Selling a 3 year old - best to sell backed or not started at all?

maya2008 said:
In terms of selling a 3yo who turns 3 in, for example, May 2026, it would go roughly like this:

1) Advertise unbacked in March/April (as rising 3). Possibly some interest, more as you get closer to her birth date. People will be out of hay though after this winter so your market will be more limited and she isn’t yet ‘useful’. You would probably avoid the project buyers at that age but not necessarily.

2) Advertise as 3yo unbacked in May/June. More interest as the grass comes through. If well handled, not too pricey and good conformation and temperament, you should have some choice in homes. At that point you’ll have people buying to turn away until more mature, project buyers who intend to back and sell, private homes who will back in the autumn as you would have done.

3) Advertise as unbacked in the autumn because you don’t want anyone sitting on them until 3.5yo. Might get the odd project buyer, probably will get private long term homes. People might be suspicious as to why you are not backing yourself.

4) Lightly back and sell in the autumn. Again, why lightly backed? Did it go wrong? That’s what the buyer is thinking. Then you have people wanting to sit on your lightly backed horse to try them.

5) Fully back and sell in the autumn - not a great time of year for selling. You’ll never in a month of Sundays get back what you spent on the backing.

Financially, I would choose to sell unbacked in April/May/June - whenever the grass has come through and the horse is almost or just 3. Then choose your buyer very very carefully to suit what is right for the horse.

If you’re wildly attached to the horse and money is no object I would back yourself in the autumn, turn away for the winter, bring back into work as a 4yo then advertise.
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Thanks. That's really useful. Seems like, as I thought, backing in the autumn will not be very useful unless I keep her till 4 and do the riding away bit. My gelding is booked in to go to what seems to be a really nice livery starting next week. She could go there in the spring, if I decide to keep till 4 and properly started. It will all cost a bomb, but may be worth it if I secure a good home.
 
There also a lot of people who will question if an 'older' unbacked horse is genuinely unbacked or was a tried and failed backing. Is there anything against you trying to sell now at a price you are happy with to see what is out there?

Unbacked from field would generally expect a bargain price but if well handled and prepped for life maybe someone would pay the value that should be paid. If cheap I suspect you would get chance professionals who would back and sell on quickly for much more within a month or two.
 
Marigold4 said:
Can you tell me why you say professional home? Is it that you are thinking sell in spring to a professional home to back and they would then sell on? She's only going to make 15.1 so would need a smaller rider.
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I would want a professional home so she gets a better chance of a good, solid start. They will sell her on but with good foundations in place, which will give her a better chance through life.

What you may really want is a lovely private home with capable, experienced people, who have the skills and knowledge to start her well, and who will then love her and give her a forever home. But in reality these homes barely exist any more.
 
Patterdale said:
I would want a professional home so she gets a better chance of a good, solid start. They will sell her on but with good foundations in place, which will give her a better chance through life.

What you may really want is a lovely private home with capable, experienced people, who have the skills and knowledge to start her well, and who will then love her and give her a forever home. But in reality these homes barely exist any more.
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Yes, the home you describe in your second paragraph is exactly what I am looking for! Fingers crossed one turns up when I advertise.
 
maya2008 said:
In terms of selling a 3yo who turns 3 in, for example, May 2026, it would go roughly like this:

1) Advertise unbacked in March/April (as rising 3). Possibly some interest, more as you get closer to her birth date. People will be out of hay though after this winter so your market will be more limited and she isn’t yet ‘useful’. You would probably avoid the project buyers at that age but not necessarily.

2) Advertise as 3yo unbacked in May/June. More interest as the grass comes through. If well handled, not too pricey and good conformation and temperament, you should have some choice in homes. At that point you’ll have people buying to turn away until more mature, project buyers who intend to back and sell, private homes who will back in the autumn as you would have done.

3) Advertise as unbacked in the autumn because you don’t want anyone sitting on them until 3.5yo. Might get the odd project buyer, probably will get private long term homes. People might be suspicious as to why you are not backing yourself.

4) Lightly back and sell in the autumn. Again, why lightly backed? Did it go wrong? That’s what the buyer is thinking. Then you have people wanting to sit on your lightly backed horse to try them.

5) Fully back and sell in the autumn - not a great time of year for selling. You’ll never in a month of Sundays get back what you spent on the backing.

Financially, I would choose to sell unbacked in April/May/June - whenever the grass has come through and the horse is almost or just 3. Then choose your buyer very very carefully to suit what is right for the horse.

If you’re wildly attached to the horse and money is no object I would back yourself in the autumn, turn away for the winter, bring back into work as a 4yo then advertise.
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I always aim for the Easter market, this is when I used to back them. Start as soon as there is more evening light, and aim to advertise about two weeks before, so they can be seen on the road, and have a potter down the lane. If its doesn't sell, which I have never had happen I then plan to sell before the summer school holidays.
I buy about now or just after Christmas, and hope to find something that I can buy cheaply,and store it until its ready.
 
I am the experienced amateur, allrounder home who would back them and keep them.

I wouldn’t be interested in a backed 3yr old. And would be happier with an unbacked 4yr old I could get started with. That’s what I’ve bought this year.

But appreciate that may not be financially viable.
 
Marigold4 said:
Yes, the home you describe in your second paragraph is exactly what I am looking for! Fingers crossed one turns up when I advertise.
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If my house was on market and next yeast which I can’t guarantee because lots of things need to happen for it to be, I would be seriously interested as she is just my type and my ex comp horse is well into his retirement, my little mare just hacks now and when the house is sold I will be looking for my next youngster.
 
ItIsILeclucer said:
If my house was on market and next yeast which I can’t guarantee because lots of things need to happen for it to be, I would be seriously interested as she is just my type and my ex comp horse is well into his retirement, my little mare just hacks now and when the house is sold I will be looking for my next youngster.
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It's good to know that she might be a horse people would be interested in!
 
Thanks for everyone's replies. Really useful advice and experiences. At the moment, I'm leaning towards sending her to livery with my gelding next spring and keeping her till she's 4 or selling this next spring before started and before going off to livery. Keeping her till 4 will cost me a bomb but it might be her best chance of finding a good home and not being started too early. My gelding goes off to the livery next week, all being well, so I get a chance to see if it is the right place before I give up my field and later move her as well.
 
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Traks said:
Wow sounds lovely! 🥰 I think the “started and turned away” is more to do with getting them familiar with the process then allowing them the time to develop and mature and process the whole thing. It’s not because something has gone wrong, it’s giving them some downtime to think, process and mature before properly riding etc when they are 4 5 or even 6 and physically more capable of work. Well that’s my understanding anyway! I’m no expert though!
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I think what Marigold means is that, if she were reading an advert that claimed 'started and turned away' she (and i) would be a little (i.e. a lot) suspicious that this might, in reality, mean 'we stuffed it up entirely but this makes everything sound AOK'.

Marigold, I think that if you did have the horse started and then turned away, it will depend on how your advert reads and how you sound to any potential buyer. That's what I would want to suss out if i were inquiring. (Not that I would inquire, because what I would be looking for is the safe, sane, lazy, would-rather-stand-still-than-take-off cob.
 
Lois Lame said:
I think what Marigold means is that, if she were reading an advert that claimed 'started and turned away' she (and i) would be a little (i.e. a lot) suspicious that this might, in reality, mean 'we stuffed it up entirely but this makes everything sound AOK'.

Marigold, I think that if you did have the horse started and then turned away, it will depend on how your advert reads and how you sound to any potential buyer. That's what I would want to suss out if i were inquiring. (Not that I would inquire, because what I would be looking for is the safe, sane, lazy, would-rather-stand-still-than-take-off cob.
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Yes, that's exactly what I mean - that it sounds suspicious.
 
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