Selling a horse..advice..

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seabiscuit

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I am not having any luck selling Owen ( horse in my signature) even though he is cheap.

People just wont consider buying him because he has had a back op and are being ill-advised by their muppet vets who know nothing about these operations-( I keep telling them to talk to Owen's surgeon, but they dont ) there will not be any further problems with his back in the future.It is so ridicolous because he is soo fit and healthy, well muscled etc, perfectly sound and will pass a vetting, and has not needed any physio for a year-there's not an ounce of soreness or pain anywhere in that horse- which is a lot more that can be said for most horses out there.

He has won dressage/SJ, hacks out, easy to handle etc, no vices etc, is a total gentleman, is a top show prospect what more can you ask for?

Anyway someone is offering to loan him over the winter- she sounds very good- if he were to get pointed up in his dressage ( he would win Novices tomorrow) and get some BSJA winnings and we were to readvertise him in the Spring- would he be any more sellable? Or still worth nothing just because he has had a back op? If I drop my price any more, I'm going to get all the muppets straight out of riding school wanting to buy him, and I refuse to let him go to that sort of home
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I think he would be perfect for the owner of Casper, but she has to sell Casper first (although she has someone v interested) - I love him, I would have him in a heartbeat if I had the horses at home (2 at livery is pushing it!)
 
sorry, just read post properly...
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sounds like a good idea to let him go on loan - if he starts winning people will start noticing and then you might get more interest!

personally i wouldnt put off a horse that has had a back op, id just have the back man up regulary to make sure no probs arise!
 
I think your only option is to allow him on trial for a limited term and offer a vet's certificate re his op. and it's likely effects.
I think sometimes cheap horse's scare people, we are about to advertise a stunning looking 16.2 hh chesnut gelding, he has been hanging round here as a project for a few years but he too has issues in that he was castrated at 9, is now 14 and will weave at feed time without a grill. having said that he is a smashing ride, jumps beautifully has won dressage in good company and is good in every other way.
I am loathe to advertise him at the price I want (£2500) incase like you I get idiots.
I can see why people would back off your horse and ours, but if only they actually tried them it would be better.
Ours like Owen in different circumstances would have been advertised at four times the price, but because he has those issues they are reflected in the price.
I wonder if allowing him to be used as a loan horse in a good riding centre for a couple of months would help? At least they can then agree he is sound and a total bargain..
 
Aw thank you Weezy!!
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thats just it isnt it when you dont have home land/stables- I have one other horse as well - and having the two horses at livery is just really pushing it financially now that I am at Uni
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If Casper does sell- his owner sounds lovely so tell her to come down and have a ride!
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Yeah that is what I thought, if he could get out there more then people could see him. But its not that people havent seen enough of him, he's been advertised everywhere with lots of pcis, and we have had LOADS of calls...and they are always very very interested....until we tell them about the back....
 
Thanks HH- I think you are right about the price scaring people away. I have to say I am almost tempted to put him up for £12k to just see what happens!! Then I would get the people who know enough to know that his back is not an issue! I know that they have sold a few top horses that have had these ops for big money! but those are proven horses.
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i would loan him out for winter and get some points and then it proves that his back is absolutely fine and you can still win on him and selll him in the spring with a bigger price tag!
 
If I had time for 2 in full work then I would have him in an instant, he is such a lovely horse, I cant believe he still isn't sold yet

I would be tempted to advertise him saying price on application, then you wont get people looking for a cheap horse, but you might get more knowledgeable people who wouldn't be put of by his op.
 
Would this potential loaner definately compete him?
You would be trusting her with a big responsibility in that she would effectively be producing him on to sell so if she doesn't compete him, he will be the same horse but another six months down the line and if she does, but doesn't do well, a horse with a bad record is worth less than one without a record IMO.
However, if she competes him all winter and does well with him then brill, people may give him more thought as he has stayed sound while out and about competing so they know he is in full work etc.
As I said, a big responsibility for the loaner! I would look at her record on other horses etc - I know you say he could win novices tomorrow but that will only be with someone who rides him well? I have seen people who ride lovely at home and get to comps and just sit there like a blob!!! Lots to investigate when choosing someone if you do loan him out!

I agree that you shouldn't sell him too cheaply - people will smell a rat and there isn't one!! He looks lovely!
 
TBH with you I think the whole market is dead at the moment, and nothing will sell much now before Christmas as people just don't seem to buy at this time of year.

I certainly wouldn't re-advertise him until after xmas if you plan to up the price and if you feel you can trust the loan home this may be the best way to go.
 
I've been debating whether or not to reply to this post but have decided to as I'm pretty confident you'll take what I say in the right way, plus I have said a fair bit in PM's to you anyway.

I personally don't think you should be aiming him as a top class competition horse. In no way am I implying by saying that that he isn't capable of a decent level of dressage and/or showjumping, but I think he will be very difficult to sell into that market, and if you did manage to sell him cheaply into that market I think you would risk him being picked up by a dealer and sold on pretty quickly.

I'm pretending now I don't know the horse. On paper you have an 8yo TB, presumably raced?, no BD points or BSJA winnings and a pretty poor BE record.
With his back op and bone spavin I really cannot see a competitive rider paying good money for him. If you consider that J was given to me for free, and although he had his issues, he had both BSJA and BE winnings to his name.

In reality what you have is a stunning looking, well behaved horse that is easy to do in all ways. He is the sort of horse that a middle aged lady would like to go out on to do dressage, showing, hack, RC etc. without being in fear for her life! Yes he may be under utilised, but he would be well looked after and not stretched. This is the market I think you need to be aiming him at.

I don't necessarily think you should give him away, but when on the phone to potentil buyers I think they need to feel like you would be negotiable on the price.

As for loaning, that is a very tricky one. It would hugely depend on who to and where he was being kept. As much as I hate loans with a view to buy I think this is something you may have to consider with him, it may make people more confident about giving him a chance if they can see for themselves he will do the job for them.
 
Good points to make- yes I have said in his adverts that he could be a top class competition prospect,which is true for SJ and dressage,as that is the opinion of some professional riders, BUT I dont mean to give the impression that I only want to sell him to that kind of home. Surely saying that he has potential is not going to put a riding clubber off anyway?

I'd quite happily sell him to any rider apart from the type of person that is really hopeless- heavy seat, heavy hands-would probably wouldnt bother to get up to feed him in the mornings etc- which IMO would just be pure cruelty to sell him to that kind of person. Unfortunately its those types of people that have been coming along wanting to buy him. If I could find someone that is just at least a half decent rider then that is fine! The type of person you describe sounds wonderfull-if just one lady like that came along wanting him hell I'd probably pratically give him away! But there's been no one coming along like that. Perhaps it is because his adverts are not as well worded as they could be as you mentioned.
And of course I would negotiate generously on the price for the right person- his price is cheap anyway at the moment and it does have ono on his adverts- What I mean to say that I dont want to actually advertise him with a lower price for the fear of being bombarded by even more muppets who dont know the back end of a horse from the front.

The loan home is not for with view to buy- would be purely for someone to take him away for the winter to BD and BSJA.
 
Can you let me have a link to his add, I know someone who he sounds perfect for and their current horse is a full TB(now about 25 and semi-retired), they want to dressage and showjumping. Can't promise they won't be put off by the op but I will at least pass on his details and try and pursuade them to at least come and look!
 
Please dont think that all people looking for a cheaper horse are idiots. I have been looking for a while for a horse or pony with potential to BD but have a very small budget. This is because my extremely well bred 4 year old is under the vet and has been since March.
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As you can imagine, I am putting a vast amount of money into this horse and will have to for a while, but I am getting soooo fed up with riding for other people and having little control over what is done with the horses when I am not riding them.

I have looked for loans near me and nothing suitable has come up. I dont consider myself a muppet and have owned ridden for over 30 years and taken my 2 children through pony club.

There are lots of people out there, you just need to open your mind to all the possibilities. Good luck as I have said to you before he looks lovely
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Mickey I'm so sorry if I offended you- I certainly dont think ALL people looking for cheap horses are idiots- that would be a gross generalisation!
I am just purely speaking from experience- that is all!
 
I wasnt offended at all and I too am sorry if I came across that way.
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I just wanted to let you know that there are good homes for him out there at a lower price, or loan arrangement.

He is lovely and Im sure you will eventually find the right person to love him as much as you do.
 
When i was looking for a horse to buy, recently, before Winnie came along, I looked for Owen's Ad but couldn't find him
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Perhaps dont be afraid to advertise him cheaply and put that pot. homes to be vetted. Finnus' old owner did this, saying in ad that he was blmished and i tried him of 6 weeks before bringing him home. She did have over 100 phone calls though...

Alternatively, dont mention the back op
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Oh no!!
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You shouldve PM'ed me Finn when you couldnt find his ad! Still, am glad that you've got Winnie tho as did not want poor BB's having to resort to selling Snoop!

Anyway, thats a good idea about wording the advert like that, I'll give that a go and see what happens and hope for the best...
 
he looks lovely:) its a shame people are put off-i would possibly be interested as i wil be looking shortly, but really want to event...could i see his ad anyway:)

i feel simlarly i am being totally honest about my mares teeny things-a splint and a small sarcoid(both had since ivb had her and never been a problem) and she is 9 so you cant expect them to be perfect! But am wondering if this honesty is putting people off??!! especially maybe more inexperienced people who dont know as much as to problems..or the fact that they shouldnt be a problem if you see what i mean!!
 
Worked for Finn's old owner...Ad went something like...

Competed BE, BSJA, would make excellent dressage horse blah blah. Ideal for rider moving up from ponies. Totally sound but blemished hence £ Homes to be vetted.
 
ahh thats such a shame! the market is dead at the moment (or it seems to be!). he is such a stunning horse! if i was wanting another horse i'd be wanting him!

I'd always say that honesty is best! although my friend has been slightly dishonest about her mare but still has had nobody even phone up about her! she's been for sale about 1 month ish so still a while yet!

i'm sure someone perfect will come along and all this will be out of the window! hope it goes alright!!!
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Thanks Fran, I will PM you.
I think that you could be right about the honesty thing sadly enough!
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honestly, its not as though he has done a tendon or something, which obviously has a high risk of being damaged again.
 
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