Your Step By Step Guide To Selling A Horse

Spring is an ideal time to sell your horse. Horsemart statistics show that more people are looking to buy at this time of year. We had over 100,000 more visitors on our site in spring 2017 than the previous winter, and 33,000 more telephone Enquiries. Selling your horse in the spring also makes it easier for them to bond with their new owners, during the sunny months of the year. With a 41% increase in ads placed on Horsemart during the spring, potential buyers are being spoilt for choice.

1. Clean And Groom Your Horse Ready For Show

To get the perfect picture of your horse, you want them to be looking their best in order to catch potential buyers attention. You also need to keep your horse well maintained, first impressions are everything. Potential buyers could come to view the horse at any time. Here’s our grooming your horse - step by step guide to help you.

2. Take Good Quality Pictures Of Your Horse

A picture speaks 1000 words, so it’s important to get it right.
The main picture should show the horse’s full confirmation. It’s also helpful to take a few more pictures from different angles/sides and include one of your horse in action. All your pictures should be honest and show any markings, cuts, injuries or scars that your horse may have.

3. Take An Equally Great Video

The photo will initially catch the buyers attention but the video can show off your horse in action. Don’t make your video too long, it should be around 2-3 minutes and include your horse’s walk, trot and canter. If your horse performs higher level movements then you should allow up to 4 minutes recording time.

4. Provide An Honest Description Of Your Horse

Providing an honest yet short description of your horse and its background is very important. Potential buyers will want to know both good and bad habits that your horse may have. Remember to include things like breeding, personality, medical information, training, show records and potential. It’s also very important that information such as year of birth and height are correct and accurate.

5. Find And Organize Your Horse’s Paperwork

Before your potential buyer shows up to view your horse, make sure you have all your horse’s paperwork organized and to hand. This could include registration papers, DNA test results, show results, veterinary records and production records. Buyers may want to view this as reassurance before finalising the deal.

6. Set A Fair Price

Pricing your horse appropriately can make or break a sale. Your price should be reasonable and based on age, skill, personality, colour, weight and height etc. It’s always helpful to do some research and see if there are any horses that are listed similar to yours and if they’ve had any interest. This can sometimes be a good price guide.

7. Advertise Your Horse

Advertise your horse on as many places as you can, for example on social media platforms, magazines, newspapers and online. Get your horse out there but bare in mind the appropriate audiences. This may cost you a small fee.

Selling a horse can take time and that can be attributed to the many questions buyers like to ask before they come to view your horse. Make sure you take the time to respond to quickly and efficiently to any enquiries regarding your horse and make sure the information you are providing them with are correct.
Slow correspondence could result in a missed sale.

9. Keep Your Horse Well Exercised And Healthy

In the meantime keep your horse well exercised and healthy. You want your horse to be on top form at all times, ready to impress any viewer. You don’t want your horse to misbehave or to become breathless during a potential buyer’s trial ride. You should also provide the buyer with a safe area or arena to ride your horse when they come to view it. If you don’t have one we recommend that you use a public arena.

10. Get Your Sales Agreement In Writing

Lastly, once you've negotiated a sale, get your sales agreement in writing and agree on a clear plan for funds transfer and horse transport. It's always a good idea to keep all correspondence with the buyer regarding the sale and use a sales contract.