Tips for Selling your Horse / Pony

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Making the decision to sell your horse or pony can be tough. It is the first step in making a commitment to your horse that you will do everything you can to find him or her the best possible home in a reasonable amount of time, fairly priced and with reasonable expectations. Now that you have decided that selling is the right thing to do for you and for your horse you need to decide how much you are willing to sell him/her for and how you are going to market him or her

You determine your asking price by reviewing what similar horses are selling for, evaluating his/her experience and training, age, specialty areas, achievements in competition and what you need to make you feel comfortable about the deal.

First make sure you have some decent photos to use in advertising. I have seen so many bad photos of horses and this just sends a potential buyer looking elsewhere. Present your horse the best way possible in a photo either standing square in hand with ears pricked forward and head alert or with you or a nicely dressed rider mounted on your horse in motion or just standing. But make the photo positive and in focus!

Secondly sit down and write out the attributes and vital information about your horse / pony for the ad.

Buyers want to know:

1)Age, sex, height, weight, color, breed (even if there is a cross or mix, list them)

2) What the horse is trained to do: All around horse, dressage (list highest level of accomplishment), jumping (list height accomplishment), western disciplines (list talented areas), safe trail horse, equitation, saddleseat, endurance, driving...

3) Who is the horse suitable for: All riders, juniors, young riders, adult amateurs, professionals, small children, advanced riders only

4) List any special talents and stable manners: Loads quietly, safe for children, clips easily, bombproof, won championships, exceptionally fast times, high scores, no vices, sound...

5) List asking price. Unless the horse is extremely expensive I think it is only fair to list the asking price. You may add ono (or nearest offer) if you are flexible with your price and a motivated seller. If you have a very expensive horse to advertise you may want to list the price as private treaty only, serious inquiries only, or contact representative for price.

6) Contact information. At the end of the ad make sure you have included a phone number and an email contact if possible.

Now that you have your horse out on the market what happens next?

You will either get a call or an email with an enquiry about your horse. Answer their questions up front, be positive but honest and try to set up an appointment to come and see your horse.

Once you have the appointment set do the following:

1)Show up at least a half an hour to an hour before your scheduled appointment time. This will give you time to get organized. You should be nicely dressed, (remember you and your horse are reflections of each other, you are marketing yourself as a horseperson and caretaker or caregiver) ready to ride, have any paperwork with you such as passport, veterinary notes, vaccination, worming and shoeing schedules and pedigree, and your cell phone at hand in case they call for directions or assistance.

2) Have your horse thoroughly cleaned and looking beautiful when they show up. Your horse should be shiny, mane and tail combed out, and feet oiled to look their best. Keep them naked to show off the horse's conformation to the potential buyer. Your tack and saddle pad should be clean and easily accessible.

3) When the buyer shows up greet them and introduce yourself and then offer to introduce them to your horse. I have had people say to me, "Well there he is," and stand outside the stall and watch me go in and greet the unfamiliar horse. I would much prefer if the seller would go into the stall and bring the horse around to meet me and introduce us properly. If the horse lives outside, bring him or her in to a protected area where the buyer can take a good look at them. You should have your horse ready for inspection when the buyer arrives.

4) If the buyer does not ask, then you may say "do you have any questions or is there anything you would like to know about my horse?" Answer any questions positively but honestly and if you are not sure tell them you will get back to them with the answer. For example, if it is a veterinary related question and you would rather the vet provide a response.

If the buyer still has nothing to say, you can take charge of the meeting and offer to tell them a few good points about your horse. Most people want to know why you are selling your horse and this should be answered honestly. Buyers understand all of the reasons to sell a horse, even if it is "we just don't get along and he deserves a more suitable partner."

5)Allow the buyer to watch you tack up your horse. Unless the buyer says differently, you should always ride your horse first and offer a few explanations as to what you are trying to achieve with your excercises.

The buyer should always sign a liability waiver and wear protective headgear before they mount your horse. The initial ride should take place in an enclosed area until you and the buyer feel comfortable about taking the horse out into the open.

Saddles can be a real problem in selling horses because the horse's saddle may not fit the potential buyer for the test ride. If possible, have a few different sizes of saddles available that will work for the horse and rider. This will circumvent many problems.

6)If it makes you feel comfortable or if you are concerned there may be a safety issue, give the buyer a few riding tips on how to control or manage your horse. Explain that it is purely for safety's sake. Watch the ride and make suggestions if they seem appropriate.

7)If the ride time is getting too long and you are concerned about your horse's fitness level, the heat, the cold, tell the buyer you believe that is enough riding time. They should honor your recommendation.

8)After the ride, offer to answer any questions or offer them to contact you if they have any later[code][/code]