Where have all the buyers gone?

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spotty_pony

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The horse market just seems to have fallen flat at the moment. I have a lovely 15 hands all rounder for sale on behalf of his owner and nobody is interested! I have had three viewers who were all timewasters and were better suited to a rocking horse.. and I’ve just dropped the price by £800 and still had no interest. Anyone else having trouble?
 
Hard winter and hard summer, means a lot of people are thinking before jumping into the purchase especially as it looks like it’s going to be a tough winter for hay unless we get a second cut. Also the reality of next March is also making people pause and think, mind you the heat hasn’t helped.
 
spugs said:
What’s happening next March?
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We are leaving the Eu, and going into a period of uncertainty, not knowing how things will work out so a lot of people are spending less, getting rid of debt and hoping to put a buffer in their finances.

Which also means the horses I’m looking at to buy sell within a nanosecond and the mid range eventers, jumpers etc are taking time.
 
I'm looking but 15hh is too small for me. I've phoned a few this last week that seemed to have sold quite quickly.
I think you need to work hard on your sale with good photos, videos if possible and a great write up.
 
hollyandivy123 said:
We are leaving the Eu, and going into a period of uncertainty, not knowing how things will work out so a lot of people are spending less, getting rid of debt and hoping to put a buffer in their finances.
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Brexit is now responsible for the failure to sell one horse :D :D :D

Personal debt is rising, employment is rising, spending is rising and I'd fall over backwards if you could give a shred of evidence that Brexit is affecting horse prices. I thought many of your comments on the Bexit threads were peculiar, but this really takes the biscuit.

I have three friends who have bought in the last month, two at £6,000 and one at £4250.

OP, don't risk getting a ban for being a professional and selling on the site, but can you give us more details so we can tell you if we can see a reason you are having trouble selling this one?
 
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ycbm said:
Brexit is now responsible for the failure to sell one horse :D :D :D

Personal debt is rising, employment is rising, spending is rising and I'd fall over backwards if you could give a shred of evidence that Brexit is affecting horse prices. I thought many of your comments on the Bexit threads were peculiar, but this really takes the biscuit.

I have three friends who have bought in the last month, two at £6,000 and one at £4250.

OP, don't risk getting a ban for being a professional and selling on the site, but can you give us more details so we can tell you if we can see a reason you are having trouble selling this one?
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One shred of anecedotal evidence coming up - my work is mainly funded by EU programmes, especially the European Social Fund, and I am not buying my decent showjumper / all rounder until I've got the faintest idea what's happening to my contract next year and preferably the year after. And my colleague is holding off buying her next riding club horse for the same reason. So fewer buyers - less demand - lower prices.

So that's 2 people not buying from one small company. I'm sure there's others, probably on this website. I'm sure at top end it won't affect so much mind.
 
He is a lovely little horse, fantastic hack alone and in company and rock solid in traffic; he is 11 though and typical irish - hasn't done a lot in the school (either that or he has been ridden by a child) He is a forward going ride, people who have tried him have arrived saying they are capable and want something forward only to be wanting to get off after a couple of minutes! :rolleyes: He is snaffle mouth, though and not strong just a bit sensitive so requires an experienced rider. He jumps, but is no world beater. I just think there isn't much of a market for him being 15 hands and forward tbh. Most people either want something more scopey if they are capable of riding a more forward horse or they want a dope on a rope!
 
If you are advertising him as an allrounder yet he has done little schooling and you say he jumps but from the sound of things probably has no record to speak of then to me he is in no way an allrounder so you may be attracting the wrong people who may not mind a forward going ride but do expect the basics of schooling in place if trying an 11 year old.
I may be interpreting it totally wrong but to me it sounds as if he is a green horse and rides very green in the school which is putting people off who are expecting something more educated, he is a super hack so target that side of things.

If I am looking for an allrounder I expect it to do a reasonable dressage test, jump an appropriate course both SJ and XC for it's age and by 11 to have some proven competition form as well as being a sensible hack and fairly straightforward to deal with, price would reflect the record, this sounds more of a project than a made horse other than as a hack I don't think his height is too much of an issue if he is marketed correctly.
 
Snowfilly said:
One shred of anecedotal evidence coming up - my work is mainly funded by EU programmes, especially the European Social Fund, and I am not buying my decent showjumper / all rounder until I've got the faintest idea what's happening to my contract next year and preferably the year after. And my colleague is holding off buying her next riding club horse for the same reason. So fewer buyers - less demand - lower prices.

So that's 2 people not buying from one small company. I'm sure there's others, probably on this website. I'm sure at top end it won't affect so much mind.
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Ycbm.......I don’t think you are understanding the effect of brexit on a lot of us, I am going to be hit buy a double whammy, loss of EU funding which will not be compensated by the government and exit from euratom. So where I would have looked at a higher band more riskier horse purchase, I’m hopefully put myself with a beast that will be easier to transfer to a new owner if I have to leave the uk for work.
 
I Agree with BP. I’m looking around at the moment, I expect a 5yr old to be green but if I were to look at an 11yr old I’d expect it to be made and I could just get going straight away and I would be paying more to do so.

As to EU exit at work we’re being sucked dry of resources to try to prepare for day 1 and that’s massively affected day to day delivery. All being paid for by the hapless tax payer. I know friends who lost contracts after the referendum due to uncertainty so it’s definitely affecting people’s ability to plan ahead. My farrier says there are definitely many of his clients who are just choosing not to replace horses when they pass on or have two like they would have done previously.
 
I can't believe people don't know what's happening in March and don't understand the impact it could have on everyone's lives, especially if the government continue to fail to agree on anything. WTO would be a disaster.

Personally I'm still in denial that it will ever happen as it's just unworkable/pointless so I bought another horse regardless this summer. I have moved from the commercial sector to education since the referendum to hopefully try to improve job security.

Sorry OP, I realise none of this helps you. I agree with the previous poster who was basically saying play to the horses strengths. When I was looking a tried a little 15.1 coloured. If I was looking for a hacking horse only he would have been fine but I'd been told he would go out and do a prelim test tomorrow. When I rode him in the school he was green and spent the whole time trying to nap to his friends and the gate. I was looking for something more willing so said thanks but no thanks.
 
I have just bought, I found the market expensive and fast moving. I ended up going outside my brief to buy. I must say if I went to see an all rounder I would expect it to have some experience in the school. Green at 11 seems to be a bit odd, I think you should be selling him as a hacker not an all rounder, unless you put some millage on him in the school. I have just bought a 6 year old used as a hunter, yes he is green in the school but that was reflected in the price and I am using my saving to get some work done on him.
 
spotty_pony said:
He is a lovely little horse, fantastic hack alone and in company and rock solid in traffic; he is 11 though and typical irish - hasn't done a lot in the school (either that or he has been ridden by a child) He is a forward going ride, people who have tried him have arrived saying they are capable and want something forward only to be wanting to get off after a couple of minutes! :rolleyes: He is snaffle mouth, though and not strong just a bit sensitive so requires an experienced rider. He jumps, but is no world beater. I just think there isn't much of a market for him being 15 hands and forward tbh. Most people either want something more scopey if they are capable of riding a more forward horse or they want a dope on a rope!
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From what you describe you have hit the nail on the head here.
To turn it around we have an approaching teenage years horse who is a bit forward/sensitive and requires an experienced rider but doesn’t have the schooling/ability/record for the rider level who might otherwise be interested.

There are plenty of buyers around but only in specific categories, which this horse doesn’t fit into. You either put a good record on him quickly or you advertise cheap
 
It does sound like his market might be quite limited depending on how limited his jump is? I don't think it's anything to do with his size particularly I know plenty who don't want to go bigger than 15.2 myself included.

I'm another who has included Brexit on my ponderings as to whether to buy now or wait, our main income stream is Grant funding (EU linked) for research, or selling fish vaccines into Europe, and I've already lost one job in part due to brexit so it makes sense to be cautious when I have no one else for back up.
 
I am trying to buy! So far, I've had 2 fail the vet, & am waiting for FOUR people with TBs supposedly for sale to get back to me. E.g. I contacted them to view, they said they were on hol/whatever, I said, okay, pls contact me when you get back...and they haven't. I am interested in another non-TB and have emailed the dealer twice to ask if he has the scope to jump Fox. So far, I have had two replies which have NOT answered the question! Has it got the scope to jump Fox? Yes or no...???!!! And breathe...
 
Another one trying to sell. Been advertised for nearly a month and very few enquiries, none of which are suitable. Looks like I may have to keep for another winter and try again next spring.
 
When I’m looking at buying a horse I don’t think ... oh no all the latest scaremongering on HHO about a no hay Harvest (as there is every year), winter is cold and horrible, or Brexit is going to ruin my life....
 
I have a 14.2 palomino d mare for sale, she has affiliated dressage points at prelim and novice. I have not had one viewing! Any people who have enquired have been up north and didn't read Essex in the ad!
 
spotty_pony said:
He is a lovely little horse, fantastic hack alone and in company and rock solid in traffic; he is 11 though and typical irish - hasn't done a lot in the school (either that or he has been ridden by a child) He is a forward going ride, people who have tried him have arrived saying they are capable and want something forward only to be wanting to get off after a couple of minutes! :rolleyes: He is snaffle mouth, though and not strong just a bit sensitive so requires an experienced rider. He jumps, but is no world beater. I just think there isn't much of a market for him being 15 hands and forward tbh. Most people either want something more scopey if they are capable of riding a more forward horse or they want a dope on a rope!
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I dont think you can call him an 'all -rounder' if he is green in the school. To my mind an all -rounder would pop a course of fences about 2ft 6ins, be capable of doing the movements for a prelim test (walk trot canter leads and circles) hack out nicely alone and in company, and do small xc courses.
 
There's a lot of luck in buying and selling, this type of thread has come up often, but the problem seems to be that there are far too many cheap horses round, not always well schooled combined with people wanting to buy a 'schoolmaster' for not much money and so wasting everyones time with ridiculous offers as well as the ability/time/facilities to progress. Well schooled all rounders do seem to be thin on the ground, I've recently bought a 13 year old with a known history/ownership - two homes only, I paid what I considered a fair price, which was the asking price. Some people looking would consider it excessive but I knew there were other people also looking for the same - I'd been looking for a couple of years (plenty about but not with known history or considered 99% reliable). So I dropped everything, jumped in the car and drove the 3 hours to view. Changing topic slightly I was amazed/horrified recently to be judging at an event where many of the entrants were coloured cobs, some nicely marked, most not particularly well schooled and any tack was OK! Is this the way things are progressing and its now 'fashionable' to have a 'rescued' coloured cob than a nicely schooled small hunter?
 
What makes you think coloured cobs are 'rescued'? As for tack, I buy tack that fits well and change it as and when needed. I don't care what it looks like. None of my tack matches!
 
blodwyn1 said:
I have a 14.2 palomino d mare for sale, she has affiliated dressage points at prelim and novice. I have not had one viewing! Any people who have enquired have been up north and didn't read Essex in the ad!
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Prices for Ds are so much lower than most other breeds, even when they (from the advert) have the same target market and experience etc. I'm not really sure why this is, and it's a shame!
I've got a friend who's looking for something to do intro/prelim dressage, hack, and generally have very low level fun with. Can you PM me a link to her advert if you think she'd be suitable please?
 
A friend of mine has just sold her 12 year old gelding to the first person who came to view him. He is a really good little Irish horse, does a bit of everything and is a really lovely chap, and he passed a 5 stage vetting. I guess what I’m saying is, good, sound horses will always sell at the right price, it only takes that one person! I also disagree with others that there is no money about, this is DEFINITELY not my experience, in fact it’s the opposite. Of course, this is just my experience you understand. Good luck with selling your horse OP.
 
There has been a reasonable amount of interest in Max: 3 word of mouth viewings - first made too low an offer, 2nd made a good offer then withdrew when she found out the next day she needed an operation and 3rd has a 2nd viewing tomorrow. Advertised officially last night and 1 query so far. Fingers crossed.

15hh is ok I think. When I was looking my height range was 15-16.2, though actually Amber is 16.3 and does feel a bit too big! I do agree though that all-rounder means has a solid foundation in all areas without being a world-beater in any. Safe hacks are saleable too so perhaps refocus on that?

I don't really like Section Ds. I tried 2 when I was looking. One bucked me off, the other had a really weird trotting action. I have known 2 other Section Ds belonging to friends and they are both really challenging. So I just don't really trust them. So I tend to skim past any Ds when I am looking.
 
DirectorFury said:
Prices for Ds are so much lower than most other breeds, even when they (from the advert) have the same target market and experience etc. I'm not really sure why this is, and it's a shame!
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Cause they're bloody nightmares!

Ambers Echo said:
I don't really like Section Ds. I tried 2 when I was looking. One bucked me off, the other had a really weird trotting action. I have known 2 other Section Ds belonging to friends and they are both really challenging. So I just don't really trust them. So I tend to skim past any Ds when I am looking.
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I've had two Section Ds - one was a bucking bronco (boy in my pic) and the other (my current) is equal part sensitive, equal part pig headed whose immediate reaction to everything is to spook and/or run. The only one I've met/heard of who is sensible is a poppet of a 13.2 on my yard who is a complete push button and an incredible pint sized jumper!
 
I have a lovely section D who in a lot of ways isn't terribly welsh at all but even from him I can understand why people aren't keen ;).

Can't say that I think that the good ones with any sort of record are particularly lower priced than the other breed alternatives though.
 
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