Sell now or next summer?

[jammymare]

I have a lovely 4yo mare 15.2 who I bought as a foal to be my next comp horse, but sadly is not going to be big enough for me. She had 7 weeks away being broken to the stage where she was popping a small jump happily. I wanted to keep her ticking along over winter and get her to some shows in the spring before finding her a home, but unfortunately she’d only been home hacking out 3 weeks when I had a quite serious accident. Realistically I’m going to be unable to ride for another 4-5 months and I’m pretty certain trying to restart a youngster would not be the best idea with the weakness I’ll be left with, plus I have two others to do.
Its been about 5 years since I sold a horse, and can’t decide if I should market her now in her winter woolies or wait until the spring and perhaps send her away to be restarted? But would a very green 5yo be harder to shift than a 4yo? I have my own yard so no cost implications for keeping her over winter.

 

[Upthecreek]

If you were keeping her it would do her no harm to turn her away for the winter and send her away to be restarted in the spring, but I think as you have decided to sell you’d be better off doing it now. Presumably you’ll have to pay to get her restarted and she will still cost you in feed, hay, farrier etc. over winter so actually there will be cost implications which you probably won’t get back on the selling price of a green 5 year old, unless you are able to get her out and about. Also the market is still buoyant at the moment, who knows what it will be like by spring?

 

[Merry neddy man]

By selling her now you cut your workload down by a third, during wintertime with an injury that's a big saving, if you know someone who is competent rider to show her to her best I would clip her and advertise her, a lot seem to be making good money at the moment, advertise and if she is still here in a month give her some time of till spring.

 

[scats]

I’d be tempted to sell now. The market is good at the moment, despite the time of year.

 

[jammymare]

Thanks for the responses, not what I expected. My main issue with selling now is that I don’t have any facilities at home so she would have to go on sales livery as my fields are too wet and I don’t have anyone to ride her. This is obviously a risk if she doesn’t sell as I’d then have to fork out again in the spring. But I’m not sure if anyone would want to buy a backed youngster from the field, personally I’d be a bit suspicious that something was wrong under saddle? I’ve bought in all my hay and bedding already so she’s not going to be much of a financial burden it’s just the mucking out!
She wasn’t a cheap foal, so I don’t want to give her away, but equally aware of the sink costs fallacy and she deserves to find the right home. She was first premium at the futurity as a yearling for dressage and multiple wins in hand at county level sports horse and hack classes. Any idea where to price her?

 

[Wishfilly]

Coronavirus has done strange things to the horse market- over the summer it was absolutely insane. It has slowed a little in some areas, but a nicely produced young horse is still likely to sell and quickly. This winter is likely to be tough for a lot of people, for a lot of reasons, and although it's not what usually happens, I would actually expect her to get less money/take longer to sell in the spring.

It might be worth at least talking to someone who does sales livery about the market locally and how they would price her.

Being hard hearted, it's also worth bearing in mind that over the winter she could injure herself in the field, either reducing her value or possibly making her not sellable in the spring- so keeping her over the winter could be a risk too.

 

[jammymare]

It might be worth at least talking to someone who does sales livery about the market locally and how they would price her.

Being hard hearted, it's also worth bearing in mind that over the winter she could injure herself in the field, either reducing her value or possibly making her not sellable in the spring- so keeping her over the winter could be a risk too.

I think your probably right, I need to stop making excuses - I just get so attached to my horses! But thanks

 

[Squeak]

I'd agree with selling her now and I'd have thought that the difference you'd get in price would be well worth the sales livery.

 

[shamrock2021]

I would Sell her now the market is on fire. The problem is that if you wait the uk could go into a Recession from the virus. Which would make it difficult to sell her. I completely understand how hard it is to sell a horse you love and are very attached to but you have to think realistically.

 

[ihatework]

I’d be tempted to try and sell her now but the reality might be this is difficult if you aren’t in a position to show her off. To achieve a proper price people will want to try her I’d imagine rather than buying woolly from the field, unless she is mega fancy which unfortunately at 15.2 she probably isn’t.

It’s probably worth the cost of an advert to try, market is still reasonably boyant, and also have a scour through the wanted ads. If no interest, then you have your answer and leave her in the field.

If you are going to invest in schooling/sales livery then I’d leave that investment until spring

 

[paddi22]

I'd sell her now. I know a lot of people like buying in winter, so they have low pressure time to enjoy the horse and get used to it before any competition season starts. plus you always have a risk of injury or something in a field over winter, and you are still paying for upkeep for them to do nothing but lose fitness. the economy might be a disaster in a few months, so sell now while it's strong.

 

[WandaMare]

You could just pop an advert in and see what response you get, then take it from there. If you explain the situation you might find the right buyer comes along who's happy to buy without access to facilities. It sounds as though you have enough on your plate and seeing as the market is still unusually good for this time of year it could be worth a try. It would be quite nice if the perfect partner for her came along and had the winter to get to know her, and good for her to have someone who could continue the good start she's had. An experienced buyer would see through the winter woollies so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

Wh

I have a lovely 4yo mare 15.2 who I bought as a foal to be my next comp horse, but sadly is not going to be big enough for me. She had 7 weeks away being broken to the stage where she was popping a small jump happily. I wanted to keep her ticking along over winter and get her to some shows in the spring before finding her a home, but unfortunately she’d only been home hacking out 3 weeks when I had a quite serious accident. Realistically I’m going to be unable to ride for another 4-5 months and I’m pretty certain trying to restart a youngster would not be the best idea with the weakness I’ll be left with, plus I have two others to do.
Its been about 5 years since I sold a horse, and can’t decide if I should market her now in her winter woolies or wait until the spring and perhaps send her away to be restarted? But would a very green 5yo be harder to shift than a 4yo? I have my own yard so no cost implications for keeping her over winter.

Im sure you could find someone experienced to bring her with your supervision on over the winter and early spring, maybe even take her to a few small events. A 4 year old might be easier to shift but you can sell her for more as a 5 year old who has been in work over winter and is ready to build on that foundation. She will have filled out more and once it starts to get warmer you can clip her, she will look very appealing to an experienced and keen teenager or young rider etc.
Qqq we You would likely have to pay anyone who is very experienced enough to do this, or if you are lucky find someone who will do it for the experience and to build their CV and for the riding; even for a fee as your overheads are low it could still be worth it. Sell her now and you wouldn’t be able to make that much however nice she is, plus I think the market will have settled by next spring and it’s always a better time to sell than leading to winter. At the moment there are heaps of nice horses for sale after the summer due to people not being in the same financial position, but by spring/summer things will be closer to normal I think

 

[Red-1]

If she is going to be for sale then I would sell now. She can be off to a pro yard, clipped, out to work and shown off effectively.

The market is still good, you will probably sell quite quickly and for the price you hoped for in spring. But I wouldn't delay any longer.

 

[IrishMilo]

Clip her out and get a good jockey to show her off.

 

[jenniehodges2001]

I have a lovely 4yo mare 15.2 who I bought as a foal to be my next comp horse, but sadly is not going to be big enough for me. She had 7 weeks away being broken to the stage where she was popping a small jump happily. I wanted to keep her ticking along over winter and get her to some shows in the spring before finding her a home, but unfortunately she’d only been home hacking out 3 weeks when I had a quite serious accident. Realistically I’m going to be unable to ride for another 4-5 months and I’m pretty certain trying to restart a youngster would not be the best idea with the weakness I’ll be left with, plus I have two others to do.
Its been about 5 years since I sold a horse, and can’t decide if I should market her now in her winter woolies or wait until the spring and perhaps send her away to be restarted? But would a very green 5yo be harder to shift than a 4yo? I have my own yard so no cost implications for keeping her over winter.

I think you would get more money for her if you were to sell next Spring to be honest. People are in a different mindset in Spring when everything is bright and sunny and the prospect of many months of nice weather are on the horizon. Whereas you probably won't get as much interest now when its wet, cold, dark and muddy!

 

[paddi22]

I'd stick the ad up with a price you'd be happy with and see what replies you get. there are plenty of buyers who would prefer to get a youngster that is a fairly blank slate to start from scratch with.

 

[Patterdale]

The market is mad, send her off to sales livery and she’ll go in no time.

 

[Littlewills]

She will be gone within a week of sales livery. In fact given the way the market is I'd stick an ad up now with the price you want and she will probably be gone before you get chance to send her to sales livery

 

[jammymare]

Well I’ve put an add up on Horsequest to sell from field and have been inundated with Questions and two viewings booked already. Wasn’t expecting that response and now trying hard to coordinate lifts to the yard!

 

[ihatework]

I’ve just found the advert.
It a good ad and a nice mare at a competitive price. I’m not surprised you have interest. I’m sure you will find her a nice home quickly.

 

[jammymare]

I’ve just found the advert.
It a good ad and a nice mare at a competitive price. I’m not surprised you have interest. I’m sure you will find her a nice home quickly.

Thank you, been a very long time since I’ve written an advert, think the last time was over a decade ago!

 

[9tails]

If it's Fire, she's beautiful and a steal at that price!

 

[Patterdale]

Ooh I’m curious to see the ad now!

 

[YorkshireLady]

I would be very surprised if not sold within a week!

 

[Patterdale]

Having seen the ad, she is truly lovely and the ad is so well written. I wouldn’t budge on price, she’ll be a steal for someone

 

[Merry neddy man]

Nice ad very sensible price, DONT drop lower she is a bargain she will have a new home in a week.