[crosscreeksh]

I've been selling horses for a very long time, but it never ceases to amaze me how blatantly rude some people can be when shopping for horses. A few weeks ago a woman wrote for more info on a very nice, 16.3 hand, TB broodmare I have for sale (she is not even on my web, so no advertising implied) she is priced in the upper 3 figures to "an approved home only". Woman proceeds to give me her qualifications as a good home and her desired traits in a mare. Sounds good to me. Next "E" is a list of no less than 40 questions...like "does she lead, does she tolerate grooming, can you bathe her, can you pick up her feet, can you pick up her front feet, can you pick up her back feet???" I HATE lists like that. but actually DID answer most of the questions...along with a statement that "she has NO vices or health problems." So next several "E"s are regarding her plan to visit our farm...two weeks out due to her schedule. So this is the time period she said she was visiting. I get an "E" today stating that the mare is perfect for what she is looking for, likes that she is a #2 disposition, but she doesn't want to pay "that" much and why should she buy now and pay to keep her until breeding season...she'll just let ME keep her and buy her in February for less money!!! Jeez!!!!
I know a lot of people "think" stuff like that, but most are more subtle!!

[Kinsella]

Make note of her name, email and phone number. When she calls in Feb, up the price by the cost of board for the months in between...

[Jealoushe]

oh my goodness...another one who is shopping without the cash in the wallet....

[magicteetango]

Omg... that took some nerve!

I think this should be your response:

"Hey, you are totally right... I never thought of that. In exchange for my trouble and cost of keeping her, I will be doubling the price in February. I look forward to doing business with you then!"

Not sure why it did not occur to her that she would be expected to feed and care for the mare after purchase until breeding her... not a new concept IMO.

[gabby.gator]

makes me think of this song:: "God is great, beer is good, people are crazy" :-)

a looong time ago I had a gelding totally unsuitable for me, so I put him up for sale, for $750. Had a TRAINER come to see him, I tell her he's ear shy as it seemed that someone had ear twitched him at some point... she's having trouble putting his bridle on and proceeds to grab and twist his ear!! grrr. Then I tell her I have an offer of $600, she says, well I'll give you $300, when I can I pick him up??

Ummm, the second Tuesday of Never??

have faith, someone sane will come along and give your mare a perfect home!!!

[classicsporthorses]

The person actually does not even deserve your mare period. If she is too cheap to 'winter' her over then in my book she's too cheap to truly care for her. If/when she calls in February, tell her she's not for sale.

I did that to a potential buyer, and it was a 5 figure sale plus the warmblood filly would have stayed on my farm for training. It all changed when the 'buyer' wanted me to break out said filly for WTC before age 3. NOPE. I don't run my babies into the ground. Then she kept wanting to change the terms of the contract and so forth. I just said, firm by fair, "she's not for sale to you anymore".

Thankfully I have had so many lovely buyers that these idiots get cancelled out.

[crosscreeksh]

Actually, I had a number of quick, nasty, suitable responses in mind, but using better judgement, I immediately deleted her message!!! No...I will not ever sell her the mare!!! This wacko will be the sort to go looking for a mare a week before she wants to breed, then probably dump her the day she is weaned!! My mare deserves a good/better home than this. She is only being offered because we are downsizing our breeding program and she is too nice to waste as a broodmare/riding horse. We have 80 acres of pasture...she CAN stay here for ever!!
I just couldn't believe the woman's gall to say THAT!! Even if she thought it!!

[Iron Horse Farm]

I've had two poor experiences recently, and they prompted me to retain the mare for myself. Sometimes the world is just trying to tell you something.

First one, low 5 figure mare, after several rides and telling me how absolutely perfect the mare is, buyer comes back and says "you should just give her to me, it would be good for your program to have her out there and winning with a pro, and also, my farrier said she won't hold up anyway due to her size". Whaaaaaat???? So which is it? You are going to take her all the way to the top and I should be so grateful that I should give her away OR she won't hold up anyway, so I should give her away? Oh, and when did your farrier GET his crystal ball???

Second buyer, same mare, loved her, she is perfect la la la la la. Calls me, I think that we are finalizing deal. She refers to me as Iron SPRING Farm. I correct her and tell her that no, I am Iron Horse Farm. There is a long silence and she finally replies "I wanted to buy a horse from Iron Spring Farm". I almost gave her Mary Alice's number but I was too angry.

[ahf]

Sometimes the world is just trying to tell you something.

This.

[Donella]

She refers to me as Iron SPRING Farm. I correct her and tell her that no, I am Iron Horse Farm. There is a long silence and she finally replies "I wanted to buy a horse from Iron Spring Farm".

Ok, that is just ridiculous on a whole different level.

[crosscreeksh]

Darn....since when is an Iron "Spring" more prestigious than and Iron "Horse"???? Don't you just love dealing with the buying (or would it be considered obnoxious) public?? I never stop being surprised by the things people come up with while trying to obtain a good horse!! Iron Horse....did you ever ask your "person" which story she was sticking to??? "Give the horse to me and I'll make you famous or dump this piece of sh** so you won't be stuck with it!!"

[Calhoun]

So which is it? You are going to take her all the way to the top and I should be so grateful that I should give her away OR she won't hold up anyway, so I should give her away? Oh, and when did your farrier GET his .

Dag, talk about an ego.

[Prime Time Rider]

If the potential buyer thinks high 3 figures is too high of a price for your mare and doesn't want to spend the money feeding her over the winter, is this really a home you would want for your mare? I wouldn't.

[NoDQhere]

The best one I ever heard was from a gal looking for a specific color, markings, and a certain pedigree. We had one meeting her criteria, but he was only a yearling. She offered us $1000, to raise him till 3, get him under saddle, WTC and safe for an amateur, at which point she would come try him. IF she liked him and he was PERFECT for her, she would then write out the check for his FULL yearling price . We said no thanks, call in two years and we will talk then, if he is still here. Surprisingly, she did call back, but sadly for her he was already sold.

[houserabbitz]

The best one I ever heard was from a gal looking for a specific color, markings, and a certain pedigree. We had one meeting her criteria, but he was only a yearling. She offered us $1000, to raise him till 3, get him under saddle, WTC and safe for an amateur, at which point she would come try him. IF she liked him and he was PERFECT for her, she would then write out the check for his FULL yearling price . We said no thanks, call in two years and we will talk then, if he is still here. Surprisingly, she did call back, but sadly for her he was already sold.

Wow, some people take the saying, "Nothing beats a failure but a try" to a whole new bat shit crazy level.

[ahf]

Actually, if I were NoDQhere, telling her that he had been sold would have made my month, and I would have smiled for a solid week.

[NoDQhere]

Actually, if I were NoDQhere, telling her that he had been sold would have made my month, and I would have smiled for a solid week.

Yes, it did make my day, ! But honestly, 95% of the people we have dealt with over the years have been wonderful. There have been a couple, though that left their mark on my memory. Like the gal who wanted to buy a weanling because she couldn't afford a "under saddle" one. So we offered her a very nice colt, who's siblings were beautiful horses and doing well in competition. He was a Warmblood, just a month off Momma so of course wasn't exactly at a drop dead gorgeous point in his life, and was priced very low. Prospective buyer was VERY insulted when told the price and actually got fairly nasty about it. Fast forward a couple of years and this same person drove in one day as the now grown up gelding was being ridden. My Mom had a tack shop that the gal was visiting. She was gazing out the window at the horse and asked my Mom who that beautiful horse was. My Mom told her that was the colt she had passed up as a weanling. And that he was sold, just getting a few rides before he left. Mom said she almost cried!

[leilatigress]

Yes, it did make my day, ! But honestly, 95% of the people we have dealt with over the years have been wonderful. There have been a couple, though that left their mark on my memory. Like the gal who wanted to buy a weanling because she couldn't afford a "under saddle" one. So we offered her a very nice colt, who's siblings were beautiful horses and doing well in competition. He was a Warmblood, just a month off Momma so of course wasn't exactly at a drop dead gorgeous point in his life, and was priced very low. Prospective buyer was VERY insulted when told the price and actually got fairly nasty about it. Fast forward a couple of years and this same person drove in one day as the now grown up gelding was being ridden. My Mom had a tack shop that the gal was visiting. She was gazing out the window at the horse and asked my Mom who that beautiful horse was. My Mom told her that was the colt she had passed up as a weanling. And that he was sold, just getting a few rides before he left. Mom said she almost cried!

Passed up what could have been my dream horse because I couldn't see past the fugly stage. Saw the horse years later and honestly did cry a little at what could have been. Thankfully horse was in excellent hands.

[adelmo95]

I have been having my own fun with selling one of my horses lately. I spent an hour on the phone with one buyer answering all of her questions on the mare I had for sale. They came out to try her, loved her temperment, got along great with the mare, she fit the description of what they were looking for to a T. They emailed the next day to say that they couldn't make an offer on her because she was overweight so would be way to high maintenance a horse to keep. Prior to coming they had watched recent video and seen pictures so they knew what she looked like before coming. I had also told them prior to their visit that she was a little pudgy because she had spent the summer in a fairly lush 10 acre pasture and that my riding time had been more limited than I would have liked due to work etc.

This was the first time I have ever heard of a horse who is an "easy keeper" being described as "high maintenance". I should also clarify that the mare is pudgy she is NOT at a weight where she would be close to foundering.

[sylvan farm]

Normally these things don't bother me, but today 'got me'. Have been corresponding with a lady by e-mail every day this week answering her questions about a well-bred, older broodie we are selling at a very reasonable price. Two days ago she decides she wants to see the mare today and some of her offspring. She lives about an hour away; I send her directions. We bring in the mare and 2 of her offspring, bathe, clip, etc .

She's a no-show. No e-mail, no phone call, nothing.

Aaarrrgh! (pounding head on the wall)