Buying and selling minis

[LostandFound]

Where do you look for buying and selling lately? I don't think anyone uses dreamhorse anymore. Craigslist seems to be out too. And facebook has a ton of rules that are hard to work around. But Thunder is going to be looking for a new home in the spring, and it would be great if I could figure out how to advertise him.

 

[Kelly]

Have you tried equinenow.com? When I sold Shadow I listed him on Craigslist & equinenow. I had people contact me from both and I saw other horses listed in both places too. You could also try listing him here in the classified section. Good luck!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Yes, I think equinenow is good. It's been a while but I sold a horse there a few years ago. What is up with Craisglist that is "out"? I thought we could still advertise livestock there.

 

[LostandFound]

You still can advertise on craigslist, just nobody seems to use it any more. Kind of like the classified section here, if I were shopping I would have a hard time finding anything. I like craigslist, but if you search minis in a 500 mile radius of me, you come up with like 4. I haven't tried equine now. Years ago I did and it seemed difficult to use, but I will check it out and see if it looks better now.

 

[Kelly]

Or maybe there is only 4 horses on craiglist because they are in high demand, maybe now would be a good time to sell?? Take advantage of the low supply that is on the market right now? If priced right, he will go like a hot cake

 

[MaryFlora]

I think Kelly is correct about the quantity of available horses for sale.

Craigslist is still viable in our area, but the number of available horses, ponies, and donkeys, has gone down. Those listed, however, have excellent prices and they sell.

Hope you and Thunder have good success!

 

[LostandFound]

Well, that could be, I guess. I don't see a lot listed anywhere. I wish I could list him now, but he has a date with my mare at some point in the spring first. I'm going to have to hope the market stays good until then.

 

[Kelly]

I saw an add on Craigslist for an unregistered filly this morning. According to Craigslist the ad was created 15 hours ago. I texted the guy this morning to ask how tall she was. He said he would measure and get back with me this afternoon. Well, he got back with me and he had just sold her they are selling like HOTCAKES! Maybe that should be the name of my next horse, HOTCAKES!

 

[Abby P]

I think there might really be not that many available. I've been window-shopping (really, just window-shopping ) and they do show up on Craigslist/Dreamhorse and mostly are sold immediately if they have some training. The dealer I bought Rowan from gets a bunch in every few weeks and they are always gone within days - they are typically from the Amish, usually trained to ride and drive, price around $800-1500 depending on training and cuteness factor.

With the horse market as nutty as it is right now I can't imagine it's going to be LESS nutty come spring so I bet you'll have no trouble selling him! minihorsesales.com is another one - it appears that horses do move off there, variably, some are really expensive so they take longer, it might not be free to list a horse though.

 

[Willow Flats]

I think there might really be not that many available. I've been window-shopping (really, just window-shopping ) and they do show up on Craigslist/Dreamhorse and mostly are sold immediately if they have some training. The dealer I bought Rowan from gets a bunch in every few weeks and they are always gone within days - they are typically from the Amish, usually trained to ride and drive, price around $800-1500 depending on training and cuteness factor.
With the horse market as nutty as it is right now I can't imagine it's going to be LESS nutty come spring so I bet you'll have no trouble selling him! minihorsesales.com is another one - it appears that horses do move off there, variably, some are really expensive so they take longer, it might not be free to list a horse though.

Abby, those wouldn't last 2 seconds around here. Trained (green) driving horses go for $3000 here!

 

[LostandFound]

Wow. Well maybe that really is why I don't see them. That minihorsesales page does charge, and I had absolutely no interest when I tried to sell one on there before. I don't mind paying for an ad but not if it won't work. I should send him out to CA then...he's a nice little horse and he does drive, he's got a show record and all.

 

[[email protected]@]

As someone who just bought a mini for my kids, I can testify the market is super hot. Especially in Texas… I was having a hard time finding a mini and was referred to a Facebook pony page by a mini breeder in Conroe.

It included a mix of minis and ponies, but each had like 5 backup buyers if the first passed.

All the people I texted on Craigslist would respond their minis sold and they were looking for more

 

[Willow Flats]

For the most part my horses have come to me through word of mouth. I have told my farrier, trainers and horse friends that I am looking for a horse. I have sold one on Craigslist and also rehomed one when my farrier asked on behalf of one of his clients.
So when you are looking to buy or selling it never hurts to put the word out.

 

[ValerieS]

You can buy minis by the dozen at kill pens and they’re beautiful! I’ve bought quite a few if interested I can give you more info. I know a hauler who transports them for about $300 almost anywhere if they’re out of state from you.

 

[Abby P]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the dealer I bought from picks up most of his minis at the New Holland auction - they are brought there by the Amish to sell. That's definitely where Rowan came from, it was on his Coggins. The dealer usually gets 4-5 at a time and they are almost all trained to drive. I paid $1000 for Rowan in August 2020 but he may be getting more now - I can't imagine $3000 though! But I could be wrong, the market really is just not anything like it was a couple of years ago. Funny aside - when I went to see Rowan, the dealer had some new people helping out, he sent them down to get Rowan and told them, the paint gelding, not the mare, the gelding! Then he muttered under his breath, "he's the only one you'll be able to catch anyway." So I don't think they are always the epitome of well-trained! And certainly not necessarily from the greatest beginnings, Rowan has a "brand" if you can call it that that looks like it was put there with a box cutter.

 

[Kelly]

You can buy minis by the dozen at kill pens and they’re beautiful! I’ve bought quite a few if interested I can give you more info. I know a hauler who transports them for about $300 almost anywhere if they’re out of state from you.

The Truth About Kill Pen Bail-Outs

Equine “kill pen bail-outs” are deceitful operations that buy and sell horses, placing profit over the horses’ well-being. Purchasing horses from equine kill pens through bail-out schemes is not an effective way to help horses, and actually makes genuine humane interventions more difficult.

www.aspca.org

 

[DianaM]

We have a long-time, large auction house in South King County, Washington. The market has gone insane. I don't see any of those animals going for meat, not at $1000 for a donkey, and $22,500 for a horse. (last auction I attended I witnessed this) They also had a kid riding an extremely well-trained mini stallion..at 18 months of age! (the horse, not the kid) I was shocked, as I never heard of riding under 2. The horse sold for $3,200. I honestly don't know where an auction is for horse meat. I would shop there. haha

 

[LostandFound]

There is always a reason why they are selling them as "kill pen" horses instead of making more money selling them. But over here they are overpriced and never in any danger. There is a place in Ohio where they have a miniature horse auction, and they seem to sell between $900-$3000. The problem being that the show horse might bring $900 while the worst dwarf is bringing $3000.

 

[Kelly]

Kill pens are like puppy mills, refer to above article. An auction and kill pens are two different things. There are a couple of kill pens within 2-3 hours from me here in TX. There are kill buyers at probably every horse auction around here. You have to be extremely careful if you take a horse to auction in TX, you never know where they will end up. They could be shipped to Mexico or Canada for horse meat or end up at kill pens living in very poor conditions. Some people around here use an auction as a last resort and the kill buyers know this.

I have bought a horse from auction and she was absolutely wonderful! My hubby won’t let me go to another horse auction, he’s afraid of how many I would come home with

 

[ValerieS]

The Truth About Kill Pen Bail-Outs

Equine “kill pen bail-outs” are deceitful operations that buy and sell horses, placing profit over the horses’ well-being. Purchasing horses from equine kill pens through bail-out schemes is not an effective way to help horses, and actually makes genuine humane interventions more difficult.

www.aspca.org

The kill pens I buy from get them at auctions, still a bad situation, they’re still at risk of being sent to slaughter. I picked up a mini stallion on the day he was being loaded to Mexico. While yes the kill pens are trying to profit most of them like I said buy from auctions and they still need homes. As for prices they’re way cheaper then what you guys are paying off Craigslist. They may not come with papers and may look undernourished and uncared for but I could shock you with the before and afters. Absolutely gorgeous!