Selling horse

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Windy day

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Not looking to start a discussion about age etc
I have not been getting on with my boy for a while and have decided to sell him and try and get a cob type for for fun rides rather than competions
He is 17, up to date with everything but being sold from the field as has only been lunged last few weeks
Do you think there is a market for an older horses?
 
You may have better luck getting him back into work, even light work, if you can perhaps pay someone if you don't want to do it yourself. There is certainly a market out there but for a 17yo competition horse people will want to know that he's not being sold from the field as he doesn't stand up to work, or has behavioural problems, and you will sell him much easier.
 
I'd run fast and far from a 17 year old horse being sold from the field.

If it was in work and was doing the job I wanted, then that's a different conversation. Could be someone's dream schoolmaster.

If I had something dubious to bring back into work, it has to be a damned sight younger than 17, and I could not care less about the reasons given by the owner for being out of work.
 
I'd not buy one being sold from the field personally. It would put me off. I recently looked at one being sold that had 'no rider' and dubious short footage lasting seconds of it being ridden with kid gloves by what looks like a pro in a field I was sent by the seller. The advert had naff photos of it just stood around taken from very strange angles.

Same horse still for sale with an additional photo of it now, weirdly stood in a lorry. Hardly good marketing photos. No action photos whatsoever. Not what people want to see.

If you're selling an older horse I'd echo what others have said about bringing back into work, having a couple of very recent date stamped videos/photos and some relevant photos and an honest exclamation.

Don't expect too much price wise if you sell direct from the field. Good luck in your search for a new horse.
 
Windy day said:
Not looking to start a discussion about age etc
I have not been getting on with my boy for a while and have decided to sell him and try and get a cob type for for fun rides rather than competions
He is 17, up to date with everything but being sold from the field as has only been lunged last few weeks
Do you think there is a market for an older horses?
Click to expand...
When you say ‘not getting on with’ can you expand? … He likes dressage, you prefer show jumping OR he regularly decks you type stuff?
 
Burnerbee said:
When you say ‘not getting on with’ can you expand? … He likes dressage, you prefer show jumping OR he regularly decks you type stuff?
Click to expand...
He enjoys schooling, competing etc and I'm now at a place in life where I would like to do some pleasure rides
7 years ago I wanted the flash competition horse, did not have a grandson etc so had more time.
 
A flash competition horse can easily be a safe and mannerly hack, a cob on the otherhand could be a livewire,

More info needed to comment on op's dilemma fairly.









i
 
Caski said:
A flash competition horse can easily be a safe and mannerly hack, a cob on the otherhand could be a livewire,

More info needed to comment on op's dilemma fairly.









i
Click to expand...
Agree but he would not handle a sponsored ride
I want what is best for us both
If I found him the perfect home take a very small amount of money
This decision is definitely not about the money
 
Bellaboo18 said:
Why is he being sold from the field. Can't you get someone to bring him in to work?
Click to expand...
Yes I could very easily
He has not been sat in for 3 maybe 4 weeks and would be fine to be sat in after a lunge, have been lunging him
I just don't have time and as selling him at a reasonable price don't really want to put money into him to have to raise price
He is a bargain for someone
 
Windy day said:
Yes I could very easily
He has not been sat in for 3 maybe 4 weeks and would be fine to be sat in after a lunge, have been lunging him
I just don't have time and as selling him at a reasonable price don't really want to put money into him to have to raise price
He is a bargain for someone
Click to expand...
Hmm it's a huge gamble for someone. What it costs you getting him in to work you'll easily get back in his sale price.

What does he do if you don't lunge him before you get on him?
 
Windy day said:
Yes I could very easily
He has not been sat in for 3 maybe 4 weeks and would be fine to be sat in after a lunge, have been lunging him
I just don't have time and as selling him at a reasonable price don't really want to put money into him to have to raise price
He is a bargain for someone
Click to expand...
If he's really that easy and is sound, I'd contact a pro rider to ride/hack him a few times a week with you lunging or long lining in-between. In a month's time he'll be fit enough for a buyer to try properly & you'll more than make the money back you've spent on the rider.
 
Bellaboo18 said:
Hmm it's a huge gamble for someone. What it costs you getting him in to work you'll easily get back in his sale price.

What does he do if you don't lunge him before you get on him?
Click to expand...
Nothing
Just when he has been left for a few weeks I feel it's nicer for him to get a feel for tack again without a rider as well
I probably lunge for 10mins when he has been left
When in work just jump on
 
Windy day said:
Yes I could very easily
He has not been sat in for 3 maybe 4 weeks and would be fine to be sat in after a lunge, have been lunging him
I just don't have time and as selling him at a reasonable price don't really want to put money into him to have to raise price
He is a bargain for someone
Click to expand...
So if you don't have time to ride this horse, how will you have the time to ride the new one? Conversely, if you have time to lunge, you have time to ride.

But, if something has happened that has resulted in you not being prepared to ride him (and as he's an old friend), would it not be a kindness to ensure he can be ridden safely by investing a few pounds in him???

Not trying to be obtuse, just trying to understand the situation.
 
Windy day said:
Nothing
Just when he has been left for a few weeks I feel it's nicer for him to get a feel for tack again without a rider as well
I probably lunge for 10mins when he has been left
When in work just jump on
Click to expand...
Honestly, if I was buying I'd just not understand why you wouldn't get him in to work.
I'm already think there's something you're not telling us.
He's easy to get it to work, you've had him 7 years but can't spend a month working him. Paying someone would easily pay off. Why won't this horse do fun rides?
What aren't you saying?
 
Your reasoning for selling is fine and its up to you. I've been where you are and was happier with the easier horse. But please, please, please be careful. He sounds like a lovely big smart horse but a gamble and the people who buy those are dealers who flog them on the next day at a huge profit. Its definitely worth spending £500 on a couple of weeks of work and adding that to the purcahse price to give you more choice over who buys him.

The dealers send stooges with convincing stories about family homes etc so you wont always recognise them either
 
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Windy day said:
Yes I could very easily
He has not been sat in for 3 maybe 4 weeks and would be fine to be sat in after a lunge, have been lunging him
I just don't have time and as selling him at a reasonable price don't really want to put money into him to have to raise price
He is a bargain for someone
Click to expand...
I completely support your decisions for selling and please ignore anyone who doesn't, it's a lot of time and money to have a horse that doesn't suit what we would like to do and 17 is no age really.

However to counter the above, you have to remember that you know you aren't lying and you know you are trustworthy and you know the horse, whereas a potential purchaser won't know that and with buying horses there are dodgy people and dealers and scams left right and centre, so they will be taking a huge risk that you are the 1/100 that isn't trying to sell a lame/broken/nasty/unpredictable horse. I also think that if you got him back into work, you would be doing more to secure his future, as you widen the pool of people willing to take him on, and someone can then make sure they get on with him ridden and you aren't risking them then re-selling on or lumping him with a dealer.
 
It isn't just about the price.

I don't think I'm unusual in saying I would never, ever buy my own riding horse without riding it first. I think the majority of buyers looking for their own horse, to keep, would be unlikely to buy from the field.

Those who will still be interested will mostly be people who do a lot of buying and selling, as those would be less risk-averse.
 
Whilst I’m sure you’re genuine, there’s absolutely no way I’d buy a 17yo from the field, especially if the owner was telling me he’s only been out of work a few weeks, is super easy to get back up and running under saddle but that they don’t have time, despite having the time to lunge him.

Granted my boy is a lot younger (albeit also a lot greener) but he managed to have October - March off whilst I was pregnant and was still able to be pulled out of the field, tacked up and do some gentle hacking so I’m struggling to understand why you couldn’t do the same with your boy after a few weeks off.
 
I agree with everything said.

The only horse I would buy from the field would be an unbacked youngster or MAYBE a youngish horse that I was buying with a project mindset. As in with a view to sell if we didn’t click under saddle. I wouldn’t buy a 17 year old with the view of selling on if we didn’t get on so I would want to try him.
 
Selling from the field you are massively reducing the number of potential buyers (most buyers wouldn’t consider it), decreasing the value substantially and reducing the chance of the horse ending up in a suitable home. In all honesty I can’t see why any seller would do it if the horse is easy to get going again, so it’s a big red flag for most buyers.
 
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