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Grumpymoo

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I am selling my horse due to my pregnancy and I am not sure how to go about it.

I am heartbroken but funds and time won't allow me to keep him so the decision has been made. Problem is everytime I look at him I just want to cry and I know I could not deal with loads of people coming and trying him etc. I am aware that its a rubbish time to sell but I am not after loads of money for him I just want him to go to an experience loving home who will carry on all the hard work that has been put into him.

My options are as far as I can see is sales livery which means they will take him this weekend and therefore as it will be costing me I will asking for the price he is actually worth. Goodness knows how long that could take tho so worried I could end up spending a fortune.

Option b is to put him up for sale for a nominal amount but hope I don't get fooled by a dodgy dealer type person.

Any other ideas?

Wish I had my own land so he could just stay with me and live out :(
 
If you want to find him a good, long term home then I would advertise him yourself and you can vet potential purchasers and be prepared to come down on the money if you want. Sales livery is fine in principle but in practice can end up costing you a lot of money and where he goes is out of your hands.....
 
I did consider loaning him but have heard so many horror stories I just can't face it. Also I would not be in a position to have him back if they wanted to return him so definately a no no. :(
 
I was in the same position a couple of years ago. I put my boy on sales livery, with a very reputable trainer. She gave me an opinion of his value (a couple of thousand more than I thought btw). I, however, advertised him extensively as well, as like you I did not want him to be on sales livery for months. I got a very good buyer after 3 weeks and only dropped the price by a small amount. Choose a good sales livery with an excellent reputation, most good ones have buyers waiting. Good luck.
 
Grumpymoo said:
I did consider loaning him but have heard so many horror stories I just can't face it. Also I would not be in a position to have him back if they wanted to return him so definately a no no. :(
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in this case, i would agree with bonny. the best option is to sell him yourself so do have some control over where he might be...
hope all goes well...
 
Only advertise him for at least a good proportion of what you think he's worth. If you advertise him for a nominal amount you are likely to get all sorts of unsuitable people ringing up.
 
its_noodles said:
in this case, i would agree with bonny. the best option is to sell him yourself so do have some control over where he might be...
hope all goes well...
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When I sold mine I still had control, I was at all his viewings at sales livery and am still in touch with his buyer...it is not a case of just hand them over to a sales livery and forget about them..I went through sales livery as their trial facilities were far superior to mine and the location more user friendly.
 
From personal experience I would put him on sales livery with someone who has a good reputation and who you feel comfortable with.

Selling a horse cheap rarely ends well unless you just want to get rid and don't care where it ends up which is clearly not the case with you.

I have ridden for a few reputable dealers over the years and sales liveries are always a priority. You've got to think they produce horses for a living, they'll be ridden by competent people, and they know how to sell. Not all dealers just want a sale, the good ones will try hard to match horses with riders for a happy outcome.

Also you can be as involved as you want at a good yard. When I was very ill I had a mare on sales livery and I went down and rode her whenever, obviously I told them first so they didn't ride her, was told about any potential viewings etc. Just make sure you send him to someone who keeps you up to date properly.
 
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Congratulations on the baby - the beauty of our sport is that you can have a long break for a family and still come back to it, so don't think of it as giving up but as taking a break.

Selling your boy I'd put the word around local instructors/ pony club/ dentists/ farrier etc as word of mouth is often the best way to find both a good horse and good home. Unless he's worth loads I wouldn't do sales livery - it might cost you more than he's worth!
 
debbien said:
When I sold mine I still had control, I was at all his viewings at sales livery and am still in touch with his buyer...it is not a case of just hand them over to a sales livery and forget about them..I went through sales livery as their trial facilities were far superior to mine and the location more user friendly.
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ok. makes sense...
:)
 
awww bird, im gutted your selling him? if you want me to come along when people come to see him, just let me know! I've finished my Saturday job now, so am available more!! xxx
 
Well hun congratulations on the baby to be . But sad for situation you are in. im with others with sales livery. your mind and hormones will be going crazy so by this ootion you will be less stressed but you can stay involved. Just you take care of self and that little bundle inside you and i bet in a couple of years there will be a little pony around. it was a week after daughter was born fond grandad bought her a pony lol x x x
 
Personally if I was in your situation and it was causing me upset then I wouldn't be selling. You only hear 'horror stories' of loaning because the good stories don't make for such good reading.

I have been a loanee and loaner and no horror stories here!
 
Grumpymoo said:
I did consider loaning him but have heard so many horror stories I just can't face it. Also I would not be in a position to have him back if they wanted to return him so definately a no no. :(
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congrats on baby, but having to get rid of horsey sucks.

You could try some local Pony Club DC's see if they have any experienced members that would be looking to loan a horse for minimum 6 months preferably a year.

Another option would be, if you are fairly local to one, to try equine colleges as they tend to be on the look out for reasonable horses and the care is normally pretty good.

Sales livery at this time of year could prove expensive as people tend to not look for new horses until early spring, unless he is a hunter in which case now is the ideal time to sell.
 
Just to say twenty seven years ago I had to sell my much loved horse when I became pregnant, we simply could not afford him sometimes needs must and a new baby is expensive enough without the added worry of a horse. I came back to it eighteen years later that lasted for another nine years, and three months ago I hung my boots up for good. All the best with new baby.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone and the congratulations.

I have some good news after a horrific viewing on Thursday after I responded to a wanted add. I spent the whole evening in tears and insisting that I was never going to sell him and would live on baked beans with no heating (our boiler needs replacing) and no light (our house needs rewiring). I ended up having a good chat with his previous owner who is going to have him back and put him on loan from her yard until she has sold one of her others!! So so pleased and such a relief to know he will be with someone who knows and understands him and I get to keep him for another month so I can spend some good time with him! :) xx
 
Thanks guys! I am so pleased but will be very sad to see him go.

Yeah Kerrie your welcome to come see him tomorrow. I will text you now! Xx
 
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