When Is It Time To Sell?

As a trainer, I get asked this question quite a bit. I have also had to make the decision myself a few times with personal horses. To answer, I use two main criteria, which can be broken down later in several different ways.

It may be time to consider selling when:

•  It stops being safe

•  It stops being fun (for rider and/or horse)

Everyone has their own criteria for safety. Some do not mind a horse that can be bolty, broncy or spooky at times. Others feel their heart rate go up if their horse so much as looks sideways at something. This is fine – everyone is going to have their own threshold for potential danger. This does need to be kept in mind when both purchasing and making a decision to sell. Do not let others dictate what your comfort zone should be – you know what it is. Yes, you can learn to step out of that comfort zone with time and support but chances are it will be difficult to do so on a horse that frightens you. I am always amazed at how many riders insist upon overcoming their fears on the horse that created those fears, especially when said horse is still perfectly capable of recreating the scenario that frightened the rider in the first place. You simply end up creating a cycle – rider is frightened and stiff, horse picks up on it and becomes edgy, rider becomes more frightened – and then you are worse off than when you began. I also notice that even once progress is made, most often the rider never truly and completely trusts the horse again. There is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding to let a horse go because you feel it is too much for you.

On a similar note, there is also nothing wrong with moving on when you feel as though a certain horse is not challenging you enough or allowing you to grow and progress. These horses can often go on to help teach other riders, build confidence and assist them in moving up the levels.

When purchasing a horse we consider what our goals are, what we want to accomplish, and then hopefully find a horse that can happily help us on that journey. However we often have to re-evaluate our goals regularly and eventually may find that the horse no longer fits those goals. This goes hand in hand with “it stops being fun”. There is nothing worse than going out and having every ride feel like a fight between you and your horse .. whether it is because your horse is a bit too difficult for you, or your horse does not enjoy the job you have chosen for it, or you and your horse no longer “mesh”.

Nine times out of ten, our horses don't get to choose their job. We choose it for them. We look at their conformation, attitude and abilities and try to think what would fit them best. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. There are horses out there who just truly do not enjoy jumping, or who are terribly uncomfortable doing cross country or working cattle. Others are unhappy simply being pleasure/trail horses and want to do more. Some can be school horses and teachers, others cannot. I have seen many horses soured because the horse did not want to do its job for the rider … either because of the job itself or the rider. When it gets to this point it is time to do the right thing by the horse and pass it on to someone who participates in a discipline more suitable to the horse unless you are willing to switch disciplines yourself. This will also set you free to look for a horse that can really take you where you want to go.

Horses personalities are as different as our own. There are sensitive horses, dull horses, guarded/aloof horses, demanding types, excitable types and so on. There will be horses along the road that you get along with well, and others that you do not. A few you will click with incredibly well. And then there will also be the middle ground with some where you just tolerate each other. You will go through many different types before you find “your” horse. This is also ok. If you try to stick with a horse that you do not get along with or merely tolerate chances are neither of you will reach your goals, and even if you do the journey will not have been enjoyable.

Riding is meant to be fun and enjoyable for both the horse and the rider. When it starts to feel unsafe the majority of the time or like way too much work, you need to take a step back and re-evaluate your goals and your relationship with your horse. It may be time to move on. I have learned that sometimes letting a horse go is the greatest gift you can give both the horse and yourself.