So fed up! Poor BE record stopping my talented Mare selling!

opinionuk

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I am so fed up, my talented mare who is a superstar jumper, has good paces and jumps xc but still learning is not selling because of her poor BE record, I'm not selling her as an eventer but as a Allrounder because she can do all disciplines albeit stronger in Showjumping than the others

We tried eventing and for one reason or another our BE record is dire, she is an awesome showjumper but her record shows she's never been clear, yet she is great usually, I got lost in dressage twice which ended up with a rubbish dressage score, retired her at xc as ground was too hard and got eliminated at a fence in her first be90 towards the end of the course!

I know people will say go BS her and get a record but I want her to go to a home where she can do a bit of everything.

So annoying that because of the record it's going to be held against her forever!

Rant over! Lol
 

3Beasties

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I wouldn't necessarily think to look at a BE record if I was buying an all-rounder. Have you mentioned that she has one in her advert? If so I would probably take it out and just advertise her on her own merits. You can then bring the BE record up when you speak to them, either over the phone or face to face, which will give you the opportunity to explain why her record is dire.

Why not take her out to some unaffiliated dressage to get some good scores/sheets behind her? Also some SJ, maybe on a day ticket? (not sure if that would give you a record though).

I'd move away from the eventing route and just get her seen out and about doing the things she is good at. Word of mouth is a valuable tool and if she's good at her job and sensibly prices you should have no problem selling her.
 

opinionuk

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She has done unaffiliated dressage, unaffiliated Showjumping, xc, clinics with professional riders who love her, price at £4500 she is underpriced I was told by my trainer to put her on at £6k!
 

be positive

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People do check BE records even if you do not put it on the ad most are savvy enough to do searches once they know her name and will expect something advertised as a talented all rounder to be up to getting round a 90 at least, if she has no other affiliated record I don't think she is undervalued at £4.5k, you either need to get some decent BD scores or a BS record to make up for the BE, even PC or RC teams would be useful .
I recently sold a real schoolmaster that had done 1*s then dropped down to 90/ 100 to teach a young girl the ropes, he had a couple of 20 pens xc although had also been placed in the last 3 seasons and potential purchasers picked the record to bits at a lower price than you want, he also had BS winnings, wins at elem dressage and had hunted properly with a good pack, we did find a lovely appreciative home in the end but it took longer than I expected and mainly due to the BE record putting people off.
 

TheMule

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I would write a disclaimer in her ad- explain the blips, or say you're happy to discuss them
 

Havannah

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Have you thought about asking a professional to ride her at handful of events? There are riders who will ride her from your yard so no extra livery expenses and if she gets a couple of double clears that will negate the previous poor record. You could then re-advertise at the £6,000 you've been advised (that would also help cover any entry/ride costs you might incur). Where in the country are you?
 

Sprig

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I would say that if she is advertised as an all-rounder that most people will not look at her BE record. Just because people have told you that is why they did not want her, it does not mean they were telling the truth. It may have been an easy answer to tell you why they did not want her. I imagine if the BE record was a problem to people then they would not even make it as far as talking to you! I think at her price she is not cheap and maybe people don't think she is good value. I have just bought myself an all-rounder and had a budget of less than your mare is on for and saw plenty of horses advertised within budget (£3500 max) who had the same credentials on paper as your mare. I think for her price people are starting to want affiliated results of some sort. Sorry!
 

opinionuk

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Sorry, but why? You want to sell her, right? If she loves jumping, does it matter if she goes to a SJ home?

P
I do want to sell her but ideally I'd like her to go to a riding club home so she doesn't get stale just Showjumping, I wouldn't just sell her to anybody it has to be right for her.
 

PorkChop

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Why would she get stale showjumping? From what you say I assumed she has no BS record. Also if she is such a super jumper I would have thought it ideal.
 

PolarSkye

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I do want to sell her but ideally I'd like her to go to a riding club home so she doesn't get stale just Showjumping, I wouldn't just sell her to anybody it has to be right for her.

I get that you want her to go to the right home - and that's commendable/admirable, but I think you are being a little blinkered.

I stable my boy at a private yard with two BS ponies . . . they do flat work, hack, go team chasing and XC schooling, go to the gallops and this coming winter will go hunting. Not all SJ homes drill their horses and ponies ;).

P
 

opinionuk

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She's doesn't have a bs record as I don't particularly like it, I had to do it as it's obviously part of eventing but she loves it so I guess it would be ideal
 

TarrSteps

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I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here, since you have brought the subject up . . .even for an all rounder that record would make me go hmm. I've been looking at ads and horses for a couple of people in that price range and there are horses with at least completions at 90, even 100 in that group. That might be their limit but at least it suggests the horse will be able to do that much for the rider. The bad dressage scores wouldn't worry me particularly but the non completions would as it would make me think the horse isn't honest or isn't sound. It's all very well to say it's "you" but most people looking for horses like that are probably not super ambitious/advanced and will think if the horse doesn't do it for you, who knows her well, she probably won't do it for a new rider of the same level.

Why is it unreasonable for people to want to see proof of her reliably doing the job you are promoting her to do? Reliability is the prime quality for an all round/RC type.

One option is to simply promote her as a SJ/dressage prospect on her success in those areas. That seems the most sensible. I don't get your point about sj'ers being a "bad home" especially for a horse that jumps well. Frankly, I think that's quite a narrow view and not borne out by fact.

If you are convinced that XC should be part of her demonstrable skill set then I would suggest getting good video of her schooling at 90/100 with someone who ISN'T a pro or at least who doesn't look like an upper level jockey brought in to get the horse around at any cost. Then put a photo from that, over something substantial, on her ad. If people call then you can explain the situation then.

No one is saying you should sell her somewhere that isn't good for her. Of course not. But promoting her to her strengths and cementing her skills is only going to HELP her get a good home, with someone who wants her for her strengths.
 
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Jesstickle

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Most people looking for an all rounder absolutely WILL Google the horse's name. It is a fact of life. It's one of the best and worst things about the internet all wrapped up in to one thing. I would say I am an all-rounder type buyer. I don't want to do anything affiliated particularly but I would google any horse I was looking at and if it looked likely to not get round a 90 I would be wondering why! All rounder doesn't mean the person buying doesn't want to jump more than 60cm after all! Not trying to be snippy OP, I think it is just a fact of life.

I think all you can do is explain to people that if they look her up her record doesn't look great BUT that it is like it for a reason!


EDIT: cross posted with TS who says exactly what I said much better than I did!
 

Cowpony

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People may be using her BE record as a convenient excuse. When I was looking I was usually honest but how do you tell somebody you hated their horse on sight without being rude? Or that you couldn't put your finger on it but just felt you didn't click? It's easier to say something more "acceptable".
 

opinionuk

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Yes I guess that could be the case, but I can't get the viewings for her, only had one person come and see her even though she's advertised in a few places, the reason they didn't want her is when she jumped her she nearly fell off and felt over horsed!
 

glamourpuss

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I agree with Tarr steps & Jesstickle TBH I'd expect a good 'all rounder' to get around a BE90 no problem at all.
Yes, a sketchy set of results would put me off as a buyer. Sorry
 

PorkChop

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The problem is that she has not shown from her BE record that she is capable of going clear around an 80 or 90 showjumping course either. If you really need to sell her I would try dropping the price and see if you get more enquiries.
 

Jesstickle

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What is she like as a person?

I just sold a decidedly ordinary horse for nearly that much on the basis that he is an absolute rock of an animal. If she is an easy hack and easy to showjump and easy to take out and about/ load etc I would play up that part rather than the talent part. Everything is 'talented' when it comes to selling. I think for most people buying that kind of horse (certainly for me) easy is as important as talented.

I'm competent but not talented. I want a nice, helpful horse that is willing and willing to forgive my idiocy. I want something I can leave for a few days when work is mad and get back on without fear of death. I need something which loads reasonably well and which I can clip without needing six other people present. If she is that kind of horse than make much of those qualities because they are worth a lot to people like me!
 
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opinionuk

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The problem is that she has not shown from her BE record that she is capable of going clear around an 80 or 90 showjumping course either. If you really need to sell her I would try dropping the price and see if you get more enquiries.

This is what I'm trying to say she is regularly competing Showjumping 80, 90 and 100 clear but her be record says different about her ability, this is the point I'm trying to make :)
 

ihatework

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A BE90 is the same as BRC Novice team stuff - prime allrounder material and if a horse isn't completing a BE90 they aren't really much of an allrounder!! Your comment 'it might make it worse' about getting someone else on horse to have a couple of runs and repair record does not fill me with confidence either!!

When selling a horse you have to be really objective about them. You are currently looking to buy an eventer, the one you currently own isn't doing the job but it doesn't necessarily mean she can be palmed off on someone as an 'allrounder'.

Think about her good points. Is she uber safe out hacking / non spooky / able to do sponsored rides safely? That type of horse always sells if marketed correctly.
 

ihatework

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This is what I'm trying to say she is regularly competing Showjumping 80, 90 and 100 clear but her be record says different about her ability, this is the point I'm trying to make :)

Well get her out BS then!!
Get some proof that she showjumps well.
Get some qualifications to the unaff champs like cricklands
 

Cowpony

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The problem is that she has not shown from her BE record that she is capable of going clear around an 80 or 90 showjumping course either. If you really need to sell her I would try dropping the price and see if you get more enquiries.

Maybe you are falling between two stools? When I was looking for an allrounder/RC Horse I would have been put off by a horse that was affiliated because I didn't want to do affiliated competitions and I think there are all sorts of complicated rules about what/how many unaffiliated competitions such a horse can do. But somebody looking for an affiliated horse would probably want to specialise in one area, rather than wanting an allrounder.

This is speculation as I've still not affiliated so I'm just throwing it out there for others better qualified to comment.
 

opinionuk

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Well get her out BS then!!
Get some proof that she showjumps well.
Get some qualifications to the unaff champs like cricklands

She's qualified for cricklands and trailblazers already, but I never went as SJ not my cup of tea maybe I'm just marketing her wrong and should just put her up as SJ and try to explain the be record :)
 
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