Vetting buyers!

[Krissie I]

My shetland, Harry is for sale at the moment.
Whenever I have bought horses I have arrived for the viewing armed with photos of my other or previous horses and photos of the land they will be on. I expect to be quizzed at length about my experience, how the new horse would be kept etc etc. And I have never been asked a SINGLE question! Apart from 'is cash ok' :D:D

I plan to interview any prospective buyer of Harry at length! Is this reasonable? What sort of things would you ask a buyer if you were selling a horse or pony?

[Nimbus65]

Hmmm - as a buyer I have been really up front from the beginning about what we are about as riders, our level of experience, our aspirations/plans, where the horse would be kept, how often ridden - before the viewing - just to make sure that I'm not wasting anyone's time. I've even pinged sellers who have originally invited me to come view their horses and asked whether THEY think we'd be overhorsed . . .

. . . not much help really . . . sorry :(

I guess the questions I'd be asking (based on the things I've told prospective sellers) are:

- How long have you been riding - what disciplines and where?
- What sort of horse care experience do you have?
- Who else will be riding the horse?
- Where will you keep it?
- Will you have help/support or are you on your own?
- If horse will be ridden, do you have access to an instructor (and do you plan to continue instruction)?
- What do you plan to do w/ horse - happy hacking, showing, competing (and to what level)?
- How do you plan to handle the settling in period?
- Will the horse live alone or have access to equine friends?
- Do you have access to hacking - does access require intensive roadwork?
- Are you looking for a friend for life - if so, what are your retirement plans for said horse? (If not, I'd be insisting horse was returned to me).

Can't think of any others - I'm sure folks on here can help :)

N

[eml]

I generally would ask leading questions while watching how they handle/ride the horse. You can glean a lot from talking to people who come with them., it doesn't need to sound like an inquisition

We sold a horse a couple of years ago on behalf of a client who had been totally overhorsed and turned down a couple of buyers who just didn't seem to have the commitment or knowledge just from watching and talking to them. He went to a young girl who came with mother and YO/instructor and we knew he was right for them. We heard after a year that he had taken her into all the PC teams!!