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How to sell your horse |
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Set a price
Too high or too low, and your horse may not sell. It can be a challenge to accurately guess your horse's value.
Start your research by looking for very similar horses on the sales sites. Do take into account region, as some horses are more popular in some areas.
If you only have a month or two to wait for him to sell, pick a very reasonable price.
Do not assume if you just put $xxxx into him, that his asking price should be that or more. He is valued based on market price, not on how expensive his last training or vet bill was.
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PhotographYou will need good photos for internet and flyer use. This may be common sense, but groom the horse before taking photos. Also, be aware of what is around & behind him. Buyers don't like to see barbed wire fences falling over, junked car parts, or major appliances. If it's the muddy time of the year, take him out of his pasture and use your lawn or other ungrazed area. Buyers like to see conformation shots, i.e. with NO tack. Take the photos outdoors. Make sure the horse is standing on level ground, preferably not in deep grass. If the horse is being promoted for a use, take photos of the horse doing that activity. For example, a photo of a horse in a show ring would be expected for a dressage horse. A photo of the horse going down the trail would be great if this horse is best sold as a trail horse. A good how-to is over on New Rider or at MyHorseForSale |
Write the ad
You should include as much of the following information in your ad as possible:
- age (exact or estimated)
- breed(s). Registered?
- gelding, mare, mare in foal, stallion
- color
- height. Use a measuring stick; don't guesstimate.
- major selling points: "this horse is would be great for ___". Achievements, awards, special pedigree info.
- disclose major flaws. How much you put in the ad depends on your judgment and how much space you're allotted.
Promoting your horse is essential: The right buyer is out there -- you just need to find him.
Online (almost all of these offer an option for a free ad) - do be careful about scams when dealing over the Internet.
- CraigsList.com
- Dreamhorse.com
- EquiBus
- Equine.com
- EquineHits.com
- Freehorseads.com
- HorseAndTackSales
- Horse.com classifieds
- HorseClicks
- Yahoo Groups offers dozens of for-sale advertising groups. Also consider posting about your horse on the related horse discipline Yahoo Groups, for example posting about a trail horse on the Yahoo "trail horse" themed groups.
Flyers
Inexpensive flyers can be made in just a few minutes. Even a word processor like Microsoft Word can make a flyer with photos.
Be sure to include basic info about the horse (age, size, breed, gender, etc) and more than one way to reach you.
Color does grab more attention. Be sure to include at least one or two photos on your flyer. You may want to run off just one copy to see if the photos reproduce well. Adjusting the contract and brightness on your copier may help when photocopying photos.
Hang them everywhere: tack shops, feed shops, public notice boards, barns, and anywhere else that a horse person might look. Give ones to your instructor, farrier, vet, barn owner, etc.
Adding tear-off tabs or business cards to your flyer make it easier for the buyer to have your number when they're ready to call. Consider putting a tidbit of information on the piece of paper the person takes, so when they get home and see a name and number they will remember which horse it's for.
Word of mouth
Politely mention your horse is for sale to anyone you think might be interested. You vet, farrier, and trainer see many horse people each day. For a more expensive horse, you may want to add a "finder's fee" if one of these people finds you a buyer. Finders fees are a small cash fee given at time of sale, if the person they sent your way actually buys the horse.
Other ways to get him sold
Using a trainer or dealer to find a buyer. Generally this is done on commission basis. Do get a contract in writing if you do decide to use an agent.
Auctions are an option for a fast sale, but there are some drawbacks. You have zero control over who buys him and for what purpose, and the market decided what price he goes for:
- If you got unlucky and the day of the auction it snows, the only ones buying may be the brokers. Brokers may not be discerning where your horse goes, and they like to low-ball bid.
- At many auctions, you can set a "reserve" so the horse does not sell if that price is not met, but you're still liable for the auction house fees even if he doesn't sell.
- Lower priced auctions tie horses side by side and you may not be permitted to show your horse in the ring, so he may not get his best showing possible.
- Also understand that auctions are wholesale price. In other words, you will not get the full price compared to selling the horse directly.
"Free" options
Sometimes an owner wishes to give a horse away "free to good home".
Care must be exercised: slaughter (kill) buyers love a free horse and may promise a "good home" in order to get the horse. You also don't want impulse shoppers or hoarders.
You can promote your freebie on:
- Freecycle
- COTH Giveaway forum
- and your local paper may offer a discounted ad for a "free to good home" animals
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Sales contract optionsA written sales contract is highly recommended, even if between good friends or family members. Some sample contracts: (always have your lawyer look over any contracts. Be aware that laws vary state by state) Some buyers may ask about payment options. For the lower to mid priced horse, an easy extra service to offer is to accept credit cards through PayPal. You may get a buyer who asks about making installment payments, but do be sure you have though this through & have a good contract. There are some pitfalls to accepting payments directly that you should consider. |
Trial or return policy
In some cases a horse may go out on trial in order for the buyer to be sure the horse is suitable. You must address in your contract how long the trial is for and who covers the expenses should the horse get sick or hurt. It's strongly recommended that the buyer be required to insure a mid to high priced horse while it's at their farm on trial. You really don't know what may happen to the horse once it's out of your care.
For further reading on doing a trial: Equine Legal Solution page
Some sellers offer a return policy which should be stated in the contract, but many horses are sold "as is - no warranties expressed or implied". This is really up to you to decide. If you do offer a return policy, decide who will cover the expenses should the horse be returned lame or sick (whether or not the buyer admits to it being their fault). Who covers transport costs both places?
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For further reading: |