1. List the horse.
2. Talk to way too many people about the horse.
3. Have way too many people come out to try the horse.
4. Sit anxiously through a prepurchase exam.
5. Sell the horse (hopefully).
6. Hug the new owner when they come to pick up the horse.
7. Go back to the barn and ugly cry for an hour.
8. Go home and search the internet for your next project.
When you purchase a horse that is supposed to be YOUR horse, like your heart horse and it doesn’t work out, it can be heartbreaking. Someone said, “It’s like letting go of a dream.” When you first purchased the horse, you were filled with excitement and the thoughts of everything you were going to accomplish with your horse. Well, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Maybe you were ill matched from the start. Maybe something happened that changed the relationship. Maybe your life situation does not allow you to have horses at this time.
Selling your horse can be difficult. It is time consuming and heart-breaking. Sometimes, it is best to have a professional sell the horse for you. They will take them on consignment. Some require the horse to be in training with them. Here are some steps if you decide to sell the horse yourself.
List the Horse
You don’t need to disclose every detail about the horse in the listing. If there is something that was found in an x-ray, ethically you should state that there are findings in x-rays, but you do not need to go into details unless a buyer reaches out to you. Be honest about the horse’s temperament. Be honest about how much training the horse has received. If you don’t want your time wasted by buyers, then don’t mislead buyers.
Usually after listing the horse and writing the description of that horse, I am wondering why I’m even selling the horse in the first place. I have only sold two horses that I REALLY wanted or needed to sell. One for financial reasons and more recently because the horse did not fit with my current life situation (having a young child).
Talking to Buyers
Once someone has reached out to you from your listing, they will probably want to talk to you over the phone. Again, be honest. If you are not honest, the buyer will come out and most likely find out. Your time and their time will be wasted. There is a famous business saying, “Under promise and over deliver.” If the horse is just starting to get its balance in the canter, don’t tell the buyer that the horse has a finished canter. The buyer will figure out that the horse indeed does not have a finished canter. It will be hard for a buyer to trust you, and they will wonder what else you are being untruthful about. If you are honest upfront, you will save yourself time and energy.
Trying the Horse
This step of selling horses is one of the most nerve-racking parts. Have you heard, “every time you ride a horse, you are training it?” Well, when buyers come to try your horse, they will be training or untraining it. A lot of buyers like to over promise and under deliver on their riding abilities. I have actually told buyers that I didn’t think they were a good match for my horse. I have had buyers say they really want to try the horse, and I have still said, “no.” I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to have to untrain something from a bad ride. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.
Prepurchase Exam
This step to selling horses can also be very nerve-racking. It can make or break a sale. I always release all of my horse’s medical records to a prospective buyer. I’d rather them know what they have or don’t before a prepurchase. Sometimes you don’t know what is a make it or break it for buyers. Sometimes you don’t know what is going to be in the x-rays. I had one horse that never took an off step and ended up having OCD lesions in his hocks. I had another horse that had scars on his legs and the x-rays were perfectly clean.
Be prepared that some vets will rake you over the coals. They will pick apart your horse and it can be hard not to get defensive. I’ve been asked, “Why are you selling this horse? Is he not nice enough?” The vets are hired by the buyers and that is who they work for. The buyer can also decide not to release the results of the records to you.
Sell the Horse
If all the stars align and you end up selling your horse, congratulations! Have all the horse’s paperwork ready: registration, coggins, medical records . . . Have contracts ready: 1 for you and 1 for the buyer.
Hug the New Owner and Ugly Cry
Well, this step is pretty much self-explanatory. Maybe you will end up doing a celebration dance or have a party, but I usually end up doing an ugly cry. And since we are all crazy horse people, you will probably be on the internet searching for your next horse by the end of the day.