How cheap is too cheap? Why can't I sell?

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qaz

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Hope this isn't counted as advertising - HH Admin please note that I have paid for HH advertising both online & in the mag. Haven't linked to ad as not sure if allowed!

I'm trying to sell a lovely 15.3hh 4yo TB chestnut/flaxen mare - very well bred on both sides with Champion PTP dam. She's unbroken, very well handled, good to trim, load etc. Loose schooled and jumped (neat careful jump). No hang-ups or problems. Good conformation, very straight movement, gorgeous floaty trot etc. I don't have time to start her at the moment hence I thought I'd sell her cheaply & quickly to save her going to waste as she'd make a lovely ladies eventer. I've advertised her for only £1250 but have had no response at all.

If you're looking to buy cheaply would you automatically look in the £2k + brackets and think that everything priced less than this has a problem otherwise it wouldn't be that cheap? Should I put the price up maybe?
 
she sounds lovely and id look at her if i was looking for another horse, especially at that price
ive had horses cheaper with no problems, so i dont automatically assume cheap=problem
 
Just a thought .... It maybe because she is a chestnut mare :( some people don't like them, also she is a TB so maybe you have a limited market, but she does seem a good price for what she has done.
 
Lollii said:
Just a thought .... It maybe because she is a chestnut mare :( some people don't like them, also she is a TB so maybe you have a limited market, but she does seem a good price for what she has done.
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I agree that chestnut mares have a stigma but this one is very people friendly, very social and apart from pulling the odd face when someone else has his eye on her dinner she's never shown an evil streak! I was aiming her at the eventing market because she's TB and she has surprisingly good paces for a pure TB - not far off a warmblood type of big walk & trot and a very floaty canter.

I haven't started her because from personal experience buying something that's partially started can be a nightmare if you don't know where the buttons are! I'd far rather buy something completely unstarted so that I could produce it from scratch with no hidden demons lurking!
 
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im not the biggest fan of chestnut mares myself, i do have two though :)
id far rather start a horse myself too, so i personally see that she isnt backed as a plus point

maybe consider raising your asking price and see if you get more interest (im going to see if i can find her ad, she sounds fab)
 
I love TBs and she sounds lovely but TBs are so very cheap off the track that I'm sure loads of people will think they'll just have one of those and save themselves the trouble of backing, etc... Have you got a VERY good photo for your ad and would you be able to link to a vid of her moving? I think you have to make it worthwhile for people to phone.
Good luck :)
 
PapaFrita said:
I love TBs and she sounds lovely but TBs are so very cheap off the track that I'm sure loads of people will think they'll just have one of those and save themselves the trouble of backing, etc... Have you got a VERY good photo for your ad and would you be able to link to a vid of her moving? I think you have to make it worthwhile for people to phone.
Good luck :)
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I know what you mean re the ex racers but having bought three 4yo exracers all who raced as 2yo's and hence had run their life and in need of 'retirement' by the great age of 4 I vowed never to go that route again! We got them all sound and reasonably sane again so that they could enjoy hacking homes but I think I'd rather have a TB that's strong enough and mature enough to back, work safely and stay sound for a good number of years rather than one that you need to be legged up on to before it p*sses off into the great green yonder in race mode!
 
Sadly, I think some people are willing to take that risk and it is possible to pick TBs up unraced. I was really lucky in that all of mine (bar one who had awful feet) were very sound and I've still got PF 8 years later. I did know their trainer very well though and he was always very honest about their particular foibles.
I agree that not everyone is up to taking on an OTT TB, but there are a LOT of people who a) overestimate their own skill and b) are lured by how cheap they are....
I do hope you find a lovely home for your girl :)
 
Hi,
I think that the market is a bit slow, and prices are low... I put our little pony up for sale earlier this summer, and put her at what I considred a very low price to sell. She was way cheaper than similar things on the websites. I didn't have that much interest, and was wondering if I'd put her suspiciously cheap. After a month I did sell her, and people are still ringing now! I just think that it takes time.

I personally wouldn't be put off by a chestnut mare! Perhaps it would help to send her to be backed? The thought of doing it themselves may put off people.. There would be a bigger market for a just backed 4yr old. People wouldn't have the outlay of sending a new horse to be broken...
 
I sold my pony last year, she was 8 and had done a bit but circumstances meant she had the winter off and so I sold her from the field I put her up for £995 and got no interest put her up to 1250 and got quite a few calls and sold her sometimes just a few hundred pounds makes all the difference maybe £1500 would be better?
 
She sounds too cheap. If I saw that ad I would think "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" ;) Advertise at £3000 ono and I am sure you will get calls. Make sure you have a couple of really decent pics too. I would far prefer an unbacked young horse rather than one that has been half done or worse still, done badly.
 
I don't think that's cheap, my chestnut tb mare, with a lovely nature, and fully backed was on for £1900 with all tack and rugs - people just aren't attracted to tb's, esp if they're mares - and truth be told, I fully understand why:(.

I've decided to keep her now anyway as I decided I love her too much to sell (also the self injurous bugger has just hurt herself yet again:rolleyes:), but I had not one single enquiry.
 
Have had a look on HHO online - if you're the ad for the chestnut 15.3hh 4yo mare in Berkshire, I can possibly see why you're not getting any interest. If you search thoroughbreds, £1000-£1500, you can see many backed, muscled up horses (not all have raced) for £1500. Your girly looks really sweet, but also a little lean for this time of year, which would suggest that she is one of those TBs who is a really poor doer - not ideal in a climate where the cost of feed is likely to go up etc. Look at the other pics for comparison. My TB at 4yo was so fat it was unreal, we spent the first year just trying to get the weight off, and she was living out!
 
I wouldn't be put off by her being a chestnut mare at all, she sounds lovely. Personally I would be wary because of the low price. How long has she been up for sale, maybe its just the market is a bit slow? The type of owner you are looking for is quite specific eg competent enough to take on a horse unbacked, potential competition rider etc. May just take a bit more time for the right person to call. Good luck.
 
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