[Fantastic]

Has anyone ever done this? One of my friends said she's going to do it, "auction style". Hmmmm. Interesting concept.

Assemble several buyers at the same time. Seller shows horse. Buyers decided if they like horse or not. First buyer to speak up gets horse? All buyers frown together, scrunch up noses, and no one buys horse?

Not sure what I think. One one hand interesting. One other hand, might lose sale when buyers do a group balk!

[Lostboy]

That happens sometimes at a show.. but really if it's just all of them at your ranch, I would rather clean the horse up multiple times and spend time with each buyer seperately to see if its a good match or not. Some days it's hard enough just trying to educate on set of parents.. hope they all bring trainers,lol

[RockinHorse]

As a buyer, I would decline to participate in that sort of sale situation.

[Melelio]

That happened to me years ago when I'd driven about 2.5 hours to go see a horse. I arrive to find two girls also just arrived to see same horse. We both watched, and I can't remember if either of us tried him directly. But it came down to who had the money first. The other girls said they could come tomorrow with it, but I had a checkbook.

Now I recall it being like an Ebay auction, with the time ticking down close to Ending. I paid too much for said horse at the asking price, but 'I WON!'.....

Yeah, I was young (probly 23) and a bit overexcited at the prospect.....the horse turned out to be mediocre. Nice citizen, but nothing special....

Nowadays, if I knew ahead of time that was going to happen, I'd decline. If I walked into it again I'd stay for the fun, and just see what happens, but not jump any guns. Who knows? Might work in my favor but I'd not push anything...

[Buglet]

I was the one selling the horse and I had two people who insisted on coming at the same time (sat at 9am). When the second persons called to say they wanted to come sat @9am, I told her that I was already showing the horse to someone else at that time. She said that she didn't mind. I also informed the first people that someone else was coming too. I basically told them both whoever came up with the money first got the horse. The first people clicked with the horse better and I knew their trainer. Of course the second people said right away that they wanted him, but didn't have their checkbook and would call me in a few days to make arrangements. Luckily the first people called the next morning and said they would come with a check and pick him up that same day. The second people called me 5 days later and said that they had changed their mind and did not want him.

[winfieldfarm]

hey, whatever sells a horse, right? I wish I had this problem of too many buyers right now.

[camohn]

For me it would be OK if the parties all knew what was happening and were good with it.

[analise]

I'd feel kinda weird about going to something like that.

Especially if I wasn't given any notice ahead of time. And I'd probably sit back and still think about the horse overnight and take my chances on the other person getting it first!

But hey, at least I could see it ride with several different riders!

[cajunbelle]

It could go two ways:

A. The perceived notion that people are clammering to buy this horse & you must get in on the action, right away.

B. People in groups... will feel free to criticize your critter, and maybe point out something.... someone else, did not realize!


I think either is fairly rude & I would try to schedule prospective buyers in their own time slot. Even though we don't like to admit it, buying a horse is an emotional thing, nothing worse than feeling rushed.

[atlatl]

As a buyer, I would decline to participate in that sort of sale situation.

I second this; I've been in the situation and have walked away. I always wonder if the other "buyer" is a shill.

[gallupgirl]

I once was trying a horse at the owner's house, another person showed up to look at another horse, they saw the horse I was riding and bought it........out from underneath me!

[ESG]

I think it's a really bad idea. I can't see any benefit for either seller or prospective buyers, over having individual appointments.

[Giddy-up]

I don't know. Are the potential buyers aware of the "auction" set up?

I'd expect this at a horse show if I was looking at horses. Multiple people watching the same sale horse isn't uncommon.

But if I specifically made an appointment to come to a farm to see a horse & upon my arrival I find a few other buyers there as well so we can all watch the horse go at the same time & then bicker on pricing? I wouldn't be pleased.

Although I might stick around for giggles. And to offer my "opinion".

[Shine]

I once was trying a horse at the owner's house, another person showed up to look at another horse, they saw the horse I was riding and bought it........out from underneath me!

I had this happen also - worked out great for the seller. Wasn't what I was looking for and the other person gave him $300.00 more than the asking price!

[IronwoodFarm]

I would never have 2 prospective buyers looking at the same horse at the same time on purpose. It's uncomfortable for everyone. I actually had that happen once, with the second buyer hoping to "beat" the first buyer to the Fjord. This was despite my statement that the first buyer (who was from out of town and arranged the appointment in advance) would be offered the chance to purchase the horse first. I was not interested in a bidding war. I wanted to find a suitable situation for the horse. It was very awkward.

The first buyer did buy her and has been happy with her. The second buyer was disappointed, but ended up buying another Fjord from another farm.

[Woodland]

I would not do it. Pitting people in a bidding war in this soft market - no way And I certainly would not participate in it!

But it is her horse her sale to make or lose.

[goeslikestink]

Has anyone ever done this? One of my friends said she's going to do it, "auction style". Hmmmm. Interesting concept.

Assemble several buyers at the same time. Seller shows horse. Buyers decided if they like horse or not. First buyer to speak up gets horse? All buyers frown together, scrunch up noses, and no one buys horse?

Not sure what I think. One one hand interesting. One other hand, might lose sale when buyers do a group balk!

i do it if i have one to sell but the buyers come at different times during th day as after all until you have your money in your hand the horse is stillf for sale - the 1st person that comes up with the deposit is the person that has 1st refusal till the ppe and the chque cleared or final payment made normally ask for at leeast 10% deposit if they are genuine buyer they will that and then have the horse vetted themselves independantly of you

[oldpony66]

If the potential buyers are aware of this, then I don't see a problem. But since that isn't the norm, your friend should make the buyers aware of that.
I showed up to see a horse once and someone else - pulling a trailer - showed up at the same time. I got the impression that the owner was either 1) lazy, or 2) trying to get us into a bidding war. Or both. For all I knew, the people with the trailer were her friends and were there just to urge me into making a rash decision. I was polite, but left.

[Xanthoria]

I wish there was a mid-level horse sale here. Not an auction populated with kill buyers, and not a super-fancy high end auction. Just a place where buyers and sellers could come once every few months to try a lot of horses, meet a lot of sellers, and then go away and make deals in private.

Buyers and sellers would pay a fee to get in, sellers would get a stall, and the buyers could trot up/ride/lunge in an arena at various intervals. Vet in attendance to do pre-purchases etc.

I'm sick of driving all over the state to see one or two horses here and there!

[mvp]

So in the OP's situation, vetting is nixed?

How would a pending PPE work with the auction-style sale? I understand that people make their own arrangements and/or auctions have a standard set of radiographs on hand for their horses.