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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

The tack room

How to advertise unsellable horse?

19 replies

Equimum · 30/10/2013 18:14

Basically, we have a much loved horse who has the most amazing temperament and has been our baby for several years. When we bought him (misguidedly) he had already been de-nerved, but proved sound and we had a lot of fun with him. When I fell pregnant, we looked for sharers but struggled to find anyone due to him needing a reasonable rider (he's not difficult, but is a 16.2 warmblood). When we did find someone, he managed to rupture a tendon within a week and has just had nine months off. He is now sound and is behaving as though he's had no time off whatsoever. Whilst off work, we moved him for the first time in his life, and he's coping with different experiences like nothing has changed.

In an ideal world, we'd keep this boy forever. He's amazing to handle and is exceptional with children. We, however, are really struggling to give him what he needs. He loves attention and now needs to be hacked several times per week, but with a little one and both working full -time, my DH and I just can't give him that. Also, we are unable to afford additional livery (he's on DIY) above the two day assistance we currently pay for.

So, we're looking for a new home for hkm, where his needs can be met, but obviously his medical history isn't likely to make him appealing. I know you never advertise horses as free, but if we found the right home we wouldn't want payment etc. Foes anyone have any ideas of how we should advertise him and where?

TIA

OP posts:

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Floralnomad · 30/10/2013 19:18

Why don't you look for a loan home for him that would be safer than giving him away or selling him off cheaply .

Mitchy1nge · 30/10/2013 19:40

lurks for inspo for own unloanable steed

Pixel · 30/10/2013 20:08

Agree I'd rather loan than give away to strangers. We were once given a fabulous horse but we had had him on weekend loan for a couple of years so the owner knew she could trust us.

I know you said you struggled to find a loaner previously but what if you were offering free riding a few times a week? If you got the person to 'do' him on the days they ride you wouldn't have to pay for the extra assistance so should come out even? Would that make it easier to find someone?

Tinlegs · 30/10/2013 20:10

My sister runs totem - a charity rehoming horses. Have pm'd you.

Lovesswimming · 30/10/2013 20:32

There's horses for homes as well. Worth a look, they do both long term loan or re-home (ownership signed over) with as much in place to avoid issues as possible. Have a look

bluebizzy · 31/10/2013 12:41

Where are you located? I would be happy to help with chores in exchange for riding for a couple days a week on the off chance you are in my area! :)

Equimum · 31/10/2013 14:05

Thanks for your replies everyone. We are going to have a look at the organisation/ websites mentioned. We realise that we may have to consider loaning, although may consider trying to get someone to help in return for riding now. Our livery is cheaper than it was when we tried to share him before, so we wouldn't need any financial contribution is we could replace the current paid assistance.

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Floralnomad · 31/10/2013 15:17

Personally I think if you are going to get someone in to loan / share at your current yard you should ask for a financial contribution even if its small ,no one should expect something for nothing and I think you probably get people who are more committed .

Aeroaddict · 31/10/2013 15:47

It might be worth asking around to see of anyone you know knows anyone who could offer him a good home. I have seen several horses go free to a good home locally. It usually seems to happen by word of mouth, and has worked out well in the cases I know of.

Booboostoo · 31/10/2013 17:54

Are you sure he is unsellable? If he is sound and would pass a vet then it really depends on what he is like to ride. Is he safe to hack? Can he do a low level dressage test, jump a clear round SJ and go for a fun ride XC? If yes then there is no reason why he can't find a good home, although now is a terrible time to be selling going into winter and he might have a better chance if he is fit and in work in spring before you advertise him.

Equimum · 31/10/2013 18:11

We found payment didn't really help with commitment when we tried sharing before, although would assess individual cases on the basis of what is best for the horse.

We have asked all our contacts and asked them to spread the word, so we're still hoping something might come of that.

Ideally we would keep him and get him fitter, then rehome in the spring, but we're struggling to find time to fitten him. He is, in principle, healthy and sane, but as I said at the top, he has been denerved and is coming back from a tendon injury. He's not able to jump (hasn't been since we bought him), so he's not the most appealing horse, despite his lovely temperament and gorgeous looks.

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Equimum · 31/10/2013 18:13

Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude - thank-you for your suggestions. We'll certainly be doing our beat to get him to the best point we are able to.

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Littlebigbum · 31/10/2013 18:19

Where about's are you? you can pm me

Booboostoo · 31/10/2013 18:54

Will he hack and do a nice dressage test? Plenty of people out there who don't want to jump. You don't lose anything by advertising and seeing what happens as long as you are careful to vet the homes (and of course you don't have any control over the fate of a horse once it is sold).

Alternatively can you afford to retire him on grass livery?

If that is not an option then I think you need to think of PTS. THere are worse options for a horse than PTS and if you really think he is unsellable and you cannot afford to keep him then you may be doing him a favour by PTS and ensuring he does not get passed around.

Romily · 31/10/2013 22:21

We had a similar situation a few years ago and we put the word out through the local vet, farrier, pony club etc and we found a lovely family who had just lost their horse and were not in a financial position to pay for a horse but had enough to keep a horse. They came highly recommended by a number of sources and turned out to be the perfect home for our challenging girl.

ADishBestEatenCold · 02/11/2013 01:58

What rotten luck you're having with him, Equimum, and he sounds like a lovely chap. I think you are correct when you say his medical history isn't likely to make him appealing, though. Certainly not to sell and quite possibly not on a long-term loan, either.

How long is it since he was de-nerved, do you know?

The thing about a neurectomy is that it isn't a permanent solution. Over time the nerve regenerates and the symptoms of whatever (was it navicular that led to him being de-nerved?) will return. At that stage it may be possible to 'successfully' repeat the procedure or it may be better to completely retire or pts.
Nor is a neurectomy a cure. The horse may no longer appear lame, because he no longer feels the pain, but the original condition is still there and furthermore, in some cases, the lack of feeling in the foot can lead to additional damage to other structures, for example the deep digital flexor tendon.

So, no, maybe not an ideal candidate for sale or long-term loan, but he does sound like an ideal personality for a horse-share with someone who wanted to hack and do flatwork, If you could find someone who had time to ride and do half of the work, then you could not only maintain control of the situation. but you'd also get to keep your lovely boy.

In your position I would advertise for a sharer. Maybe put adverts up in local yards, tack shops, pony club (mum's hack, not PC prospect) and in any local news-sheet.

Good luck!

mrslaughan · 02/11/2013 09:51

I wouldn't give up on the sharer or finding someone.

I am sharing a retired evener, who has a myriad of health problems revolving around his feet, so can't be jumped, and if hacked, you need to be very careful with ground conditions.

But I am not much of a hacker - prefer working in the arena, and working on improving my skills and ability.

However he knows his stuff and I am wanting to "learn" dressage and he knows his stuff....if you ask for it (obviously the right way) he will do it. He is teaching me so much. Even if you ask for it and you didn't mean to - you get it LOL

Now he is not everyone's cup of tea - but he is perfect for me. He likes being busy, so he is enjoying the mental and physical workout of teaching me, its a win/win.

I found him (through my instructor), I wasn't looking, but will be eternally grateful for this fab opportunity.

Butkin · 02/11/2013 20:46

We had a top class endurance arab who went wrong behind after winning a big competition. We turned him out in our field for a year and he came sound but we knew we couldn't sell him as a competition horse. We found somebody who dealt in this sort of horse - went to their place and loved the situation. We sold him for 300 pounds - with full disclosure - knowing that this was enough to make him of some value to them. He went on to be a perfect teenagers hack.

horsemadmom · 04/11/2013 07:53

Do talk to Horses4Homes. They seem to do an amazing job finding homes for horses like yours. I know one who was rehomed through them for very similar reasons and it worked out beautifully. You can keep in touch with the new owner and it's all done with a spirit of full disclosure. Good luck!

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