It's that time of year when the sale ads for horses are popping up faster than dandelions in your lawn. And having bought and sold a few horses in my time for both myself and clients, let me share some of my pet peeves on sale ads that could help you successfully sell your horse.
Pictures - this is the first introduction of your horse to a prospective buyer. If I am looking at a horse for a client - I am looking to see if the horse is conformationally correct for the job I need it to do - so presenting your horse in the best possible way is key. Make sure your horse is groomed nicely and squared up correctly. A nice, clean halter is also preferred. I prefer pictures without tack as it shows me their topline. Bonus points if you include photos directly in front and back so I can see their front and back legs.
Video - Ok, here is where my pet peeves really come out. I get old Shadow will walk through fire if asked, but that's not what I want to see right off the bat. I want to see a walk, trot, and canter in both directions clearly. Make sure that whoever is videoing you is close enough that we can see the horse actually move. I personally don't care if you can stand on old Shadow's back, I want to see if they are sound and not three-legged! If you want to show off that they can walk through water or over logs, save it for the end of your video. I will totally bypass a potentially good horse if the video does not include 3 gaits both ways. Remember that your trying to sell something online to people who watch 1 minute TikTok videos so if you haven't got their attention in the first 30 seconds you've lost a potential sale
Pricing - this is tricky since the horse market has gone completely off the rails recently on what a horse is valued. Be realistic and do some research for your area. If old Shadow is just a trail horse and has never set foot in a show pen, $10k is probably not the asking price you should be putting in your ad. If good solid trail horses in your area are selling between $3k-$5k - then after factoring in age and any health issues you should be able to find his worth. There are also professionals out there that can also help determine what your asking price should be.
The Written Ad - When it comes to writing we all want to write that witty, ad that grabs people's attention - and if you can - GREAT! But if you are not blessed with the talent of writing, stick to the basics. Include age, height, breed, registered or not, any testing for genetic diseases, what they will do and any accomplishments if they have shown successfully, the experience level needed to ride ( please for the love of all that is holy, be honest about this) and any vices they might have and price ( unless it's on a site that prevents this).
Buyers - Now that old Shadow has an ad and you're interested here's my first tip - READ THE AD!! I don't know how many times I will be scrolling through ads and see that the seller has provided all the information ( age, breed, height, etc) and I scroll through the comments only to see someone ask for information that is clearly in the ad!! And most people are way more polite than I would be and actually answer!
I hope these tips help in your sale efforts or even your buying efforts! Feel free to share any tips you might have! Until then...
Appy Riding!
Tracy
Comments