Buying a horse... What do you like and dislike?

[CTT]

Getting into the business of matching people with their prospective friend has me real eager to find out what people like to have or find is a good way to make the selling phase more relaxing than such a hectic situation. I have had my fare share of buying situations and always remember that something always put a damper on the sell.

I remember one thing that made thing less likable was to hire a broker and having to ask O.K. if I buy this horse how much will your check be? Whether it was threw my trainer or a hired buyer that always made it such a disappointing moment. I wish a company like I work for was more established in the days of buying for myself.

Anyhow these are things I already offer but I’m curious to know what small little details will help make for any buyer I come across, a little more relaxing, I want people to feel they have someone that is not working for them to make money from them but to help them find what they need.

In place as we stand as current and future services:

Full video and printed presentations. One of my major pet peeves is getting 1 or 2 pics of a horse and they not showing the full picture.

We have online assistance but currently my account is down till we implement the new account for me. But once that happens prospective sellers or buyers can talk to me when they need to.

We hope by the fall of 2002 to have a collection of approved veterinarians but the vet we have asked to head up this project has taken his sweet time to get back to me but if anyone knows of a good and honest vet that would like to help me please have them contact me to speed up this process.

I’m currently working with some hauling companies (Judge Manning and Bob Hubbard) to take our transport accounts. Judge I have know forever cause I use to ride with his wife and I have never had a problem with them. I would like to ask though who have you had good treatment with and who you haven’t had so good treatment with. This is an important list for me so that I know if I half to scedgual a shiping who out there is reputable. So stab away and let me know. If its too detailed for here email me so that I know. A very important part for me is the shipping.

  So I do everything a broker will do but I want to set myself apart and make sure I cover every request someone has. 

On thing that makes me feel good about what I’m doing is I don’t half to push someone to buy a horse. So truly I will work with someone and help them find that horse to suit them even if there might be a horse at one of the farms we work with that isn’t listed. Actualy what you see on the site is just a sample of what they have and each time you email to inquire about a horse it goes directly to the farm so you don’t even need me but I can supply many of the resources.

So everyone start thinking and write down what you hate about buying and selling. Tell me the good things you want and the things selling can do without.

Farm owners tell me what is important to you when selling your horse and what services to the minute detail you like to have meanwhile post your replies here or email me at us.customerservice@horsecommerce.com I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

[CTT]

I do see your point about brokers but with our company we wanted to do something very different and that is what we stand by. I don’t plan on becoming rich, just to get to know people out there, to make things work and put peoples faith back in to the buying side of horses. I am one of few who feel no need to be greedy off other people�s fortunes and I might be dumb about it but in the long run I have a more content feeling inside.

As for our vets since we are mot pushing a sale to make money you have the ability like with our farms we host to talk directly to them and have first hand contact. Its not about the sale of the horse for this company but for the ability to feel like there is one more person out there that is happy with what they bought. I have been in a situation where a vet has pushed a horse as being clean and then due to area, call in my own vet but what if you live in California and is looking at a horse in Florida and that vet says that the horse is fine that the farm uses and you want a second opinion where are you going to find a good vet fast and feel like you can have confidence in that vet.

So as you see there might be allot of bad brokers out there but at least there is a few that can be found that are not that way.

[This message was edited by CTT on Oct. 02, 2001 at 03:48 PM.]

[Blinky]

Does your firm have a webiste we can look at? I am moving to Houston this month and will be in the market next year. But first I have to find a barn I am intrigued by what you are offering.

[PaulaM]

What I like it to see clear and concise prices for horses and not having to jump through hoops in order to find out more information about said horse. I have gotten to a point if someone doesn’t list a price for their horse or are vague about information I don’t pursue the animal. I am currently assisting a friend find a PSG / I1 horse and well, there is a lot of misrepresentation going on.

[Linny]

First, proper representation of height, manners, breeding and any show record should go without saying.
I agree that published price, including any commissions or fees is helpful. If I like a $20k horse, I don’t want to later discover that he’s going to cost me $30k. Also, I tend to feel that if I have to ask I can’t afford it, so I never ask.
My other peeve is photos. I never cease to be amazed at some of the photos I see in ads. If a horse is a 3’6 hunter, show him jumping 3’6. If he’s advertised as a 3 foot horse who’s ready to move up, show him demonstrating good form at 3 or 3’3. If a website has the capability, I like to see a conformation shot and a performance shot.

BEQS clique. With elbows in!

[CTT]

Getting into the business of matching people with their prospective friend has me real eager to find out what people like to have or find is a good way to make the selling phase more relaxing than such a hectic situation. I have had my fare share of buying situations and always remember that something always put a damper on the sell.

I remember one thing that made thing less likable was to hire a broker and having to ask O.K. if I buy this horse how much will your check be? Whether it was threw my trainer or a hired buyer that always made it such a disappointing moment. I wish a company like I work for was more established in the days of buying for myself.

Anyhow these are things I already offer but I’m curious to know what small little details will help make for any buyer I come across, a little more relaxing, I want people to feel they have someone that is not working for them to make money from them but to help them find what they need.

In place as we stand as current and future services:

Full video and printed presentations. One of my major pet peeves is getting 1 or 2 pics of a horse and they not showing the full picture.

We have online assistance but currently my account is down till we implement the new account for me. But once that happens prospective sellers or buyers can talk to me when they need to.

We hope by the fall of 2002 to have a collection of approved veterinarians but the vet we have asked to head up this project has taken his sweet time to get back to me but if anyone knows of a good and honest vet that would like to help me please have them contact me to speed up this process.

I’m currently working with some hauling companies (Judge Manning and Bob Hubbard) to take our transport accounts. Judge I have know forever cause I use to ride with his wife and I have never had a problem with them. I would like to ask though who have you had good treatment with and who you haven’t had so good treatment with. This is an important list for me so that I know if I half to scedgual a shiping who out there is reputable. So stab away and let me know. If its too detailed for here email me so that I know. A very important part for me is the shipping.

  So I do everything a broker will do but I want to set myself apart and make sure I cover every request someone has. 

On thing that makes me feel good about what I’m doing is I don’t half to push someone to buy a horse. So truly I will work with someone and help them find that horse to suit them even if there might be a horse at one of the farms we work with that isn’t listed. Actualy what you see on the site is just a sample of what they have and each time you email to inquire about a horse it goes directly to the farm so you don’t even need me but I can supply many of the resources.

So everyone start thinking and write down what you hate about buying and selling. Tell me the good things you want and the things selling can do without.

Farm owners tell me what is important to you when selling your horse and what services to the minute detail you like to have meanwhile post your replies here or email me at us.customerservice@horsecommerce.com I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

[Heidi]

Likes: Truth, integrity, undrugged horses who are represented for what they are, I like to see a horse miss as a measure of his/her 'heart. I like a deal that makes sense and doesn’t make me feel exploited. It’s especially great when the quoted price remains the purchase price - that somehow our interest doesn’t translate to an additional $$ tacked onto the originally quoted price. I like ‘dealers’ who follow up with promised videos, show records, breed papers. Mostly I love the thrill of finding a horse with awesome, jaw-dropping talent.

Dislikes: Liars and cheats top this list. I don’t like assumptions made about our desparation to buy when in Europe just because we speak with an ‘American’ accent. I hate inflated and exaagerated claims about a horse who’s either clearly lame or has limited talent. I hate the artificial pressure to buy - from either the seller or a trainer.

[CTT]

Thanks you two. I’m blushing Actually my computer is set up to cross check my emails before they go out if it is to a customer. It goes threw regular spell check and then before it sends Word spell check kicks in and re checks it. If there was a spell check on this site I would use it cause if you look most of my errors are phonetic errors. Some days it is just a lack of effort but when you type all day and half to make something more complicated it deters you from just sitting back and relaxing. I know it is unprofessional and I should be more careful but, then someone beg with me for COTH to implement that spell check here. Otherwise if someone wants to they can edit my posts for me. But still in the past year many here have seen me overcome much of this battle and they have seen my mass improvement.

My life would be great is I was a perfect speller and excellent in grammar but, I am not therefor I must suffer the criticism.

[Natty_Dread]

Yes but, all kidding aside, Don’t you really have a fairly good idea what the price will be when you are looking at a horse at say Mr. Famous Ex-Olympic riders barn when ya get there? I mean ya ain’t goin’ to feed flowers to a pig now are ya? You have to know when you make that call.

[msj]

was the misrepresentation of so many of the horses that I looked at. I spent over 5 months looking for a horse in Western NY and Canada and saw only a sparce few <5 out of at least 50 that were anywhere what they were advertised as being.

Good luck in your new venture. Unfortunately, TX is a long way from NY, but if I ever need to find a broker, I wouldn’t hesitate to give you a try.

msj

[Wicky]

I would like to know about the horse’s background - where and how it was trained, and on the video, I’d like to see some ground work. If a horse doesn’t have the basic groundwork training, it might very well not have the proper respect for its riders. This problem can manifest itself after months of apparent good behavior. Then, you have a problem on your hands. Sigh. Or should I say, I HAVE a problem on my hands? Well, it’s getting better. Anyway - just a thought.

[CTT]

Blinky here is the address to go look. Most of our horses are European and Canadian at the moment but hope to add some US farms here in the near future so stay tuned for what is to be offered.
www.horsecommerce.com

[Natty_Dread]

The one point I would really like to make is:

The amount od people who have their “FINGERS IN THE PIE”.
The trainer of the person buying, the trainer of the person selling, the person that saw the horse originally and thought it would suit the person buying, the boyfriend of the trainer, the photographer at the last show, the mother-in-law…the Jack Russel owned by the trainer’s boyfriend. Sheesh…and now they are asking $100,000.00 for a horse that started out to be $25,000.00. I realize that I am exagerating but why can’t the buyer just buy it from the seller? Or is that just too naive? Now in polo you must sell the horse to the groom of the patron (agree on commission) before the patron will even be told that a horse is for sale. That is my biggest pet peeve.

[Smiles]

Dislikes- Dirty covered in mud and sweat. Been in a pasture or paddock for sometime. Has never seen a bridle in it’s mouth or a saddle on it’s back in 5 yrs. Either won’t go forward or is running around like it’s the winner of the K derby. Also has horrable manners “Jaws” comes to mind! Older then dirt or way to small it’s almost phony size, but he’s real 16hs. Oh it’s a hunter/jumper prospect, but he/she should plow a field or be in a rodeo!!! Why most they lead you on??? Also most not forget Way over price whether it be from several trainer or ignorent owner. If you tell me the truth then I’m not going to waste my and your time!!!

Like- Horse is what saler says the horse is. Horse has a bath and is groom. Horse is in good weight and has been ridden. Owner rides it for you first to make sure you know how it goes. Owner has papers for horses. Horse has recent shots, wormings, and trimming. Horse is worth what they are asking.

[Natty_Dread]

I do love to pour over the COTH for sale ads, as well as Catchride and Towerheads. Equisale or whatever is good too. But what does make me wild is the amount of forsale ads that 1. don’t have a photo, 2. don’t have a price, 3. don’t have a phone number, 4. have a pic of something you may be interested in and when contact is made oh ya know what I sold that one but I have another just as nice. Blah, blah, blah. Of course I won’t buy something just off a computer pic but if it is nice enough looking and they are close enough and the price is in my range I would go see. But nothing is ever as it seems. The other problem I have, and this is just me personally, the price on baby-babies. I mean just weaned or just yearlings. I can go to the track all day long and pick up under 4 yearolds that have only run like 2 times for under $1500.00 so why would I spend upwards of $12,000 for something that just learned how to eat grass on its own. Lets be realistic. There is a hell of a lot of luck in this business. And spending a bucket load on something that will be eating for another 2 years before I can even begin to think about reselling it is ridiculous.

[Natty_Dread]

This is a shame that this thread is gonna die because it is rather an interesting topic.

[Cactuskate]

Insist the seller invest in an “OFFICIAL” measuring stick and know how to read it.

We spent entirely too much time travelling to look at horses listed as 16.2 to find they were 16 hands with a strong wind up their rears! Like it won’t be apparent when the 5’8" long legged rider climbs on and her foot hits him in the elbow.

I wish people would err on the side of caution rather than make them sound bigger than life.

“The older I get, the better I used to be, but who the heck cares!”

[Janet]

Video/stills
I want to see a picture where the horse is “stood up” for conformation.

I want to see one from dead-on in front so i can see if it is bench kneed, etc. and how wide the chest is.

Same from the back (with the tail out of the way.

I want to see the horse (in hand) walked and trotted past me, straight toward me, and straight away from me.

Under saddle, I want a LONG video. I would rather have to fast forward through “yet another 20 m circle” than feel that the video only captures the “best 5 minutes” out of an hour seesion. I want to see transitions. I want to see how the horse handles mistakes (either the rider’s or the horse’s).

Representation- height, age, breed, soundness history, prior accomplishments. I think that if the broker can VERIFY these things before showing me the horse, then they have provided a valuable service.

At this stage in my life, I have a pretty good sense of my own capabilities, and what I am looking for. But for buyers who are newer to the game I think the broker can provide a service by analysing the buyer’s real capabilities and steering them away from mistakes (e.g., “green hoorse and green rider results in black and blue”).

The agent I remember most positively is one I never bought a horse from. In not one but TWO occaisions, when I was a junior, he convinced us that the horse he had for sale was NOT the one we should buy.

[Smiles]

Natty your opening a can of worms with the prices of young stock. But I wiil agree with you on some weanling and yearlings are way over priced!!!

[dogchushu]

What do I hate? Falling in love with a horse that doesn’t vet. If the horse isn’t sound to jump, please sell it for another purpose.