Sadly Outgrown...

Not by a child! She's outgrown her rug!

Um, I know people make do at times, but is it not a better idea to take the rug off just for the picture so you don't look a bit... mad?!

By the way she is sooo cute. And selling with mum (below) for the sad price of £150... please buy her and spoil her with a blankie that covers her little butt!

She Did it on Purpose!!!

Today's post is courtesy of the blog Snarky Rider and comes from the source of a great many American selling horror tales, Craigslist.

Yes you are reading this correctly. The owner was 'mad that she didn't come out in the right colour so has not paid any attention to her'. A bratty comment if ever I read one- do they think the foal deliberately chose to come out this colour just to annoy them?! Part of me wants to pray that the owner is a child/teen as if adults are using this prejudiced, pathetic response as justification for ignoring a living creature I fear for the state of the world today. That said, are there NO responsible adults in their life to say hey, suck it up, you bred this animal, you are responsible for this animal, so you can at least teach her to be touched and brushed, to pick up her feet and lead politely until she can be sold.

Someone should have lectured this person on the realities of breeding- you can put the two horses MOST guaranteed to produce the foal you want together, and mother nature will decide to have a laugh and send you something random instead. Ask the top competition and racing breeders- everything can be in your favour- physical excellence, talent in each parent, bloodlines going back generations- and you will still get something completely unexpected at the end of it. Heck most sensible breeders would want to lecture this person on the joys of having a smooth pregnancy and a live mare and foal at the end of it- the experienced people know just how badly wrong things can go at the drop of a hat, despite every precaution.

NEWSFLASH: If you want a horse of a specific talent, sex and COLOUR- go out and buy it!!! That's the only way to be sure!

Oh the irony that her hated colour is the main feature in the title of her advert!! We don't even have a clue about her breed- no breed one presumes.

Poor little mite is headed no where good. That's if she survives grazing on a junkyard for the few weeks before the meat lorry collects her. That thing she's almost on top of looks like a leg breaking device- and hey, the person taking the shot didn't even stop to think hmmm that doesn't look great- HOW SCARY IS THAT?!

More commentary on this sad little ad over at Snarky Rider.

Just a Suggestion- if the Saddle Blanket's too big for the Horse's Back...

Maybe you shouldn't be riding it?!

I despair sometimes- I mean this just LOOKS so wrong, how can anyone even cast a casual eye over it and say.. yeah good work!

Yes the saddle blanket is so long it practically covers this VERY YOUNG horse's rump!! Here are the close up shots...

Apparently she's a yearling- barely I'd guess, or slow to mature, she looks very babyish. I quote:

"Filly is a year old and we put the saddle on her with my five year old daughter and she did not buck."

Well that's alright then isn't it?! I mean if the horse doesn't buck that means it's A-ok, foal was born ready to be ridden and would gallop merrily off across country and into the sunset with a rider tomorrow given the right instructions!

I just don't get the point of this. I mean are you, dear reader, looking for your YEARLING to be saddled, backed and started? Wouldn't you rather have an ad telling you about it's excellent ground manners, friendly nature, ease of handling etc..? Why the rush to stick tack on and someone on her back?

This early breaking/starting/riding thing just gets more and more common... if only it got less and less frustrating!

The other big question of course being, if you are now trying to get rid of a mare and a foal, did you use enough forethought in breeding said mare in the first place? But that's a whole other headache to wind up in a future post...

Thanks to Chronicle of the Horse posters for this 'gem'.

She's Got What?!

Way to boost a gal's self esteem! This poor lady finds herself advertised with her most noteworthy features apparently the fact that she has fish eyes (doncha need a vet for that?!) and a moustache! I love the fact that they spend more time noting these markings than they do mentioning what actual work she has done in the past!

 

Aside from the odd expression for what I presume are something like wall eyes (enlighten me please anyone!) we also have the fact that she has been running with a BIBLE stallion? Again, never EVER come across this before, any takers?

 

Incidentally I think we could enlarge on 'running with' and make it 'pregnant by'... if these shots are anything to go by...

 

 

Also I wonder if that's last year's foal popping up over her neck?! Poor old girl, hopefully she lands on her feet regardless of her facial hair and dodgy eyes....

What's Wrong With This Picture?

So I swore I wouldn't do another equine now ad so soon but this one just took the biscuit. No prizes for spotting the problems here...

So hey, does this look like a foal to anyone else? Well maybe that's because it certainly was when they began the poor soul's 'training'. At best he was a year and a little bit!

Yes that's a little girl on board, bareback, hanging on by a handful of mane with NO HELMET!

Did I mention he was lucky to be a year old when they started him by the sounds of it?

Also no shoes on child who obviously has feet impervious to being trodden on by the surprisingly tough feet of a foal... which by the way, they have been riding.

Just a heads up for any kind potential buyers; with those ribs and that round belly I'd be looking to worm this fellow ASAP.

Did you notice he's been out on trails? I think it's too much to hope someone was leading him in just a headcollar... I'd put money on him being ridden.

Quiet?! I bet he is. He probably can't get his BABY brain about what's happening to him. Would you send that little girl out to work in an office and expect her to do a half decent job and not end up stressed and resentful in a few years time? No? Why do people think horses should be any different? Where's the rush! He could have a good 30 years useful life ahead of him, given time to mature. At this rate he'll be knackered and riding to slaughter by five.

*Head-desk*

Advert of the Day

No prizes for spotting the issues in this little ad, but there's something about its simplicity and the information provided that made me smile!

Photographing a Horse for Sale FAIL

You may have read my page on how to sell a horse, including suggestions on how to photograph the horse. It’s all common sense, I hear many of you cry! Sadly, as your mum often told you, the problem with common sense is that it’s not actually that common.

Ensure the Picture is Clear and From a Good Angle

To be fair many of these shots are one of a couple, but they really add very little to a sale effort!

Head too big to fit in one shot?

Looks sweet and might well be beautiful but you're really not showing her off to her best here (P.S. What exactly is a skewball?!):

This is just terrifying! If this is the best shot you could get of this horse, I can't see many people lining up to buy her!

Can you actually get near these two, or is this the best shot possible?

Apparently the pics don't do this one justice - nooo really?! I can't link you to the ad as it's sold- somehow, with these shots!

Clean up the horse first!

This poor soul is the wrong colour to be presented for sale without a good brush...

This one appears to be untouched by human hand! 

This stallion would love his mane detangled- and some food maybe.

Sweet looking filly- why couldn't you knock the mud off her back?!

Wow, a 'hairey' stallion who has clearly been rolling in his own muck- there's enough of it.

Only Have One Horse in the Picture

Yes they are selling the horse at the back here...

Selling a coloured mare, evenly marked- and no I don't know which one it is either! There's two shots of the same group and they are in different positions on each!



Selling the one on the left but that piebald gets enough coverage to look like he's on the way out too...

These folks are selling a black and white gelding- That could be either one of these!

Pay Attention to the Background

I do like adverts where I am not experiencing terror over what the horse might put a foot through...

Or waiting for it to strangle itself...

This pony, given its colour and the lighting, is lost in a dark stable- couldn't you take it out for the picture?!

Wow, who'd have thought this would happen if you stood a black horse against a black background?!

And with this amount of blur, standing a bay horse against a brown background doesn't do it any favours either! Here's a suggestion- move the wood bits, use the white wall?

Make Sure People in the Shot Look Professional

I'd hide my head too if I were the person on this pony... BTW, he has a driving bit on another shot, you couldn't use that instead of the rope?

Rugby shirts and jeans are not GENERALLY riding attire....

My baby backs all my horses....

Here's the part that boggles my brain- you can just see a chap's head behind the horse, and he's ducking down as if not to be seen- do you honestly think it LOOKS BETTER if it appears that no one is holding that baby?!

The two year old colt has now been sold which is why I can't link you to the ad, but apparently, this family had decided they'd keep the baby a while longer, but get rid of the toddler.... no one holding onto the child here!

Seriously people, do you not LIKE your kids? I mean that's not a soft landing there... and no hat to protect the skull!

Lady, are you barefoot?! Don't you like having toenails?!

Use an Appropriate Picture

Is it just me or does this look like the horse is stopping rather than jumping?! Surely if a horse is a potential showjumper you can get a better shot of it in action than this?!

Being sold as a potential competition horse but the blurry pictures don't inspire confidence- loose schooling over a jump might be better than standing there looking confused...

I am sure this horse has many good points- with forelegs like that I dispute the claim that jumping is one of them.

This horse might jump but I don't think this shot is showing her best side...

Although at least that explains why she looks so worried in this image... she's wondering if she'll still have her teeth when she lands.

Ok so I know almost all of us have got bad shots in our horse photo libraries, but here's the thing- we aren't trying to sell one!! If you're asking for money for a horse, it's good to look like you care about it a little. If you want a lot of money, you should look like you care a lot!

It's Cute So Buy It!

Welcome all to my new Blog. Having been a long term horsey window shopper (ages 12- 32!) and extensive browser of horse sale ads, I felt it was time to share the knowledge I have inadvertently accumulated and start trying to show why certain ads are not good, not effective or just downright AWFUL.
Today's offering appeared on Chronicle of the Horse and is from Craigslist, Chicago. As the link will probably disappear quite quickly I include a full transcript of the exact ad and some of the pictures for your perusal!
 Here's the content:

Friesian & Gypsy Vanner crosses (sw wi) ~MAKE OFFER OR TRADE~All foals are healthy and sound more info paintsndanes.webs.com may consider trades, creative financing, and payment plans 6088two250two9 Gypsy Vanner Stallion Wes (son of charlie) http://www.gypsyvannerhorsebreeders.com/ Wes is the sire of Nevaeh, Rumshata, and Bravo.

Romeo(FriesianXPaint) can be registered with the FRIEISAN SPORT HORSE REGISTRY. He is my first foal this year foaled June 16, 2012. We also watched him be born into this world, a truely amazing thing to experience. I would like to share it with you in this video! Romeo is everything I could ask for, and more in a colt! Romeo sports a very friendly sweet personality, and EVERYONE who meets him falls in love! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLfrcXt8x-w

Nevaeh(GypsyVannerXAPHA) foaled June 19, 2012 she is my second foal of the year. She is just like her name heavenly. What a doll, and very spunky, we just love her! Nevaeh has a beautiful build and looks to match!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOxU0WaGPio

Vegas bay AQHA filly foaled 6/24/12.(angels willow X scotch skipnscoot) Vegas is such a cutie and will be offered for sale at weaning. She is a doll! Come check this girl out for yourself you will love her!

Bravo Gypsy Vanner APHA cross colt. Bravo foaled July 5, 2012 my last foal of the year. This tobiano boy is stunning, going to be big! Born with more hair, feather, and leg than any of the other gypsy crosses! This boy is a real gentlman loves people!

Already some red flags are waving for me- firstly the mention of creative financing and payment plans is a little worrying. Secondly the fact that they are selling multiple foals of similar ages but a range of crosses suggests a pretty random, and therefore probably not the best quality, breeding approach. The prevalence of the trendy and therefore all too often overpriced Gypsy Vanner and Friesian in the mix speaks volumes. There's no mention of whether these foals are well handled in the practical terms of having their feet picked up or leading in a halter, but plenty about them being pretty and friendly. And then of course we have the pictures:

Now lets see, what's right with them. Well the horses look nice and healthy, good weight, good condition, no scabs, lice, legs falling off etc. Then we come down to the people with the horses... AAAARGH! Lack of sensible footwear, carrying foals around like dogs, and encouraging them to practically climb on top of them for the love of god?! Ok, so it might be kinda cute now, but hey, that widdle fluffy foal is going to be a great BIG horse in a few years time, and when he puts his feet on your shoulders then, you're gonna KNOW about it! Honestly, the motto with horses ought to be think before you teach it. While the stallions pictured both look in good nick there's not much to say why they should be reproducing- they don't seem to have a performance record. And the mares seem an irrelevance barely discussed. What have these animals done to deserve having babies on the ground? After all, if they've achieved there's a good chance their progeny will. If they haven't... well you get the idea.
So in summary, lesson one. If you want to sell your horse think about what people actually want to buy. With babies that is usually an animal with potential for something more than just looking cute and doing some tricks. And possibly killing you with said trick in the near future. Class dismissed.