Calling all buyers…

Let’s have a chat, shall we? It’s been ages since I’ve put a pen to paper and published what I’m thinking. But I’m a bit frustrated, so here we are.

I sell lots of horses, both personally and professionally. From OTTBs fresh off the track to warmbloods competing in the Grand Prix jumper ring – finding horses their people is something I’m well-versed in and very passionate about.

Recently I’ve been bewildered at the conversations I’ve been having with buyers and I’d like to set the record straight. While purchasing your next equine partner is no small task and having a list of non-negotiables is important, sellers have just as difficult of a time finding proper matches for their horses, and I think I speak for most horse sellers when I say: Buyers – you might need to shift your priorities.

It seems the unicorn age is upon us, with all buyers searching for the absolute perfect horse and unwilling to make any concessions. It’s easy to see why – with access to hundreds, if not thousands, of horses on social media and equine classified sites, buyers can simply just keep scrolling.. and scrolling.. and scrolling. But where does it end?

As a seller, I am not in the business of selling a horse to the first person that will buy it. I’m in the business of finding suitable homes for my horses and doing my best to help forge a partnership that will last for both horse and buyer. My job becomes infinitely harder when dealing with the new wave of buyers that have unreasonable standards or priorities that misalign with their goals.

It is extremely important for buyers to know what their goals are, and where the horse they are buying fits in to them. One of the very first things I like to ask my buyers is “So, what are you looking to do?” Answers can range from I ride hunters, to I’m looking for a horse to teach my daughter the ropes of the hunter ring. We really just need something quiet and forgiving as she’s learning. The latter is a much preferable answer. I currently have 3 horses on my property that would make lovely hunters and only 1 of them would be suitable for educating a young rider. The more forthright you are with what you’re trying to accomplish and what you need from the horse in accomplishing that goal, the easier my job as a seller becomes.

Both hunter types –

but two totally different rides.

It is also important for buyers to understand the care and (dare I say the word?) maintenance that comes with asking horses to help them reach their goals. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen buyers with the phrase “No maintenance” tacked on to the never-ending, bullet-pointed list of wants in their In-Search-Of ads.

Maintenance can mean different things to different people, from sets of shoes and necessary supplements, to body work and joint injections. And while referring to a set of front shoes as “maintenance” makes me twitch, buyers still need to realize that any horse performing any task to help a rider reach any goal will require upkeep. Let’s stop looking for the elusive no-maintenance horse and start shifting priorities in horse-shopping to the horse’s individual personality, way of going, quirks and vices that will determine if the horse is the right fit.

My unicorn – requires 4 shoes and ankle/hock injections to help me achieve my goals.

For example, I had a buyer reach out looking for a “lower level, all-around type”. Her only non-negotiable criteria was that it had to be able to go barefoot. There was no mention of what specific type of riding the horse would be asked to do, the living situation the horse would be put in, the level of handler the horse would be subject to, or anything along the lines of goals the horse would need to help the rider achieve. The conversation ended quickly as I could not ascertain whether I had a horse suitable for her – even though 2 out of the 3 I had listed were barefoot.

At this point, I no longer respond to ads looking for a horse that doesn’t require any maintenance. Whatever the term may mean to a buyer, it is a huge red flag for me as a seller. It tells me that the horse may not be given proper care in the long term. If you’re going to ask a horse to help you achieve your goals, it is your duty as an owner to keep them comfortable while doing it. Whether it’s front shoes for a trail horse or hock injections for the 1.10m jumper, it’s unreasonable to expect a horse to never need specialized care.

And along the lines of unreasonable expectations, I had another buyer inquire about a very sweet, amateur-friendly gelding I had listed. She mentioned that her goals were mainly to have a horse as a pet with the intention to ride once a week, so good personality and amateur-friendly were important (check and check!). She then promptly stopped responding when I informed her the horse came off the track with a mild soft tissue injury, though it was fully rehabbed and he was suitable for any career. The conversation never made it to the horse’s personality, how he is to handle, or his vices or lack thereof, as she prioritized clean, blemish-free legs over everything else.

The standards most buyers are currently setting are unobtainable and severely limiting their chances of finding a suitable horse. If you’re a buyer, it’s time to shift the focus from a laundry list of must-haves, to an open-minded conversation with sellers about what you want to achieve, what type of horse you enjoy being around, and what lifestyle you can offer said horse.

Because what really matters in the long run? Is it having a horse that has never spooked at a rogue plastic bag, has never threatened to crib on a feed bucket, or has never seen a vet for anything but vaccinations? Will the vice-free horse in your barn tolerate your missed distance; will the barefoot, clean-legged pony teach your child how to post the trot; or will the 6 year old, 17 hand warmblood help you move up to Novice? You tell me. If the answer is no, let’s have a different conversation.