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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
   
Location: Ft Worth TX | I have had 3 people that have come out to try a horse i have none of the 3 were ready to buy. 1 had no intentions of buying come to find out after the fact. I did have 1 that was a serious buyer but the horse was just to much horse. this poor horse has had to have 4 different riders in the past week all attempting to make a run, or runs despite the 100*+ heat. This is not fair to my horse or my time as I have wasted a ton of time this week on people with no intent to buy. How do you weed out the tire kickers and joy riders and be polite about it? |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
 
Location: sunny california | Let us know if you figure it out. As a buyer, i would like to know how to weed out the sellers dumping their cripple dinks.
The BS goes both ways
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 Swiffer PIcker Upper
Posts: 4015
Location: Four Corners Colorado | Have lots pics and video and start charging a small non-reundable deposit to try the horse out and explain why you charge that in your ad. It has been a long time since I sold a riding horse but it I was that is what I would do if I had too many tire kickers. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| kwanatha - 2015-08-08 2:27 PM
Let us know if you figure it out. As a buyer, i would like to know how to weed out the sellers dumping their cripple dinks.
The BS goes both ways
I agree |
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Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24955
Location: WYOMING | A long while back I said right here on BHW that I was charging $ to test drive my mare. She was a super nice mare and I had gotten tired of joy riders over the years when I sold a horse. I got my hiney reemed by this community saying they would never try my horse, etc, etc, etc...
But... the weekend warrior joy riders went away after I put that in my ad and the mare sold. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
Location: sunny california | sad state of affairs if I gotta pay a nonrefundable deposit to ride a cripple dink. The only deposit i would pay would be to hold a horse after I decided I wanted it. I would however; send money paypal for a small fee that would be refundable upon my arrival. I understand a lot of people pull no shows and it is not right to waste a sellers day waiting on you |
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 Underestimated Underdog
Posts: 3971
Location: Minnesota | Maybe trying using phrases in your ad like, "not for beginners" or "needs advanced rider". I don't know if people that come to just try a horse that has no interest to buy are mainly beginners but that might be worth a try.
I feel like when your selling it just goes hand in hand to have a few people that just want a free ride.
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  Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24139
Location: Carpenter, WY | You know, in all honesty I can't believe all the trouble alot of people have buying and selling a horse. Maybe it's because we're old and telepathially send out the 'don't try and BS me' vibe to whoever shows up. I would stick your potentential buyer in the round pen before they even get in the arena and watch them closely to see if they can get along with the horse. You can usually tell right then and there if the horse is going to be too much for them, and if you get the sense that is too much politely tell them it's not going to work  |
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Boot Detective
Posts: 1900
| Point blank ask them over the phone if they are just "shopping" or are they ready to buy with cash in hand. If they have to sell something before they can buy, tell them wait and come try this horse after they sell what they have. If they are not ready to buy, don't let them try your horse.
If you have a 1D/2D horse that is not for a rider below that skill level, ask them to send video of the potential rider on a similar competitive horse from their past. No video, no saddle on my horse' back.
Limit how many people can try your horse in the same week. One or two is plenty. Also if they do seem 110% serious, have them try the horse at a function that doesn't matter to them, no saddle at stake, no state finals, .......I have seen TONS of people that will try top of the line horses and INSIST on running at a high stakes event they desperately need the horse for, the horse does great, and they still don't buy. Basically, they just borrowed a horse.
I always provide videos and verifiable stats on my horses I'm selling. They can come watch me run it against the baddest cats going down the road to compare times so they already KNOW what this horse can do. They just need to ride it and see if they "click". I always welcome them to draw blood and drug test the horse on the spot and welcome vet checks at their expense. NEVER let them drive off with the horse until it is paid for. Cash, cashier's check, wire transfer. I meet them at their chosen vet for the vet check and don't charge to haul to the vet unless they choose a vet more than 100 miles away. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 590
Location: Austin, Texas, where it can get really weird!! | You might put in there that the first time they view the horse you will only ride for their viewing and if they are still interested, then you probably have a serious buyer. I would have no problem with this because if i was paying alot i would have multiple visits to view the horse. |
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Member
Posts: 49
Location: In the saddle enjoying the East Texas sky | Non refundable trial fee. $500 minimum. As a serious potential buyer I would pay it no questions asked. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | I never go to look at a horse if I wasn't pretty sure I was coming home with it. If someone asked me for a deposit to try the horse I'd pass simply because I think that overstepping bounds.
Dealing with tire kickers is part of selling horses but if you ask a lot of questions of your prospective buyers you should be able to get a sense if they are serious. Also you can weed out those who the horse will not work for (selling a 2D horse and someone needing a 4D).
Think of it like an interview and interview them on their wants, goals, needs, and their past experience. Do it while sitting at your computer googling their name or trainers name etc. Anytime they said they won or placed somewhere verify it if possible. If they ride with a coach and are fairly new to it ask that the coach call you to discuss if that's the horse for them.
Booking appointments without a thorough interview will result in wasted time. You may still end up with the odd tire kicker but the more you ask the more you'll find you'll turn away people who won't be a fit. |
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Blessed 
Location: Here | kewlcowgurl - 2015-08-08 6:14 PM
You might put in there that the first time they view the horse you will only ride for their viewing and if they are still interested, then you probably have a serious buyer. I would have no problem with this because if i was paying alot i would have multiple visits to view the horse.
^^^^this^^^ |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| CouchJockey - 2015-08-08 8:32 PM
Non refundable trial fee. $500 minimum. As a serious potential buyer I would pay it no questions asked.
I disagree with non refundable
There are so many people who misrepresent their horse , the abilities, and soundness, so why should I pay someone 500 to figure out the horse was misrepresented, or didn't pass a vet check, or has a conformation flaw that didn't show up on the pictures.
So the people who own the horse just made 500 by being dishonest? |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | SG. - 2015-08-08 9:01 PM
kewlcowgurl - 2015-08-08 6:14 PM
You might put in there that the first time they view the horse you will only ride for their viewing and if they are still interested, then you probably have a serious buyer. I would have no problem with this because if i was paying alot i would have multiple visits to view the horse.
^^^^this^^^
also this, and I make sure whoever is interested is interested enough to have a pretty decent phone conversation before hand. Like 15 minutes at least about riding, their experience level, the horse etc. From what I've found most tire kickers won't talk to you that long. Also, I always ride the horse first and do my own saddling. They are welcome to mess with him/her on the ground but I saddle and I ride first for liability reasons and also because tire kickers don't usually want to hang out for all of that.
If from talking to them I can tell right off they won't be a good fit or don't have the experience level I'll tell them and end the appointment right there. First ride is in a controlled environment, small arena or round pen and we go from there.
I always write my ads to say that I reserve the right to refuse to sell if I don't think it's a good fit etc. but obviously don't word it quite like that... give my midnight brain a break  |
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Boot Detective
Posts: 1900
| cheryl makofka - 2015-08-08 10:16 PM
CouchJockey - 2015-08-08 8:32 PM
Non refundable trial fee. $500 minimum. As a serious potential buyer I would pay it no questions asked.
I disagree with non refundable
There are so many people who misrepresent their horse , the abilities, and soundness, so why should I pay someone 500 to figure out the horse was misrepresented, or didn't pass a vet check, or has a conformation flaw that didn't show up on the pictures.
So the people who own the horse just made 500 by being dishonest?
I agree. I would not even consider going and trying one I had to pay a deposit on just to try it. Can you imagine the false ads that would surface if people could do that and get away with it. It's hard enough now to find one that is honestly represented and sound. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I'm one who wouldn't pay to try a horse. I'm picky, and tend to look at a bunch when I'm shopping. One year, I looked at 13 and bought 2. My solution to weeding out tire kickers is living far away from civilization. If someone actually comes to my house to try a horse, they're serious. I no longer haul horses for people to try unless they have already come to my house. Too many flakes not showing up taught that lesson. |
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 Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | I am one that wouldn't pay to try a horse, I am also one that most likely will show up without a trailer. I've driven a couple of hours to look at 2 horses with my dad. We took his girlfriends car that was good on gas. I decided to buy one of the horses, so I made a call and my husband hooked up and met me there to get her. There were plenty of times that the horse wasn't as advertised or we just didn't click, those times I was glad I didn't waste the gas to pull a trailer all the way there. If I want the horse though, I already have the pick up of the horse planned out. I am sure a lot of people think I am a tire kicker. I'm just very picky about riding horses. They don't have to be great, they just have to click with me. I am not going to force something because I don't want you to be mad at me. Sorry. I took a horse that I knew I didn't get along with, I actually hated him and I'm pretty sure he hated me lol. I regret the time and money wasted on that horse trying to make it work, never again. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | I agree that you can probably weed a lot of them out with an interview/phone call (rather than just texting/emailing) prior to setting up an appt for them to come see the horse.
I'm horse shopping right now, I can't tell you how many ads say "Kid safe", but upon emailing they "haven't been ridden in 3+ years", or "the canter needs work" or "green broke, but it's a really nice horse" or "they haven't actually been ridden by kids, but I think the horse would do just fine".
I'm not going to waste my time going to see these horses.
"How many horses are you looking at?" or "What is your timeline for buying" or "What is your general process when you buy a horse (how many times do you ride, do you vet check, do you bring your trainer/bf/kids/etc out to ride 32 times)?" might be some non confrontational questions to get everyone on the same page.
I wouldn't pay a deposit, especially non-refundable. I can see it on high dollar horses though. |
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 Professional Amateur
Posts: 6750
Location: Oklahoma | I'm very up front which can offend people, but a serious buyer, will appreciate the blunt honesty. I tell people that Rule #1 is I refuse to waste my time which translates to me not wasting thier time. The majority of the horses I sell are purchased through videos and shipped, so I don't have to show horses very often.
Prior to anyone scheduling an appointment to try horses - I send them a blank Horse Purchase Agreement for them to review. I also give them contact info for 3 different area vets and I let them know they can also ask for a referral from their local vet to a vet in my area (most of my buyers are out of State).
I will also ask if they are ready to make a purchase now or do they need to sell something, etc. prior to making a purchase.
I CONFIRM appointments a minimum of 1 week in advance. I do not change plans to show horses and I show horses Monday through Thursday. I accept cash and wire transfers and if they need to wire funds - they cannot do that on the weekends. It is also hard to get a "soundness" exam scheduled on a weekend. If someone waives an exam and is coming on the weekend with cash - I will confirm an appointment.
Be a professional and treat your horse as your business. I rely on referral and repeat customers, so I ask a lot of questions of potential buyers. If there is any hesitation on their part, I will move to the next potential buyer. I want the horses to be in the right home and excel with their new owners. If someone wants me to hold a horse for them to come try it (when I have others intersted) .. it's a non-refundable deposit. You also know you have a serious buyer that route too.
Good luck! |
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