| *------Tips to Help Sell your horse!------*
Write your ad like you would want
to own this horse yourself. Make it exciting! Don't forget the parents! Alot of
people shop for prospects based on the Sire and Dams accomplishments. Offer a
complete pedigree and have it in a file so you can send to them on request. A Good Picture is just as important! To Sell your horse, always get the best picture possible, A side view is always best. Make sure the horse is clean and well groomed. Once you go to choose the picture....ask yourself...Would I want to buy this horse? Make sure you have 2 or 3 other good photos of your horse available. People will always ask you for more. Try to take a picture without alot of background mess (like fencing or other animals) and flat ground. People like to see clean pictures! I cannot stress this enough. I pass up many photos of horses that the picture doesn't show them well as in to dark, to much background mess, or the horse is going downhill This is the same with marketing your Stallion for Service as well. Everyone has heard the term "a picture is worth a thousand words". Never are those words so true as in marketing your horses. If you have a halter horse, take a picture of him posed square with the camera pointed slightly at the hip.. A riding horse looks ready to go tacked up with saddle. A good clean picture will sell your horse quick! A bad picture is like telling everyone you don't care about the horse. Now if you are like me, a terrible photographer, lol, A digital camera can be your
best friend. In the past I would take several rolls of film, with many that were bad ......but with a digital camera you can see right away if you like the picture. And the depth of the digital pic is just better to take horse pics with. Try to make sure you tell the shopper all the great points! Make sure you include the State your horse resides in. It will help filter out alot of the nonsense emails that get your hopes set on. In the SUMMARY area, make sure you put information that tells the good and/or the bad about your horse you are selling. And don't forget your email address and/or website. Include what training has been done, any bad habits, or injuries, is he up to date (UTD) on vaccines, teeth and feet. The more information you give the better chances you have of selling. But don't make it overly wordy. They don't want to read a book either  .
Videos......the horror!! Videos can sell your horse to someone in any state. If you are going to do a video... do it with style. No, you don't have to have a professionally done video. That costs to much money. Especially when you send out 10 or more videos and don't get them back. But again, have the horse clean and groomed. First show him like you would in a halter class. Stand him up square and video him from front to back and back to the front, so you get both sides. Then have the handler (it is easier than trying to do this by yourself, lol) turn the horse away from you and walk away about ten steps. Then at a trot for ten steps and stop. Have them turn the horse around and face you, at a haunch turn if possible. Then repeat these steps coming toward you. If you have a zoom on your camera, follow them thru all the steps with the zoom when they go away from you and coming back. Now if you have a young horse show them at longeline. If you don't know how...find out. If it is a rideable horse video the saddleing and bridling of the horse. Hopefully he is good with all of it. If not....Work with them! Then video mounting the horse and then at a walk , trot, lope in a circle around you while he is being videoed. Make sure you do it in both directions. Otherwise you will have potential buyers asking why......"does he not take the left lead?" Somewhere in the video also show the horse being clipped, tied and at least that he will accept having a water hose on around him. And if you can, show them loading and unloading in a horse trailer. The more you show a potential buyer the easier it will be to sell your horse.
TIPS FOR BUYERS Got questions? Don't be afraid to ask the Seller a Question. If this is your first horse or you are not yet knowledgeable to choose wisely (as in color or cute face is more important), hire a respectable trainer or ask a friend that knows their stuff (not just cause they have their first horse also). If they don't know what conformation, jog or leg aids are then you do not have the knowledeable person you need. Request A Video. (If Possible) See above also on videos. When you request a video, offer to pay for the video to be delivered. Alot of sellers have a paypal account. Request at least 20 minute video on the things you wish to see. Send A Vet To The Sellers Farm. When you find the horse you are truly interested in, find out who the vets are in their area. You can request blood tests, xrays and more from a vet. Then the vet can send you a letter on the condition of the animal you wish to purchase. Also a current health certificate. Transporting Your New Horse. Don't just take the first transport service because of price . Shop around. Finding one that is scheduled to head into your area will be more affordable. When you find the transport service ask them how much insurance they will cover your animal for. Ask other horse people who they have used. Don't just choose a horse transport because of price, for the sake of your horse.
Good luck to all of you!! | 
