There’s an awful temptation to post your ads everywhere on the web. It’s so easy, and free! However, advertising willy-nilly online is like putting up your dating profile in every bar and bowling alley in the state—you may not appreciate the responses.
Instead, post ads only where your target buyers congregate. If you’re selling a pony talented in games, send emails to local 4-H leaders, contact summer riding camps, and leave posters at fun shows. By zeroing in on your market, your ads will have more impact, and you’re less likely to have to wade through dumb emails. You can always resort to Craigslist later.

Sometimes it’s your own ad that causes time-wasting. Confused shoppers may send multiple emails asking for more information, or arrive at a showing expecting to see a very different horse than the one you’re selling. To avoid this, present all the details about your horse accurately. Don’t guess at a horse’s height, or the height you think he’ll grow to; actually measure him. Do state your asking price. Do describe, in detail, what his flaws and abilities are. Be realistic; if he can’t do a half-pass at a trot, don’t advertise him as being as a Third Level dressage mount. Be professional and consistent. Don’t price your horse sky-high and then use blurry pictures of him standing awkwardly in a muddy field. Use good grammar, and don’t make rookie mistakes like listing your horse as “15.5 hands.”

State up front whether or not you accept payment plans, sell to minors, will ship a horse, allow trial periods, or are interested in trades. For the least possible drama, say no to all of these. However, if you’re willing to be flexible, specifically state the conditions under which you might say “yes.” For example, “I may be interested in trading, but ONLY for a sound, gaited gelding with trail experience.”

Accuracy and detail are important, but you must also have good quality, recent pictures. Create an online portfolio for your horse. You can use free photo and video sharing websites like Imgur and YouTube. Rather than tediously emailing pictures to one potential buyer at a time, or wasting days showing your horse to looky-loos, you can simply put a link to your portfolio in your sale ads. Groom your horse as you would for a show, then take conformation photos as well as video of him moving under saddle and demonstrating the abilities your ad describes. That could include everything from tacking up quietly to skillful reining moves.

To cut down on the number of buyers just looking for a free Saturday afternoon ride, have a “two visit policy.” Explain that since you want the best match for both the customer and the horse, you really want them to get to know each other, so you don’t allow “test drives” until a second visit. Of course, this policy should be used judiciously—when you think you’re really dealing with window shoppers. Don’t make it hard for serious-minded buyers to test ride, especially if they’re driving long-distance to see a horse.

Want to eliminate no-shows? Consider offering to trailer the horse to the potential buyers’ farms, perhaps in exchange for a fee to cover your gas and time. This may be more inconvenient, but will eliminate no-shows and potentially expose the horse to other interested buyers at that farm.

The best anti-tire-kicker tactic of all may be getting to know a potential buyer through phone and email correspondence. Try to find out what kind of horse they need (maybe not the one they say they want), what their budget really is, and if they even have a place to board. Asking these kinds of questions will tell you whether someone is serious or not. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t think this is a good match” at any point.

If the prospect of selling your horse is overwhelming, consider consigning your horse through a reputable local trainer who has a lot of contacts in the horse world may be worth the cost and commission if you have a nice horse and are too crunched for time to keep him in work or show him to buyers. A pro can show the horse looking his best, and you’ll never have to answer questions like, “Does the horse get along with Rottweilers?”

This article originally appeared in the October 2015 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Emotional Scare Tactics

First and foremost, be wary of excessive pathos. Every animal rescue is going to have some emotional, heart-wrenching stories to tell, and that’s OK for occasionally grabbing the attention of donors.

However, if an organization is constantly bombarding the public with tales of woe and pitiful pictures, that’s a sign that they’re deliberately milking tragedies.

This is especially true when the sad stories are about the rescue manager’s personal life: medical bills, feeling let down or persecuted by others, vehicle breakdowns, et cetera. Anyone who continually cries “pity me!” should not be in charge of what is essentially a very demanding large-animal business.

Financial Crises

Although rescues are normally non-profit, they are still professional establishments. Like any business, they shouldn’t spend more they can make (receive in donations), or take on more work (animals) than they can handle. Horse rescues that consistently beg for help, fall short on hay, and are in debt to the local vet, yet are still taking in more horses, are not rescues at all: they are hoarders.

They may intend to provide good care and rehabilitate and adopt out all their equines. However, they amass so many, they don’t have the time or money to do so. Neglect ensues. Volunteers can help this situation, but they are only temporary relief. Good rescues are able to responsibly limit intake and adopt out enough horses on a regular basis that overstretching is rarely an issue.

Failure to Adopt

Sometimes rescues act too much like permanent sanctuaries, warehousing even healthy horses instead of helping them move on. Somehow, no adopter is ever good enough.

Or alternatively, none of the horses are “really ready” to be adopted. Hoarders also resist euthanizing equines that have long lacked good quality of life. This is doubly shameful, since the donations keeping one suffering horse alive could instead be used to take in a healthier one.

Shady Dealers

On the other end of the spectrum are the horse dealers posing as rescuers. These brokers care only about a quick profit. Preying on the public’s sympathy, they take in donations for feed, vet, and farrier bills—and pocket most of them.

Dealers disguised as rescuers rarely bother with any real adoption requirements or contracts. They will sell intact studs and sometimes even breed mares regardless of their conformation or health. They don’t quarantine new intakes and will lie about a horse’s health and abilities in order to sell it. They actively seek out horses to take in, even from out of state, so they can sell them again quickly.

These opportunists may claim to be “non-profit,” but their personal finances are often mixed with the rescue’s. An establishment’s 501(c)3 status can easily be checked by visiting the Exempt Organizations page on the IRS’s website, or by calling the EO department directly at 877-829-5500.

Hard Proof

When researching a rescue, look for transparency. A rescue asking for public donations should be willing to provide, or proactively offer, proof of their honesty.

Pictures and descriptions of each horse being cared for and offered for adoption should be easily accessible, along with a thorough explanation of how the adoption process works. A board of directors, monthly meeting minutes, up-to-date financial records, and certification by state or national agencies are the gold standards here. One such agency is the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

Fortunately, there are many great rescues out there whose dedicated, hard-working staff deserve our time and financial support. Just be sure to vet them thoroughly!

This article originally appeared in the December 2015 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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