Selling my Horse

[FanFckingTastic]

We have just started the process of selling my mare (just for background, she's a really lovely, safe ISH allrounder but is just not going to be the long-term dream horse for myself and my very competitive DD)

Having just bought another horse ourselves - a really easy, straightforward purchase - I thought that I was prepared for the selling process. Oh lordy!! I've been inundated with messages from people asking questions that are very clearly answered in the advert (what breed is your horse, what sex etc..... er, read the advert!) I've been asked to provide all sorts of strange things (please can you send me some pictures of your horse in a pink numnah, as my daughter really likes pink) I've had people arrange viewings only to find out that they still need to sell their horse first, so could we wait a few months for them to have the money. Last night we had someone come for a viewing who really liked my mare, would be a suitable home, and wants to have her vetted. Great! Except she's now messaged to say that actually her budget is nowhere near the asking price and could she have 25% off, despite the mare being perfect in every way.

I know that horses are selling like hot cakes at the moment so I hadn't expected quite so many people messing around, or viewing without the means to actually buy the horse. Is this normal?

Please keep me sane with positive tales of your sales :-)

Selling is the absolute pits.
Highlights for me included a mare that was lovely but could only hack alone really as she wound herself up in company. Asked if she would be ok in a hunting home… probably not!
I also only do ex racehorses, thankfully they aren’t as popular so the idiot quota is lower but because they are cheap you do get them. One I sold Was cheap to a good home and was more than safe enough for a competent rider but VERY forward while also fussy in the mouth. The advert was SO honest and I had 849929584 enquiries about her suitability for nervous grannies, riding school 11 year olds learning to canter etc. she was also tiny, about 14.3 and SO fine even by TB standards and clearly stated she’d need a light rider in the advert. A lady turned up to try her who must have been 15/16 stone. I said no she wasn’t getting on her. She of course, told me she “rides light” I told her I’d passed my physics GCSE….

Arrrrggghhh.

There really are some difficult buyers out there, and I think a huge number who think of themselves as far more experienced than they are. We were selling a youngster 18 months ago, very honest advert, super pony but young and green, experienced home only. The number of people looking for their daughter who's been riding 3 months and can walk off the lead rein, or whose riding school said they were amazing, and could make it to the top. Thankfully we found an amazing home for him, with the first people who actually came out.
Screening people before they come is essential. Ask a lot of questions of them, of where they're going to keep it ( we had a few intending to keep in garden / on their own - nope) what set-up and support they have etc. Remind them of the price, and explain that it is set in stone, as you need it to buy the next one. Anyone asking about matchy matchy - nope. You may pass over a prospective good person, but at least you'll screen out the totally unsuitable ones, and with a mare as nice as yours sounds, you should find her a lovely home easily.
LastQueenofScotland - oh yes, riding light. We had a few of those for our one we sold - he was 14hh, and only 6, but we had some quite large people who said they'd struggle to get on anything bigger...