Etiquette when emailing a seller

As I navigate the pages and pages of horses for sale, I wonder how to sound in the emails I send to sellers of the horses I am interested in. I typically tell that what my intentions are (trail riding and a little bit of cow work), my experience (I've evented for the past 3 years and have been riding for the past 8), and then ask them for pictures and more information. If they are for lease, I ask them if off site leasing is alright. I always end with a 'thanks!' or 'thank you for your time'.

Just wondering what every expects when receiving or sending such emails. I obviously want to make a good impression.

Info is good, we had someone interested in our belgian mare we have for sale, and she gave all the info on what she was planing on doing with her which was nice because Mable just isnt up to her goals. She wanted to jump her up to 3ft and for an 18yo belgian that's just too much... She is a really sweet mare though, would be perfect for a biginer or someone looking for a nice quiet trail ride.
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You sound heavenly, Nigel.

Seriously, if everyone sent e-mails the way you do, maybe people wouldn't be pulling out their hair and considering homicide whenever they tried to sell/lease a horse.

The BIGGEST peeve I've ever had was that people DON'T READ the actual ad, and ask questions that have already been answered in the ad.

The 'wish shoppers' are also annoying as hell, especially the tweens/teens who send messages like this, "Oooh, I luv your horsie! He's sooo pretty! I don't have any money, but if you give him to me I'd give him the bestest home and love him 4evah!"

And please, if you're a total noob, DO NOT send e-mails to people who have 'horse needs intermediate or advanced rider ONLY' in the ad, telling them how you'd lurve to buy the horse, and would he be good for a beginner? That tells them you're not only a noob, but stupid as well, since you apparently can't read.

Nigel, wanna buy my horse? =P You sound like a buyer from heaven. I'm trying to sell my yearling and I've gotten so many tweens/teens who want her as a first horse or people with no experience who want her. Makes me wanna rip my hair out and go on a rampage. You have perfect etiquitte...I would love if someone emailed info about themselves so I knew if I should even take the time to answer their questions about my horse or just say, "I'm sorry but my horse isn't right for you."

What you do sounds great. The only think I might add to your e-mail is one or two things you like about the horse you are looking into buying. If the horse's conformation pulled you to the ad, I would mention it.If you are attracted to the said abilities of the horse, say so. Saying something positive about the horse you are looking at might get you e-mails a little faster and show the seller/leaser that you are really interested in the horse and that you have gone through the ad.

One thing to be careful of; don't say (or sound like) you are dead set on buying a horse until you are actually dead set on buying him. Sellers hate it when they think they have their horse sold and then the buyers email back with something like, "I never had an intention of buying your horse and I found an even better horse." That really doesn't make the seller quick to take you back into consideration if your "better horse" gets bought by somebody else first.

Good luck with your horse search!

I totally agree. As someone who has recently sold a horse, I could post a couple of my responses as a comedy act.

I had atleast a dozen of SRs teenagers. One of their responses was this "Your black stallion is pretty. I have never ridden but if I can come up with half, could you teach me?" Nico is a gelding, not to be nit-picky but he is probably closer to black-bay than he is black, he was advertised as NOT FOR BEGINNERS and if you are offering half before you even see him...I doubt you are truely interested.

I agree that you should be careful about getting peoples hopes up. I had more than my fair share of 'tire kickers' and it is a huge frustration. I actually had people take me to a show with him...made me ride him...(the girl was terrified of him) and then backed out at the last minute telling me that I didn't compete him hard enough and that they were looking for a finished barrel horse. For $1500. Dream on.

Keeping your expectations realistic helps also. While the market *is* in the crapper and there are people out there giving great horses away...those are still not as common as people think. Know your discipline and realize what you expect to pay and what you expect to get for your money. If a horse is drastically out of your price range, let them know up front. Some people just want great homes for their horses.

Good luck in your search. Horse shopping can be difficult!

Don't do this...I actually slammed my head on my desk when I read this. Some girl replying to my ad.

"Dear M, I'm a 14 year old girl desperate for a horse! I've wanted one since I was about 7. When I was 9, I asked my parents if I could get a horse and they said no. Their reason was, "It's going to be to much work, and it's going to cost to much money to take care of." Now, 5 years later, 14 years old now, I've done my best to save money up. I have a job that starts at five in the morning and ends at 3. I go to my friends house to learn about horses because she own three of them. I have trained, rode, fed, cleaned, and anything else possible with her horses. Now all I really want is a horse of my own! Please help me make my dreams come true! And thanks for giving me a chance! Sincerely, Macey" Yeah like a yearling won't be too much work...keep dreamin honey.

All these below were from the same girl even after I told her there way no way I was wasting my time sending her more pictures.

" can you send me more pictures of your horse I think it is so beautiful"

"just turned 11 and next year is my golden birthday and im saving up my money for a horse because I really want a horse so that's what I am saving my money up for and I am very interested in your horse but I don't have the money right now to buy him but when I do and if he's not already sold I might buy him. And can you send me more pictures of your horse
Thank you" My yearling is a filly!!!!!!! I stated in numerous times in my ad and ugh...her name is MISS Snap On Patches...not MR.

I think I'm going on strike...forever.

I think she is saving her money for a bike...but this girl is soooo vauge about what she is saving her money for.

I feel for you horse sellers. I really do.

There's a girl on my local horse forum that has posted on at LEAST 15 horse sale ads asking for pictures, and it recently came out that she's only 13, she's been banned. I was never a 'wishful' buyer, I was too afraid I'd get e-yelled at, but now I'm terrified of putting Tango up for lease. Thanks guys. Haha.

I have a story to share here related to selling horses:

My instructor has his Quarab up for sale. Well some lady got a hold of him, and she could ride pretty well and was competent enough to deal with her sometimes less than angelic attitude.

So she comes out to see Lily (the mare). She rode her around and got along great. THe second time she came out, he and this lady went on a trail ride. No problems. She enjoyed riding Lily very much.

So, they get back to the pasture, and they get to talking about price and trailering. She was negotiating the price on Lily and she was willing to pay full price for her, then out of nowhere she says, " I absolutely adore her. She is everything I want in a horse. The only problem is that she is too pretty."

What? And no, she wasn't kidding. She only came to test drive Lily. A couple days later she asked my insrtuctor if she could come look at another horse he had for sale.

I can sum up his response.

Click.