Market Place Understanding the Andalusian horse market place ...

Are You a Buyer or a Seller?

by Donna DeYoung, Pure Spanish (PRE) Andalusian Horse Breeder

Introduction

First of all, there are many reasons to sell a horse – and a few to buy one! As a Buyer contemplating getting into the Andalusian horse “business” perhaps you should start to think like a Seller!

The professionals know that there are two camps of horse people – the buyers and sellers. Which camp are you in?

Definition of a Horse Buyer: The Buyer is on the lookout for deals, bargains, best-buys, best-ofs, and gets caught up in the hunt for the “perfect” horse. When the Buyer buys, they are thinking of themselves.

Definition of a Horse Seller: The Seller is wary of buying, they take their time, evaluate all the options (some Buyers do this as well, but are called “tire kickers”), and in the end the Seller may buy, but very rarely. More often they are busy selling … to the Buyer! And if they DO buy, it’s with selling in mind. So, they are still a Seller even though they are Buying. When the Seller buys, they are thinking of the future Buyers who will buy from THEM.

Confused? You say, well, to get into the business I have to start as a Buyer, right? Yes you do, sort of. You must buy or acquire a horse to get into the business. But along the way, it’s good if you think of yourself as a Seller first and foremost, even when buying. This means you plan for the future, invest in the best possible horses, and forecast the trends and sales market where you will be SELLING.

For Horse Buyers, it’s all about me me me.

For Horse Sellers, it’s all about you you you.

Good horse sellers, that is. Bad sellers, it’s all about me me me. You’ve been there, right? That’s another article all in itself.

Buying a horse for business purposes should be a business decision. Buying a horse for pleasure is personal.

I’ll give you an example of the Seller mentality. When my first cute Andalusian colt was born, my friends asked me his name. I said “His name is Sooner.” And then I added, “Because the sooner I sell him the better!”

Another friend rolls their eyes when you ask about their “horse business” and says “I just couldn’t handle selling any of my foals.” If this is you, you’re a Buyer and should not be getting into the business of Selling.

What Type of Horse Sellers are Out There?

This is a lengthy discussion, but I’ll give you the short version.

Some people sell Andalusian horses because it is their passion to breed good and excellent horses and they share that passion by selling some of their livestock to the next person who they hope will share the same passion. And so on. Along the way they make a little bit of extra money. This is the ideal.

The ideal Andalusian horse Seller is a person who is passionate about the horses, understands the breed protocols and standards, breeds a good product, is preserving the breed, and SHARES it. Sharing is not the same as stealing, over-pricing, gouging, etc.

Some people sell their horses at inflated prices to either knowing or un-knowing Buyers. These people are either great breeders with really awesome horses (and the Buyers know it and are ready to pay for it), or they are just plain lucky to have an expensive-looking place and a knack for selling to the rich and famous (and the Buyers fall for this trick). Or perhaps it’s a combination of both.

The people who have to “come down” on their prices are the ones without so many advantages. Perhaps they’re lacking in the real “meat and potatoes” department. (In other words, their horses just don’t stack up to the competition.). Perhaps they are new and small. Perhaps they are just plain desperate.

Once again, there are those preferred Sellers that are in-between the truly desperate and the truly lucky. These type run a decent operation, have invested time and money, and tend to be passionate about their program, etc., etc. These type are fairly rare.

That’s why it’s important when you are in the market to buy an Andalusian horse for your BUSINESS proposition, you take a good hard look at who you are buying from. This person can either become your mentor, your worst enemy, or both.

Hopefully, you want your mentor for the time being to be passionate about the breed and perhaps they will help you navigate into your very own first SALE. Or perhaps they provide good quality photos, videos, and information about your offspring’s parents and bloodlines. Perhaps the ranch you are buying from has an excellent reputation, the horses are well-known, and you can RIDE along on that success.

The other option is that they are going out of business. More on that in another article.

So, are you a Seller or a Buyer? Think about it.