why can't I sell my very nice horse????

[MiggleMoo]

My horse is a 16.2hh, 13yr old, WB. amazing to handle, angel on the ground and in saddle. She is a forward going ride but never bucks, rears, bolts etc. Super safe on the roads and the sort you could have a good gallop on and still stop at the other end. She is a superb hack but her schooling probably needs more work if you wanted to compete her. She is never going to win Hickstead, or jump around badminton but she is a good, nice, safe sort.
I am selling her due to a number of reasons but mainly loss of grazing and not being able to afford livery, and another baby on the way.
I don't even feel I am asking a lot for her £1450 with everything in, so why am i either getting time wasters or complete idiots phoning - where am I going wrong. I really need to sell her asap, but I will not sell her to a home I don't feel is suitable.
It is all very stressful, would welcome anyones advice!?
Is anything moving in the current market - is she too much (or too little and that is putting people off!)

Maybe she is too cheap and so you are getting the wrong sort of people ringing?

Thanks for the response, I did wonder that but I know she isn't a competition horse and she is getting on a bit in years so didn't want to price her out the market. It is so impossible to tell at the moment!!!

She sounds lovely. I thought she sounded cheap too. (No expert!) did you mention in ad she needs schooling? People may read that as she won't work in a school at all. Have you got a good pic? Is she a chestnut mare?!?
Wishing I had time for a horse of my own!

Have you tried Waitrose?... Are any of the callers making an offer? Do you need to sell though or are you secretly relieved that no-one is buying?

Thanks Wolfie, she is lovely. But no she isn't chestnut, sorry! This is the advert www.horsemart.co.uk/all_rounder_horse_13_yrs_16_2_hh_dark_bay_kent/advert/246585

Honestly frontpaw I'd love to be secretly relieved but we are going through a really rough financial time and I really need to sell her. Feel stuck!

Can you rent her out? Im not very horsey but that sounds logical to me! Maybe a riding school would stable her for lessons for a bit.

I am really honest with people who phone up and include all her good points and bad. but I just seem to get either complete novices or nutters!!!

Thanks Frontpaw yes that is something that is done, loans to people/ riding schools etc. I would rather sell as we need the money but it may well be an option if it carries on like this!

Are you only advertising in the one place? I'd try at least four or five places.

Also bear in mind that we're just coming into winter which I expect is a slower time of year.

She did sound cheap to me (sounds lovely though, will PM you if I win anything on the lottery this weekend).

Sounds a bit cheap to me, people might think there is something wrong with her (I would!). Where have you advertised? Maybe you could add some more detail to the ad to explain why she is so cheap? A friend of mine sold her lovely but very average cob earlier in the year for double the money. She had loads of calls and first person to view bought him and picked him up next day without vetting. She was also very picky as she wanted a good home for her boy so had to tell lots of people that they weren't suitable.

Thanks Tammo, I've advertised her on various facebook sites, in local tack shops and horsemart. I think the winter thing play a huge part. Just makes a harder decision harder as it feels like this unresolved thing I can't sort.

Ok, just had a look at the advert. Maybe if you don't want novices calling add something about her not being a novice ride as she does sound very suitable for a novice in the ad. I think my friend put something about her cob being strong/only for experienced riders to weed out novices/kids but still got some calls from completely unsuitable people as people seem to overestimate their ability/experience. Your horse looks lovely and I would buy her in a flash if I could.

You could consider loan as an option although I'm aware this has its own complications.

It might not hurt putting a free ad on Gumtree, there tends to be quite a few timewasters and it's not a specifically horsey site but it's quick to do and will get more traffic than tack shops. I advertised looking for a horse share on there once and although nothing worked out in the end I got a lot of responses from genuine people.

thanks for looking at it ledlights, it is difficult to describe, she would suit a novice but not a complete novice, i.e. she has no vices and behaves herself but she is forward going and will respond to a squeeze from the legs etc, so she wouldn't suit someone who didn't know the basics. I could add another sentence into the advert. cheers for looking at it, so helpful to have some feedback!

Disclaimer I have not bought or sold a horse in 10 years so things have probably changed

If I was looking at that ad with a view to buying, honestly her being described as forward going and would suit a confident novice to experienced rider and could use schooling to bring her on combined with her low price would make me think that she a bit of a nutter.

Not saying for a second that she is! But it's a bit like dating ads, everyone is a smartarse reads between the lines.

Just looked at your ad, there is a bit on the side that says "tags" which I took to mean what searches would bring up your advert. Two of them were, "cheap horses for sale," and "first horse" which could explain why you are getting some of the types of enquiries you've said.

That said, when I was looking for a horse on loan recently, I found it an absolute nightmare, with people changing their minds, and cancelling on me. I was looking for months, and out of about 20 horses I enquired about, I only managed to see 3. But I did get there eventually. I know that is a completely different situation, but what I am trying to get at is that it only takes one genuine person, so hopefully you just need to stick with it!

thanks Fancy thats really interesting as she really isn't a nutter at all!!! anyone got any suggestions of re-wording?

This post is proving to be very useful - thanks all!!

Cheers Notinmylife

Yes -"forward going " and "needs schooling" are the horsey equivalent of "deceptively spacious" and "needs some renovation"!!!

She sounds nice to me :) maybe try a different website. Horsequest has a under 3k section
I would up the price to me she sounds worth more.

How about "would be suitable for a competent (sorry i cant think how to spell it!) Novice but not a true beginners horse"

Have edited advert... thanks for the advice!

Because most people who reply to horse ads are either Novices or nutters! Most experienced horse people have plenty of choice through word of mouth maybe?
We sold a little welsh A. They were all bonkers! One woman wanted a lead rein saint, so she could take her 4yo hunting, leading off her 16 hander. The poor little bastard couldnt stand upright with his hat on. It took 2 of us to stop him sliding off the pony!

Nothing useful to add, but will pm you if I win lottery!
She looks gorgeous.

Thanks you GOLD I like that sentence! and it is the truth.

Very true Saggy! I have sent the word out amongst my horsey friends but I rather unconnected nowadays since I stopped being on a yard, stopped competing or going to riding clubs etc. Hopefully the perfect owner will turn up soon!