Horse Sale Ad Pet Peeves!

[AdrenalineJunky]

I’ve been spending the last month or so looking to buy a younger horse to bring along and some of the ads I’ve seen are just driving me crazy! I think I’ve seen just about everything at this point but I could be wrong…

• Awkward head shot of the horse, either making it look deranged or gigantic
• “Conformation” shots of the horse eating grass while the photo is tilted
• More “Conformation” shots of the horse with tack on
• Multiple children sitting on the horse bareback in a halter to show how “safe” said horse is
• Horse being listed as jumping 3’0+ but only showing pictures and video where it’s doing 2’3-2’6
• Lots of people seem to be getting rid of their older 25+ horses
• Not listing the price, but then once they do it’s not even over 15k? (I just don’t really “get” the whole not listing the price thing)
• Having just a text ad and then when I’ve emailed for a photo or video, I either never get a response or they just talk some more about the horse and never address the lack of photo (Do they even want to sell the horse? Are they even selling a horse? Do they even OWN a horse? Do they just want someone to talk to??)

I’m sure I’m missing plenty but I’ll add them as they come back to me…

So I guess what I’m wondering is what your horse ad pet peeves are and what are some gems you’ve seen? On the flip side of that, what specifically do you LIKE seeing in an ad?

[GrayTbred]

My love-to-hates in horse ads:

Horse’s jumping/trail/dressage/reining talent glowingly described, accompanied by three identical-looking photos of the horse eating grass.

The usual spelling and grammar atrocities – though I do love it when someone touts their “gentile” horse.

People whose only reason for selling is they “don’t have time” for their horse. Sounds as fake as a disgraced politician leaving office to “spend more time with his family.”

[Megaladon]

Advertising breeding animals with no pedigrees.

Saying “lots of chrome” and horse only has two white socks.

[Belmont]

My recent ad favorite was a OTTB ad.
The horse was described like she was writing a book and of course “sound and sane” was thrown in there.

The only picture of the horse was it rearing up, with a evil look, on a hot walker.

[QUOTE=Megaladon;7524841]
Advertising breeding animals with no pedigrees.

Saying “lots of chrome” and horse only has two white socks.[/QUOTE]

Or two pastern marks and a small snip. :lol:

[bcody]

I hate pictures of people standing on the horses back. One add had the horse listed because they had no time for the horse but would trade for a well broke gelding, no price drives me crazy.

[goldponies]

I second the standing on your horse. Hate that and can’t stand spelling errors and the no price listed is just stupid.

[skipollo]

“PM for price.”

No location.

“Sticks around 16.0hh” (as in 15.1hh when his feet are too long.)

“Great bloodlines, goes back to Man O War and Secretariat!”

[Thoroughbred1201]

My favorite was one I read years ago on the Chronicle Magazine, when the classifieds were still all text. It was from a camp looking for horses that could jump and do cross country. However, the way they worded it absolutely cracked me up. “Looking for horses capable of jumping in and out of the ring”.

I still laugh.

[Plainandtall]

Husband horse- no matter how much I understand the concept- it really irritates me.

[MissAriel]

“Forever home only” I understand the concept, but how can you care so much about said horse that you will insist on a forever home, if you don’t care enough to provide it?

(and as a teen I nearly had to sell my horse when my dad lost his job, so obvious exceptions for catastrophic situations can be made)

[AdrenalineJunky]

@Belmont;7524847

My recent ad favorite was a OTTB ad.
The horse was described like she was writing a book and of course “sound and sane” was thrown in there.

The only picture of the horse was it rearing up, with a evil look, on a hot walker.

I have no words! What on earth are some people thinking??

[Peaches]

Saying how great a jumper is, but never mentioning HOW high he jumps.

On a sales video of a horse advertised to be well broke, 3+ minutes of the horse loose in an arena, with long periods of the horse staring into the distance.

[Linny]

I love “extensive show record, great ribbons!” etc and the video shows the horse jumping badly, in a kimberwicke over a crossrail formed by a garden rake, a pitchfork and two plastic lawn chairs.

I get that people sometimes discover that they don’t have the time to dedicate to horse ownership. College, marriage, children change things, but if they don’t have time for this one why do they all seem to want to trade for a ranch broke gelding?

[BellaLuna]

Video that does not show transition from trot to canter

[TheJenners]

[QUOTE=MissAriel;7525365]
“Forever home only” I understand the concept, but how can you care so much about said horse that you will insist on a forever home, if you don’t care enough to provide it? [/QUOTE]

This one irritates me, especially on the old horses. Put it to sleep if you can’t provide a home, don’t schlep it off to someone with some vague promise of a good and forever home. :mad:

[QUOTE=Linny;7525547]
I get that people sometimes discover that they don’t have the time to dedicate to horse ownership. College, marriage, children change things, but if they don’t have time for this one why do they all seem to want to trade for a ranch broke gelding?[/QUOTE]

And this makes me go what? Yes, I want to trade my broke horse Even Steven for your not broke problem horse that you “don’t have time for.”

And I’ll add to the list:

I get irritated when folks put in the ad “just dewormed and vaccinated!” or “has new shoes!” Why is this a selling point? You should be doing this anyhow!

Also, mostly just a WA state thing, but when people sell horse trailers with “new tabs.” Guess what? Doesn’t matter, they still have to transfer the title within a. 15 days or DOL hits you with fines when you do go to register the thing (says it right there on the title), and b. 45 days, or you’re committing a misdemeanor.

[apprider]

My pet peeve are the ones for the 20+ year old that they used for lessons the past 15 years and is now too lame for use in lessons and they are looking for someone to buy. Seems to me that the horse is owed a retirement from the person who used them for all those years.

[Chachie]

I hate these horses and ponies that are priced on CL with 5 or 6 figure price tags but nothing to justify a $10k ,$60k whatever sales price, no pedigree no show record and doesn’t even have any pictures. Or the pictures are just awful! Your $60k priced horse looking more like a yak in amudpit instead of a showring!
Like the ad on our CL now: its for a pony, who seems like a kind soul ( I met him and his owner once). And he is a grade pony, haffie

cross, nothing spectacular. But he rides English and Western. However, his price rage of $10k is ridiculous when you see him jumping a small jump hanging a leg so dangerously that anyone in their right mind would not jump this pony!
I’m sure he will be for sale for a long time. :rolleyes:

[Sarabeth]

I’ve been tossing around the idea of a mini horse as a companion, so I’ve been looking at CL. Miniature horse ads all about KYOOT and most don’t mention the vital details such as age, height, etc.

[LookmaNohands]

If it is an OTTB either put it’s regular name or a link to the pedigree because most of us want to know.

Stupid video! Forget the phone that takes the long skinny video–not helpful. Poor quality video always makes the horse look bad so get better video. I learned how to use imovie and youtube and so can you! Trust me, I am not going to drive two hours to look at a horse with a lousy video.

Put a good rider on the horse to show it off. Put a poor rider on it to make it look tolerant.

[Brooklyn_Born]

Spelling errors are a major pet peeve for me and can quickly make me lose respect for the seller and thus turn me off from a potential sale. Things like "great confirmation, " or “three great gates,” or “beautiful palimino!”

Also, if someone wants to add a video in the sale ad, please make it show all three gaits in BOTH directions or don’t bother. A 12 second clip of a horse trotting to the left (or right) is a waste of time (for me anyway).

I also agree with many of the others stated above.