Tia
Well-Known Member
.....how high are your standards and expectations of the buyer?
I see posts on here, and hear people complaining in real life too, about things that they find unacceptable (from the viewpoint of the buyer) which I, myself as a seller, do.
Last Friday I had a potential buyer arrange to come to my farm to look for a horse. I quizzed her over the telephone about her experience and what she was looking for and what type of horse would be ideal for her. Well as per usual she fibbed; I was dubious from the phone call, however as I had nothing better to do I decided to let her come anyway.
I am generally an astute person when it comes to figuring out people and I have to admit that almost the moment she came out of her car, I decided that I was not going to sell any of my horses to her. She was pleasant and polite in a useless kind of a way, but equine experience was certainly not something I was convinced of in the initial moments. There's something about people who are not experienced with horses which seems glaringly obvious on first meeting.....isn't there?
Anyway, once again I indulged her and took her around my fields to meet my horses. My guys are all really nice and most are perfectly suitable for beginner riders, but I don't choose to sell to beginner owners I'm afraid unless they board at my farm.
She asked me to take out one of my seller ons - he isn't ready to sell at present and probably needs another 4 months of hours to get him up to scratch, but I did take him out. I told her he was a 2004 registered QH gelding who needed bringing on - she was fine with this. So I groomed him and while I was putting his bridle on I could see her fuffing around trying to pick his feet up with two hands (he's great with his feet and you don't need two hands to lift them). She kneels down to look under his belly. Then she takes both hands and tries to pry his mouth open....eh? You just flick the lip up... By this stage I am chuckling under my breath but I still continue.
I then walk away from him to go and collect the saddle which was sitting on the post and rail fencing when she says to me "are you sure this horse isn't pregnant.....?" Lordy!! I then turn and take the saddle back to where it had been sitting and place it back on the fence. I turned to her and said "you know what I don't think this horse is suitable for you." She throws a querying look at me and then says "oh! Do you have anything which is?" I say "no."
So off she pops and I wave bye-bye to her.
This is the second time I have not allowed someone to ride any of my horses for sale. In my mind I don't need the money so badly that I would be happy to sell any of my guys to someone who is not up to scratch (in my mind anyway) when I know fine well that the sort of person I really want to buy my horses will be just around the corner. My attachment is to my horses, not to any or every buyer and I certainly wouldn't have my horses do anything which does not sit well with me. I don't mind being criticised for being the way I am - that isn't relevant to me - my horses futures are.
What about you? How confident are you with sellers?
I see posts on here, and hear people complaining in real life too, about things that they find unacceptable (from the viewpoint of the buyer) which I, myself as a seller, do.
Last Friday I had a potential buyer arrange to come to my farm to look for a horse. I quizzed her over the telephone about her experience and what she was looking for and what type of horse would be ideal for her. Well as per usual she fibbed; I was dubious from the phone call, however as I had nothing better to do I decided to let her come anyway.
I am generally an astute person when it comes to figuring out people and I have to admit that almost the moment she came out of her car, I decided that I was not going to sell any of my horses to her. She was pleasant and polite in a useless kind of a way, but equine experience was certainly not something I was convinced of in the initial moments. There's something about people who are not experienced with horses which seems glaringly obvious on first meeting.....isn't there?
Anyway, once again I indulged her and took her around my fields to meet my horses. My guys are all really nice and most are perfectly suitable for beginner riders, but I don't choose to sell to beginner owners I'm afraid unless they board at my farm.
She asked me to take out one of my seller ons - he isn't ready to sell at present and probably needs another 4 months of hours to get him up to scratch, but I did take him out. I told her he was a 2004 registered QH gelding who needed bringing on - she was fine with this. So I groomed him and while I was putting his bridle on I could see her fuffing around trying to pick his feet up with two hands (he's great with his feet and you don't need two hands to lift them). She kneels down to look under his belly. Then she takes both hands and tries to pry his mouth open....eh? You just flick the lip up... By this stage I am chuckling under my breath but I still continue.
I then walk away from him to go and collect the saddle which was sitting on the post and rail fencing when she says to me "are you sure this horse isn't pregnant.....?" Lordy!! I then turn and take the saddle back to where it had been sitting and place it back on the fence. I turned to her and said "you know what I don't think this horse is suitable for you." She throws a querying look at me and then says "oh! Do you have anything which is?" I say "no."
So off she pops and I wave bye-bye to her.
This is the second time I have not allowed someone to ride any of my horses for sale. In my mind I don't need the money so badly that I would be happy to sell any of my guys to someone who is not up to scratch (in my mind anyway) when I know fine well that the sort of person I really want to buy my horses will be just around the corner. My attachment is to my horses, not to any or every buyer and I certainly wouldn't have my horses do anything which does not sit well with me. I don't mind being criticised for being the way I am - that isn't relevant to me - my horses futures are.
What about you? How confident are you with sellers?
