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 Midget Lover
     
Location: Kentucky | I had great luck selling my foal last year long before he weaned, and had a great buyer. I hope I was not spoiled with that situation!
This year, I have a foal that will also be for sale, as he has a few extra "parts" (darn). My question is, do you market foals differently based on price? Does a higher asking price warrant a different way of marketing? Or do you continue the same practice - post an ad and wait for responses? Is it worth it to pay in full these foals into incentives?
I realize that some breeders do not have to advertise, as people come to them for their babies, but I only have one a year, so it's more difficult to get a 'following' based on the volume I have. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | A few extra "parts"?
I'd pay in full any incentives he is eligible for |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | hoofs_in_motion - 2014-06-05 11:29 AM
A few extra "parts"?
I'd pay in full any incentives he is eligible for
He's a colt ;) |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Murphy - 2014-06-05 10:31 AM hoofs_in_motion - 2014-06-05 11:29 AM A few extra "parts"?
I'd pay in full any incentives he is eligible for He's a colt ; )
LOL! |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I would pay him into everything he is eligible for!
I think the biggest thing is a good picture. They really help sell a horse.
This year we aren't selling any of our babies. I think in the future when we sell another crop, I will wait until they are yearlings and advertise then, or put them in a barrel horse sale like Texas Best. |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | casualdust07 - 2014-06-05 11:42 AM I would pay him into everything he is eligible for! I think the biggest thing is a good picture. They really help sell a horse. This year we aren't selling any of our babies. I think in the future when we sell another crop, I will wait until they are yearlings and advertise then, or put them in a barrel horse sale like Texas Best.
I have heard selling before weanling is the best time, or wait until they are broke to sell.
I'm going to pay this guy in full into incentives for sure... he is just worth it. The pictures are the hardest. Babies are so tough to get really great pictures that encompass how nice they really are. Plus they are continually going through awkward stages! |
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Expert
Posts: 1414
| I don't raise babies so I don't sell babies....but speaking as a buyer PLEASE pay your colt into the incentives he's eligible for. It's the cheapest when they're babies and sometimes it's the extra "push" I need as a buyer to pick one colt over another. |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | roanrider - 2014-06-05 12:03 PM I don't raise babies so I don't sell babies....but speaking as a buyer PLEASE pay your colt into the incentives he's eligible for. It's the cheapest when they're babies and sometimes it's the extra "push" I need as a buyer to pick one colt over another.
I agree. I was shocked when researching fees for colts vs. 2 year olds.... it's a huge hike when they are older. |
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | Murphy - 2014-06-05 10:53 AM
casualdust07 - 2014-06-05 11:42 AM I would pay him into everything he is eligible for! I think the biggest thing is a good picture. They really help sell a horse. This year we aren't selling any of our babies. I think in the future when we sell another crop, I will wait until they are yearlings and advertise then, or put them in a barrel horse sale like Texas Best.
I have heard selling before weanling is the best time, or wait until they are broke to sell.
I'm going to pay this guy in full into incentives for sure... he is just worth it. The pictures are the hardest. Babies are so tough to get really great pictures that encompass how nice they really are. Plus they are continually going through awkward stages!
I have found the exact opposite to be true for me. Both of my 2013 babies were advertised while still on their mother and neither one got any serious attention until they were both yearlings. Both sold as yearlings and my first down french colt I was THIS close to holding him off until the November TX Best sale and he ended up selling. |
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 Heeler Hoarder
Posts: 2067
| I have had great luck selling as weanlings. I think it depends on the bloodlines, my FG/DFP filly sold in 24hrs of listing her on here at 1month old. I sold my FTK filly and my RC Indian Bullion as weanling last year to. I prefer to sell as a weanling, I don't get as attached and less $ in them :) |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 887
Location: MN | I've had it both ways. The first time we ever bred both of my foals sold before they were weaned. The colt I have now was listed as a weanling with no luck. Towards the end of winter and through spring I did not market him since he looked pretty rough between growing and spring shedding. Now he's on pasture, building up lots of muscle and slicking out. Soon as I get to taking new pics and video to show his demeanor and movement I'll relist him.
With any foals, I think it's diligence by the breeder to get them registered and pay into any incentives. When I was looking at Future Fortunes to pay in full or just nominate, I would be ticked to nomiate then the buyer didn't keep up, so I just wrapped it up myself. Plus it's a good feature! Foals are all marketed the same though, no difference based on price.
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I would pay him in full to whatever incentives are available for him. While I'm not one of them, there are a lot of people who are interested in that.
Also, while I haven't sold a foal, I have been in the retail business pretty much all of my life (grew up in it literally). As far as marketing goes, asking price makes a big difference as you will attract a completely different type of buyer in each market. A higher price will over all attract a better type of customer, though possibly fewer. Lower priced will generally attract a poorer customer, though you may have a bigger response. But on the same scale, over priced, and people will look at something else too, and underpriced you won't be getting what he's worth while dealing with a lesser caliber of customer.
I'd try to see what other weanlings similarly bred are bringing (not necessarily what people are asking for them) and price accordingly to what your horse has better or worse than what has sold before your's (anything from conformation to color) and leave some wiggle room. Just my opinion. Good luck on selling him though! |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | mtcanchazer - 2014-06-05 12:58 PM I would pay him in full to whatever incentives are available for him. While I'm not one of them, there are a lot of people who are interested in that.
Also, while I haven't sold a foal, I have been in the retail business pretty much all of my life (grew up in it literally). As far as marketing goes, asking price makes a big difference as you will attract a completely different type of buyer in each market. A higher price will over all attract a better type of customer, though possibly fewer. Lower priced will generally attract a poorer customer, though you may have a bigger response. But on the same scale, over priced, and people will look at something else too, and underpriced you won't be getting what he's worth while dealing with a lesser caliber of customer.
I'd try to see what other weanlings similarly bred are bringing (not necessarily what people are asking for them) and price accordingly to what your horse has better or worse than what has sold before your's (anything from conformation to color) and leave some wiggle room. Just my opinion. Good luck on selling him though!
I haven't looked at horses for sale in months... maybe years. I checked out the weanling section on BHW today and noticed there were a LOT of colts priced from $5-$7k, which is where I would like to market mine. This colt deserves to be put in a rodeo/futurity home, so I completely agree with your customer viewpoint.
I was actually shocked that so many colts were priced in that range. (Can you tell I haven't looked at for sale ads in a long time?) Of course listing and selling are two different things. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| In my opinion that is an excellent price range for your colt. Also in my opinion, you sold your last one for too little. For me, I'd be willing to sell it for too little in order to sell it as a weanling, before it has a chance to kill itself.
Edited by Whiteboy 2014-06-05 1:02 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | Whiteboy - 2014-06-05 10:28 AM In my opinion that is an excellent price range for you colt. Also in my opinion, you sold your last one for too little. For me, I'd be willing to sell it for too little in order to sell it as a weanling, before it has a chance to kill itself.
This is why I want to sell my weanling colt now instead of wait until next year when he's worth a lot more. A lot can happen in a year! |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Whiteboy - 2014-06-05 1:28 PM In my opinion that is an excellent price range for your colt. Also in my opinion, you sold your last one for too little. For me, I'd be willing to sell it for too little in order to sell it as a weanling, before it has a chance to kill itself.
Right!!! My last one sold very quickly, so of course my husband scolded me that he sold for too little. But it may have been the right buyer at the right time. Regardless, he is in a great home now, and the new owner sends me updates so I'm a happy seller with that one. |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Murphy - 2014-06-05 12:05 PM Whiteboy - 2014-06-05 1:28 PM In my opinion that is an excellent price range for your colt. Also in my opinion, you sold your last one for too little. For me, I'd be willing to sell it for too little in order to sell it as a weanling, before it has a chance to kill itself. Right!!! My last one sold very quickly, so of course my husband scolded me that he sold for too little. But it may have been the right buyer at the right time. Regardless, he is in a great home now, and the new owner sends me updates so I'm a happy seller with that one.
I couldn't agree more about the right buyer at the right time...sometimes things work out that, and it is great when it does! A good home is as important or more important to me than how much one brings, IMHO. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | I have not had a lot of luck getting foals sold this year. Honestly i'm not too fussed about it just yet as I haven't even started weaning.
I wont lie I did expect my Buckskin filly to sell really easy, and I've had a lot of interest on her, but so far no one is willing to commit!
I know people will disagree with this but it feels to me like the foal market is slowing down a bit.
Edited by Fancie_That_Chrome_ 2014-06-05 4:26 PM
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 Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | We market all of ours the same .. regardless of price. We pay them in full to everything as well.
Take out an ad with GOOD pictures ... info on parents - pics/videos if you have them, etc. |
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24139
Location: Carpenter, WY | I just hoard them lol. Will probably sell a couple though at weaning this year.
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 Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | My advise is videos and lots of them....loading, tying, bathing, trimmming......even just out in the pasture videos.....they make a huge difference in my opinion. |
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Marketing a Foal