You have determined that your horse is marketable—he’s trained, he’s sound, and he’s not so old that you really should keep him to live out his days. You’ve decided to run your ad on Craigslist and wherever else you can think of to advertise your medium-priced horse. Now what?

Make him pretty. You wouldn’t advertise your truck and try to sell it with a dent in the fender and looking like it had just done an off-road marathon in the mud. It’s amazing that many people will show a horse in that shape, but it happens.

When you photograph him for an ad or when you show him to a prospect, he should be clean and shiny. Clip his bridle path, his nose, and comb out his mane and tail. Borrow clippers or pay a friend to do it if you don’t have the equipment. Give him a bath. His feet should be in good shape, either trimmed or shod. It is time-consuming to give him a bath every time someone calls you and makes an appointment to see him. After you have a couple of no-show prospects, you’ll think, “Why bother?” We’ll tell you how to avoid that situation later.

The bottom line is that no one wants to see a sale ad with a horse that is dirty, unkempt and in general a mess. “He’s dirty because he rolled after his bath just before I took the picture.” This was a classic excuse! No one cares why he’s a mess, and they will just click on the next ad. I shouldn’t have to say this, but TAKE THE FLY MASK OFF before you take the picture. If the person can’t see his head or his expression, it’s a major turn-off.

Photographs are easy to take—everyone has or has access to a digital camera. Take 40 or 50 pictures and you should have one that is good. Get someone to hold the horse or ride him. Make sure that that person is dressed properly. A photo of someone in shorts and flip-flops holding or riding the horse is not professional and turns people away. Make sure that the person is wearing riding clothes (a clean shirt and jeans) and they look neat.

Remember that you want the picture to look at least as good as the horse does in real life. Do not use a photo of the horse tied to a tree resting one hind leg, grazing, or a close-up head shot where his nose looks bigger than the rest of his head. Photos taken from your kitchen window looking downhill at the horse or others taken through a corral fence don’t work either. Look at your photo from the standpoint of someone who has never seen your horse. Does it flatter the horse? Make sure you’re not looking at the photo and just remembering how he looked that particular day….

Take a look at the other ads and see which you find appealing. Notice how many of the ads with bad photos are accompanied by an excuse as to why the photo is that bad. No one cares. Now look at the ads that you find appealing—see the difference?

The wording of your ad should describe the horse and list his age, breed, level of training, show or other accomplishments if he has any. If it is a mare, has she had a foal? Suggest who he would be suitable for—beginner, intermediate or advanced rider. If he is registered, make sure that the papers are in order and in the name of the current owner. Registration certificates from three owners ago mean nothing, and they create a nightmare for the buyer who wants to show or breed the horse as they often cannot be transferred. A word to the wise—don’t lie. Many breed registries have easy access to check a horse’s show record or record of ownership.

Many people feel compelled to tell why they are selling the horse. DON’T! No one wants to hear your whole life story. “MUST SELL” “MOVING” “DIVORCE”—Does that mean that you will take anything for the horse? All the buyer wants to know is why the horse would be good for him.

Last but not least—I hate to even have to say this. Once you’ve placed an ad, answer your phone or e-mail every day. It’s amazing to me that people will advertise and then not answer the phone or return an e-mail right away. People are lazy—make it EASY for them to contact you.