Had some people try my gelding I have for sale today, I had talked with the lady on the phone explaining he was a very free running horse with a lot of power, all the info is also in his ad very clearly explaining (not that people even bother to read those HA) she insisted her granddaughter was experienced enough to handle him and they still wanted to try him so we hauled him an hour to the arena to meet, they were there for their granddaughters high school rodeo finals.. Over-all it went ok. But the entire time I was getting the vibe that they thought I wasn’t very knowledgeable about horses or the barrel industry, and while I’m no expert I definitely know my horses own worth.. I paid 10k for him a year ago, and he’s just too much horse for me so that’s the only reason he’s for sale.. so I’m asking 10kobo for him and they had the nerve to offer me 2500.. at first I thought she meant 2500 off his price but they corrected me and again said 2500 telling me that he needed so much work that it would be at least 2 years before he was really running good..and that since he’s already 12 years old they wouldn’t pay more than that for him. This horse is seasoned and very nice and definitely does not need 2 years of training just the right jockey.. What also upset me was after riding him the mother said “he’s very free running isn’t he.. we were hoping he was a little more automatic, the horse she has now is free running and too much of a handful”, at the moment I knew the grandmother had not even relayed any of what was written in the ad or what I had said to her, to her daughter and granddaughter. Ignorant people. WHAT A JOKE! I was so upset and politely declined and said he was worth his asking price. She said that if I changed my mind I had her number and I assured her that I would not be changing my mind. I still cannot believe they had the nerve to even low ball me like that. Has anyone else ever had an experience like this when selling a horse? It almost felt like they were trying to bully me into thinking he wasn’t a very nice horse. Very upsetting. Glad my sweet boy didn’t end up with them.

1. Never go to someone. If they are serious about your horse they will come to you. 

2. If they called you today and offered your $9500 would you still be glad your sweet boy didn't go to them?

3. .....      ,,,,,,       ????        ¶¶¶¶¶  those are a loan

Selling horses sucks most of the time. You have to minimize the suckage by having thick skin and not suffering fools. 

Nope, not that bad!

a friend of mine has a horse for sale for $3500. She just got an offer of $800. 

I don’t get it. 

Wow. That's really really bad. I'm sorry! 

People amaze me. Everyone wants something for nothing. 

They are trying to steal the horse basically. If they didn’t like him they would have offered nothing and simply said he was not a good fit for the girl. Lol. They know what he is worth. Stick to your guns. 

Sorry but that was really insulting, there was a couple here years ago that would go around trying out horses for their daughter, they would talk the owner of the horse to let them try it for a few weeks and go to a few barrel races and the ones that would not let them take it home they would have them meet at races so the girl could make a run on the horse, they had no intention of buying these horses this went on for about a year untill owners finally caught on, this was the way for the daughter to beable to ride without buying, lol.. The excueses were that the horse was not fast enought, or to much money for this horse, they would low ball too, but finally they bought this girl a horse, and these people had money the grandpa has a lot, they had no problem throwing insults, I think it was in their DNA, lol..They low balled me on my Featherlit trailer I was thinking about selling, all I said was no Thank You, the gate is that way that you came in, lol..  

I just tell people " I don't need help apprasing my horse" lol

First, I would never haul a horse to the buyer. Let them come try the horse first, then I might haul a small distance to a different arena. Other than that, it sounds pretty normal in today's selling market. It just makes me CRAZY having to try to sell a horse. It's has happened to us several times.

Until they become the seller and their stuff becomes worth its weight in gold lol!

That’s so ridiculous.. You always hope people have honest intentions but a lot of people seem to prove otherwise.. and LOL I wish I could have seen their faces when you said that!!

My thoughts exactly.. nasty tactic to use on someone , sheesh!

That’s a good one, really wish I had said that lol 

Hindsight is 20/20.. I won’t be hauling him like that for anyone again trust me!

I have never been low balled like that but this one time..... I spent hours getting pictures and videos and having phone converstations with a guy over a horse. He was dirving 4 hours to try the horse. The horse was EXACTLY what I described. He didnt get the cute sale photos, he got walk out in the pasture and take pictures photos. All the video he could want etc. We agree on a price. Well below what the horse would be worth if he wasnt so ugly. Like legitimately hideous. He wants to meet on Easter. Its 35 degrees and wind is BLOWIN. We meet 15 min from my house at a local arena. He rides the horse, and the horse is just as I explained: UGLY but **** nice horse. BROKE and can spin a hole in the ground. Blah blah blah. He gets off, unsaddles, looks at me and says I cant give you $3500 (what we agreed on). I was FURIOUS. I didnt say a word. I untied the horse from his trailer and loaded him in mine and left. I was shaking I was so mad. He didnt want to give the $ because the horse would be hard to resale becuase he was ugly. Although I was told he was buying the horse to finish out for his sister (since she just lost her good horse) sooooo resale? GGGAAAAAHHHH I hate people. 

I’ll never understand how people even feel comfortable making an offer like that, I makes me cringe. People need to stop wasting people’s valuable time.. grrr

If you are in to horses a long time like I have been you will run into a lot of coo-coo people.. I have other storys like yours and I'm sure as time gos by there will be more, ha ha ha ha..

That's ridiculous. Rude idiots. Sorry they wasted your time. How annoying! 

Last year I had a big conversation with my trainer before I made an offer on Love. I'd never seriously considered spending that much money on a horse so I didn't want to offend the owner, but I didn't want to pay full asking price either. I sweetened the deal with a few considerations (like being paid in a flash, etc.) and the owner was not offended by my first offer at all. We settled in the middle with me picking up insurance on Love being her big consideration. 

Even on the less expensive horses I've bought I've always kept offers fair. Sometimes the offers are accepted, sometimes there is negotiation. I figure if the seller negotiations we will both be OK with the final price.

Back in 2013 when I had to liquidate my herd I priced the horses at extremely attractive prices. I had one guy call about on of the Bully colts and offer me less than half of his listed price. I had already priced him at about 60% of comparably bred and trained horses. I stayed polite but said no, don't think so. This guy called back about a week later with a LOWER offer!  Now that was cahones . . and rude. 

YES. There are several young girls in my area asking an arm and a leg for their unfinished horses that quite frankly need a LOT of work bc they haven't been brought along correctly in the first place. But in all honesty they've got these horses priced at twice as much or more than any sane person would pay. It's like they're hoping a schmuck will pick them up and believe everything they say about the horse, and they'll make a buck bc they're priced so high there is no way they can actually think they're worth that much. 

Typical—someone wanting something for nothing!  All I can say is good luck to them in finding a $2500 barrel horse. 

Doesn't surprise me one bit!

My latest surprise just happened recently. I am selling a 1D open horse. I get an email from someone saying they have no intention of buying my mare but wanted to know if I would let their neice make a few runs on her just to see if she could ride a 1D horse...

WTF???

I just had to take her off the market beause I can't deal with the stupid! she can just live in my pasture forever.

If I had the money, your mare would be coming to Texas. I really like her! 

I know the request seems crazy, but I do appreciate their honesty. Rather than pretending they were serious and wasting a run on your good horse knowing dang well they werent' going to buy her. Which sooooo many people do. 

The last finished horse I sold was a breakaway horse priced at $8500. A girl who was "very serious" wanted to rope a few in the practice pen on her. Perfectly reasonable, we do that. Then she wants to see how she is hauled to an event. Ropes on her at a three head jackpot. She doesn't buy her but tells me she's going to think about it. Calls back and asks about a one month trial period..... I hate these and think she's rode her enough to make a decision, but I know this girl and her family well. They are local. So I agree to the one month trial WITH a 10% non-refundable deposit on the horse. A few days later she calls back and says the bank won't approve her for the purchase price, so she's going to pass. Uhhh..... Have your finances in order BEFORE you waste people's time! 

I don't think I would even insult a person by offering that much lower than the asking price. 

Yea they were honest... nucking futs, but honest.

We are very fortunate in that our babies are in demand and people realize--the price IS the price and we rarely deal with such shenanigans. Occasionally we get the person that tries ya---a little, but nothing like this.

You should have said apparently you don't know much about horses, weanling foals are worth more than that.

I'm sorry people are just jerks, people like that seldom have the money to pay for a good horse, so they think they can con you into selling them one at the price they can afford.

It drives me crazy that people will pull this. I had a young mare priced cheap - told the buyer the price was the price, she looked, the mare rode like a dream, and then she low balls me.  I told her no, good luck and hung up on her. My momma told me "you can always be polite" but in this situation, it's pretty hard.  

Here’s a different twist to this subject. We had a nice paint mare listed for sale. A truly bombproof mare, she was such a nice horse. I had bought her for the grand boys to ride but they weren’t really showing any interest, and with so many horses something had to go. We had listed her at $7500 and got a few calls on her. One man called and was really interested in her and asked if we would consider a little less. After another conversation we decided to let her go at $5,500. He came to get her, he drove quite a distance. When he got there she was everything we said she was. I also offered to sell him the bit  we rode her in because she was so light in the mouth.

            He wrote a check out and handed it to my daughter. While we were walking her to the trailer my daughter looked at the check and it was written for $560! Everything came to a screeching halt right there. Took the lead rope from his hands and gave him back his check. I’m so thankful my daughter looked at the check before the horse was down the road. I sure am so careful now. I look at checks and count the money in my hand before anything changes hands. I truly never expected something like that to happen.  I normally trust people until they give me a reason not to trust. 

I didn't get an offer, but someone contacted me and gave me a full paragraph of crap regarding the price I was asking on a young horse.  "How dare you ask that much for a young horse that had not been started in barrel training yet."  Clearly they have never been to a futurity sale.

My response. . I don't run a kill pen and try to deter those inquiries by having a price in my ad.  I also like to know someone is worthy of owning the horse.  They failed the test.  Unworthy.  

I bite my tongue a lot, but I try to get everything out in the open up front and explain that Rule #1 - I refuse to waste my time which translates to me not wasting yours.  I simply do not have time to waste. 

There is a lot of crazy out there.

I must know the rest of the story! Lol! Did he make a mistake by leaving off a zero? Or did he even offer an explanation when you caught it? 

Me too!

The man said that he thought we had come down to $500.  So it went from $7500 to $500?  I believe it wasn't a miscommunication, it was an attempt to swindle us out of a really nice mare.  She was not a $500 horse! 

The mare was sold to a family with a 9 year old girl who absolutely loved her.  It was such a good fit.  The little girl had a trustworthy horse and the mare had a good home.  It all worked out in the end.

Note:  The add we had posted read $7500 not $750

Yes.  Had a mare 12, registered AQHA and Roan.  Runs 2D when fit 3D pulled out of pasture.  No big names on papers.  But, ALSO has won money with kids and adults..won money Heading, Heeling and Breakaway with kids and adults, and Tie down with both kids and adults.  Videos of all above.  Asked $15K...a bit high but expected lower offers. Got offered  $1500 and $3500.  Had a zillion calls but those two stood out.  Luke really?  Your going to find a competitive Barrel horse, rope horse that is also KID safe for $1500???

I guess I should not be suprised.