Horse Problem - Selling a Horse - How to find the right humane/NH buyer who will treat your horse right

I would suggest this maybe. Check out some of the online horse sale sites I have listed on my web site here:

http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/HorseSaleSites.html

And think about placing an ad to sell your mare on some of those (AGDirect & Dream Horse being the biggest/most frequented often, I think) And putting pictures of your horse up there with the ad helps, too. Ads with photos get far more "hits"/attention and therefore those horses usually sell quicker. Most people don't like to consider checking out or buying a horse they haven't even seen a photo of yet, so use the full potential of those sites to reap the greatest number of reachouts coming your way for you to choose from. Key words there: you are going to choose them, not the other way around!

The advantage of using the internet for this, I feel, is your horse gets thousands more exposures to potential buyers than they might get in just a local ad, though you don't, of course, have to rule out regional horse sale "ad rags" that are free or sold for a couple of bucks in your local tack & feed store; those indeed are options too. I've just had greater luck selling a horse over the internet, using those horse sale site services because you just have thousands looking there, and the right owner is bound to pop up. But do pay a little extra to have the photo ad and get a very flattering photo of your horse for placement there, her clean and well-groomed, ideally tack-free, or just in halter/lead rope.

Sometimes people ask me "what price should I ask?" and that's real easy to figure out. On those same online horse sale sites, especially AGDirect and Dreamhorse, they have zip code search engines and a "criteria" form to fill out to pull up requested horses from their database to search from. Go to "advanced search" on those sites and you'll see what I mean. So...use that form, plugging in every single feature that fits your horse there. Breed, age, sex, height, temperament rating, level of training and, so on. Plug in your zip code and then choose a certain mile radius around you, like 100 miles or so, maybe more if you live pretty far out rurally, and then click on "search." The data base will churn and then will pull up all horses that fit the criteria that ends up being very close to your own horse's traits. Skim through them all and note the prices. Make note of the high end price and the low end price; you'll quickly see a pattern. Then...price your own horse somewhere in the middle of that range and she'll get sold pretty quickly. Don't ask too high, don't ask too low, but in the middle of that range will draw the right owner to you.

When you go to place the ad up on these sites, be very honest in the ad, as you fill out the forms, about the level of training your horse has had so far and also the level of owner/rider she needs now. Also, some of those sites have a "temperament rating" scale from 1-10, 1 being quietest, 10 being most excitable/wired. Be very honest there as well, so you get the right match-up in owner approaching you. Also, if she has any serious vices, list them. But word them more positively than negatively, like "needs further work with farrier visits," or something like that, instead of saying she just put the last farrier in the hospital!

The more honest you are up front, the smoother the sale will go. Now...that doesn't mean you have to list everything she's really bad at. You can word it with a positive slant while still being honest, like "needs further training," or "needs more experience on the trail." Pose your ad with positive words to draw buyers, but don't lie either. Don't say she trailer loads fine if she does not, but you don't have to necessarily list everything she cannot do; that's a given with green/barely started horses and wise buyers will already know that. Pull out something positive and true about your horse that says something great about her, as well. "Loves children, used to dogs, noisy barns, tractors, ATV," etc. It doesn't help to lie or exaggerate in these ads; being honest will only help you to find just the right owner. And in your ad, go ahead and state specifically that the buyer you are looking for should be "natural horsemanship enlightened only." Those who know about that will respond. Those who do not will probably move on. And this way you'll at least start off filtering out some of them that you wouldn't want owning your horse anyhow.

And conclude your ad stating why you are selling your horse, but again, word it positively yet honestly, like "don't have enough time to devote to her right now," (not: we're neglecting her) or "I need a horse that matches my more beginner level," (not: this horse pushes me around and I don't know how to stop her) or "we have too many horses," (not she's the one we like the least), and so on. Common sense. People do tend to want to know why a horse is being sold, out of curiosity, so take the mystery out of it and tell them, but find a way to word it positively, while honestly.

Then...when they want to come to check out the horse, let them know ahead of time (in some polite way) that you are "not willing to just sell the horse to anyone, but are looking for just the right match." That way, they know from the getgo, that they have some "tests" to pass as well and this isn't just about your horse passing their tests. And when they come (or more accurately when you talk to them ahead of time via email or phone first), you can ask questions of them just as much as they would ask of you.

Write out the questions ahead of time so you're ready for that. Ask such questions as:

1. How will the horse will be housed/stabled/cared for? Ideally you want the horse going to a home with lots of pasture to move in, not "jailed" in a stall 24/7, so the horse can live naturally.
2. Who will take care of the horse and how often? And on the same note, whom is this horse for? A child? An adult? What level experience do they have? The renowed worst combination is: "green on green," i.e. a green not started much horse matched with a novice owner. Or as the old saying goes, "green on green equals black & blue," since more novice owners/riders get injured from a green/novice horse because they haven't learned yet how to avoid injuries and green horses can be unpredictable. So...with your horse there, he would be better matched with an intermediate to expert owner and you have the right to ask about that so a match goes smoothly.
3. What is their own background training-wise? Make them name names or natural horsemanship methods, whom they have learned from, etc. The NH training world is a very small world; they should be able to name some or they should already have a natural horsemanship trainer lined up to train their horse for them and they should be able to name that trainer.
4. Will the horse be kept alone or with other horses? You don't want to sell your horse to an owner that plans to keep your horse an "only child" horse as this is immensely damaging to horses emotionally. Horses are herd prey animals ten times more social than human beings and nature designed them to live with companionship 24/7 or they greatly suffer and then become quite neurotic. Grill the prospective new owner about that and about what specific horses your horse will be kept with and seek to find one that will pasture your horse with another or others, not just kept in a stall "near another."
5. Keep brainstorming until you think about all the questions you might have as you envision the ideal next home for your horse and write those down as you think of them. Spend a day or two brainstorming on that so you are 100% ready for the "interview" when people begin to contact you.

Via this grilling, the right owner will surface. I've sold some of my own horses before and that route does work. But you have to be willing to say no to those who come along that your gut tells you aren't right. Or if they don't answer your questions to your satisfaction. So...after they have passed all your interview tests and you allow them to come check out your horse, still don't make any decisions on the spot when they do come. If they're interested in buying after the first visit, tell them you'll get back to them asap and that way if they're not okay, it's easier to dump them from a distance than in person if they just don't feel right. Explain to those who come that you perceive this as an "adoption" not just a sale, and therefore you need to ask them questions pertinent to the "adoption." I find those who are "right" for the purchase never balk one bit at answering such questions. Because: those are good horse folks who would do the same if they were selling a beloved horse. Those who do balk, well, you didn't want them taking your horse in the first place, so good riddance!

All this to say: whomever takes your horses next is 100% within your control in finding the right person/match. And hold out for just that right person. Even if/when you may be turning down solid financial offers. I myself have turned down offers flat out when I knew they weren't the right match or I didn't approve for one reason or another. Hang on for just the right new owner, it's worth it. And they do come along, trust me! Every time. But tip the scales in your favor by outright saying in the internet ads that you want a natural horsemanship enlightened person and they will come.

Most horses are sold/purchased over the internet these days, so it's also good going that above "interview" route because you can "filter" via email first. Like... a match-dating service. You don't have to meet until they "feel" fully okay to you. Ask all the questions in email and only the ones you feel convinced are good candidates get to come see the horse. This is within your control. And yes...I have turned away many a potential buyer because they didn't feel right and I never regretted it. The PERFECT one does come along. I even sold one of my horses to a natural horsemanship trainer in New York who saw my ad (but I still "interviewed her" re all the above questions!) and that horse is now happily settled into the most perfect home I could have envisioned, and it rather makes you feel good, not sad, because you know your horse is still well loved and well cared for, following all your convictions of how horses should be treated in life.

Try that and you'll manifest just the right owner appearing, you'll see; and how will you know that owner when you see 'em? It'll be the one where you say to yourself, "whew, my horse is far better off with them than me right now!" (Because you don't have time for that horse anymore or for whatever reason.) You'll see it/feel it/know it. And, more importantly, you'll see your horse pick that person as well. They have positive "chemistry" together. Listen to your heart there, not your head. And know: that's completely within your control and within your rights as advocate for your horse. No one can take your horse without passing all your tests, that's the bottom line. But know that person will come along if you remain on that strong advocacy road..

Try that and you should be okay finding just the right person. Good luck to you there! 

 

 

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