How to Sell a Horse

The first thing you have to do, if you want to sell a horse, is convince your daughter that she'd have more fun with a different horse. This may take months and will involve many tears. During this time give her many opportunities to ride other horses and have fun on them.

Yes, it's true that no other horses is as wonderful as the current horse (in this case, Buddy, who is truly wonderful as long as you don't want to jump). Nobody has as much personality or is as friendly (also true, but you don't ride on the personality). If you want a friend, get a dog. If you want a horse that's fun, get one that wants to do what you want to do.

I got a domain name that included Buddy's registered name and put up a web site for Buddy that included videos, photos, his pedigree and what he was good at and what he wasn't good at. It told his whole story, in mostly short categories with their own headings. Visiting the web site was like visiting Buddy, except I didn't have to clean our bathroom in case you needed to come inside. I don't know if this was essential or not but it saved me the wear and tear of sending information to people -- I could send them one link and it was all in one place.

Then I listed him on Horseville.com, Dreamhorse, Equine.com and something else I can't remember. I got a lot of calls from Horseville at first, but it was through Equine.com that he sold. It took about five or six weeks from when I put him up for sale to when he sold.

My advice is to put up as many photos as possible, and not just of the horse standing on a leadrope in profile. Put up photos of the horse being ridden, the horse interacting with other horses, the horse in shows. Put in funny photos as well as gorgeous photos. Put in the best you've got. I think this is what attracted people's attention.

I got a message from a woman in Kentucky that Buddy is the screensaver on all the computers in her house. I got another message from a woman who couldn't afford him that she really enjoyed looking at all his photos, especially with children riding him in things like the egg and spoon class. She said I had the best photos on Equine, which is almost kind of sad because I'm not a very good photographer. But I did have lots of pictures, and I posted them.

Buddy was bought by the sweetest lady. She lives in Charleston, S.C., and I know that she will continue my mission of spoiling him. She doesn't want to jump him, so they should be perfect for each other. He will live at a barn near Middleton Place Plantation and Drayton Hall. We're invited to keep in touch and see him from time to time. That makes it easier.

One of the keys to selling Buddy was to keep me out of it. Yes, I was here. But I let Lily's teacher, who has worked with Buddy for a year, talk to the new owner's trainer. Not that I didn't talk to them, but I just chilled. Once somebody is looking at your horse, I found you should let the horse do the talking.

And you know what? The new owner's trainer and the new owner see how fabulous Buddy is (as long as you don't want him to jump). As they said, "He's very well trained and doesn't have a mean bone in his body."

Goodbye, Buddy. We've been missing you. But we'll come visit and bring you treats.

Comments

[greyhorsematters]

Buddy is such a sweetheart. I'm so glad to hear he got a great home and hope he stays forever with his new owner and gets spoiled rotten. I think it's great that you and your daughter can go visit him, that will make it easier on all of you. Good tips for selling a horse, even if none of ours ever leaves once we get them.