across to me), and will assume that someone viewing and not buying their horse is a 'time waster' when more often than not, it isn't the right horse for them, its failed a vetting, or isn't as they described etc (although I do know there are plenty of tyre kickers out there too!).

I saw an ad for a pony the other day... Lots of showing potential, 4yo, backed but unbroken, offers welcome etc... Ad was great, except the video only showed the ponies hindquarters jiggling as it trotted away from the camera, no side on movement, no photos of its head, or a picture which gave an overall idea of conformation etc!

 

[Kaylum]

I think its good that buyers actually want good homes for their horses. Not everyone can keep a horse for life due to circumstances beyond their control (nothing to do with the horse). At least they have tried their best for the horse at the time to get a good home for their much loved animal especially if you have nothing to hide from either sides.