OMG Someone coming to see horsie!

R

reindeerlover

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 March 2010
Messages
1,305
Visit site
I advertised my horse yesterday and someone wants to come see him today! I am a bit panicked as I hate riding in front of people and I don't have very good facilities and always feel a bit...well... scruffy....

She sounds really nice but I'm sure that she will look down her nose at me and I'll end up gabbling and spouting nonsense. I will try to get my OH to ride the horse for me so that he goes well and I don't have to worry about my shocking riding on top of everything else but does anyone have any words of wisdom/support/ridicule for me??

:o
 
well if someone has rung up this quick then your ad must be good. therefore if you completely fluff it up there will be more people to come. just think of this as a practice run, relax & get on with it
 
hehe - thats exactly the feeling I have when someone has viewed mine in the past!

If you do feel uncomfortable with them and they are snotty people - their prob not the people for your horse, I'd only sell to someone I liked and felt comfortable with :)

Hope it goes well, I've had mine advertised for a week now with no takers :(
 
I agree with Sally - must be a good add/nice horse for someone to have rung up so quick :). And I'm sure your shocking riding is less shocking than my shocking riding...

Now let's see, words of wisdom... 'Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines'.

:)
 
Thanks everyone and I particularly like the Weasle advice! Yes, the horse is fantastic and reasonably cheap with awesome pictures and frankly can sell himself without me even there but I ALWAYS worry that I may not have told the whole truth (I have but you know what I mean) and people will get angry and shout or sneer at the horse or worse, he behaves completely unexpectedly and bolts/bucks me off/shies at leaves or something....

I'm hyperventilating as I type, poor horse he won't know what's wrong with me and more likely to buck me off anyway! Oh jeebus, why do I do this to myself??
 
I had the same feeling. I ended up paying a friend of the yard to do it for me as she can overcome anything.

Mind you, that wasn't the hardest part - actually preparing to say goodbye is the killer.
 
Right then, stop panicking.:D

If people have got their heads screwed on they will want w/t/c on both reins and a pop over a jump maybe from you that's all. However you ride the horse is irrelevant, if they are interested they will ride it and get a feel of what it is capable of, they may feel that their riding isn't up to scrutiny either and be just as worried about what you think;)

As for facilities, or feeling scruffy. Forget it. They are buying the horse, not your property;) I have bought some brilliant animals from incredibly shabby yards, and seen some pretty mediocre ones come out of shiny yards, makes no difference to me what a place looks like.

Sure, pretty up your horse, clean your tack, tidy up the yard, but a field will do for riding in as far as I am concerned, that's all my buyers get offered, and a toddle up the road of course. If someone didn't want my horse because my barn floor needs sweeping or the kittens/dogs/goat have chucked hay about then tough, their loss, not mine. ;)

Horses go differently for different people, when I am buying as long as it is sound, doesn't bronc, or beggar off back to the barn everytime it gets to the gate then I don't care how it looks with the seller on top.

Good Luck.
 
Last edited:
They may well feel more nervous than you and be panicking that you will not let them have your horse as they can't ride for toffee... don't worry
 
I'm looking to buy at the moment and if the horse was shown in a field rather than a school and behaved itself that would be a plus not a minus in my mind. And if the rider rode less than ideally and the horse still got on with it that would make me feel more confident about getting on myself.

I'd rather that than see a horse in an indoor with a really fancy pro rider riding it. Afterall I'm not a pro so would I cope? or is it being ridden by a pro because it is a headcase???
 
i think you will find they will be as nrvous as you!!

i was terrified viewing my horses!!! dont panic - just relax at the end of the day - they have to prove themselves to YOU ! you wont sell them the horse if you dont liek them will you!? :)
 
I agree with Katt. Put yorself in the position that you were coming to view the horse worrying that some snobby Perfectionist would roll their eyes at the labels on your Jods through her designer Sunglasses. Spend more ti me imagining the viewers nerves.

It can be very depressing going to try a horse and feeling that your not up to their standard especially if vendor proceeds to give you a snotty lesson on how to ride her horse!!
 
Deep breath and you will do fine. Take your time, do everything as you would normally, answer any questions and see how it goes. I am sure it will be fine!
 
...as my very dear, and very prim and proper, Grandma used to say "don't be made to feel inadequate by anyone, ever, after all we all pass wind, and we all sit on the loo!" So, if someone makes you feel small, just picture them with their pants around their ankles!:D That generally does the trick for me;)
 
The only reason I want to see a horse ridden by someone else before I get on is to check that it's not a killer... or horribly lame. Once I've seen them wtc I just want to get on.

Blitz
 
Oh dear....

Thank you all for your wonderful advice but I'm afraid to say that one of my worries came true! The lady was lovely and friendly and we had a nice chat, the horse looked amazing and had some cuddles with us in the pen and allowed himself to be poked and prodded and patted while the mini shetland ducked in and out of the lines and the dogs ran around.

My OH got on (I wimped out..) after a few minutes of general wandering and sharpness around the mounting block (the horse, not my OH) and the *shame* of it- he wouldn't stand still so it was only after 2 circuits that he got his other stirrup. Anyway, horse went very well despite a couple of wrong leg strike offs (never does that for me, weird) and he looked really good. Lady was looking for her husand who wasn't as confident so said that he looked a bit sharp but she would try him anyway.....

Look away now if easily offended!!

Horse did ridiculous LEAP forward when her bum touched the saddle, I have no idea what happened, he has never done that before but thank dog she stayed on and managed to get her other stirrup. Hats off to her, she rode him around for a few minutes to calm down (and rode rather well I must say) but he is clearly not suitable so they left horseless :(

I'm so embarrassed, I apologised profusely and swore he never acted like that but obviously my horse had just acted like a mentaller in front of people so I would say that wouldn't I?

This is why horses are evil and I hate them all...... :mad:
 
I would say - at the risk of sounding like a fruitcake that horsie doesn't want to leave you....they are not silly you know :-)

However it is very weird that they behave like that, i went to see 4 horses in a weekend before and with every single 1 before i had even sat on them they had bucked or reared and then rider fell off......it is not as fun going to see horses as it sounds. With regards to facilities i bought my youngster out a of pitch black shed where he was running with about 15 others. so if people are genuinly interested it will not make a difference what the place is like :-) (but i am sure it is not the way you think it is....)

Good luck xx
 
Aw thanks, yes that's horses indeed wouldn't it be boring if they all acted the same? Y'know Booboos, I think he probably did, he seemed very wound up as soon as I started tacking up which is not like him. Also I hadn't ridden him for a week (I assumed I had loads of time to get him back into it before people wanted to see him!) so he was a bit out of practise. And to make things worse, OH has only ridden him once before. AND although OH is a much better rider than me, he is quite "firm" and Eric is usually ridden by girls in a more gentle way... Oh dear, if I had to keep one of the selling beasties he would be the one.

AS you had a bad weekend! Did you find one after it all?

I obviously need more work with the standing still to be mounted thing anyway, I tend to clamber on and allow him to wander off as I sort myself out but that is clearly the wrong way to go. I do wonder if the lady maybe stuck her toe in his side or kicked him while looking for the stirrup or something. Not that it excuses his monstrous behaviour of course but it might explain it a bit, he is quite sensitive.... :(
 
Oh don't worry plenty more time to find the right person!

I would make sure that you ride him regularly while you are looking to sell hime, you don't want him showing himself up, and even a saintly horse is going to be a bit fresh if he isn't ridden for a week and then when you get on everyone is tense and nervous and there are different people.

I'd ride him yourself. Getting your OH to do it will make it look to the buyer as though you are scared of the horse and will put them off. Your horse will be calmer with his regular rider too.

And get working on the standing still while being mounted thing, horses that don't are really irritating and it will put buyers off. Don't stress in front of the buyers but in between now and your next viewing be a little bit stricter with him.
 
I think they call it sod's law ? It'll come right, that just wasn't meant to be. Horses "know" if they like someone pretty damn quick. Or don't, as the case may be ! sm x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top