What’s meant by ‘best of homes only’ on sales ads?

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rescuearacehorse

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Best of homes only
Will only consider best homes etc

It’s on so many sales ads but what does it really mean?

For instance, is it that the horse/pony will be kept out 24/7 or mainly stabled. Is it lots of school work or no school work. Heavy competition or happy hacking under no pressure….

We have a lot of land of our own so total security of the home, but would people prefer the horse is on a busy livery yard with all the associated equipment etc.

What do you think?
 
I think it means mostly that they want the horse to have a good home and appropriate rider/trainer. Some people think the elite show horses have the best homes, some think that's terrible and the best is to have them outside all the time and no pressure during training. I do believe it is often what the owner think is best, which is not always the best for the horse. I wouldn't care too much about that sentence in an ad.
 
The exact definition will vary according to the views of the owner on how this horse should be kept and ridden. On the whole they are probably people that do care about where the horse ends up, although it's fairly meaningless. If someone wants to buy, sell and profit, or indeed mistreat the horse, they won't be put off by that.
 
Personally I think it means either, much loved horse that I'd really rather not sell, or "I feel guilty about selling this horse for some reason"! But it's not terribly helpful - some ads will say "for sale to showing home only" etc, and while that's not enforceable, it does at least give the buyer some idea of what the owners are looking for and how the horse might have been produced.
 
I think it’s a line to let potential purchasers sell to just anyone and they’re going to try to ensure a good match for the horse.

From past experience though, buyers can tell you all they like and then wonder why it’s gone wrong when they’ve kept the horse in for months on end!
 
I am cynical! I read it as virtue signalling and it puts me off 😆 I doubt I would enquire about anything less than a unicorn with that in the advert.

I keep mine for life but in the event of serious incompatibility (yet to happen) I might feel the horse would be happier elsewhere and sell but I would never put something like that on the advert. I would however discretely stalk any prospective purchasers to within an inch of their lives and the horse wouldn't go to anyone I had the slightest doubt over. I just don't feel the need to tell everyone that, to me it goes without saying as part and parcel of my responsibility to a living creature whose fate is in my hands....
 
New Forests Rock said:
I am always very cynical when people use this phrase - given that once sold you have absolutely no say in what happens. If you really cared about the horse why are you selling it? Speaking as someone who has always kept hers for life.
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Really caring is not the same thing as being the best home for the horse. I’ve sold several, knowing that they weren’t right for me and vice versa, and am glad to say that I sold them honestly to, as far as I could tell, good homes. All but one (out of probably about 15) kept in touch and I believe they were better off elsewhere, not because I didn’t care for them (emotionally and physically) but because it was a better match. I appreciate that selling is a risk and no statement in an ad will guard against ‘bad’ homes.
 
Speaking as someone who has just sold horse who I adored but we had different ideas of fun. I vetted people to what they enjoyed and hoped to do and there experience/support. He has lots of dressage potential but he much prefered hacking. He is intelligent enough to see what he get away with - lazy, so needed someone who could give him a push.
He has found a home with amazing hacking but they will have a lesson once week and the family adore him.
I turned away a few people who I didnt feel had the experience or high aspirations. I asked the buyer to ride several times to check they were comfortable together.
I wouldnt of sold to someone on a yard without winter turnout but luckily no one wirh that called.
 
Well I am about to advertise our PC pony and was going to put this on the advert 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ for me it’s because we really don’t want to part with her but for a few reasons including keeping at full livery and we simply can’t afford 2! I don’t want her going to a home which isn’t going to suit her abilities or a dealer to be passed on…but the rest of the advert is very honest so hopefully it will screen out the day dreamers or those with unrealistic aspirations!

Ultimately you have no control once they are gone I do realise this!

And it’s the time of year, there are always loads for sale Easter time as we come out of winter and kids particularly are looking for their next pony for summer and camp etc
 
I feel it means they won’t necessarily sell to the first person who offers them money.

I will potentially have to sell one or two in the next few years (I say potentially because it’s the sensible thing to do but I don’t do selling!) and I would have been inclined to put this in the advert as I’d rather take a reasonable offer for the right home than full asking price to whoever came first.
 
To me, it means that I will be auditioning you as much as you will be auditioning the horse.

I have refused to sell to a few people. One took complete umbridge and said she'd sue me for her time, her diesel and her upset and disappointment. She was then seen stalking the horse at the end of the lane, and we had to move him!!! She would have been completely the wrong owner for him, even before those wild shennagins!
 
Ahrena said:
I feel it means they won’t necessarily sell to the first person who offers them money.

I will potentially have to sell one or two in the next few years (I say potentially because it’s the sensible thing to do but I don’t do selling!) and I would have been inclined to put this in the advert as I’d rather take a reasonable offer for the right home than full asking price to whoever came first.
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This too. My first eventer was sold for 6.5K to a lovely home. The same day as she tried him, someone else came and offered a 'blank cheque' and then specified 18K. Actually, he would have been great with the horse but the horse was to be shared with his wife/girlfriend and she was simply not a match. The worst of that was that she was the 'expert' and he supposedly less experienced, so there would have been no way that he would have ended up the only rider.

The poor new owner at 6.5K still had to wait, after vetting, for me to deliver and examine the stable where he was to be kept. I had cash on delivery so I could cancel the sale (but refund vetting fee) had I thought the home not suitable. The home as ace, they were happy, he was happy and he fulfilled all her dreams and so much more. He lived happily to a ripe old age and was also cared for in retirement.

For any horses that I have mis-bought, I sell to a nice home. For those who were long term and did their job I either keep in retirement or am that careful about re-homing. I love the ones where I get updates and photos.

My duty is to do the best by my horses while they are in my care. That includes if I sell. Only a few retire here for life: the special ones.
 
rescuearacehorse said:
Best of homes only
Will only consider best homes etc

It’s on so many sales ads but what does it really mean?

For instance, is it that the horse/pony will be kept out 24/7 or mainly stabled. Is it lots of school work or no school work. Heavy competition or happy hacking under no pressure….

We have a lot of land of our own so total security of the home, but would people prefer the horse is on a busy livery yard with all the associated equipment etc.

What do you think?
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I think it generally varies on the horse in question.

I agree some people use it to make themselves look/feel better when actually they couldn’t give a toot about where the horse ends up.

I personally mean best home for that particular horse when selling. For example, if a young competition horse - does the potential buyer have experience with producing young horses, do they have lots of support in place, do they have the right yard set up, ie plenty of turnout, understand the basic needs of a young horse and have realistic expectations of how much work they need to put in to get horse to end goal of what they’d like to do with them.

Or if a horse perhaps with weight/lami issues, would the potential buyer have experience in managing this carefully, do they have the set up to manage them.. etc etc.

I never put “forever home”, we know that’s not realistic with horses, and yes you can sell the horse to someone who can sell them on a week later to someone wholly inappropriate, but I feel as a seller it’s our duty to at least try to appropriately match them to meet their needs.
 
Red-1 said:
To me, it means that I will be auditioning you as much as you will be auditioning the horse.

I have refused to sell to a few people. One took complete umbridge and said she'd sue me for her time, her diesel and her upset and disappointment. She was then seen stalking the horse at the end of the lane, and we had to move him!!! She would have been completely the wrong owner for him, even before those wild shennagins!
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Oh my god 🤦🏻‍♀️ I am so dreading selling mine!!! Argh!
 
rescuearacehorse said:
Best of homes only
Will only consider best homes etc

It’s on so many sales ads but what does it really mean?

For instance, is it that the horse/pony will be kept out 24/7 or mainly stabled. Is it lots of school work or no school work. Heavy competition or happy hacking under no pressure….

We have a lot of land of our own so total security of the home, but would people prefer the horse is on a busy livery yard with all the associated equipment etc.

What do you think?
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Charity World Horse Welfare has recently devised another acronym, ‘HEY’, Horse Experience of Yards, for rating what might be the ‘best’ sort of home, and since it includes measurable / identifiable markers, advertisers might be better stipulating compliance with that, rather than subjective wording. Well-intentioned, but whether HEY will suit all horses is another matter altogether! Personally, couldn’t think of anything more likely to deter purchasers.
Vendor expressing a wish they would like to maintain contact with / visit the animal in future, or would like to visit premises prior to selling, may screen out the obviously unsuitable.
But once it’s sold, it’s sold.
 
Pinkponyclub said:
I never put “forever home”, we know that’s not realistic with horses, and yes you can sell the horse to someone who can sell them on a week later to someone wholly inappropriate, but I feel as a seller it’s our duty to at least try to appropriately match them to meet their needs.
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The “forever home” statement does annoy me. So you won’t give the horse a forever home but you expect someone else to?
I mean when I buy a horse I do plan to keep them forever and haven’t sold a horse before but I don’t like it in a sales add.
 
Peglo said:
The “forever home” statement does annoy me. So you won’t give the horse a forever home but you expect someone else to?
I mean when I buy a horse I do plan to keep them forever and haven’t sold a horse before but I don’t like it in a sales add.
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No me either as circumstances can change all the time so I’d not expect anyone to keep them forever as I know I certainly couldn’t!
 
All of these say an owner that cares deeply for thier horse and would like the horse to go to a great home.

Although I do interpret it as fussy owner who might be crazy!
 
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