Horse and pony sales - good or bad?

Foxy girl

Foxy girl

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I don't know what to do!!! Have been trying to sell my section A for a month or more now and not had one single call or bit of interest even though he would make a lovely second pony and is reasonably priced. A friend who has a hunter livery is taking one of her horses to an official sale (run by Hall's, in Shrewsbury) this Sat and has offered to put my pony on the lorry with her and see how he gets on (with a reserve).

I have NO experience of this kind of thing and really don't know what to do. Worst case scenario he could go for meat (unlikely surely with a reserve at a decent amount?!?) - I'm also hating the thought that he'd end up with someone cruel - but would I know he wouldn't if I sold him privately?

I need to sell him as my grazing is fast running out, I need to find something smaller for my two little ones to learn on and he is just wasted in the field.

Thoughts/advice welcome as this is unchartered territory for me! Thank you!
 
Unless fantastically bred, and beautifully produced, you will struggle even with a reserve.
If you must take him to a sale, make sure you show him at his best...IE groomed, with a haynet and water, and take someone small enough to show him off under saddle. If you can show he is a nice pony, you might attract a decent bidder.
 
In my opinion, the horse sales around us (York, Clitheroe etc.) are really not the best around. While they aren't full of meat-men, they are full of people just looking for another cheapie to add to already over-filled fields of over-worked ponies.
That, or they're people looking to buy, bring on quickly and sell on. Not a fan of auctions and sales to be honest.
 
Foxy girl said:
I don't know what to do!!! Have been trying to sell my section A for a month or more now and not had one single call or bit of interest even though he would make a lovely second pony and is reasonably priced. A friend who has a hunter livery is taking one of her horses to an official sale (run by Hall's, in Shrewsbury) this Sat and has offered to put my pony on the lorry with her and see how he gets on (with a reserve).

I have NO experience of this kind of thing and really don't know what to do. Worst case scenario he could go for meat (unlikely surely with a reserve at a decent amount?!?) - I'm also hating the thought that he'd end up with someone cruel - but would I know he wouldn't if I sold him privately?

I need to sell him as my grazing is fast running out, I need to find something smaller for my two little ones to learn on and he is just wasted in the field.

Thoughts/advice welcome as this is unchartered territory for me! Thank you!
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I went to my first horse sale in Saturday (Brightwells at Leominster). Having read all the bad reports recently I was expecting the worst.
However, I have to say that all the ponies I saw (mostly sec A's) were very well!! The cheapest went at £20 and the most at £350. Most of the ridden ponies didnt meet their reserve. On average the ones sold went at £120.
Didnt see the meatman but didnt see anyone I would like my pony to go to either but maybe I'm being very picky x
 
You will need a very low reserve on him to be sold, and my opinion is you have just as much chance of him getting a good home, than selling privately, as you never know how a private buyer will be with him when they have him.
 
Dont think i would ever sell any of mine at sales but then it really depends how desperately you need to get shot of him. Have you considered other options such as loaning or finding a share to alleviate costs and help keep him exercised while, potentially, still advertising him to sell?

I agree that you really never know who your selling a horse to be it privately or at the sales as people can always say what they want you to hear but when they get back home things may be very different.

Saying that if you send him with a reserve and he is not sold there is little loss on your part but at least you tried. However, you need to make sure it is a realistic reserve otherwise there is little point sending him in the first place :s
 
Thank you all - I really appreciate your thoughts and feedback.

My gut instinct is that I'd rather persevere and sell him privately than put him through the stress of a sale where he probably won't make his reserve.

So thanks again and I shall plod on trying to find him the right home x
 
If he is not worth very much money and you just want to get rid of him why not offer him to a riding school to loan - they often need small ponies that are reasonably behaved. If he gets on well they may agree to buy him off you for a nominal amount and he then not costing you anything to keep.
 
We have a sale local to us and would never send one myself but some people seem to use them as a way of getting interest. They bring boards of photos and information and those seem to attract more interest and never sell because the reserve is high, but they then dont turn up again at the next sale so assume that they gave out some numbers after.
If it is a nice pony would it not be better to loan through pony club site so you can have it back when yours are older?
 
If you want to sell, you want to sell and that is fine. As a buyer I'd be sceptical abt anyone selling a Sec A as 'too big' for little ones to learn on. Sure, there are smaller ponies out there but they are very quickly outgrown => more selling and hassle. Surely most children would 'grow into' a Sec A quite quickly?
 
Tickles said:
If you want to sell, you want to sell and that is fine. As a buyer I'd be sceptical abt anyone selling a Sec A as 'too big' for little ones to learn on. Sure, there are smaller ponies out there but they are very quickly outgrown => more selling and hassle. Surely most children would 'grow into' a Sec A quite quickly?
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^^^ this


I don't see how a Sec A can be too big for kiddies to learn on :confused: My grand daughter is 4 years old and is learning to ride on her Sec A. Size wise I would say she probably has another 4 years or so before she has outgrown her pony. Hopefully by then there will be anther little mite to teach to ride :D
 
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