Need some horse input

[Remudamom]

Sugar isn't selling. I've had people come out and look at her and end up buying a different horse. I don't get it. Someone told me I wasn't asking enough for her for what she can do, so that makes people think something is wrong with her. (Well, I can't help it, I'm not a dealer, just an owner.) I've had folks say they won't look at a mare, or one that is over 14 hands, or under 15 hands.

 

I wanted to sell her before spring, because I know me, I'll start "keeping her in shape" when I should be working with the young ones. I do not need to keep another Qh if I'm keeping my Arabians.

 

Her sale thingy is over at

 

http://www.xanga.com/remuda2007

 

Ottakee- you've looked at enough horses lately- check it out and see if anything screams at you. And anyone else horsey, give me your input on what YOU see when you look, please.

[astrid]

Geez, I can't see anything that jumps out at me, other than she looks pretty bomb-proof. Maybe it's a height thing, or a mare thing. I've had a lot of mares, and though we're horse-less at this stage in our lives, I've sworn off mares and when we're ready to look again, it'll most likely be a gelding. I've had some GREAT mares, don't get me wrong, but as you said, some folks have a "mare thing."

 

Really, she looks lovely, and super-safe and sensible. What more can you ask for? Keep her! :) I know; easy for me to say, right?

[Remudamom]

I guess it won't be the end of the world if she doesn't sell, she's an extra right now though, and won't do anything but sit in the pasture and rot, and that bothers me. As lovely as I think the horses are, they need an attitude adjustment if they sit on their butlers for too long at a time. I like everyone to be used and kept in shape. Maybe that's a homeschooling problem, "Everyone must be learning something at all times!"

And Sugar's not as good a brood mare as the extra I am going to keep, just in case I want another baby down the road.

[Ottakee]

First of all, I would move her ad to the top of your page. Right now it is lower down and has a date from last year---makes people wonder why she didn't sell. Move it to the top and put a recent date on there and update the stuff about her. Say the same things but make sure it looks like it is from her current riding, not something from 6-12 months ago. Maybe put her price up there as well. I know that I want to know how much before I even consider really looking.

 

Other than the mare thing, like I said, I would have bought her. Here in Michigan, about 75%+ of the horses that are for sale are mares as the horse market is really dropping and so breeding isn't profitable, esp. with high hay prices and the slaughter situation.

 

Do you have a quick link from the main page of your blog to your sale page? I know that one time I couldn't find it--make it as easy as possible to find and use.

 

Do you advertise on any other sites? Around here http://www.horsetopia.com, http://www.dreamhorse.com, http://www.equintehits.com and http://www.equine.com are big ones to look at when you are searching for horses. I know in other areas http://www.freehorseads.com and http://www.agdirect.com are big ones. I also posted on a local trail riding forum and that was free and hit the target audience. We also put up flyers at the local TSC, feed stores, tack stores, etc. Do you have any good local 4H or FFA groups that you could market her to?

 

See, for me, I wanted something in the 14-15hh range and they are HARD to find. Too bad she wasn't a gelding.

 

OH, my 11dd wants you to know that she wants a jumping horse.

[Remudamom]

Slave driver! Okay, I did it.

 

She hasn't been ridden that often during the winter, I need to fix that. She will be once we can ride consistently again. And her price could go up when we start riding a lot, because I'll get back to work on her sidepassing and rollbacks.

 

I am advertising on some of those sites.

 

Tell your daughter my first horse was a hunter/jumper named Rusty. When we first got married I took my horse Champagne to a jumping clinic, but dh wanted me to quit because 1) he was convinced I'd break my neck and 2) he was convinced that Champagne might try to jump something while he was working on her and break HIS neck.

[Ottakee]

I will check out your stuff soon when you have it updated.

 

Also, on the websites you have her listed, if the ads are free, I would consider deleting your old ads and putting up new ones so that people that search for horses listed in the past 1week or 30 days, etc. will find her. Some people figure that if a horse hasn't sold in 60 days there must be a reason for it and won't bother looking---at least that is the way it is here.

 

Can you get on her and ride her a few times soon? That would really help. I know I was very nervous about buying a horse that hasn't been ridden in months.

[Remudamom]

She's been ridden intermittently through the winter, and when it gets nice I'll resume her training, either with me doing it or supervising one of the kids. And this is exactly why I want to move her. I need to be working on the two year olds and three year olds, not her. But I know I'll work with her because she's learning fun things, not basics.

[Liz CA]

Sugar isn't selling. I've had people come out and look at her and end up buying a different horse. I don't get it. Someone told me I wasn't asking enough for her for what she can do, so that makes people think something is wrong with her. (Well, I can't help it, I'm not a dealer, just an owner.) I've had folks say they won't look at a mare, or one that is over 14 hands, or under 15 hands.

 

I wanted to sell her before spring, because I know me, I'll start "keeping her in shape" when I should be working with the young ones. I do not need to keep another Qh if I'm keeping my Arabians.

 

Her sale thingy is over at

 

http://www.xanga.com/remuda2007

 

Ottakee- you've looked at enough horses lately- check it out and see if anything screams at you. And anyone else horsey, give me your input on what YOU see when you look, please.

 

it takes a little while. When buyers come by do you have one of your kids ride her so they can see her in all gaits? They will also see how good she is with children.

How would she respond to a total beginner who would possibly sit off center or give incorrect/confusing leg/rein cues? Would she be suitable to gymkhana? I am asking this because in CA a lot of the young girls are into that, it may not be a factor where you live.

If she does well with all of that, I would stress this fact to all potential buyers. Everyone wants to know their child or they themselves will be safe on this horse -as safe as you can be on a horse, of course.

When I looked at the pics, I could not see anything *wrong*. Of course, I couldn't see her feet. I am assuming they look good, right hoof angle, etc.

I bet, a girl will come along and just fall in love with her. It's happened to us before, right?

[Ottakee]

Well, "nice" weather is all relative. If it is above 40, winds less than 25mph, and not too much mud, it is NICE weather. We just got 12 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours with 1 inch of rain the day before so it is NOT nice here, yet I would be riding if Spy was not brand new to me.

 

What is big in your area? showing, trails, kiddie rodeos, etc? Try to market her to the kids that are into these things--and that she would do well at. Otherwise, how about marketing her as a good safe mount for a lady just getting back into riding or starting for the first time?

 

Sidepassing/rollbacks, etc. are fun and impressive but for me, I want a nice and steady trail mount that will walk, trot, and maybe lope on command and NOT gallop unless asked.

 

Makre sure ground manners are good and that she will load into a variety of trailer types. I have heard of people having "trailering" parties where they get 3-5 different types of trailers (straight load, slant load, stock, etc) and practice loading their horses into the different trailers.

 

I also like to see a horse that is up to date on shots, coggins, feet, sheath (not an issue for a mare), teeth floating, etc. It shows me the horse was well cared for. Then again I am more in an area where horses are pure pleasure animals, not work/ranch horses.

 

You might mention in your ads that she has Clinton Anderson training as well, esp. if that is big in your area. I might be able to put her on the Down Under Horsemanship forum as well with a link to an ad once you get everything updated.

 

Also, I know you are working on this but where on your blog main page is the link to your "horses for sale"? I can't find it. If you want, send me the links to the ads you do have for her and I can try to give you some pointers. I am not an expert by any means but since I have been searching hundreds of ads and talking to dozens of owners I know what "I" like to see and hear in an ad for a horse.