Recently, I just completed the bittersweet sale of a horse. Let me preface with saying this was by no means an easy decision. I had really grown as a rider the past 2 years and with that growth came new goals. I cannot thank that gelding enough for all he did for me and my confidence. If I could have kept him with the ability to comfortably afford another horse that meets my current criteria, I would.

If I only knew making the decision to sell the horse would be the most difficult part, it wasn’t.

Let me tell you, I don’t know how people market horses full-time. What I thought would be an easy, black-and-white process of listing the horse with all the info, videos, photos and price turned out to be another full-time job responding to calls, texts and DMs.

Here’s what you need to do if you’re considering selling any time soon.

1. Make sure the sale is what you really want

Deciding to put your horse up for sale is a big decision and one that shouldn’t be made lightly. Don’t rush into anything, but make sure to step back, and consider your goals. You have to be committed to this sale (no matter how difficult it might be) for it to work, so wait until you’re ready!

2. determine what price you want to list your horse at

This is tough. We all think our horses are million-dollar horses, right? There are many things to consider before naming your price. Is the horse registered out of proven parents? Is it a proven horse? Does it require maintenance or have quirks (cribbing, won’t back out of the trailer) etc. Take a current look at the market to get a feel on price. Your trainer and other experienced professionals you trust can help you set a ballpark.

Types of horses that always seem to be trendy are: Trail Horse, Family-Friendly/Husband-Safe, Ranch Riding (This is HUGE!) , Breakway Prospect, Cow Horse Prospect

3. get the word out

Get the word out through your horsey friends! The horse world is a small world, so chances are someone always knows someone who’s looking. If you can sell your horse through word of mouth, you save a lot of time talking to tire-kickers and save on consignment, commission and listing fees.

4. Invest in quality photography/videography

Especially when selling online, first impressions matter. If you decide to go ahead and list your horse online, don’t skimp on the marketing. Investing in quality photography and videography can help your horse stand out and help enhance the quality image us sellers are all trying to achieve.

I have a basic kit camera but a pretty decent lens, so I got away with doing a few conformation shots. If you’re DIY-ing these like myself, make sure you’re well-versed in what the buyer wants to see (both sides), all 4 legs, the horse on solid ground, etc.

5. Research the best places to list a horse

I wish there was an answer for the “best way to sell horses?” question. For my experience, this was working with HorseShoppe. I was so naive thinking I could sell my horse easily just through my network or through various horse sale sites I skim anyways. My goals were: a great home for the horse, and a pain-free experience for me, and in the end, Erin helped me achieve that. I really should have just started here!

If you have a western performance horse you need help selling, get in touch with Erin!

6. list the horse

Do your best to think about what an interesting party would be looking for. What I’m seeing as a popular trend is starting out a post or ad with this formula:

HORSES REGISTERED NAME (SIRE x DAM) - AGE - HEIGHT - GENDER

An example of this: DONTTELLMYHUSBAND (POOR CHOICES x MONEY MOVES) - 5YO - 14.3hh - MARE (this is funny, right?)

Then go into detail about the horse’s achievements, personality etc. This is your chance to sell your horse, so don’t afraid to be sales-y BUT be honest. Like mentioned above, the horse world is very small, and pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes rarely works out for you, the new owner, and especially the horse. Read as: don’t market your horse as a rope horse if its terrified of cows.

In your ad post I’d try and put every detail anyone could ever ask you about, and the best way to get in touch. Don’t be offended if people blatantly ignore this and reach out to you other ways. It happens. Rest assured, if someone really wants the horse, you’ll know about it.

7. sold! now what?

Once you agree upon a price with a buyer and work out the payment details, it’s time to get the paperwork in order. Typical horse sale paperwork includes:

• Bill of Sale

• Registration Transfer Papers/Ownership Transfer Papers

  (I’m only familiar with AQHA transfers on this!)

• Health Certificate

• Negative Coggins

What you need to do:

• Ring your vet to get a health certificate or CVI done if the horse is going across state lines. Health certificates, aka health certs (you sound cooler saying this, in my opinion) are good for about 30 days and are documents signed by your vet after your horse has been evaluated by a veterinarian recently and that, at the time of inspection, your horse had no obvious signs of illness.

• Make sure your horses’ Coggins is UTD. These last for about a year and if your horse is overdue, talk to your vet about rushing results at the time of the health cert.

• Fill out your portion of the bill of sale and the transfer papers

I know there isn’t a tried and true way to sell a horse, but hopefully what I’ve learned can help someone else down the road. Be patient. Trust your gut. It always works out in the end!