Selling horses. Hmm.

[pandora69]

I um'ed and ah'ed for ages about whether to sell big horse. I love him to bits, but he is so impractical for a pregnant mother who has dreams of cantering round with 2 children on furballs behind me. He's too big to lead from, terrified of ponies, such a dirty boy (once spending 3hrs every weekend washing 17,3hh of grey mud monster didn't bother me, now it feels like it is encroaching on precious riding time,) and he is sooooo clever. If I don't fill his brain with clever stuff he fills it with not-so-clever stuff, which is not always as much fun as he feels it should be. ("Ooh, you've learnt a fancy new dressage move" is always so much nicer than "ooh, you've learnt how to take you rug off at the far end of the field!")

He is, however, the most fabulous and wonderful horse I have ever had the pleasure to ride, let alone own. I am selling him with a heavy heart but know it is for the best all round, as he is not old and can have the kind of life he needs with someone else rather than being dragged out of a field, cold-hosed down and expected to perform without the right amount of preparation, which is what he gets with me. So I advertised him. I sang his praises in the ad, listing his numerous and considerable talents, finishing the advert with a light-hearted comment that he is a bit much for a busy mother who will be looking for another the same, but smaller and brown (I didn't want anyone to think he was for sale because he was naughty or defective, or because I was desperate for cash.) Then the ad states his price. As you might expect, I would like more than pennies for him.

I've just had my first phone call about him. The enquirer wished to swap him for her small brown mare. I explained that he was for sale, not for swap, and she lectured me that my ad was misleading, as I said I wanted something smaller and brown, and that was exactly what she was offering for him. I explained that the ad clearly states his price and that my comment was intended to convey that he was an unsuitable horse for my current circumstances, nothing more. I went on to say that I did not need another horse for about 10 months as I was pregnant, and it would not be wise to swap a horse I know and trust for one I do not at this stage in my life, when for the sake of a few more months I would be able to buy exactly what I wanted. She then said "Ah, yes. Some people do get an irrational fear of different horses when they are pregnant, don't they!"

So this woman has rung up and tried to swap my lovely horse for a random mare she doesn't want, accused me of misleading her, then accused me of 'irrational fear!'

Is it just me, or does she sound a bit bonkers?

I would rather not sell big horse, but as i have decided it is for the best I'd rather not have to deal with weirdos.

she does sound a BIT bonkers but then again can see how it would be possible to misinterpret your ad

hope you find him a lovely home and find yourself the perfect brown thing

Oh dear She obviously just honed in the part where you said you were looking for the same but smaller and brown. Might be an idea to re-word the ad if possible?

not just you when i was selling noddy we clearly stated needed experienced home and not suitable for complete beginner. First person says on phone " my DD is extreamly good rider for her age, yes yes we know everything " they turned out to be complete amateur mother - didn't know how to tack up and a 4 yr old who had ridden 3 times on holiday !!!! noddy not impressed.

Selling horses = clarion call to every weirdo, freak and downright cheekybugger in existence. Oh, and they have no self preservation either and so will insist they (or their poor dcs!) are experienced riders and then turn up to try something advertised as not suitable for novices/needs experienced rider with the riding skills of someone who has sat on an elderly donkey once at the seaside.

I wish you luck!

Asshats!

I saw this ad somewhere on the internet (can't remember where, a blog I think) and it really made me laugh, it was sooo honest. Especially the last line...

"Big grade gelding. Been used as a pickup horse until he got hooked by a bull. Think he has a split personality, some days he's great, some days he's a real prick. No secrets here, you need to tranq him to shoe him or he will try and kick your head off. He has been used for branding, moving cows, ranch roping ect. And like I said, some days he is great, we have had beginner riders on him and they have done fine, I have ridden him in the hills or gathered on him and he was fine,He is not great to catch, although we have him turmed out on 140 acres so he can leave if he wants, but in a smaller pen he is much better. he just needs someone that isnt going to take his shit on a regular basis. He needs to be taken and used. If you are looking for a horse that you can ride twice a year, well then this is not the horse for you., But if you use your horse as often as you change your pants then he will probably suit you perfect. We bought him with the intention of selling him and because we have more than enough horses he has gone to the bottom of the priority barrel. He is not a horse for the faint hearted, if you are handy and need a project or if you think you are handy and need to try and prove it. I think he is about 11 years old. 15.3 hands. Anwsers to the name of Dick. Ok, he doesn't anwser, thats just what I call him."

Oh yes, it was on "Bad ways to sell your horse".

Pixel, think I bought him.

Pixel, brilliant advert!

I took big horse out to a showjumping clinic today and he was fabulous and was so much more horse than the others there (and I'm not just talking about size here!) He did not put a foot wrong and was just beautiful. Every time he trotted towards me (you didn't think I was jumping him at 10 weeks pregnant, did you?) I marvelled at how gorgeous he was. Then, when he trotted away from me I looked sadly at the dripping sludgy brown bottom that I had desperately tried - and failed - to hose down so you could at least vaguely tell he was grey somewhere under all of the crud, and I remembered why I need the smaller, browner version. That isn't scared of ponies!

Ah, horses! I'm dreading the time ahead that my children put me through the same amount of emotional upheaval!

He sounds like a dream horse for me Pandora and I've always had a soft spot for greys...

Do you want him, Skihorse? No, seriously, you really won't have the time for him once you have a baby. Big horse needs cosseting for hours at a time to bring out his best . If I had servants I'd definitely be keeping him for myself LOL. Also, you'd REALLY have to like washing him. I took him to Ponies (UK) Summer Champs once, and had scrubbed him to within an inch of his life then rugged and bandaged him to the eyeballs. I put him in his stable on arrival with a haynet and a bucket of water, and went back to the trailer to get some bedding. The stable was a temporary one on an earth floor. In the 5 minutes it took me to get the bedding he had wee'd, pooed, tipped the water into all of this mess, mashed it all up and dug a hole in the floor, before plonking his haynet on the top of it all. He had mud and excrement splattered all over his belly.

I tell you - he is fab, but high maintainance!

hahaha What an eejit! Maybe he's one of those who looks majestic from a distance... on a misty day having left one's glasses under the passenger seat?

I don't know when I'm going to find the time to ride after the baby comes. I fear the baby will be strapped in to the pram/buggy and left next to the sand school screaming its little lungs out.

There is a huge advantage with my chestnut gal... though quite how she manages to smear shit down her white facial stripe I don't know. I also don't know how she can get so much mud in her ears.

When we took off all the layers of rugs he had on the other day he had mud all the way to the top of his bum. Under the rug! He does indeed look fab from a distance, although when we go hunting these days he looks fab at the meet then I prayfor him not to get too sweaty as the dirt just runs off him like little rivers of sludge. Not as bad as my mum's little white cob though.

Getting all misty eyed thinking about our lovely times together now. Look here - he is a good looking chap, isn't he? (I know, I'm biased!)

I have managed to ride by having some fab helpers, and am now looking forward to having just the right kind of 'mummy's horse' that will lead a Shitland all day long and stand still while I get hammered at the meet . I don't need too much excitement atm, but I do still want a little bit of steady quality! Daughter is happy to sit on her pony so will be able come out with me. Now I just need to figure out what to do with the second child!

Haha!!!! Found this as well. Just about sums him up.

Oh yes, look! Field full of white horses, and all with a one year old child at home. What was I thinking? confused

ah that pic has set off 'three white horses, snowy white horses' on my internal jukebox, will be humming it all day now

have you had any more enquiries about him?

pandora I didn't want you to think I'd ignored your posts. I didn't. I still think he's lovely. I thought I'd replied last week but obviously I went mad instead.

Saw your post in the other place about you know who - what a shower of shite! Petty little shits - I agree with whomever it was though who suggested they should've just sucked it up and compensated you...

LOL Skihorse, you think I was cross with it, you should hear the chap whose name was blanked out. He's instructed a solicitor and also emailed Watchdog. Now, let's see how long it takes for them in 'the other place' to quote what I've said here. I know one of them has been trawling the internet to see what I have to say on all manner of things, including registering with a professional pilot's forum to see if I have said anything they could bitch about there. How sad is that?

Now then. Who's got a lot of spare superglue who'd like to parade my horse in front of the Horse and hound photographer on Wednesday? He's going to be covering a charity hunt just down the road. I am sure he'd love to snap my horse! (Although I really need to advertise him again but properly, and when it's not snowing!) I'm nuts enough to take him to dressage while pregnant, but even I know hunting is not a good idea. So the lure of H&H means I am going to blow-dry the Shitland till she looks cute (well, apart from the rabid dribble and glowing red eyes, that is,) and plonk 2yo daughter on her and go for the cute factor. Am I a bad mother for using my daughter to try and get a mugshot in a mag?

Mitchy - not had any more interest, but I haven't advertised him since December. I need to pull my finger out.

S'not fair you being all mysterious you know! Some of us suffer from terminal nosiness and this could finish us off.

pandora I'd like to say that's unbelievably pathetic but right now I've got some idiot over there screaming at me and ripping apart my posts every time I post something... there is a slight misogynistic streak over there... Pricks. They don't like it up 'em!

Pixel Oh nothing sinister, it's a s*i forum and pandy wrote a trip report worthy of tripadvisor and got ripped to shreds by the members of the forum and the tour operator are being dicks. Then (forum users) linked to mumsnet as we were discussing it here... and are now following pandy around the internet. It's like AIBU raised to a new level with spiteful men!

Skihorse I've been staying out of the 'black run' debate, if that's waht you are on about. That kind of chap is the type that provides me with my entertainment while I have my lunch - watching them teeter at the top, scrape about halfway down so painfully slowly, and then finish it in the blink of an eye flat on their face. If they are still alive at the bottom they go 'Cool. Hur hur. I did a black. Hur hur.' Apes!

Pixel I had a thread going here, but unfortunately I put something on it that contravened MN rules (Oh I am so naughty! It was all done through a temporary red mist at the time, but I'm not about to admit that to a bunch of blokes who seem to live in a permanent red mist.) Noone here seemed to mind or care though, until someone put a link to my MN thread and stepped up the stupid blokish-ness to a new level. The thread is the longest on the main forum atm, and me and my friend (Skihorse - she's the other contributor from the trip) are now being quite amused by the whole thing. Apart from the letter from the tour operator. We are not amused about that.

pandora I have no idea what I've done but there are three men in particular on that site who leap on me at every opportunity. One is a doctor and I said I'd not decided whether to get the swine flu jab or not... he reported me to social services I think! I'm not sure about the other two... well actually I do know but I daren't say here in case they're trawling... which makes me sound like a paranoid loon. Oh I loves the internets I does.

I won a prize in their competition in december... which I've not yet received, despite "reminders" and emailing the donator direct. To date I've not written a pandora style complaint but the date approacheth.

Hi Pandora - hope it's ok to join your thread. I am a new member, only just found out I am pregnant - about 7 weeks gone! Am going mad as we are keeping it quiet at the moment so haven't been able to ask anyone's advice or ask for help with the horse situation, so have come on here and found your Tack room - which is great! If anyone can offer any advice that would be wonderful...I have a TB Mare, gorgeous horse, really talented, but I was planning to sell her over the next few months, as full-time job has meant she's not getting exercised enough, and is getting bored and a big naughty at times..and we were planning to have a baby. Plan was to get her going a bit...she's had a bit of a down-time what with snow and winter and work..then advertise. And later on get a more suitable mum's horse, like yourself! Now I am pregnant, I'm a bit stuck - she's on a DIY livery yard, there is help available with mucking out etc, but not on the riding front, she's not the easiest, so I would want an experienced rider, and there is no-one on the yard suitable, plus I haven't told anyone! I've asked horsey friends..whilst not telling them the reason. A dealer who I considered asking to sell her, I have since found out has a bad reputation, any good yards charge a fortune for full livery and to sell. I am now a bit nervous about riding her properly and jumping so get her ready for sale, I rode her the other night and we ended up in the middle of a field - just silly shying nonsense as she is fresh!
I'm just not sure what to do now, do I just bite the bullet and put her at a good yard that can help to sell and hope it happens quickly before it bankrupts me! Or just quickly put an advert in now whilst I can still ride and show her..but they are going to want to jump etc, which I haven't done for a while so not keen on starting now really!
Any advice would be great, thank you.

Hi Purdey1, and congratulations!

I think my horse is relatively easy, but he is huge! He puts a lot of people off, and I went through about 4 helpers in a year that he scared by looking at them in the wrong way or something. Now I have a fab helper - she is so fab I'm actually going into joint ownership on the next horse with her (which won't be the 'mummy horse' but a just-off-the-track TB as a project for her while I get to the point where I can ride again. Obviously I won't be riding it! And then the mummy horse.) I got my helper by advertising on the internet, and being particular in interviewing the replies I got. I had quite a few 'Hi, I'm 14 yrs old and looking 4 a rilly good hors I'd love it and it doesn't matter if its a bit big or norty' replies, a few who were more in the right direction but who didn't click with either me or the horse, and then I got my fabulous present helper girl. She's mucking out and riding every day for me atm (I am going out for walks in the woods with friends babysitting me ) We take him training and competing together, with me offering her my 6 years of knowledge about all his little quirks and foibles, so it's a joint effort. She has warmed him up for me so I can do the odd dressage test, but I've found I prefer to watch him atm rather than push myslef, which is what I did with the first pregnancy.

So that's my situation. Now to yours. I would be honest with anyone you are asking to help you. I make it a rule not to tell people I am pregnant before my 12 weeks scan, but horsey people I rely on are the exception, as they need to know. Eg you could really do with some help with your horse right now, but you don't want people to think she is too much or you are being a bit pathetic. There is no shame in saying you don't want to jump or ride alone when you are pregnant! If I were you I would be looking actively for good help - it is invaluable, especially once you have had your baby. Before I got pregnant with this one I still had help, and it meant I could get on a horse who was fit, not fresh, and ready to go (big horse does not do XC, or indeed anything, well if he feels a bit out of puff! And don't ever let him get fresh - oooh no! 760kg of pea-brained wonder with no idea what to do with himself is a bit much for anyone!)

Personally I would not be inclined to try an sell her all by yourself. You want to show her looking at her best so you get a good price for you - the 'mummy's horse' I want that performs and plods as well (and looks good - I am spoilt ) is a commodity worth it's weight in gold, and the sellers know it. Get help in getting her going a bit, and then make sure you have help to keep her ticking over too. The horsey market is slow at the moment, but will pick up as the sun comes out. You don't want to get her ready for sale then find you cannot keep her at her best.

I've backed off selling big horse for a couple of weeks. I was unfortunate enough to pay for my advert at the start of December, it then went in the magazine in January, just as the worst weather in decades hit. The horsey world is still getting over the shock of that. Also he is had to keep clean in the current mudbath that is his field. So my helper is going to enjoy some XC fun on him, we'll wait for his summer coat to come through, hope the mud goes away, and then re-advertise.

Sorry for the long post BTW. I can't help myself sometimes

Hi Purdey1, and congratulations!

I think my horse is relatively easy, but he is huge! He puts a lot of people off, and I went through about 4 helpers in a year that he scared by looking at them in the wrong way or something. Now I have a fab helper - she is so fab I'm actually going into joint ownership on the next horse with her (which won't be the 'mummy horse' but a just-off-the-track TB as a project for her while I get to the point where I can ride again. Obviously I won't be riding it! And then the mummy horse.) I got my helper by advertising on the internet, and being particular in interviewing the replies I got. I had quite a few 'Hi, I'm 14 yrs old and looking 4 a rilly good hors I'd love it and it doesn't matter if its a bit big or norty' replies, a few who were more in the right direction but who didn't click with either me or the horse, and then I got my fabulous present helper girl. She's mucking out and riding every day for me atm (I am going out for walks in the woods with friends babysitting me ) We take him training and competing together, with me offering her my 6 years of knowledge about all his little quirks and foibles, so it's a joint effort. She has warmed him up for me so I can do the odd dressage test, but I've found I prefer to watch him atm rather than push myslef, which is what I did with the first pregnancy.

So that's my situation. Now to yours. I would be honest with anyone you are asking to help you. I make it a rule not to tell people I am pregnant before my 12 weeks scan, but horsey people I rely on are the exception, as they need to know. Eg you could really do with some help with your horse right now, but you don't want people to think she is too much or you are being a bit pathetic. There is no shame in saying you don't want to jump or ride alone when you are pregnant! If I were you I would be looking actively for good help - it is invaluable, especially once you have had your baby. Before I got pregnant with this one I still had help, and it meant I could get on a horse who was fit, not fresh, and ready to go (big horse does not do XC, or indeed anything, well if he feels a bit out of puff! And don't ever let him get fresh - oooh no! 760kg of pea-brained wonder with no idea what to do with himself is a bit much for anyone!)

Personally I would not be inclined to try an sell her all by yourself. You want to show her looking at her best so you get a good price for you - the 'mummy's horse' I want that performs and plods as well (and looks good - I am spoilt ) is a commodity worth it's weight in gold, and the sellers know it. Get help in getting her going a bit, and then make sure you have help to keep her ticking over too. The horsey market is slow at the moment, but will pick up as the sun comes out. You don't want to get her ready for sale then find you cannot keep her at her best.

I've backed off selling big horse for a couple of weeks. I was unfortunate enough to pay for my advert at the start of December, it then went in the magazine in January, just as the worst weather in decades hit. The horsey world is still getting over the shock of that. Also he is had to keep clean in the current mudbath that is his field. So my helper is going to enjoy some XC fun on him, we'll wait for his summer coat to come through, hope the mud goes away, and then re-advertise.

Sorry for the long post BTW. I can't help myself sometimes

Pah. Sorry! Double post.