where to sell a 21" saddle? (not an ad)

[chardo84]

This not an ad, I just need ideas on where I could put ads for this unique size to best reach prospective buyers. Thought the hunting board might be a good resource. Any help is appreciated!

It is a 21" w Stackhouse in lovely condition that was previously owned by a 6’4" man (long story on how I got it). Currently I have it on consignment at a great local place, but it hasn’t moved in a few months. I’ll keep it there for now, but want to be prepared if I have to take it back.

I know this is a very uncommon size and it might sit for awhile, but I thought there might be other places to spread the word. Maybe some hunt websites that have classified ads?

Bring on the ideas.

[chardo84]

Bumping for help!

[caryledee]

I would think one of the online used saddle stores would be better than a local place, as they get more traffic. Fineusedsaddles.com, usedsaddles.com, Middleburg Tack Exchange, Ricks Heritage, Bucks County Saddlery are some examples.

[Kryswyn]

Have you tried an ad in Covertside?

[jn4jenny]

Sadly, I’m such a saddle nerd that my brain went, “Oh yeah, that one!” :lol: I’ve seen it around. I won’t ruin the party and tell everyone where it is.

I can see why you chose this venue since the saddle is most marketable to foxhunters and that saddlery targets that market (both geographically and because they consign a lot of saddles from that brand.) I think you’re smart to either keep it there or move it to “that other” local consignment shop that has a more varied inventory and moves a lot of tack. It’s a tough call because “that other” local shop certainly gets more traffic from a wider range of buyers, both online and offline. Personally I would move it to “that other” store, but it’s your call to make.

But neither of those consignment vendors’ online consignment inventories index into Google. This is a pretty major limitation since Stackhouse has a buyer’s cult of worship, and unless you just happened to know that Consignment Shop X in your neighborhood tends to carry tons of Stackhouses, the Huge Stackhouse Fan isn’t likely to look there.

So if your consignment agreement allows for you to take it off consignment at any time, I would keep it on consignment and advertise it privately. I have seen other Consignment Shop X saddle owners doing exactly this on sites like virginiaequestrian.com. If your ad states “on consignment at Consignment Shop X at [url here],” you are basically giving free advertising to the shop–and thus they don’t mind.

Some venues I’d post the saddle to for sure:

Virginiaequestrian.com
Foxhunters Online list
Your local Craigslist

Other possible venues if you want to be really comprehensive:
Tacktrader.com
Horsegroomingsupplies.com Equine Classifieds forum
Bits and Barter Board (Google it, it’s free)
Tack Classifieds at The Outside Course discussion board
Horse and Tack Apparel for Sale, a group on Facebook

The best way to preserve your sanity: make sure you turn on “alerts” on all these sites so that when anybody responds to your threads or sends you a private message, you get an email about that. That way you don’t have to constantly recheck all the venues.

For that particular saddle, I might consider taking out an ad in Eventing Nation. I’d say eventers are your next-best audience for the saddle, and they have some crossover with the foxhunting community, so it might get some “buzz” for your saddle among people who wouldn’t normally hang out on local- or foxhunting-related sites.

[wateryglen]

jmho!

The Galloping Grape sells consignment saddles here in Warrenton!!

[CarrieK]

[QUOTE=wateryglen;6714348]
The Galloping Grape…!![/QUOTE]
Cluster fruit…riding…I…what…don’t they get really bruised?

Or is it this guy?

[thathorse]

Watching this thread as DH has a similarly proportioned Imperator we need to move on…

There is a consignment place in North Carolina I believe that I heard really great things about from a repeat saddle consignor. I can’t think the name of it off the top of my head. Ring bells for anyone? I’ll root around and see if I can find the business card…

[jn4jenny]

Thought of one more thing: I’d let David Stackhouse know that you’ve got it for sale. Nobody’s more likely to run into a customer who needs it than Monsieur Stackhouse himself.

[Canaqua]

[QUOTE=jn4jenny;6715365]
Thought of one more thing: I’d let David Stackhouse know that you’ve got it for sale. Nobody’s more likely to run into a customer who needs it than Monsieur Stackhouse himself.[/QUOTE]

Agree. And, he’s a really friendly and helpful guy, he spent quite a bit of time on the phone with me about a used Stackhouse I had on trial…not even from him!

[wateryglen]

galloping Grape!

Terrific shop that sells english/western tack AND wine/beer!! Free wine tasting every thurs evening! Sip wine and go tack/horse stuff shopping! Wunnerful!

[CarrieK]

[QUOTE=wateryglen;6716102]
Terrific shop that sells english/western tack AND wine/beer!! Free wine tasting every thurs evening! Sip wine and go tack/horse stuff shopping! Wunnerful![/QUOTE]

OMG THESE FOLKS ARE GENIUSESES!!

:: flips boa jauntily over shoulder :: I am so there.

[sooner]

He is
aware of the saddle’s whereabouts.

[chardo84]

Whoa - I wasn’t getting thread alerts and I just saw all the replies. Sorry for the delayed response.

Yes David knows where it is. He and Leslie are awesome and I had one custom made for me. I have been meaning to post what a great experience it was and how much I love my new saddle.

Jn4jenny - yes I took it to the current location b/c they are the local experts in Stackhouse and I felt that the care for it would be better. I want to keep it there as long as I can, I am just getting antsy and thought I would get some ideas. Thanks for yours! An ad on Eventing Nation with where it currently is might be the way to go.

[Event4Life]

[QUOTE=thathorse;6715351]
Watching this thread as DH has a similarly proportioned Imperator we need to move on…

There is a consignment place in North Carolina I believe that I heard really great things about from a repeat saddle consignor. I can’t think the name of it off the top of my head. Ring bells for anyone? I’ll root around and see if I can find the business card…[/QUOTE]

Could you mean m&m in Raleigh? They sold my saddle & were very easy to work with. http://www.mmtackshop.com/

[Finzean]

I’ve been very happy sending things thru Middleburg Tack.

Here in NC, there is a new-ish consignment store in Aberdeen (Southern Pines) called Barn Door Consignments. They are great to work with and have some neat stuff - everything from racing, western, hunting, h/j, eventing, polo, driving, etc. No end to what’s there. Might be an option but they are not online. MT would be my go-to for the saddle you’ve got.

[baylady7]

There is a Facebook site called Eighteen Hands, a community for plus sized equestrians, maybe post there

[Painted_Wings]

Foxhunters online is a good place and its free.

[Ambitious_Kate]

Well color me educated! I had heard the name, and rummaged around reading about custom saddles, but had never come across one which really spoke to me the way these saddles and this saddle maker does. So when the time comes, in the next years, heh heh, for me to get the right saddle for me and my horse, I’ll be danged if it won’t be a stackhouse. My, my. Thanks for this thread.

[00pisces]

When I was looking to buy a saddle outside of the typical size range, I was looking at a lot of the sites mentioned above. And when I sold a saddle that didn’t fit the horse properly, I had good luck with Galloping Grape in Warrenton.

I did not spend much time looking at the specialized (size) or foxhunting sites, because I found that there oftentimes wasn’t anything available at all in my size/discipline, let alone for my price range.

Big people are just like littler people. We shop at the places we’ve heard of. We Google for places specific to us but usually wind up back at the same places our average-sized friends use.