Thoughts on selling?

Bri

Bri

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Just wondering what everyone's opinion was on this...

I've got a just turned 5 year old who has been turned away for a year to grow up and find his feet as he was very unbalanced as a 4 year old. Thanks to completely unforeseen circumstances I'm now having to sell him, which I'm gutted about as he was supposed to be my 'for life' horse! Unsure as to whether to sell him straight from the field in a few months once we hit spring, or to bring him back into work myself & then sell at the end of the summer? I know he will be 'worth' more if he's back in work, but also thinking end of summer isn't a great time to be trying to sell.

What would you all do?
 
I would say start advertising him as very green in the Spring with some reference in the ad to the fact that you will be doing work with him and obviously the more you do, the more expensive he will become. Then anyone interested has the choice of a cheaper horse that requires a lot of work or a more expensive one that doesn't need so much. With the market being as quiet as it is, don't be too disappointed if he takes a while to sell.
 
A couple of considerations; How much will it cost to keep him while you bring him on to sell ? Will it work out more than the difference in the sale price ?
And, will it give you a better chance of having more choice about the home he goes to ?
It depends on if your reasons for selling are governed primarily by finances, or if you have a deadline by which he has to be sold, and whether you need/are able to get him out competing over the summer to make his saleability better.
Even if you go for selling in the spring, I'd be tempted to get him back in work, so potential buyers can ride him at viewing.
 
Cai - ideally that's what I would have done but the unforeseen circumstances were becoming pregnant and baby's not due til end of June. So really will be looking at early/late autumn if I wait to sell. Other option is sending him away on sales livery I guess but I'd worry about where he'd end up if I wasn't involved in the selling myself.

Faithkat - I won't be disappointed if he takes time to sell as will be hard enough to see him go. Although I could probably afford to keep him I just won't have the time for him so feel it's better that he goes to a new home.
 
horserider - costs to keep him are minimal really as he is out 24/7, so cost isn't really the issue. I honestly have absolutely no idea what he'd be worth now, or after work - will need to do some research I guess as completely out of the loop with regards to the market at the moment!

He could easily come back into work now, I'm just reluctant to do it myself as I'm 5 months pregnant and not really willing to take the risk. So the other option is paying someone to bring him back into work for me - but in that case I need to work out whether it would increase his value enough to make it worthwhile. I'm hoping it wouldn't take long to bring him back, he was fairly well established before he was turned away so should be more of a case of fitness then having to re-school him...well so I'm hoping anyway :rolleyes:
 
Could you find a sharer who is experienced who can bring him back into work and keep him either ticking over until you have had baby to then sell(give them a bit return) or he is then fit/ schooled for you both to continue riding and you keep him?
 
Ah, baby. Congratulations ! In that case, I'd be looking to sell him before the baby is born as you will have more time. Is there a uni riding club near you ? I asked around for riders to help exercise my older horses and the students were so competent that they are helping to bring my youngster back into work.
It isn't always a negative to sell a green youngster, unspoilt young horses started carefully and slowly are infinitely better than 5 year olds that have been over produced at a young age. Mentally and physically given time to mature, you may find, if he's a nice horse (with some good photo's), he'll sell himself.
 
Katd66 said:
Could you find a sharer who is experienced who can bring him back into work and keep him either ticking over until you have had baby to then sell(give them a bit return) or he is then fit/ schooled for you both to continue riding and you keep him?
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if this horse was meant to be your forever horse and money is not the reason to sell him > share him, put him on loan, or try a teaching livery at a riding college. dont give up just because baby is coming, just re-arrange your time for the moment and review your options with him in 12mths. if your still too busy next year, then sell him, but he will have had a lot of hands on experience until then.
 
Start advertising him now but say you are working on him.

Then you can update advert and maybe price as he starts to improve, dont leave it too late in the summer to sell.

It may take a while
 
I'd look at getting someone on board now and advertising as soon as possible. Most buyers will want to be able to ride him if they are paying "already broken" prices for him. If he doesn't sell then you can keep him working and improving and change the ad accordingly.

I'd advertise for a competent rider to ride him on a share basis, but for free as you can't promise it will be for more than a few weeks and getting a decent rider is most important. Contact your local uni riding club, local equestrian college, local where to train centre, local equestrian centre etc etc You are bound to find a competent rider to get him going again that is happy to help just for the pleasure of riding.
 
If keeping him isn't a problem I'd keep him. Decide how you feel about bringing him on/riding again after the baby has arrived and you've settled into a new routine. You might find the horse helps you cope with the stresses of a new baby, that it give you some much needed 'you time'. If you find things are too difficult you won't really have lost anything and the horse will have been given more time to mature and balance. If you let him go you won't be able to 'undo' the decision and it is something you might regret forever.
 
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