Oh, yes—the economy is different. People have been supporting horses they are not using, and they are now realizing, sometimes because they are in difficult financial circumstances or because they are reading about how “everyone” is in difficult circumstances even if they themselves are not, how much these horses are costing them. They want these horses to go away, by whatever means they can.

Other factors have come into play, too. The horse slaughter market used to dispose of the lower end of the horse market. There is no more horse slaughter in the United States, so these horses are now flooding the market. They are being given away. They are being dropped off at already over-burdened horse rescues. They are being abandoned. People are trying to sell them, but they don’t know how to go about it or they don’t want to put any effort out to accomplish their goals. These are the people who used to load up “Old Dobbin” and take him to the nearest auction. “Old Dobbin” went away, and if the owners didn’t think about it too hard they could tell themselves that he got a home, like taking your dog to the pound.

The media are not helping either. They write dramatic articles about the situation, and they get people believing that no one is selling and that there are lots of good horses being given away. I have checked out these “free” horses. Most of them have one or more of these issues. They are old, they are lame, or they are untrained. When you are trying to figure out how to sell your horse, the first question you must ask yourself is, “Is my horse marketable?”

To answer this question, you must put yourself in the shoes of the buyer. (Most people don’t get past the fact that they need to sell the horse!) In the case of the old horse, the buyer is looking at a short time of use left in the horse, costs of veterinary care on an older animal, keeping a horse that can no longer be ridden, and eventual euthanasia. If your horse is old but still sound in mind and body, well trained and healthy, your market is the child or adult who is a novice who is just getting into horses. He’s the old campaigner, the school horse who is SAFE. He is the absolute best horse for an inexperienced rider. The other question to ask yourself is this, “If this horse looked after me or my kids for all or a good part of his life, should I just make a few sacrifices and take care of him in his old age?”

In the case of the untrained horse, the buyer is taking on a project. There are months of training ahead and the outcome is uncertain. There is even more uncertainty if the horse is middle-aged and still untrained. There is the additional cost of professional training as most people who are looking for a horse can ride it, but they can’t start their own horse or work successfully with a horse that has problems.

The issue of the unsound horse is even more daunting to the horse buyer. No one wants to buy a horse that is lame. PERIOD. NO ONE. BRAND THAT INTO YOUR BRAIN. It is up to you to get that horse sound, whether through the services of a good veterinarian and/or farrier before you try to sell it. It is also up to the seller to divulge problems that the horse has which may limit his use in the future. A horse that cannot do eventing or roping may be a great trail horse with only light work. A well bred mare that is unsound may make beautiful babies.

These are some things to think about. Come back next week for tips on how the average horse owner can market a good trained or trainable horse that is serviceably sound…..See you then!