Where to sell/advertise potential 4* horse?

Missadelaide

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I have super 5 year old welton mare that my trainer is adamant will go round badminton.
I have toyed with the idea of keeping her as opposed to selling her but realistically I dont have the finance to support such a good horse that was bought to be a nice event allrounder.

Where do I start in terms of getting her to the right person? I have no issues in selling her to somebody who produces eventers but have never sold a horse of this calibre before so am thinking the general places for allrounders would be no good.

Any suggestions/advice appreciated!
 

Ali16

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Hi,

I would contact professional riders direct, but there are a few things that they will ask.. such as who your trainer is? How much do you want for her etc?

As you are near Swindon, I know that Miss Collett is based in Membury and is currently looking for new rides. She might have an owner interested.

I think that you will find that word of mouth is the best way.

Good luck!
 

Luci07

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Could you not start her off or does (being realistic, this is no reflection on you OR your capabilities) your trainer think the mare would be better off professionaly produced?

I am applying logic to this question, not experience, so would think that a good event rider must get offered a lot of potential event horses - so maybe you need to think how you would present your mare as a serious contender. Already been suggested that you use your trainers name or, what about taking your mare to be assessed by a name?
 

sw123

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I think when its unproven with nice breeding its as much a potential 4 star horse as everyone elses "potential" horses so in that way it doesnt really matter where it advertised - BE/Horsequest/H&H as until it has been out and done a bit and got some results and proved that it is more than a bit special it will just be another nice young horse for sale.

If you love her and enjoy producing her why not keep going and see how you get on and sell as and when you get to where you think is your limit then sell her?
 

Ali16

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I am applying logic to this question, not experience, so would think that a good event rider must get offered a lot of potential event horses - so maybe you need to think how you would present your mare as a serious contender. Already been suggested that you use your trainers name or, what about taking your mare to be assessed by a name?

Yes - event riders do get offered a lot of horses - but very rarely a GOOD one. You would be amazed at what problems horses have going to event riders. I can garuntee that if the horse is (a) as good as you say (b) sound with no issues (c) had a good grounding, any event rider with good owners would bite your hand off, as long as she is sensbily priced.
 

TheoryX1

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Why dont you keep her and see how far you get? If she is as nice as you say she is, then surely it will be a total pleasure taking her as far as you can. I also have problems when people start to talk about 'potential', I am absolutely not an expert on potential 4 star eventers in the slightest either. Either that, or why dont you get a professional to ride it purely at events. Our YO's business partner does this, and I dont think its majorily expensive either. Was going to get her to ride Mini TX's mare recently, as she was having doubts about continuing eventing, and the horse is far too nice to just hack around etc. Thankfully she has changed her mind and is back on track with the eventing, but if you want said pros name (who is not a million miles from you), please pm me.
 

ihatework

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TBH, if your trainer is experienced enough to be that confident you have a 4* horse on your hands then I'm surprised they haven't put the word out for you already and sold the horse via word of mouth.

If your trainer isn't/hasn't compete at the top level and/or deals with people competing at the top level on a frequent basis, then perhaps you should consider that maybe you just have a regular nice young horse?

Do you have a figure in your head that you would be looking to achieve for her?

You have a few options if your trainer isn't in a position to help,
Send to an event rider to sell for you
Speak to an agent who buys for oversees market, Someone like Susie Pragnell (not sure if she is stll going)
Advertise as normal BE/H&H/Horsequest etc
 

susie2193

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I have super 5 year old welton mare that my trainer is adamant will go round badminton.
I have toyed with the idea of keeping her as opposed to selling her but realistically I dont have the finance to support such a good horse that was bought to be a nice event allrounder.

!

Not sure why you want to sell her, and why you don't have the finances to support such a good horse. Good horses cost as much to keep as bad ones, or are you thinking about entry fees etc.

Presumably you would sell her and buy something with less 'potential'. But do you really want all the stress of selling and then buying.

Your horse doesn't know she has the potential to go round Badminton, so I would be inclined to agree with the others and stick with her, and enjoy her, until such time as you are moving up the grades and out of your comfort zone, at which time she will have a record and be much more easy to sell.

I currently have a dressage horse on loan, until he did a suspensary he was all set for a dressage career, now he is happy trotting circles and hacking with me. Noone told him that he's not meeting his potential and he has a lovely life without any pressure. I am saying the same about your mare, if she is happy does it matter than she's not meeting her potential.
 

Missadelaide

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Thanks for all the advice.

My trainer sold her for me for 9k and then the purchaser pulled out due to realising her non horsey mum wouldnt be able to do much with her. My trainer then offered to buy her for 5k which I stupidly turned down and she's now bought something else, silly me!

I would take 7k for her for the right home but wonder if I should get her to an intro next month.

I have made a list of wiltshire based eventers, so will try them!

Dont think I will keep her though as I have another one who's more suited to me and I cant afford the training for both. Think a new home is best all round!
 

Saratoga

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IMO a 5yr old that hasn't done anything is near impossible to predict what level they will get to! Just because a horse moves well and jumps well as a 5yr old certainly doesn't mean it will go all the way. There are so many other factors involved.

I've been told one of mine is a 4* horse by a few different trainers now. But doesn't mean he ever will, and I certainly wouldn't sell him off the back of a couple of people's comments.
 

sare_bear

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If your trainer only thinks she is worth 5k to her, then I'm not sure she is really the 4* horse she says she is. I would advertise her on horsequest / H&H. Would not be a bad thing to get her out doing an intro before selling, if she is ready.
 

Missadelaide

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I will ring around and see what happens.
My trainer like many of us is quite strapped for cash and offered me all she had to include a loan she was prepared to take out.

I am with many of you in terms of what is potential but can only go from what I am told.

Watch this space!
 

Luci07

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Just another option you might want to think about - so I know someone who produces on young event horses and she did a deal with an owner over splitting costs and then a final sale price percentage split when said horse is sold next year. Horse in question is a rather serious 4 year old who - atm - looks to have everything going for it. Rider will produce on and has got a good track record of doing this.

PM me if you would like to know more or I can give you her details to talk to her.
 

BEUnderTheInfluence

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Well when you do advertise, whatever you do don't put "Potential 4* horse" - it will be the same title as 95% of all the others adds! :rolleyes:

I'm sorry but you don't know whether you have a 4* horse until its second time at that level, and thats way way down the line. Put it this way, some of the very best four star campaigners such as ''Moon Man'' who was found in a trecking centre aren't your conventional "eventers" and I'm certain nobody looked at Headly Britainia or Tammarillo as youngsters and said "They'll win/ go round badminton".

You obviously have a very nice young horse, yes, but there are countless other beautifully bred, put together, produced youngsters out there with all the same credentials as yours who will never make it. If she really is 'the business', you need to make that clear and have a selling point - without something to back up your trainers claims i'm afraid top riders/buyers and owners will only see just another lovely young horse like countless others....

Its a difficult position, if i were you just be greedy and enjoy her for a bit ;)
 

Flashpaddler

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If you're serious about selling him and want to achieve a good price you really should consider running him a couple of times. We bought a 4 YO in May that was originally advertised with "huge potential" having been very well produced. No real interest, so he was run twice at BE100. He came 10th and 5th with good dressage scores (for a 4YO) and 2 double clears. He was re-advertised with his competition record and video of him in all 3 phases. The result was a huge amount of interest as he was competitively priced. Fortunately for us, we already had a "foot in the door" - we still had to move quickly though to secure him. Even so, whilst waiting for vetting a couple of people offered more than we had agreed to buy him for but the vendor was honourable and respected our handshake. We now have a fantastic chap who's way more talented than his rider!!! Good luck, but this is a challenging time of year for selling eventers but you will find it much easier if you have something concrete that demonstrates his potential.
 

Mince Pie

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Put it this way, some of the very best four star campaigners such as ''Moon Man'' who was found in a trecking centre aren't your conventional "eventers" and I'm certain nobody looked at Headly Britainia or Tammarillo as youngsters and said "They'll win/ go round badminton".

I believe one of Oli T's old rides came from the gypsies!

Personally if I was selling the horse I would see what it does out competing - it may jump the moon in a school but not be bold enough for some of the bigger XC courses.
I like another posters idea of getting the trainer to bring the horse on and then split the profits.
 

Flashpaddler

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For those saying 4 YO can't run BE100s you are of course wrong (technically). I believe BE gives every horse a birthday of 1st Jan. Ours was 5 on the 19th May and ran BE100 twice whilst still 4 years old.

Sorry to detract from the thread but some people.......
 

TarrSteps

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But he would have been officially five. It's like racehorses or school grades. :)

For the purposes of competition, no one dates from the horse's actual birthday (if they even know the horse's birthday . . .) so no one would have considered your horse 4 at the time it ran. And it's a sore point on here because every year someone crops up saying they intend to compete their 4 year old at such and such and are suprised to find they can't. So it's not about you and your horses, it's for the other people who might be reading.

Anyway, to the initial question, if you're serious about selling get your trainer on the job and promise her a commission. As above if she "knows" a Badminton horse at 5 then she'll know how to market one. Or get the horse assessed by an agent. It might cost but not much as they'll potentially want the horse to sell, so it's a bit like estate agents valuing your house. They may want a video, in which case you will have to show WHY you think the horse will go all the way, not by jumping huge but by demonstating what she does that's not average for her age.

Generally riders don't have money, OWNERS have money. They might get someone to take a crack at a good young horse but it's also likely they owned their good horse outright initially or someone else owned it and then it was syndicated. So it may very well not have been that expensive initially. A horse like Seacookie, bought by WFP's people from Ingrid Klimke had already done a bit at 5 and was coming from an obviously knowledgeable home so HE would have cost some money! Generally, though, riders don't have a pot of money waiting to spend on youngsters. The market for expensive horses is more likely to be amteurs with deep pockets.

Some very good young horses do go to the US but mostly what they buy are horses that have done a bit, because it is so much easier, quicker, and cheaper to produce a young horse here. So the money is for a horse with some Novice results, say, especially if it can be ridden by an amateur, or for a schoolmaster who might not make the top grade but will compete in the shallower American pool and give someone mileage. Again, an agent would be able to tell you whether or not your horse fit one of the likely slots.

As far as just advertising . . . you might catch someone's eye but you're much more likely to attract either people with money who may or may not be able to ride the horse or people who are ambitious but don't have money and want you to make a deal.

One thing I've done successfully in the past is take sales horses to clinics with the best professionals I can find. Those clinics draw auditors so people see the horse, the horse is looking and (hopefully) going its best and seen in good surroundings, and the pro gets to see it. I make a point of saying the horse is for sale. :) If you're not comfortable doing that put your instructor up - she gets the benefit of the clinic and your horse gets seen.
 

Missadelaide

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Thank you all for all the great suggestions. A friend of mine competes advanced, so I will get him to take her round at intro to give her a really solid experience.

I like the clinic idea too, so will try that also. I much prefer to sell through word of mouth and would love to stay in touch if it's possible!
 
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