What is a fair pet price

[mini horse mania]

I have twist..the 4 month old black and white blue eyed tobiano 35 pound tiny filly....i want her to go to a pet home at a reduced price, since my husband told me to cut back due to feed and hay costs.i dont want her bred....she will be way to small.i really dont know what to ask for her.everyone wants her papers,and I dont,care to let,them go with her .i dont see why a pet home needs her papers anyway.she is not a dwarf...but will not meet my 30 imch and up mare rule...what is fair on something like her.i dont want,to give her away nor charge too much...ive never been good at pricing,i have had several people want me to donate her,but I just cant afford to give my horses away....what do you think?

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Defintelly under $500. Problem is she is just going to be a companion horse, sounds like she will probably be too small to just go and have fun to drive. Right now I'm trying to help someone sell horses and she is asking $400 on a registered gelding thats very big and will be able to do anything with and no interest. It's really hard out there. If you don't want her bred then don't give papers, thats JMO. I think IMO the highest you can try and sell her for is $250.

Here is the best way to look at it. If you really want to try and give her a new home just give her away for free with no papers but spend your time and look for a good home, ask references. That way its just one less horse to feed.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

If I could I would totally buy her from you--she is sooo cute. But for pet price I would say $200-$500.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Yeah, I'd say definitely under $500. I have several double registered non-pet quality Minis for sale for $700-900 and and few single registered for $500-600 and they aren't going anywhere....*sigh*

 

[mini horse mania]

I hate to see her,go...,,,i had a $50 offer from a lady I know that does not,carefor her,animals..then a $100 offer..then a 1500 offer if id sell her with,papers from a local breeder....um no....i just had a lady a few hours,away call..and email me 2 times.offered 800 for her if id take payments..for her 7 year old son to have as a pet,she said he had been saving allowance to buy a small mini....and had a fit over twist.she even said shed sign a no breed contract,and send pics of her property and of twist every month.she shows walking,horses,and is a vet,tech....and fosters rescue horses.maybe,just maybe,she will have a great home....its so hard to let the special ones go..they are coming out,tomorrow to meet twist and i.we will go from there.

 

[Lori W]

...i just had a lady a few hours,away call..and email me 2 times.offered 800 for her if id take payments..for her 7 year old son to have as a pet,she said he had been saving allowance to buy a small mini....and had a fit over twist.she even said shed sign a no breed contract,and send pics of her property and of twist every month.she shows walking,horses,and is a vet,tech....and fosters rescue horses.maybe,just maybe,she will have a great home....its so hard to let the special ones go..they are coming out,tomorrow to meet twist and i.we will go from there.

Just a caution - when something sounds too good to be true, if often is. Perhaps consider visiting her home too, even though it's a couple hours away. Sounds wonderful - but be sure it really is as good as it sounds before you let your special girl go, regardless of the amount they'll pay. You already turned down $1500 and rightfully so (kudos to you - I know not everyone would). A couple hours trip to be sure it's all the woman says it is should be easy. I hope it works out well for you and Twist!

 

[Riverrose28]

I hate to see her,go...,,,i had a $50 offer from a lady I know that does not,carefor her,animals..then a $100 offer..then a 1500 offer if id sell her with,papers from a local breeder....um no....i just had a lady a few hours,away call..and email me 2 times.offered 800 for her if id take payments..for her 7 year old son to have as a pet,she said he had been saving allowance to buy a small mini....and had a fit over twist.she even said shed sign a no breed contract,and send pics of her property and of twist every month.she shows walking,horses,and is a vet,tech....and fosters rescue horses.maybe,just maybe,she will have a great home....its so hard to let the special ones go..they are coming out,tomorrow to meet twist and i.we will go from there.

I sold a pet quality filly last year for the same price, her head was just a little too long and her neck not hooky enough for me to show. I also took payments, but after the buyer made a deposit I made arrangments to meet her and go to her home and check things out. It was five acres and just lovely. My filly has her own paddock a lovely shelter with a mirror and pictures and two kids to love on her. After I received the last payment I delivered the filly myself and got her settled in. She was in heaven. They had other pets, but no other horses. I did give her the papers as she said she may want to show, and I was hoping she would get hooked, and as they say, One is not enough, and goodness knows I have plenty of show quality to offer. Good Luck to you and I'm posting a picture of my filly I sold to her. Also I've heard back from he several times about how much they all love her.

 

[Matt73]

Selling her as a pet, without papers is, unfortunately, not going to guarantee that she will not be bred or go to a good home. It's the risk you take when you breed/sell. Once she leaves your hands and money is exchanged, you just have to hope that all will go well.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I too have a tiny mare who I don't want bred. I have decided the only way to garantee that is to not sell her at all. Even if I find a perfect home for her that will treat her like gold I can't be sure she will live there for life, horses get sold, there is no difference in my selling her or the next owner doing so. She may end up in a breeding home someday, even if the buyer says they will return her to you if they can't keep her,often that doesn't happen. I can't justify the risk to her well being so here she stays, for always. On the subject of papers, I think it does the horse no favors, in fact puts them at greater risk of being, if not abused, at least neglected, and will not garantee that she won't be bred. If you think no one will breed her with out papers just do some surfing on the internet, there are many many unregistered miniatures being sold every day. They are flogged for next to nothing to the first buyer with cash and being tiny would just make them more marketable. IMO if you really want to ensure this little ones safety keep her and choose another horse to sell, after all, she is tiny, doesn't cost much to feed and won't take up much space. Just my 2cents.

 

[horsesdances]

Good luck.

Wish we had been closer!

but we got our two boys now and they are not guelded so we would not be a good place at this time anyways.

I wish you all the best. Look how the people act with the horse, and how the horse responds to them. You cannot fool a horse and this should give you and idea on the future owners.

 

[mini horse mania]

I would love to keep her,but my husband and I have sat down amd decided how to cut our bills down,our house,was,ruimed by the hurricane,and we have to fix it...soon....my last 2 grade minis are going to a new home tomorrow,and the only,reason twist was chosen is that she will be too small to breed,and in his eyes,if it doesnt contribute to feed and hay ..it has,to go...we have also sold a few pigs that are eating us out,of house and home...with quality feed at $18 per bag and round bales at $50....we have to cut back some or else we sell all the animals and I go back to work.it is costing us ovef $400 per month to feed the minis..i am trying to open a tack and country,store selling organic meats also...we just have a lot on our plate,and have to make sacrifices.i will visit twists potential home just to make sure she will have what she needs..i am terribly,upset about downsizing right now,but maybe we can bounce back soon financially.i have never been good at saying goodbye to any of my babies...its hard when you get so attached...

 

[Mareish Mom]

I am in a similar position of having to downsize so I feel your pain. I just took a deposit on my daughter's quarter horse that we have had for 7 years and it's breaking my heart. But I know she's going to a great home and that's the most important thing. Just wanted to put in my two cents that wherever your beautiful little filly goes I think she should go with her papers. You can ask them to sign a no-breed contract. I think selling her with papers and a no-breed contract protects her better than thinking that not giving the papers will stop someone from breeding. She'll be better protected with her papers. After all, you don't want to prevent them from showing do you? Maybe their kids will get the bug and she'll go on to be a great little show mare as well as a beloved pet. I am actually insisting that the family buying my horse transfer her papers with the AQHA. Those papers belong to and should remain with the horse for life.

 

[bluebird]

Oh my! I was on your site to see her and she is the cutest baby girl! Wish I was ready for one. She would make a great companion for my future driving mini! But we aren't putting up our fence and mini barn till spring. And we are way up in Indiana.

 

[Jill]

Pet = $0 - ???

As others have said, if you do let her go, don't count on her never being bred

 

[Suzie]

Just my 2 cents. I would never sell a mini or even give one away without papers. To me it just does not make sense. Even if they sign a no-breed contract you can't enforce it. Plus, they may like her and end up showing her, no papers, no sanctioned shows. If she does breed and survives and produces a nice foal, it won't be registered either. Why do that just because you think it will deter someone from doing something you might not approve of? It won't, trust me.

As for being too small to drive, take a look at my 28.25 inch stallion who has a west coast title or two. He loves to drive and still does. You don't have to be huge to drive.

Basically the only way you can ever keep a tiny mini from being bred is to keep her yourself. Otherwise, you just have to take your chances. You can do all the home inspections you want to, but it really boils down to you have no control over what their lives will be when they leave your farm. Just a fact of life. No use handicapping them even further by not giving the papers.

And just for myself, my new rule from here on out is I will do the transfer. Way, way too many horses out there in the original breeder's names. Partly due to the economy, partly due to the fact the current (or previous) owners were too lazy to update the paperwork. A small amount of my time to do the transfer will get them out of my name from here forward for sure. I get way too many calls from 2nd or 3rd owners now wanting to get a horse in their name. In this shaky economy (and somewhat before) you just can't count on anyone not ever being placed in a situation where they will have to sell a horse they "promised" you they never would. Just my opinion.....

 

[Marty]

What a spot you are in. I understand what your husband is saying and I also understand how awful you feel. Here's a question: Since you are still breeding, what will you do if and when this happens again that you get a tiny one? You will have to go through this all over again.

Perhaps you can sit your husband down for another talk. Since he is wanting to cut costs, and this little gal is never going to be the one to eat much at all, how about selecting another horse to sell who is going to be eating a whole lot more than she? If you are that worried sick, select one of your other mares to sell to off-set the costs so you can justify keeping her as your farm mascot and personal pet.

If then you still have to sell her, I'd put a no less than $1,000 firm price tag on her and sell her with papers. There are plenty of people out there that want these little ones to show.

Good luck and best wishes and I hope you will find an answer you can live with.Hugs.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I will never, ever allow a horse being sold on payments to leave my property until it is paid in full.

There are plenty of honest people out there, I know that, it is just that I seem to have trouble finding them!

The easiest way to not have the problem of getting the last couple of payments, the ones that people just never seem to think they should have to pay, is not to let the horse go until it is paid for.

I have two animals too small to breed at the moment, one I have kept until she is a four year old, so people can actually see just how very tiny she is, instead of having to take my word for the fact that she will never grow big enough to breed form.

The other is still just a yearling, but the person she is going to understands, and, as everyone has said so far, when you sell you lose responsibility for the animal. If someone chooses to try to breed from Twist in the future there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

The only way you can be certain is not to sell her. Even giving her away would not work unless you have a very firm contract that the animal is still your property and even then, it is virtually unenforceable.

I think the best answer is to keep her and sell something else!

 

[mini horse mania]

I met the lady today..i will be letting,her papers go also,as her grandson wants to show her...i truly believe she will go to a pet home.i will have a no breed contract....

 

[Katiean]

I have been advertising for months now. I get some intrest. But, I am not willing to let any of mine go for less than $850. Pet or not. I have someone looking at one of mine right now that I would love to deliver. They are just outside of Las Vegas.