Selling a horse. When do you take the cash?

[Enfys]

This question really only applies to cash sales as I presume that cheque payments etc have cleared before the horse leaves.

So, you have sold your horse, new owners are at the yard to collect it, transport is ready, ramp is down but...do you take the money when the horse is loaded, or before?

 

[jeeve]

Before definitely

 

[Archangel]

I settle the cash the moment I arrive.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Before loading while passports and information is exchanged. Although to be honest, I wouldn't be too put out if it was after loading, as the people I've chosen to have the horses, have been pretty genuine.
But then, I've only sold a handful.

 

[vieshot]

A few weeks back a girl came to view a pony of mine, promised to leave a deposit which didn't materialise. She insisted how much she wanted the pony and asked me to find her someone to travel it....so an elderly friend volunteered for £60 to cover her time and fuel costs. So I contact the girl and let her know that yes we are happy to bring pony to her, however she would need to pay the transport costs prior to us transporting the pony an hour up the road as no deposit was left. She argues that it would cost her petrol to bring the money to me, i tell her to do a bank transfer which she says she cannot do and agrees to drive the money down. Her partner then calls me the following day telling me it doesnt make any sense for them to drive the money down because of petrol costs so can they pay me when the pony arrives, i quite agree i say, make a bank transfer, pony doesn't travel without elderly friend having been paid! Promises to send a faster payment at the bank the following morning. The next day comes and goes and no money materialises. I then receive a text from her partner saying that they have no time to go to the bank and won't have any time prior to the pony coming so I can travel her down and they will pay me everything when I get there.....erm no. I called it off at this point and they probably tell all their friends that I'm the timewaster!

 

[w1bbler]

At the point passport / receipt sorted, before loading, then it belongs to buyer & if it gets injured in their box its their problem (although if it won't load you may have to refund!)
seller delivered my last one & I paid on arrival, hadn't even given a deposit, but they had said if they didn't like my yard they'd turn straight round & take pony home, guess that would not be possible if I'd paid.

 

[be positive]

Usually before loading, if it didn't load I would refund, I expect most buyers to have insurance in place before collection but would not cancel for a couple of days after selling just in case.

 

[ShadowFlame]

In that scenario, just before loading.

I've always had horses delivered by the seller, so I've left a deposit (or offered to) and paid full amount the moment they're unloaded at my yard.

 

[tinap]

I agree with what others have said, before loading. However when we got our new mare the sellers delivered her to me (a 2 hour ish drive). She was unloaded, put in her stable & they had some alone time with her before we sorted out payment, passport & receipt. I hadn't left a deposit either but we were in constant contact over the 10 days it took between viewing, vetting & delivery.

When I sold our last one it was all done by bank transfer as he was going 4 hours away & they arranged a transport company to collect him xx

 

[SuperH]

I've nearly always trialled a horse at my place for a couple of weeks first. Thinking about it I've never given a deposit for one I've had on trial, after the trial period is up I've gone to their house with the cash and handed it over. I've never taken one back I've trialled either.

The one occasion I can recall where I was buying without trial I paid a deposit after viewing, but it then failed the vet so had it refunded.

In your situation I think I would settle the money and paperwork then load up.