Sometimes people send me sale ads and I really do wonder if the person who posted the ad just landed from Mars. The prices are so completely wacko that it's like seeing a 1987 Yugo advertised for the low, low price of $35,000. You can't see a single reason the animal in question would be worth anywhere NEAR the advertised price. It's like the new grad who walks into his first interview and wants a $100,000 starting salary, a company car, and an expense account. If you're the person across the table, you just want to whack 'em with the clue stick.
As an example, here we have two APHA stallions for sale for the same price - $20,000.
Based upon the description, I will bet money this critter doesn't have a single point in any event. And when you tell me he's been ridden at the rodeo, my first question is did the rider make it the full eight seconds?"Very easy breeder. No horse is as beautiful as him. when bathed he shines like champagne. His coat feels like a rabbits. all foals have been Palomino. All foals have also been amazingly large and gorgeous. My father kept one of his foals he is a cream color with a dun stripe and light milk chocolate color on his knees. Can send pics. Also will have better pics on ad of Charger soon. My young children have ridden him - the stallion. He has been ridden at the rodeo. He is magnificent. a dream horse. words cannot describe. I do not want to sell but have to, serious inquiries only."
Here is another $20,000 stallion.
HE'S A WORLD CHAMPION!
He also has 224 PtHA halter pts.and 3 halter ROM's in 5 shows AND he rides AND he's HYPP N/N. What is not to like? Here's a horse worth spending that kind of money on.
Folks, I don't care how much you LOVE LOVE LOVE Old Yeller, when it comes time to sell him, PLEASE surf the internet and make some attempt to price him in keeping with his actual quality and accomplishments. You look like either a fool or a scammer/con artist when you put these ridiculous prices on horses.
(While we're at it, I find it humorous when someone says their stallion is an easy breeder. Do they mean easy to handle for breeding? Because I have YET to meet the intact male of ANY species that says, eh, no, I'm not really in the mood, I think I'm going to be difficult about this...)
And another note - the amount of money you "have into" an animal DOES NOT in any way, shape or form affect their value. It doesn't become the buyer's responsibility to reimburse you by paying more than a horse is otherwise worth. If you chose to blow $2,000 rehabbing a horse that is a $500 horse, it's still a $500 horse. It did not magically become a $2500 horse because you had $2000 worth of vet bills. You are a Very Good Person for picking up the tab, but the karma is all you get back! Or if you put $2400 of pro training into the $300 grade gelding that you bred, that also did not elevate its value the same amount. It elevated its value somewhat, but probably nowhere near enough to break even. This is why I constantly tell you all that breeding horses is not a way to make money. It's just not. Putting training on horses and flipping them can make you money if you can do the training yourself or if what you're flipping is, say a Hanoverian that's a fantastic mover. The same strategy does not work on the Morab-TWH cross you saved at the auction. I'm all for rescuing, but stop thinking you're going to break even - you're not. And then there's my favorite - when people calculate up all the BOARD they put into the horse and tack that on to the sale price too! Good grief, folks. Nobody is going to reimburse you for all of that.
(I see dog rescues do the same stuff and it's like...folks...nobody is giving you $500 for a 10 year old cocker spaniel. They're just not.)
