I am not cut out for horse trading, have I been a cow?

corinnematthews

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Ok - this is complicated, so pay attention!
Horse is advertised.
1st person calls from a very long, long away and expresses interest but cannot come for 5 days.
2nd person aks for a view and comes 2 days before 1st potential buyer - tries and says that they will let me know.
3rd Person, comes and looks and wants to come again for a ride after, and this is the day after 2nd person has been.
Meanwhile - those from afar are in transit, staying in B&B because it is a very long way!
2nd person calls me whilst the above are in transit and says she wants it subject to vet.
Meanwhile, 3rd person comes and rides it (the evening of those from a long, long away are reaching their B&B) He says he wants to sleep on it - but then changes his mind, and offers me the full asking price then & there! And does not want the horse vetted.
However, I put off 2nd & 3rd because of the 1st viewers - and I do come clean, High risk strategy, because 1& 2 are welll P'd off as I am not offering them the horse straight away. And if 1st say no, then they might decline.....?
But happy ending for me -1st love him too and purchase - but blooming stressful. And this is a beautiful, lovely Pointer, who is 7 years old, has not got earth shattering form, but is not useless either, and wind sucks, and I was asking £2K for. 1st wants to continue racing him, 2nd dressage and 3rd hunting, not one tried to haggle on the price. He has gone to a lovely home, but I feel very guilty about the others too, would you fell guilty too? What would you have done in my position?
 
I'm with Quirky
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I have no idea what i would have done sounds very stressful to me but seems as though you were lucky to sell him to a nice home
 
Have been in this situation before. What we did is tell everyone that others are interested and coming to see the horse and we won't make a decision until everyone has seen the horse.
That way everyone knows what is going on and you can decide on the best people for your horse.
 
I think you have been amazingly honourable and totally unsuitable as a horse trader!
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Well done on finding a lovely home for your horse
 
People shouldn't faff around, buyers mess people around something ridiculous with horses cars whatever, first come first served those with the money get it if your happy to sell to them.
 
You did the right thing, But i would have taken the first offer if it was the right home (and have done in the past)
Don't feel guilty, this is horses and if it wasn't meant to be with the others , they will find the right one.
 
You sound as if you pretty much held things together but got a bit overwhelmed and felt guilty that you would be letting all but one person down.

I am sure you want the best possible home for the horses you are selling and perhaps in future if you get more than one person interested be honest and say there are several people interested and once they have all met and tried out you will make a decision about the best possible home and let them know as soon as possible. If I were a buyer and a trader told me this I would feel confident they were decent knowing they wanted what was best for the horse, not what was best for them or money talked. TBH, if viewers 1 & 2 were pissed off when you gave them an honest valid reason for holding fire on your decision they do not sound as if they are people I would be wanted to sell a horse to. First come shouldn't always mean first served, if you get my drift.

For me I don't think it would be who was first with the money on the table but who was most suitable for the horse which, it sounds to me, you have done.

No, I don't think you are a cow. I think you will make a very good reputable trader.
 
I think you are obviously a completely lovely person, and I bet the horse is too. I would've had him months ago, I'm sure, had I had the accommodation at the time. If you ever have another one like him, do let me know.
 
I do have another, and have another person from quite a distance to look at him tomorrow as well! This is due to my decison to give up pointing because I can't afford it anymore - Pending another leg scan, I may have my former pointer for loan......lovely horse, won 5 races for us, had tendon damage following his last race, in 2007/08 season (never lame) has now had a year off - if vet says don't race him again, then will want lovely loan home as a hack / hunter - could not sell this star!
 
Did the 1st people who traveled so far know about the others coming to view whilst they were on their way?
 
I think you handled it really well - not great for the buyers 2 & 3 but they dithered and you only had one horse to sell.
Much better than the first horse I fell in love with. I tried twice and said I was willing to leave a deposit 2nd time but they said no need, just to ring when I had shown my instructor the video of horse I had made. When I rang back that night to ask if I could get it vetted she agreed but was kind enough to let me know two others were also getting it vetted
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so I declined.
 
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