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| I'm not trying to be negative but just trying to stay informed as a seller. What are some common tricks or ways that sellers can be taken advantage of, etc.
It has been a while since I've sold anything and I haven't always had great experiences buying or selling. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| No payments, money up front |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I don't allow a take-home "trial period," no payments, and I limit the number of times they can ride/run the horse if necessary. I've definitely had those people who are just looking for a free ride on a nice horse. Typically it consists of coming to my arena riding the horse deciding if it's even a fit. If they can't ride the horse in it's most familiar setting then there's no point in moving forward. If all goes well we find a barrel race/rodeo to take the horse to and make a competition run. No personal checks accepted ever.
Lately I've been selling prospects, not finished horses. People feel much better about buying these sight unseen. I send all requested info, pics, video,etc. If they need time to arrange transportation I request a deposit then we agree on a reasonable time frame for them to find a hauler then full payment must be cleared before the horse leaves. I've used Paypal, overnighted cashier's check, Walmart money order, and money wire all safely.
If anyone contacts you ready to send payment before asking you lots of questions it's a scam. If anyone has to send you a check in excess of the asking price but needs you to send the overpayment back to them once it clears, then it's a scam.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | rodeomom3 - 2017-02-20 5:18 AM No payments, money up front
And don't let them take the horse until he is paid for. Twice I have had to go retrieve horses that I sold to people without getting the money upfront. (knew the people personally, figured they were good for it) Let both of them keep them several months before deciding they obviously were not going to pay for them! Also had a check bounce on another, but she made it good. Keep the papers until you have the money! |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | If people don't show up move on. Don't hold the horse. First come first served.
I once lost out on a great deal on a great horse because I stopped to get a breakfast burrito before driving the extra 2 miles to pick up the horse. LOL Someone who ate breakfast at home got to load the horse up before I even pulled into the drive.  |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| IRunOnFaith - 2017-02-20 10:20 AM
If people don't show up move on. Don't hold the horse. First come first served.
I once lost out on a great deal on a great horse because I stopped to get a breakfast burrito before driving the extra 2 miles to pick up the horse. LOL Someone who ate breakfast at home got to load the horse up before I even pulled into the drive.
See I think that is BS. I won't "hold" a horse per se, but if someone says they are in the truck on the way I won't set up other viewings until I know that person isn't coming.
I'd be pretty peeved for example if I set up a time to see a horse let's say 6 hours away, arranged a vet check and was bringing a trailer for example - serious buyer, only to get a phone call 3 hours into my drive telling me the horse is headed to its new home.
Now if someone sets up a time a week out, the horse is still for sale in the interim to anyone who can come view it sooner. But once I know a prospective buyer is en route...that seems kind of crappy to me. |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | We once drove two hours to buy a horse trailer only to watch someone hauling it away as we pulled in. Lady said she didn't know if we were actually coming even though I was messaging her to keep her updated on where we were. Lol.
We have sold our fair share of horses. But mainly just steady eddy trail horses, so no big money. But watch for people that want to point out negatives and still offer you money, albeit, at a much lower price. To me, of a person isn't prepared to pay asking, or close to it, I have no reason to listen to why my horse ISNT what they're looking for. |
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Veteran
Posts: 276
| I feel as if you almost have to be somewhat harsh with people to not get taken advantage of--I especially feel this way as a woman. I try to be polite as possible, but it seems the more you go out of your way for people, they just use you to make it easier on themselves. I will not haul a horse to you to try. I totally understand if you don't want to try it at my home arena, but you must find somewhere close to me, or somewhere I am already going. Sales are always first come first served and never final until cash is in the bank. Like others have mentioned, not going to sell the horse while you're driving my way, but if you can't get here for a week and someone else can, sorry. Or if you want the horse but don't pay, I'm not holding him for you. I will take a check, but won't send papers/transfer until it clears. I'm not a huge fan of vet checks, but if you want one, fine by me, but you are setting it up and paying for it. And don't try to tell me the horse is "showing signs of pre-something" and then try to offer me half of my asking price. If you think he is sound enough for what you want to do, buy him, if you don't, don't. Pretty simple. I've learned over the years that people who call and ask a lot of practical questions, and are interested in riding the horse, usually are good buyers. The ones who just call and ask for more videos, more pictures, more this, more that, meet me here, do all this for me, but never talk about coming to ride, most likely just a tire kicker. |
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Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | OhMax - 2017-02-20 10:32 AM IRunOnFaith - 2017-02-20 10:20 AM If people don't show up move on. Don't hold the horse. First come first served.
I once lost out on a great deal on a great horse because I stopped to get a breakfast burrito before driving the extra 2 miles to pick up the horse. LOL Someone who ate breakfast at home got to load the horse up before I even pulled into the drive. See I think that is BS. I won't "hold" a horse per se, but if someone says they are in the truck on the way I won't set up other viewings until I know that person isn't coming. I'd be pretty peeved for example if I set up a time to see a horse let's say 6 hours away, arranged a vet check and was bringing a trailer for example - serious buyer, only to get a phone call 3 hours into my drive telling me the horse is headed to its new home. Now if someone sets up a time a week out, the horse is still for sale in the interim to anyone who can come view it sooner. But once I know a prospective buyer is en route...that seems kind of crappy to me.
The horse was only a quick drive from my house. Hour tops if everything went wrong. I was told others would be viewing the same day without appointments. First come first serve. Figured since it was Saturday that at 7am I would have first choice... And time to eat a burrito... Darn Burrito.... |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| People picking your horse apart in an effort to drive the price down, even if they're just splitting hairs. .
Know what price you'll negotiate down to ahead of time, and stay firm.
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 Regular
Posts: 73
Location: Central Texas | Be careful. I had a lady off of here give me a cashiers check on a gelding, can cash when passes vet check with her vet (no big deal, thats typically how i buy). When she picked him up was mad when she was handed APHA papers when it was in the first line of my ad but took him anyway. I guess she had buyers remorse after thinking about it all night. Called and told me he failed vet check. Said "xrays showed navicular changes in both front feet and 2 spots where he had kissing spine". I gladly took him back, devastated, spent a ton of money getting him re-xrayed because she wouldn't release xrays. Well come to find out she didn't get any xrays done...and the $400 of xrays i got through Texas Equine were super clean. Don't believe or trust ANYONE. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 656
| I can't believe someone would do something that sorry! If I had to sell horses for a living I would starve to death. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | WinningPaints - 2017-02-20 6:42 PM Be careful. I had a lady off of here give me a cashiers check on a gelding, can cash when passes vet check with her vet (no big deal, thats typically how i buy). When she picked him up was mad when she was handed APHA papers when it was in the first line of my ad but took him anyway. I guess she had buyers remorse after thinking about it all night. Called and told me he failed vet check. Said "xrays showed navicular changes in both front feet and 2 spots where he had kissing spine". I gladly took him back, devastated, spent a ton of money getting him re-xrayed because she wouldn't release xrays. Well come to find out she didn't get any xrays done...and the $400 of xrays i got through Texas Equine were super clean. Don't believe or trust ANYONE.
Shes a member of the board on here? That was really chicken shi* what she did. Shame on her.. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 927
Location: Iowa | To low of a price, too good to be true. |
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  Fact Checker
Posts: 16572
Location: Displaced Iowegian | Southtxponygirl - 2017-02-20 8:51 PM WinningPaints - 2017-02-20 6:42 PM Be careful. I had a lady off of here give me a cashiers check on a gelding, can cash when passes vet check with her vet (no big deal, thats typically how i buy). When she picked him up was mad when she was handed APHA papers when it was in the first line of my ad but took him anyway. I guess she had buyers remorse after thinking about it all night. Called and told me he failed vet check. Said "xrays showed navicular changes in both front feet and 2 spots where he had kissing spine". I gladly took him back, devastated, spent a ton of money getting him re-xrayed because she wouldn't release xrays. Well come to find out she didn't get any xrays done...and the $400 of xrays i got through Texas Equine were super clean. Don't believe or trust ANYONE. Shes a member of the board on here? That was really chicken shi* what she did. Shame on her..
Unfortunately, even BHW has it share of scammer BBs. I, personally, would have deposited the cashiers check and she would have gotten the money back IF and WHEN she produced the vet's report and x-rays. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | NJJ - 2017-02-20 9:25 PM Southtxponygirl - 2017-02-20 8:51 PM WinningPaints - 2017-02-20 6:42 PM Be careful. I had a lady off of here give me a cashiers check on a gelding, can cash when passes vet check with her vet (no big deal, thats typically how i buy). When she picked him up was mad when she was handed APHA papers when it was in the first line of my ad but took him anyway. I guess she had buyers remorse after thinking about it all night. Called and told me he failed vet check. Said "xrays showed navicular changes in both front feet and 2 spots where he had kissing spine". I gladly took him back, devastated, spent a ton of money getting him re-xrayed because she wouldn't release xrays. Well come to find out she didn't get any xrays done...and the $400 of xrays i got through Texas Equine were super clean. Don't believe or trust ANYONE. Shes a member of the board on here? That was really chicken shi* what she did. Shame on her..
LOL, you and me both, some people just suck..  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
Location: Durango CO | I dont exactly have a tip for you other than don't be afraid to say NO to any one over the phone or txt that sounds like it would not be the right home. I had a guy call on a coming 2 yr old I had for sale becasue his teenage daughter thought the horse was pretty. I just flat out said it would not be the right fit and would not show him the horse. That may seem shallow and mean in the context of this post but in person I could tell they did not have enough experience to deal with that level of horse. |
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Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Lil_Pony35 - 2017-02-21 6:04 PM I dont exactly have a tip for you other than don't be afraid to say NO to any one over the phone or txt that sounds like it would not be the right home. I had a guy call on a coming 2 yr old I had for sale becasue his teenage daughter thought the horse was pretty. I just flat out said it would not be the right fit and would not show him the horse. That may seem shallow and mean in the context of this post but in person I could tell they did not have enough experience to deal with that level of horse.
And we all know that when the daughter got hurt it would be your fault for selling a "dangerous" horse to them LOL |
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Regular
Posts: 73
Location: Central Texas | NJJ - 2017-02-20 9:25 PM
Southtxponygirl - 2017-02-20 8:51 PM WinningPaints - 2017-02-20 6:42 PM Be careful. I had a lady off of here give me a cashiers check on a gelding, can cash when passes vet check with her vet (no big deal, thats typically how i buy). When she picked him up was mad when she was handed APHA papers when it was in the first line of my ad but took him anyway. I guess she had buyers remorse after thinking about it all night. Called and told me he failed vet check. Said "xrays showed navicular changes in both front feet and 2 spots where he had kissing spine". I gladly took him back, devastated, spent a ton of money getting him re-xrayed because she wouldn't release xrays. Well come to find out she didn't get any xrays done...and the $400 of xrays i got through Texas Equine were super clean. Don't believe or trust ANYONE. Shes a member of the board on here? That was really chicken shi* what she did. Shame on her..
I trusted her. Shame one me! She finally admitted after I texted her with my vet's findings that she never got radiographs, but he "failed the hoof testers and seemed back sore" so she brought him back. He didn't fail hoof testers with my vet but was a little back tender. He had just left 60 days barrel training so my vet just contributed it to that. I doubt she even brought him to a vet for a pre purchase. She was extremely rude about the entire ordeal. I honestly think she tried to take him and then cancel the check because she accidentally slipped that I was lucky cashiers check don't cancel. Whatever. It's over and the next weekend the colt sold to someone who did their homework and requested vet records prior that i happily transferred. |
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