Should I rethink the pricing of my training saddle?

[Draftmare]

I know this is a bad time of year to try to sell a saddle, with everybody spending their money on Christmas gifts, but I am surprised that I haven’t had a single even small bite.

I am trying to sell my [edit] training saddle. [edit] I would consider it to be a higher end saddle. It’s in good shape, [edit].I have it priced at $1000 including a mohair cinch and headstall. I originally traded a saddle that i had paid $950 for for this saddle, so I was hoping to get that back out of it, but maybe that is too much?

How should I price this saddle? Or what is the going rate for a good quality training saddle? My research on eBay mostly turned up junky training saddles.

[edit]

[Foxglove]

I think you are correct that this isn’t the best time of year to sell a saddle. Have you “run comps” on the saddle? What are similar saddles selling for? The second concern I would have is that most parents won’t spend that kind of money on a saddle for a child --yes for a show saddle, but not for a training saddle. That reduces your market to professional horse trainers or adult riders who train their own horses. You might try targeting them more (there are facebook groups like that --I see saddles offered on Ranch Horse for sale facebook page.

And you might ask yourself the big question–if someone came up and had cash in hand, and offered you $700 --would you take it? What about $500? Remember, your saddle is now used --what would you take if someone was holding the $ right there --then offer your saddle for that.

[AQHA4me]

I recently sold a like new silver mesa rough out trainer for $850. Mine had zero marks from being used. I’d start at $750 and be willing to listen to offers. I have a tooled show saddle from Silver Mesa with overlaid sterling silver that the maker recently valued at ~$1500 for resale.

[Foxglove]

Oh, HI Draftmare --didn’t realize it was YOU!! anyway, here’s a facebook group that might target the type of person who would enjoy your saddle:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/160905097311844/

[2_amp_1_2_Geldings]

I’ve been seeing training saddles going for $750ish with semi aggressive marketing.

[Showbizz]

PM me what you have

[Anonymoose]

What did you pay for it new? How old is it?

If I were looking at a used saddle that had cost $1,000 new I would expect to pay around $500 for it. When I sold my saddle a few years ago (used but hardly any wear at all), I got just over half what I had paid for it new (at the recommendation of the tack shop that handled the sale). I left it with them right before Christmas that year and it took a few months to sell.

What is a training saddle, anyway? Most people I know school and show in the same saddle because that is what fits their horse. Maybe different saddles for different disciplines, e.g., dressage and jumping.

[Draftmare]

[QUOTE=Anonymoose;8975832]
What did you pay for it new? How old is it?

If I were looking at a used saddle that had cost $1,000 new I would expect to pay around $500 for it. When I sold my saddle a few years ago (used but hardly any wear at all), I got just over half what I had paid for it new (at the recommendation of the tack shop that handled the sale). I left it with them right before Christmas that year and it took a few months to sell.

What is a training saddle, anyway? Most people I know school and show in the same saddle because that is what fits their horse. Maybe different saddles for different disciplines, e.g., dressage and jumping.[/QUOTE]

I didn’t buy it new, I traded a saddle for it, and it was already used. I am not really sure on age either.

Silver Mesa is now Elite Custom Saddlery, their most entry level complete roughout saddle goes for $2500 new. I saddle with finished tooling is around $4000.

A training saddle is a saddle that most people use to save their nice saddle for showing. I think it is more of a western pleasure thing where most of the show saddles are “dripping” in silver, and are light oil, which you don’t want to darken with use.

[bugsynskeeter]

Personally, I wouldn’t pay more than $600 for that saddle. Its not bad, just not my style. I can get a used Harris for around $1000.