Please help! Selling question, don't know what to do!

[sleepykitten]

Hi,

Due to my mare coming sound, I am selling my other horse. He is a Friesian and very sensitive. I had him advertised as suitable for a more experienced rider, and I have someone interested in him.

I have said that he is green and needs bringing on. The person is supposed to be coming to see him on Sunday but has asked if we can box him up, travel him 20 miles to a riding school he's never been to, with horses he's never met and a brand new rider, so he can have a half-hour lesson.

I know for a fact he will go to pieces.

Do you think this is a reasonable request?

The person said he had been riding for two years, then admitted he can't put a bridle on.

Please help! Don't know what to do.

 

[Kaylum]

You have already answered your own question. Say your not insured!

 

[noblesteed]

Avoid!!!! Sounds like he's either a joyrider or utterly clueless or both! Not in any way suitable to own a friesian!!!

 

[Shavings]

I dont thing that is reasonable at all! its a little out of sort if you ask me !
and i would be a little on edge about selling your horse to this person if the horse is not suitable for them, just relax and remember you want the best for the horse, if the person is not suitable , they are not suitable, the right person will come along in time chin up

 

[Spotsrock]

Not fair to pony to sell to this beginner. He needs complete school master and some stable management lessons with sound of it not a horse so sensitive it would fall apart at new place with new rider but owner present. Odd request too. If paying enough I might ask to take to a competition prior to purchase, if I had tried and liked it, but not as 1st viewing.

 

[SaharaS]

You have already answered your own question. Say your not insured!

this ...but if you are determined to sell him to them,and really can't wait for an experienced home..they need to come to you and you see how they are together and only then if they are genuine you will know and possibly then consider the lesson...personally I would be getting the instructor to accompany the buyer to you. As sinnical as i am about to sound...this sounds sooooo joy rider territory.

The only other thing that I wanted to mention, with the absolute greatest respect to anyone who rides for however little or how long, its not simply sitting/riding or having the right clothes & the cash...if they cannot put a bridle on..then they should not be buying a horse just yet! Sensitive horses particularly specific breeds (even good thick skinned more common cross bred typed ones) can soon get into pickles with inexperienced owners and then the problems begin..how are they going to recognise things like colic/laminitis etc if they are not yet experienced enough to put a bridle on...I sincerely apologise if anyone is offended by this, these are purely my views,I know we all have to start somewhere, but we are all responsible for the animals in our care & I for one would never go there...some people who sell for a business are not so attached & think of horses more as comodities but the fact you are writing this tells me that is not you & that you do care about him...I will also ad I have had a horrific saga with buyers recently & am probably just being uber sensitive as I still shudder from the ..well I can't say what I would like to call them but nutters will do! This is a good time of year to be selling as opposed to pre winter, so hang in there & a gem buyer should turn up sooner or later...best of luck!sorry if I sound in rant mode, I'm genuinely just worried for you...am breathing again now!;-)xxx

 

[be positive]

I would say this could be fair for a second trial, if the instructor wants to see it, but not a first viewing.The potential buyer is expecting you to do this but he may take one look at you riding the horse and say not what I want, leaving you wasting so much time and diesel. I would tell them to come and view at home and possibly do the trip later if they seem really keen.

 

[sleepykitten]

this ...but if you are determined to sell him to them,and really can't wait for an experienced home..they need to come to you and you see how they are together and only then if they are genuine you will know and possibly then consider the lesson...personally I would be getting the instructor to accompany the buyer to you. As sinnical as i am about to sound...this sounds sooooo joy rider territory.

The only other thing that I wanted to mention, with the absolute greatest respect to anyone who rides for however little or how long, its not simply sitting/riding or having the right clothes & the cash...if they cannot put a bridle on..then they should not be buying a horse just yet! Sensitive horses particularly specific breeds (even good thick skinned more common cross bred typed ones) can soon get into pickles with inexperienced owners and then the problems begin..how are they going to recognise things like colic/laminitis etc if they are not yet experienced enough to put a bridle on...I sincerely apologise if anyone is offended by this, these are purely my views,I know we all have to start somewhere, but we are all responsible for the animals in our care & I for one would never go there...some people who sell for a business are not so attached & think of horses more as comodities but the fact you are writing this tells me that is not you & that you do care about him...I will also ad I have had a horrific saga with buyers recently & am probably just being uber sensitive as I still shudder from the ..well I can't say what I would like to call them but nutters will do! This is a good time of year to be selling as opposed to pre winter, so hang in there & a gem buyer should turn up sooner or later...best of luck!sorry if I sound in rant mode, I'm genuinely just worried for you...am breathing again now!;-)xxx

Thank you, he is sensitive and I had thought this person was suitable, he's been really keen for ages, but now he's got me really worried! and no, I don't want to sell to anyone at any cost!

 

[juliette]

Just to be devils advocate............

Surely some of it depends on what his plans are. If he is planning on using full livery whilst he is so novice, then a lot of your concerns would be alleviated.

My first experience of horse ownership were sharing a horse with my neighbours, both of whom were extremely experienced and happy to over see me and teach me how to muck out, check I had tacked up correctly etc.....

Experience has to be gleaned somewhere, and many of us were not fortunate enough to have a horse to learn with as a child.

 

[sleepykitten]

Just to be devils advocate............

Surely some of it depends on what his plans are. If he is planning on using full livery whilst he is so novice, then a lot of your concerns would be alleviated.

My first experience of horse ownership were sharing a horse with my neighbours, both of whom were extremely experienced and happy to over see me and teach me how to muck out, check I had tacked up correctly etc.....

Experience has to be gleaned somewhere, and many of us were not fortunate enough to have a horse to learn with as a child.

He is planning on keeping him on full livery to begin with, but we have been speaking on the phone a lot and all seemed well. Everytime we have spoken to each other, i have stressed that he needs company, and hacks out well in company, but that he needs to gain confidence etc etc, and he was fine with all this, then he asks for me to take him miles down the road to a school somewhere!

 

[Vodkagirly]

There is a novice on our yard. Only started to ride in August and bought a horse in Novemeber. She is doing great, 3 lessons a week and horse was on full livery but as she learns she is doing most herself. YO rides horse as well so he has a more experienced rider and keeps an eye on feeding and the like. However she has bought a quiet, schooled horse that her instructor knew not a green horse.

 

[sleepykitten]

There is a novice on our yard. Only started to ride in August and bought a horse in Novemeber. She is doing great, 3 lessons a week and horse was on full livery but as she learns she is doing most herself. YO rides horse as well so he has a more experienced rider and keeps an eye on feeding and the like. However she has bought a quiet, schooled horse that her instructor knew not a green horse.

Its not so much that he's a novice per se, its more that i'm concerned what his expectations are of the horse.

 

[Spring Feather]

Do you have facilities to show the horse properly where you are? If not then I totally understand why a buyer would want to have the horse at a place with a school or xc course, whatever, so that they can try out the horse and see whether it will be suitable for what they are planning to do with the horse.

I have taken horses specifically to certain competitions because buyers have asked to see it competing and I'd do mostly what it takes to find the right buyer for any of my horses. I do have lots of facilities here at home however if the horse is being bought as a competition horse then I completely understand why buyers would want to see it in that environment.

My horses are good at being taken off property, even the foals are used to it so it wouldnt' be a problem for me but it sounds like your horse would not show well off property? If that's the case then I'd just tell the buyer this and say you'd rather not OR maybe you could ask him to pay the cost to board the horse at this place for a few days before the viewing so that your horse can become acclimatised to you riding him at the venue prior to the viewing.

 

[Honey08]

Be honest with him, tell him that the horse will be upset and not easy to ride in that situation, due to lack of experience. Tell him it would be better if he tried him at the horse's yard for the first time, to see how they got on, and that you would let him take him for a lesson if you thought that they got on ok...

Everybody has to learn, and if he is going down the full livery and lessons route, I wouldn't be as worried. He would be better with something less green though!

 

[indie999]

When I got my boy he didnt load well and by the time he arrived he was dripping buckets....but he is not like that at all. He rode well when I tried him etc and he took a while to settle but I think this is unreasonable request. What a cheek actually. If they tried him liked him and liveried him for a couple of weeks to see how he settled and had some lessons on him fair enough ...at their expense with hefty deposit. But I would say no.

 

[.Redmerl]

If someone wanted to buy my horse and couldn't put a bridle on, no deal, it's a very basic requirement. With regards to talking your horse to try at a riding school, no way. He should have tried your horse at your yard first, second veiwing, maybe.

 

[sleepykitten]

Thanks for the advice guys. Spring Feather, I do understand where you are coming from, but I'm not selling him as a competition horse, I'm selling him as green and needing to build up his confidence. My biggest fear is that if I do as the seller is asking, horse will go to pieces and the prospective purchaser will no longer be interested, and I have a horse that I have to start all over again with!

 

[snoopyinfrance]

I haven't read every single word of this thread so I hope I'm not reiterating what someone has already said:

You have been honest with him, told him the horse is green and needs bringing on, yes? Well, how about suggesting that you ride the horse first, at the yard where he'd like to ride him.
I know the prospective buyer wants to have a lesson so, why is he wanting to move the horse? Is he hoping for a lesson with the instructor who's going to teach him and help him with the horse? If this is the case I would assume that the instructor doesn't have much spare time and has suggested that the horse be brought to her (or him). (Not saying you have bags of time to run around after people).

I can fully understand your reservations about taking the horse to a new place but, perhaps if you rode him first, this could work. He'd have to moved home at some point after all!

If you make yourself perfectly clear and are honest you have no reason to feel bad/guilty.

At the moment he's your horse and it's your decision so if you don't think the partnership is going to work then don't sell him until you are happy with where he's going.

Sorry to bang on but you did ask for advice and this is mine, for what it's worth!! ;-))