when you don’t trail ride? I have this awesome little horse I just brought home from the trainer that I need to sell. If I trail rode I’d never consider selling her. I’m a show person, not a trail person so I don’t have those connections. Can’t seem to find a local Facebook trail group. Other than Craigslist, where to advertise my half-blood (TWH/ASB) princess? Do pleasure trail riders look on the big sites like Dreamhorse and Equine.com? Do tell- where do you find your safe, sound, sane trail buddies!
Dreamhorse and Equine.com used to be good, not sure now. I have sold off of Craigslist, actually less weird calls that way than the other sites to tell the truth.
Last couple of horses I have sold have been through facebook. Trail horse sales tend to be more of a local thing and word of mouth. Ad at the feed store sometimes works too.
How do you know your princess is a good trail horse if you don’t trail ride?
Why not go to the sites and conduct a search as if you were a “pleasure trail rider” and see what pops up.
I searched Dreamhorse and Equine.com when I was looking for a trail horse. I also checked out local facebook pages.
Not necessarily ---- there are folks on another forum I belong to, that have got on an airplane to go look at what was advertised as a solid trail horse. White that is not common, it IS common to drive several hours — with the trailer. I know several folks who have driven out of state ----- some coming home with an empty trailer because the horse’s trail abilities were WAAAY over-stated.
to the OP:
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does the horse gait and gait well? Many older folks want a gaited horse. State that in the ad.
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Do NOT over-state the horse’s abilities. As someone who has spent a lifetime sliding horses down river banks, swimming across and digging up the other side, I do not appreciate someone telling me their horse is a “solid” trail horse, when it isn’t. It isn’t solid if it’s never been beyond the farm trails and worked on challenging trails. For me, being traffic broke is a huge plus.
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New and intermediate level riders are looking for a horse that doesn’t bite, kick, rear, buck, stands still for mounting, and easily loads/unloads into the trailer. I will walk from a horse that is well broke yet likes to rear in a tight situation. I would rather have a good thinker than one with perfect manners. The less than perfectly mannered horse in my barn has been with me 21 of his 23 years ---- he is one of the toughest and safest horses on dangerous trails I have ever owned.
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Advertising — boy I hate CL but it might be the best place to advertise, then post the link on this thread so others can cross-post for you on other forums that you aren’t a member of.
I don’t know how reputable Horse Clicks is.
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Pricing the horse is “whatever the market will bear”. Some of the dumber folks think the more money the horse costs, the better it is. Where I live, $1,500-$2,000 is tops for a well seasoned, go anywhere, gaited trail horse. On the West Coast, good gaited trail horses are almost scarcer than hen’s teeth and that same $1.500-$2,000 trail horse can be double that price or more.
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Post good clear pictures of the horse. No still shots with the saddle on, unless someone is crossing a creek or some such “real” trail obstacle. people want to see the whole horse and wonder what you might be hiding with the saddle. Add a video, if possible. List all the the things the horse will stand for (bath, farrier, etc.).
I would list list the flaws but many people choose to wait until the Looker seems serious about the horse.
- Wherever you post the horse for sale, beware of scammers ----- those losers have their tentacles in everything. If they want to send you a check, want you to cash it and send money to a “shipper”, don’t do it — that’s the oldest horse sale scam on the Net.
and don’t use Photobucket for your pictures. Third party hosting has gone from free to $399. Talk about holding photos for ransom#%%^^*++^^%#.
good luck:)
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I would think the trainer who just had the horse would be the best starting point. Otherwise, do what walkinthewalk said above. Video is priceless.
Also, to those of us who really trail ride, a horse that has done a loop around the trainer’s farm is not a trail horse.
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I won’t overstate abilities or experience. I’m not a very good liar. The horse has done more than “a loop on the trainer’s farm” because she was at my wonderful Amish trainer. Unfortunately not naturally gaited under saddle, but boy she has a big walk and sometimes has an amble feel to her- would probably gait with a shoeing change and training but I doubt anybody would go to the effort.
It’s tempting to load her up and go riding at Mammoth Cave, but I seriously don’t have any friends that trail ride, it’s not the safest idea to go alone, and my cutback saddle is for sure not meant for an all day ride.
There are quite a few FB groups for Trailriding and Trail horses, some specifically for TWHs or Saddlebreds. Some of the TWH pages do specify that they must be gaited, so check to find out before posting. Lots of FB horse groups are area specific like Kentucky horse sales/trade, Central KY. Horses and Tack for sale, Horses and Horse Tack in Kentucky, Northern Kentucky Equine Connection… There are lots of them, but you have to do some searches on key words and follow some bread crumbs to find them. If you aren’t too far from Big South Fork, there are a bunch of trail riders and trailriding FB groups in that area also.
Good luck! I have owned both TWHs and ASBs. Our ASB had a few “gears” (she came from a 5-gaited parents) but we never asked her to gait and always rode her wtc. She had an amazing jump (DD did lower-level eventing with her) but hated arena work. She ate up cross-country and loved trailriding. Both breeds make great trail horses.
neversaynever- I just tried again with your words and found some FB groups and sent join requests. I could swear I used those same words before and came up empty.
I’m quite far (3 hrs) from Big South Fork, but only 45 minutes from Mammoth Cave. It would take me longer to gather all my crap and hook up than it would to drive there!
If it helps for writing an ad, etc- here’s the type of questions, I would ask when looking at a trail horse that ring riders might not normally ask-
Does she tie? Tying is really important.
How is she for loading? Trail riders often trailer out a lot and might have to load/unload on the side of a road or in a busy multiuse park or on bad footing, etc
Does she ride out alone? How is she in a big group? Will she lead, follow, be mid-pack?
Is she 100% solid about mounting? Can you mount from pretty much anything while she stands like a rock? From both sides?
How sure footed is she? Ok barefoot or needs shoes?
Does she cross water? Bridges? Do okay with dogs? Traffic? Bikes?
Has she camped? Hi-lined?
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Michigan Trail Riders Association is on facebook --they might let you put an ad on their site --can’t remember if it’s a closed group or not --I’m not a member anymore. I used to see nice horses posted there --trust me --a cross country trip to look at a horse is NOTHING to those people --they haul from AZ to AK for trail riding. They love their gaited horses!
Good questions tabula rashah. She’s green, so not camped yet or hi-lined. Trainer said water no problem, as well as riding in groups or alone. Don’t know about the lead or follow bit. I don’t have any water or bridges. Dogs no problem. I was quite pleased riding on the edge of my hay field along the road- she didn’t even flinch at a motorcycle screaming past! Tractors and lawnmowers she considers “meals on wheels”. She ties well, and stands like a rock for mounting. I’ll have to try different mounting blocks just for kicks, as well as mounting from the wrong side (should be interesting-haven’t done that in years!). She’d been on a trailer once as a foal, and walked right on when I hauled her loose to the trainer. Coming home she walked right on the trailer, tied, and rode like a champ. Gotta love a good thinking horse!
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