Sunday, September 18, 2011

Horse Hoarder Needs Intervention


We have a problem on the ranch. Horse Hoarding. My horse hoarding. I keep talking about wanting to get rid of horses, but instead I get more. Like this lovely lady. Eric and Jo picked up Belle to resell and who do you think they ended up selling her to. Yours truly. So now instead of having less horses, I have more. Six to be exact and Eric and Jo have four. This is too many horses, they are tearing up the ground.

I woke up this morning and decided I have got to try and find new homes. Only thing is I love them all and they all have pros and cons, which make deciding on who goes difficult. The one I cannot imagine losing is my mustang and Mark loves riding Sweet William and Charlie is 30. He is not going anywhere until he dies. So, that leaves the mares. I sort of tried to place them last year, but kept talking people out of it. LOL. I just couldn't let them go, but I am going to try again. Really I am. First thing I need to do is get some good photos, I just browsed my photos from this spring and summer and this is all I really found. Belle, papered paint age 10. Pros: Well trained, kind, gets along well with others. I love to ride her No vices. Cons: flat feet, paddles and can be a bit herd bound at times.
Molly, age 11. Pros: a fantastic brood mare and has had many paints. Fantastic feet, runs across the rocks barefoot with no problems. Sweet. Very handy on hills and a good mover. Gets along well with others. Cons: difficult to load, sometimes difficult to ride away from herd. Lacks confidence on her own and acts pissy when you saddle her.
Stormy, papered paint breeding stock, age 17. Pros: Completely bomb proof, a grab and go kind of ride, my go to horse with the cattle. Cons: beginning to get arthritis in front knees, hard to catch and is aggressive to others at feeding.

Ok, you horse people out there, give me suggestions for poses and how to word an add. Do I list cons or wait until a prospective buyer shows up? Where should I put the listing, do I make flyers for feed stores? I know horse prices are low, what might be reasonable, or should I just adopt them out? Should I do youtube videos of me riding them? Thanks for your intervention help.....

4 comments:

  1. Ok, you asked for advice... here's my plan; name a single price, the buyer to chose any of the three, and throw the other two in for free. ;) mark

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  2. Sounds like a GREAT marketing plan!

    I once sold a 12X12 log shed and thru in 40 acres of mountain land for free.

    Bill

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  3. Mark's plan is not a bad one. Seriously, I think the best approach is to set a price that you think is fair. Don't add 'OBO.' That makes you sound as if you're not serious about your price. Of course you can negotiate if someone is serious. Be honest in your description - worded positively of course. Just my opinion. Dan

    PS: Kneel down to take your pictures. Horses look more majestic when looking up at them.

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  4. I agree with Bill. My husband says often that he bought two barn cats and a rabbit for a quarter of a mil and the seller thru in a free house :)

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