Is getting a dealer to sell on your behalf worth it?

[Polos]

hi,

Just need a bit of advice really. I currently own 3 horses and since starting university in September I do not have the time to ride them and nor do I enjoy it as much as I just find the whole thing a bit stressful.

We are looking to downsize to 1 but currently we are not having much luck as all we seem to have attracted are timewasters. We have them advertised on horsemart (had a few calls from people on there) and on facebook. I am finding it really difficult to advertise them on facebook every day as I'm in uni 9-5 every day and have quite a heavy workload so I don't have any spare time in the evenings. My mother also works long hours too and so it is difficult for her to bump their adverts up every night. The 2 horses we have chosen to sell need to be sold by mid January for various reasons.

The adverts I believe are well written with good quality videos and pictures.

Has anyone had any experience selling with a dealer? would you recommend it? How long was it before your horses where sold?

Thankyou

 

[PorkChop]

I would use competition livery rather than a dealer.

Not sure what discipline your horses compete in, but a decent competition rider that is out and about so that the horses are being seen would be a good place to start.

If they have a good reputation this should attract the right type of buyer.

For more of an all rounder, I would be looking for a dealer that has a really good reputation and is active on facebook - I don't know whereabouts in the country you are, but for example Jack-Thomas Watson has a good rep.

 

[Red-1]

I echo the above, to have a competition rider take your horse on a selling livery, where they will be taken out competing. When we sold Betty we did this, it meant we could update Facebook ads with the fact that she would be going out, and later how she did.

She sold in 6 weeks, and she was a bit of a niche horse.

I don't know where you are or what sort of horses you have, but the yard I used was fantastic, made videos for us, let us go and take loads of photos, sorted out the viewing etc. The only stipulation was that they would only tell the truth, which was more than OK with me anyway. So, for instance, if the horse has a "fault" they will tell prospective viewers upfront, as that do not want to compromise their own reputation.

ETA - I don't use Horsemart, as I seem to get very old adverts on occasion, even if I ask for recent ones. I use Horsequest or H&H, as I find their search engines better. So, even though I am actively looking at the moment, I would likely not have seen your adverts.

 

[alainax]

Sales livery worked for me when I could no longer ride the horse. As long as you are prepared to take the hit on the price.

 

[Shay]

Looking at your mirror thread in competition and training you are seeking to sell FEI level horses with a price tag to match. A "standard" dealer will not really be the right approach (and really neither is horsemart or facebook!). You really want competition livery. Horses with this sort of price tag need a current record and to be getting out and about being seen. I entirely understand that you don't have the time to do that yourself - but if you want that sort of price tag (and assuming they are worth it) you'll need to get them to a pro rider to sell through the affiliated networks.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I think it really depends. I recently went and tried a fairly expensive horse with a BE record being sold through a dealer. I didn't think it was worth the price tag (my own horses are better schooled!) and nor did the dealer and he told me so. I tried a horse he was selling which was cheaper, yet far more quality than the other horse, with a good BS record and excellent flat work and bought him. As Shay says you need the right sort of seller for this horse and if they are selling it for you, they need all the information to do this correctly and the incentive.

Unfortunately you will take a hit on the price if you don't sell it yourself and at this time of year you'll take another hit.