Haflingers - why is there no interest?

[jse]

Hi guys!
Not sure if it’s cool to post this in the Hunter/Jumper forum but it’s somewhat related to the forum subject so moderators if it needs to be moved, feel free!
We have a very cute Haflinger mare that I have been trying to sell for the past month. I have literally only had 2 people email me or message me with interest and I am just stumped. I wanted to see if I could get some input here on why a horse like this won’t pull any interest - is it just that they aren’t popular?

Mare has experience in eventing, hunters and jumpers - all very easy for her! Just needs the right rider. She and I get along great but she is much too small for me and what my goals are!

Just need opinions/explanations on what it is about this kind of horse that won’t spark any interest!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0XvvWr2C2w&feature=share&list=UUr-G-KAS-pxZBLhYR-0fyWA

[BostonHJ]

Honestly, while Haffies are very cute, they are not fancy enough for rated H/J shows, so that eliminates part of your market there. The bigger problem I see is that your ad says she is for an intermediate rider, and most buyers are looking for something beginner friendly (more common) or intermediate friendly with the ability to do more. Your best bet is to post her video with a junior and market her to the pony club scene. Having ridden in both worlds, pony club is much more forgiving of quirks than hunter land.

[jse]

[QUOTE=BostonHJ;7644570]
Honestly, while Haffies are very cute, they are not fancy enough for rated H/J shows, so that eliminates part of your market there. The bigger problem I see is that your ad says she is for an intermediate rider, and most buyers are looking for something beginner friendly (more common) or intermediate friendly with the ability to do more. Your best bet is to post her video with a junior and market her to the pony club scene. Having ridden in both worlds, pony club is much more forgiving of quirks than hunter land.[/QUOTE]
Thank you BostonHJ!!!
We have had a junior on her and have a video of that but I would really like to be able to get a junior to show her and get footage of that as well.
I personally would love to see her go somewhere on the local levels of jumpers or even eventing. Heck - I have also thought she’d make a great fox hunter too she is truly a lot of fun. But like you said, they are just not fancy enough! Although I do love that blonde mane flying all over the place when we are cantering to jumps!
This little girl just loves to have a person - I am not that person. lol We do not get along so well…just have never bonded. I can ride her, fine. But she pushes me around on the ground and just isn’t very sweet with me. She did however bond with my husband who NEVER has a horse love him the way she does…I will be riding her in a lesson with him and she will literally nicker every time we go near him. Hahaha!!And she doesn’t even think to push him around - she’s a complete angel to him!

[findeight]

Honestly, it’s small ,jumping really low- as in all four legs are not off the ground at the same time- with an older, advanced rider and does not look novice or adult rerider friendly, looks quick actually. Might intimidate.

Get it out of the ring over CC style jumps, it’s one of a million not so user friendly out there for sale based on this video. Change your marketing to target likely buyers. That would not be puddle jumpers.

Sorry, you asked,no diss on the horse/pony/hony. It’s cute. Just not for every buyer.

This has NOTHING to do with breed BTW, it’s what it appears to be able to do in the video. Could be a Hanovarian or Holsteiner instead of Halflinger, it’s small and quick over speed bumps.

[jumpingstarr]

I agree with BostonHJ. However, I’d also like to say that wow, she is adorable! I love Haffies :winkgrin: If I was looking for something fun to ride I would definitely consider her.

[Halt_Near_X]

She is cute, but the video really doesn’t make her look amateur/intermediate friendly. Maybe a very determined amateur/intermediate rider, but “fun” is not the first thing I thought while watching her go around the course.

I suspect it doesn’t help that it’s a low-level jumper course at a show. To be competitive/win at that height, there is a lot of turn-and-burning that wouldn’t show any horse off well. You might have more luck just getting a video at home that shows her off better, and then send the jumper video as a follow up if someone wants to see her at a show.

You also might want to look for haflinger sale sites (maybe on FB?) in addition to the general sale sites. I know a couple people who went horse shopping and were adamant that they were going to buy a haflinger, so if you can find/market to these types of people, you might have more luck.

[findeight]

[QUOTE=jumpingstarr;7644596]
I agree with BostonHJ. However, I’d also like to say that wow, she is adorable! I love Haffies :winkgrin: If I was looking for something fun to ride I would definitely consider her.[/QUOTE]

But what would you pay? Asking price or low ball for off type, small and quick?

Sometimes we are quick to say we’d buy it and neglect to mention we would expect a price break for various issues. That’s not helpful to buyers asking advice on here.

[LoveJubal]

Even if you got video of her going slower with a junior in low level local hunter show, that would be an improvement. Also, I would suggest a hack video showing her off looking like a cute Haffie pony mover :winkgrin:

[RiderInTheRain]

I’m trying to help a friend sell her Haflinger right now and we are also having difficulty. Overall, they can seem to be a bit of a tough sell unless the buyer is also a Haflinger aficionado or the horse is broke to drive and there is a demand for driving horses in the area. They often seem to be too strong for the average child and often not quite athletic enough for jumping for a more advanced adult/teen that can handle their strength. Of course, this is all speaking generally - I’ve also been around some Haffies that were total dolls who could be handled and jumped by nearly anyone.

I do think she is quite cute and if you were able to get a solid video of her clocking around cross country confidently that would open up a whole different market for you. If I were shopping, a video like that would certainly make me think twice and take a second look at her to see if she had potential as a lower level all round “fun” horse and fox hunter. In terms of selling her as a fox hunter, the best way to do that is get her out doing some hound walks or cubbing ASAP. If she goes and behaves herself that will go a long way towards generating interest from that crowd.

Has she had any dressage training? I’ve seen a few Haffies as very cute, solid lower level dressage horses and if she gets strong jumping, but is otherwise a laid back citizen, perhaps she would do well as an ammy’s dressage mount.

[ellevt]

Where are you advertising?

[Couture_TB]

Haffies are a hard sell unless to haffie people, or sometimes pony clubbers if they are quiet enough. I had two haffies and they both sold the same summer I bought them, but one we just got backed wt and a little canter and got $1,000 for within two months, the other was super mellow, not as nice as a free jump but perfect little kid type and sold her for $3,500 for and sold her in four months.

Yours is cute, but a little more go, and not as refined as the ones I was selling. Around here would be priced in the $1,500-3,500 range. I do know if you are marketing it for the hj you need to pull that mane. My original sale videos of mine just going under saddle the first week had long manes as I had not pulled them yet, but for all sale photos their manes were pulled.

[OverandOnward]

One thing I think you are overlooking is that this horse will always be seen as a Haflinger before she is seen as a jumper. Just as people don’t see a large Dutch Warmblood and think “pony cart”. Does that make sense? People who want a horse for jumping aren’t looking for Haflingers. The market isn’t that flexible.

A rider interested in jumping her needs to be small indeed, and she frankly looks a bit heavy for a child. So that would be a tiny number of Haflinger afficionados - you could wait a very long time to find one looking for a jumping Haflinger, unless you know where they are.

Since market of people looking for a Haflinger is a small market already, your best shot at a quicker sale is to market her based on what most of them want with a Haflinger. I’m guessing the majority of Haflinger-lovers aren’t that interested in jumping. Let her be happy with someone who loves her for what she is in a discipline well-suited to her breed and body type.

[QUOTE=jse;7644530]
Mare has experience in eventing, hunters and jumpers - all very easy for her! Just needs the right rider. She and I get along great but she is much too small for me and what my goals are!

Just need opinions/explanations on what it is about this kind of horse that won’t spark any interest!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0XvvWr2C2w&feature=share&list=UUr-G-KAS-pxZBLhYR-0fyWA[/QUOTE]

“spark any interest” … I get the feeling you are putting out the word and the video, and hoping the market will find you. You could wait a long time! Better to define your market with a realistic profile of someone who wants a Haflinger mare and put the word directly in front of them.

Your past experience with her, your opinions about her and ideals of what kind of buyer you wish would take her don’t matter to the market. The market only cares about what it wants. Horse shoppers have their own profile of the horse they want, and you aren’t likely to find one soon you can lead away from that profile. So go toward someone who is already looking for something just like your mare.

I am wondering why you want to sell her into the jumping world. Why would you hope to sell her to people who have goals like yours, after you’ve already decided she’s not a fit for your goals? The video looked to me like she is very sweet and a real trouper, and the rider is too big for her for jumping - as will be most riders. She’s not clean off the ground because she’s having a bit of a challenge getting the rider up in the air as well, over very small jumps. She has a few jumps that show very nice flow, but the chips are numerous. She looks like she can carry you easily on the flat.

Good luck to you and to this lovely sweet mare!

[meupatdoes]

In the first video, it is persistently crooked, leaning/drifting, generally looks hard to steer and like it requires a bit of a ride to get it around, and for half the jumps on course the rider dumps it in the base so the horse has no option other than to jump awful. It looks like it is super green getting kicked around by a good rider and that it would take advantage and be a cow with a kid or intermediate adult.

I’m not trying to be an @$$ because the horse is cute and a completely adorable video could be made of it, but this video presents more flaws than attributes.

It looks a thousand times cuter with the kid riding it, but still very crooked and falling in on every turn. For whatever reason, at the end of the video the kid is on the left lead, has a clear option to turn left, but turns right instead, misses the change, and the video cuts off just after this demonstration of the horse not having a lead change, instead of cutting off three seconds before. A simple snip of the tape would not leave the viewer with an impression of what the horse does NOT do. Or tell your demo rider to always turn into the lead they are already on if they have the option so that you don’t un-sell your horse in the demo. (Same goes for if they are riding it in front of customers. Make smart choices!)

The worst video is the one with the guy in the black t-shirt, again it is going around with its shoulder curved in and its nose pointed out, falling in on every turn, and at one point he randomly hauls on it to halt and back out of the trot??? Why is he being a jerk to it? Again the video cuts three seconds AFTER he does this instead of before? Then he can’t get it to bend so he canters around with his inside hand hauling on it up by his nipple. It then jumps a vertical and runs away, and even the ADULT who is on the right lead and has a clear option to turn right inexplicably turns left instead to show everyone the horse has no lead change (in either direction, apparently)…is there some reason he couldn’t have just turned right and jumped the next red vertical off the right lead? Assess this video honestly: it is an anti-sale video. Do not let this man ride the horse if you do get a buyer to come out, he will make them run back to their car.

I think a better video could be made if someone spent two weeks teaching it to bend IN and legyield OUT (the kid has an excuse, …but why can’t the adults steer?), tuning it up on straightness, and then rode with a raised seat and lowered hands instead of the other way around. Tune it so that it can be ridden STRAIGHT, lightly and flowing instead of utilitarian. Also, tell your demo riders to make better choices about what would show off the good and hide the suboptimal.

[Finzean]

Speaking to a British friend the other day about the dis-similarity of our “pony system” in the States and I mentioned our medium, Welsh x Haffie and how riding him demanded the kids to always be thinking 3-4 steps ahead of him. She giggled and said, “Oh those Childflingers! You know that is what we always called them back home!”

Our Pig Pen isn’t malicious…just a little bit of the devil…but he has, indeed, participated in some child flinging over the course of his 19 years…

Good luck, OP. ITA w/findeight’s assessment and those who have suggested marketing to the Haffie afficianados [sic]. Not that I’ve seen it all but I’ve never seen one at the h/j shows…maybe a cross a time or two in the pony jumpers but then again I’ve not been to a legit h/j show in years.

[west5]

I agree with findeight and meup.

Video you posted would not have me calling at all and it has nothing to do with breed. (To the point that I would consider taking that video off the internet if you want to sell the horse/pony). I tend to be very open to “breed” as in a great horse is a great horse.

Second video is better. I didn’t bother with the third.

If you think people are not interested because of her breed title every video Nelly XX hand XX age mare for sale.

[Dewey]

I agree with everyone that you could be marketing her better.

I do think she is very cute. She looks fun to me, and I think she would be a super Pony Club mount.

[Countrywood]

I like her…game, forward, looks sound and hardy.

No idea of her age of course, or hieght…14 h more or less? The breed and height of course will limit buyer interest.

Music on 2nd video very distracting. I hate any music on sale videos…I want to look at horse, not listen to music, though people can turn off sound, just leave music out, it can make people skip an ad. The horse market is saturated so you don’t want any silly distractions hurting sale chances.

Her gaits are actually promising for dressage, nice trot and forward is always good. But her canter is fast and she looks kind of unschooled on the flat. I agree, a pony club, or market her as a sane but forward mount for an ammie, that can go in many directions.

Does she trail ride? Is she spooky? If she can trail ride without spooky or barn sour, that is a plus. play up her strong points and perhaps work with her on flat and ground manners till she sells. The price has to be appropriate as well of course. Best of luck!

[vxf111]

Setting aside yours in particular to answer the broader question…

They are cute but my immediate gut reaction for the breed is…

-Strong for a kid (sturdy for an adult, which is a good thing, but often more “horse” feel than “pony” feel for a child)
-Not a good hunter mover
-Sometimes a “bad” size (i.e. not top of the line or 14.3)

I think you probably need to counter those 3 presumptions.

[Countrywood]

Concentrate on her positives. Sound, hardy, tough, easy keeper, loving, bonds etc. If she’s a forward ride, she is, but if she also is sane and not spooky then stress that as well.

The reality is that there is a limited market for the breed and size, no matter what you say in an ad, so you have to be patient. If she can be worked with on the flat to be a bit more submissive and controlled at canter, that could increase her appeal to an adult ammie rider for crossover to dressage prospect. That is how many halfies are sold btw.

[fordtraktor]

Trail ride her. Take her XC jumping. Post vids of that. Crossing water, hacking calmly on a loose rein in a big field, etc.

I used to ride Haffies for a friend and they sold very well but not to hunter/jumper homes. They sold to trail/fox hunting/event/all around/pony club homes, and usually to adults. Market her accordingly and I think you will have much better luck. She is cute!