showing a horse to potential buyers?

[Jericho]

I am selling my horse after much heartache but I was wondering what the best approach to showing the horse to potential buyers as I have several coming over next few days.....
Would you prefer to see the horse out in field, muddy and unprepared so that you can catch them, groom, tack up and really get to know them or would you rather see them all tidy and ready to be tacked up in the stable when you turn up?

Also would you want to be left alone (within reason) with the horse for a while just to play with them and get general feel without owner looking over shoulder all the time?

Also (and last question I promise) how about letting potential buyer hack out on own - would / do you let them?

 

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

As a buyer I'd like to see the horse scruffy in the field etc and see it being caught and groomed etc. Hubby wouldn't tell you the same and nearly ran a mile when we went to see Hovis and the scruffiest, filthiest animal was stood there!
I liked having some time in the stable on my own with hovis just to see what he was like with me.

As for hacking can you borrow another horse and go with them? I'd be worried sick about an accident etc after all they don't know your horse or the horse know them.

 

[Theresa_F]

I personally would want to see them muddy and out in the field so I can see how easy they are to catch, bring in, groom etc. I would also want to tack up myself if possible and go all over with my hands, lift up feet, open mouth etc.

I would want to see them do everything they are said to do and then have a go myself and take out for a hack - I would hope that the owner would be happy that I was capable of doing so.

For me, the manners, temperament etc are most important as I am looking for a horse to have for life to be a good friend/pet that I can have fun and compete low level with rather than a competition horse.

This is what we did with Farra - tacked her up and hacked her in all three paces and on the road. We knew she was very green so did not bother with the schooling side but temperament and easy going hacking were.

 

[GinaGem]

Well i'll talk from a buyers point of view as i don't have much experience of selling.

I would want to see the horse clean in the stable/tied up when i turn up (not too concerned about whether it will be caught or not and can see this at a later date/at the end anyway).

I'd be happy for the owner to be there while a looked it over but if i took a friend and wanted to point out something i'd do this when the owner wasn't in hearing distance so maybe walk away for a minute or two. Saying that there is usually opportunity for this when the owner shows the horse being ridden.

If i hacked the horse i'd be happy for the owner to accompany me on a horse or on the floor. I'm not sure i'd let someone just wander off hacking on their own if it was my horse

 

[BroadfordQueen]

It depends on the sort of horse your selling. My horse was a performance horse, not a happy hacker, and she lives in most of the time anyway so we had her clean and in the stable for when people came to see her. However we gave them the option to tack her up themselves, and we wouldn't say no if they asked to groom her. The person who bought her wanted to see her caught, so after she had ridden her we let her out in the big field and then went and caught her again after a few minutes. We let them spend time with her if they asked, but most didn't. I let people hack her up and down the lane to show she was good in traffic, and in a big open field to show she was fine.

 

[hellspells]

I'd want to see it out in the field - see it caught and brought in etc. I'd expect to be allowed to tack up/groom if required etc.

I woould expect to be allowed to hack - but I would not expect you to leave me alone to do this - either you out on another horse or walking behind me etc.

When I got back to the yard I'd then be expecting a little time on my own to untack, and just 'see' the horse, have a good look and talk to who ever was with me, with a little but of space.

 

[oofadoofa]

I would have horse in clean and smart but not tacked up. I think you can get a good picture of a horse's temperament watching it being handled/tacked up. Let them have a good look round the horse, feel legs/pick out feet etc if they wish. I would then show the horse off to the potential purchaser in the arena/field, this will give them an opportunity to discuss the horse with anyone they have brought with them. Then let them ride the horse themselves in the arena/field. I wouldn't let them hack out on their own if poss, could you borrow a horse to go out with them for a hack?

 

[BigRed]

Personally I would expect to see the horse clean and tidy in the stable, waiting for me. I would then like to see it stood up for me and walked and trotted up. After that I'd like to see someone else ride it in a school and if I still liked it, I would ride it in the school and then I'd want to hack it out in company.

I would come back a second time to catch it for myself and handle it in the box etc.

I have been to see plenty of horses that looked pretty rough when I turned up, not trimmed, badly shod, or even loose shoes, scruffy tack and crappy saddles. It makes a bad impression and looks like the seller doesn't care.

 

[AmyMay]

I'm not sure how I'd feel if the horse was in the field to be honest.

This time of year horses can be so bloated from the grass that I would be suspicious that it was being worked on a full stomach for a reason.......

It never occured to me last year that any horse I went to see wouldn't have been ready, clean and waiting in a stable for me to view - and it's most certainly how I would present my horse if I were to sell.

 

[GinaGem]

I guess looking at the responses that maybe check with the person viewing your horse if they want to see him in the field or not!

 

[BackInBlack]

clean 1st visit - they can come again to view from the field.
tack up in front of them.
you ride your horse in front of them.
let them ride if they wished - accompanied by yourself.
time alone with horse.
time with you to check any paperwork or ask questions.
(best wishes with this hard job. also make sure YOU are happy with the buyers!)

 

[Enfys]

I ask if they would like the horse in or out, their choice.
I also ask if they want me to catch/bring in, or they do, again, their choice.
Ditto grooming or tacking up.
I answer questions of course, but tend to say "take her in the field/round pen and have a play, I will be around if you need me" and give them 10-20 minutes to themselves.

NO way on this earth, would I allow them to ride out unescorted for several reasons, the main one being that I had a friend who did just that. The horse was loaded up around the corner and 'whoosh' GONE. I would never expect to go out alone either.

 

[Sprout]

I am not bothered about seeing a horse caught in the field, on a first viewing.

I do like to be able to groom, pick out feet and tack it up myself.

I would not usually expect to be allowed to hack out alone, as long as when I hack out in company, I can go first, last etc at all paces thats normally fine for me.

Lastly, if all has gone well, I do like to be given a few minutes alone with the horse, just to think about what I have seen, and get a better idea of its character etc.

 

[tabithakat64]

I usually like to see the horse caught and tack up and groom myself. Depending on the reason for sale, I'm happy to get on first (although have been bucked and reared with and also carted when I've done this). I like to see the horse in the school jump a pole and so all three paces then see it in traffic and hack in company.

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

When I sold my horse, I made sure that she was in and clean/tidy. I led her out for the buyers to look at then put her back in the stable and left them to look at her while I got the tack.

I offered them the chance to tack her up then I rode her in the school before they mounted her. If they wanted, I took them hacking. I went out with them but took a youngster that needed a 'lead horse' so they could see my pony was a nice responsible sort! When we got back I went off to put the youngster away and left them to basically put my horse away on their own.

The people that actually bought her also came back a few days later and spent the afternoon with my pony, handling her/grooming her etc before taking part in one of my lessons in the riding school.. that way they had the chance to get to know her and I was able to help them get the best out of her.