.
I think it’s time to sell when riding is no longer fun. We all have such busy schedules, and for most of us, riding is an escape. When that escape becomes stressful or scary, I think it’s time to re-assess your goals and what you’re trying to accomplish with a particular horse. Even though I ride competitively, I still do it for my personal enjoyment. If a horse was making that show experience miserable for me, I would sell.
I don’t buy horses with the intent to sell again. I think of them as my pets as well as my athletic partners.
Most recently I sold a horse after a year because he had too many issues for my somewhat aging ammy self. I knew it was time after he broke my foot and neither my trainer nor my bravest friend wanted to sit on him…
I sold the hunter mare that was supposed to be my 3’6" horse after spending 3 years trying to keep her sound. Someone that I knew and trusted wanted her for a broodmare. I have a 24 yr old retired upper level dressage horse that I wouldn’t sell for any amount of money. I sold my first horse because it was causing marriage problems - unfortunately it didn’t fix the relationship enough to make a difference:no:
I always bought horses with the intention of improving myself and knowing they will be sold at some point. When the horse is honestly inhibiting my ability to improve, it’s time to move on.
When you walk out of the show ring and someone hands you a blank check. 
It depends on what the point of owning the horse is, at least for me.
Some times you buy a safe horse to learn on that has very real limitations that you will meet and be ready to go beyond but your horse, be it due to conformation or previous injury, will not be able to go with you. In this instance you will eventually get bored unless you like the level you are at and don’t feel the need to ever go past that. So I would sell the horse on to a good home if I had surpassed the horse in ability, and was ready for something with more challenge.
Sometimes you buy a young horse that you intend to train and sell. Often times there comes a point in time where the training on the horse is steady enough to make him a viable purchase for someone who wants something a little further along that they can take on. It’s usually an age to training ratio where the training needs to increase at a steady rate to the age and should be at least what is expected for the age, if not above what is expected.
Sometimes you buy a horse that is a “problem child” or “rescue case” and there has to be a point at which you need to see results or cut your losses. There is also a point at which the horse may become dangerous (about the time when it has been feed enough to stop being so weak and compliant) and you need to do what is best for yourself and others (it may involve euthanasia if the horse is dangerous enough). Some times you get lucky enough to find a good old cowboy that will take on cases like these.
Sometimes you buy a broodmare that pops out a couple of nice babies but has started to go into “mareapause” and is pretty much impossible to get in foal. If you don’t have the finances to keep her, it would be time to hop on her and remind her what a saddle is like and then sell her on as whatever she is still good at (be it lower level dressage or trail rides).
Sometimes you buy a fancy competition (or maybe not fancy, just a matter of perspective) horse to compete at whatever level you want to do. You compete with this horse successfully and improve its value. Someone offers you a stupid amount of money (as in well above what you thought the horse was worth) for the horse. This is what I would consider “another reason to sell a horse”, unless you know that the person offering the money would knowingly endanger the horse. That’s then cash in hand that you can put towards your next fancy successful competition horse.
Sometimes you will buy a competition horse (fancy or not, up to you) and you are competing successfully and having fun with the horse. Then one day the horse is out in the pasture and gets a huge tear in its suspensory ligament (oh no!). You rehab but the horse will never be able to do what you want to do again. This would be another reason to sell.
I usually like to deliver horses, as it gives me a chance to see where the horse will be living. I also always like to put in a “right of first refusal” clause so that I will know when my horse is being sold again. I want to see how the horse is being ridden. I’m not above allowing a 1 week trial if they are within a reasonable driving distance where I can stop by and watch a couple rides and see how the horse is settling in. I’m usually a pretty big supporter of my horses and cheer them on whether I’m riding them or have sold them on to other people.
[QUOTE=Nikki^;7742028]
When you walk out of the show ring and someone hands you a blank check. :P[/QUOTE]
This! It happened to me years ago; as I exited the ring a well-known lady asked me about buying my horse but this one was my “pet” and I told her I had others for sale, but not this one…and he became permanently unrideable due to injury while turned out, the following day. I still do not regret the decision, because he was my heart horse, but if it had been any other it would have killed me to have missed out on that sale. When the fish bites, reel it in!!!
