Handy Hints for Online Shopping

As I mentioned, the campaign to pay for the Precious is ongoing. I have certainly done my fair share of buying online through the years, but now I'm doing more selling than normal. I've now compiled these experiences for your benefit.

don't sit in things you can't afford

For BUYERS:

1) READ the ad carefully. Some adds are shoddily written, but still contain a lot of the necessary information. If you have questions, by all means, ask.

2) Understand how offers work. If you don't want to pay the asking price but do want the item, it is 100% ok to contact the seller and offer the amount you would pay. That's negotiating. It's legit.

It is not ok to message and ask, "What's the lowest you will go?"

I'm struggling to explain what should be self-evident, but it's already listed for what I want for it. That is the lowest I will go. I'm not going to be like "LULZ JK actually only want a third of the price." No.

definitely try on boots that don't fit

3) Understand how offers work part II

There's making an offer and there's insulting the seller. I don't have a hard and fast rule here--on a higher end item that is fairly priced for the market (not for your budger--your budget is your problem), It's generally ok to offer about 10% less. That's not saying the seller will take it. Do not offer a tiny fraction of the price and expect it to go well.

Now if something has been sitting on the market for a while and the seller keeps dropping the price or adds an OBO to it, sure, shoot over a number. But if it's brand new? ;-) Give a good post a bump.

so much Back on Track!

For SELLERS:

1) The net result of a post bump is a post bump. Even if it's dumb.

I hear so many sellers complain about potential buyers asking stupid questions or tire kicking a facebook ad. Here's the thing--the way facebook works, even if it is the WORLD'S DUMBEST QUESTION, that bumps your add back to the top of the group and puts it in front of more people. So does your response to that question.

Sure, it can be annoying, but it's traffic and traffic gets things sold.

2) Price items fairly. This is a big one for me. I was raised by thrifty parents and I am the QUEEN of never paying full price.

Fair=fair market value. This is pretty easy to determine generally--what are similar items selling for? You have to compare apples to apples. Used bridle to used bridle, not used to new. My general rule on shopping for used items is simple: I'll pay about 60% MAX of the new price (unless it's a specific and trendy item with market value exceptions). The older an item is, the less I'm willing to cough up. The big exceptions here are trendy-brand (read: French) strap goods and saddles.

Saddles very widely--an in-demand used saddle can hold it's value relatively well, if it's the popular seat size and specs. Those ancient Crosby PdNs? STOP TRYING TO SELL THEM. Seriously. No one on the planet wants one.

3) Be clear and answer promptly.

In an instant marketplace, I want answers relatively quickly. I don't mean wake up in the middle of the night to answer a dumb question, but within 12-24 hours, you should be able to answer questions and pass pictures on to buyers. If you ignore a buyer, they're going to find something else.

I think I pretty well covered it.

All that to say, I'm moving a bunch of stuff to assist in paying for the precious, so if you need something, hit me up.

Teach Me Tuesday: Buying Used

Yay it's time for teach me Tuesday! I'm a tack ho. We all know that. I buy all sorts of things used on line in order to (more or less) stay on a budget, but I've recently discovered that there are people out there who struggle with that idea. They prefer to pay the premium on new items to avoid the stigma (or something...) that comes with used things.

Sooooo...

Tell me. What won't you buy used?

it's underpants ok?

I'll go first! All underwear/undergarments must be new with tags. Supplements (if I use them, which, HA, I really don't) must be brand new and sealed and at a store. And grain. I wouldn't pay for someone else's grain. Totally ok with everything else being used as long as it's still in good condition.

Oops I did it again

too cute to be believed

Yeah, we're rocking the 90s pop blog titles lately. Sorry not sorry.

I don't really know where to start. Some of you probably remember when I took my teensy puppy out for barn day and got to play dressage (poorly) on blogger Micaylah's horse.

I absolutely loved her saddle, though it didn't make me look that much like a dressage rider. Oh well.

obviously, he's fine

Anywho. Courage and I have been playing dressage in a jump saddle this winter. My instructor assures me it's fine--it won't make me a dressage rider, but Courage can certainly learn the necessary skills at this level without specialized tack.

It's certainly been fun.

Buuuut I have taken dressage lessons before and I know it's easier when when you ride like a proper dressage rider and dressage shows are on our goal list this year.

yeah. just keep thinking that.

I'll admit to having poked around online for cheap saddles, but nothing struck my fancy and I hate cheap tack and fit is such a crapshoot.

And then there was the slight problem of Micaylah wanting to sell her old saddle. I asked about it, but apparently she wanted money for it and money is not so much for me right now.

But what harm could possibly come of me taking it on trial, right? I mean, if it doesn't fit her and her giant super wide horse, there's no way it will fit me and my average medium horse.

Am I right?

and lipstick

I put it on Courage by myself the first day and it looked pretty perfect. I sat in it and my butt sang songs of happiness.

Seriously.

There may have been butterflies.

But that was just me on my own. It's been like two years since I've sat in a dressage saddle correctly and I knew for certain I was doing it wrong.

I didn't want to commit to anything (plus the whole cash flow thing) and I'm not 100% comfortable fitting saddles without a second pair of eyes.

that time i accidentally bought polka dot polos

So I dragged Micaylah out to the barn. Now you might say it's a conflict of interest because she's the one trying to sell it, but bear in mind she has to live with me if I hate it... so I was ok with that risk.

She liked the fit on Courage just as much as I did.

We poked around with it (on my hotass freshly clipped horse) and then tacked up.

Complete with cookie monster bonnet because **** you, January.

the best at stretchy trot

Micaylah talked us through some dressaging, which was fun (SIT UP LEG DOWN OMG WOULD YOU SIT UP ALREADY)

She also took pictures, but dark and blurry indoor+iPhone will only get you just so far apparently.

At any rate, Courage looked and felt fantastic. Plus some of the pictures are blurry enough that I don't look THAT terrible. Yay!

So. Micaylah is taking payments and I'm buying a dressage saddle.

Sigh.

if you squint a little, i could be dressaging. squint harder.

Wait, what?

How is it that I suddenly have a friend whose cast offs I want?

If you need me, I'll be over here playing with my saddle and pretending I look all glamorous and German instead of like a dumpy American who can not haz dressage.

Four Awesome Things I Want for Christmas

It's that time of year again. People are all crazy go nuts buying things for loved ones and I'm just over here like "I'm on a budget and all the pony things are on sale. Whyyyyyy." 

So as per the usual, I really, really want these things, but I won't be purchasing any of them in the foreseeable future. Let's imagine that I had a budget or someone was shopping for me though. Here's all the crazy fun things I'm wanting but don't need and can't afford. 

It's ok to borrow pics for advertising purposes, right?

1) PS of Sweden Jump Off Revolution Bridle

I already have a PS bridle and not gonna lie, I love it. So much. Cool features, quality workmanship, fits perfectly and keeps me entertained. 

This one is also super cool. Interesting design features and very anatomic and 

GRABBY HANDS SO WANTY.

Not gonna lie. Wanty.

2) Dublin Pinnacle Boots

Yeah ok, it almost killed me when Bit of Britain had their black Friday sale and these bad boys could have been mine for $167, when full retail is $209. 

Long time readers know I have wanted these forever. They also know that I really can't justify $200 muck boots. I tried telling my husband that it was a great deal and I could ride in them too and I don't do barn work anymore (knock on wood), but no dice. 

I guess if I got them, I'd realize my wardrobe isn't trendy enough to match them anyways. 

Certainly wouldn't complain if it was monogrammed

3) Ogilvy Baby Pad

I took the plunge this year and snagged an Ogilvy pad for Courage. It's a pretty great pad. It's way classier than my cheap and limited saddle pad collection. I really want the Ogilvy baby pads to balance out the classiness and be all non-slip awesome, but at $40 a whack, they haven't been in my budget.

I'm way too impatient to custom order through any of the vendors and I'm perfectly happy with black and white. 

Free shipping at smartpak if you buy two, ok Santa?

Not the dorky hat though.

4) Horsewares Daja Hoodie

Truth: many years ago when I still had the hellmare and expendable income, I snagged a horsewares hoodie on a mad post-Christmas smartpak sale. I loved it.

You can tell, because I'm wearing it while I'm typing this post. The cuffs are fraying apart and the print is wearing off, but that's par for the course after like.... 4 or 5 years of heavy wearing and washing, including barn work and riding in all weather. 

I love the horsewares line--cool details, well made, infinitely stylish (maybe that's just me? I dunno). I don't like the prices, which I why I don't own much from them, but we're dreaming here so SHHH. 

I'll stop now. I could come up with more. I could do an all-tack list. I could do a for the horse and for the rider list for several different disciplines, but I'm committed to my budget and shopping is the buzz kill of budgets as far as I can tell. 

So. What's everyone else dreaming of? 

PS Please don't say jewelry. If it sparkles, it damn well better go on a horse, or I'm flat out not interested. 

Feeding the Sporthorse

Probably carrying a little too much weight

When Cuna went horribly lame this year, the vet had me pull him off all his supplements in case there were any additives that might have been aggravating his condition. I've been too paranoid to add anything back in other than an occasional weight builder when the temperature drops.

Once Courage came to join us, I needed to be careful with money. I can afford two, but I spend more time then I used to watching the budget. As such, I decided that Courage would get put on supplements if/when he demonstrated a clear need and not before.

Three months post-track

Cuna lives on grass 24/7 and has free access to clean water, a salt lick, and good quality hay in a slow feeder. Courage is turned out on grass 6-8 hours a day. In his stall, he has essentially free choice hay and salt and he has clean water at all times no matter where he is.

And you know what? I haven't bought a single supplement. Both the boys are healthy and holding weight. Their coats look good, their feet are staying together, and they're as happy as I can expect them to be.



When I ran across this article lately, it all sort of made sense to me, especially when the author says:
"If horses couldn't fill their nutritional needs from good forage, and water, they wouldn't have survived.  There's no way that a biological system thrives since prehistory if it has such a precise requirement for, say, cobalt, that it can’t get it in the stuff it normally eats."

I know that some supplements help some of the time--Cuna can't hold his weight in hard work without a weight builder. That said, I feel even better about my choice to save money for now and let the boys tell me when they need something, instead of buying in to the latest cool advertising.

How does everyone else pick their horse's feed? I know I have readers from all over the spectrum and I'm curious how your horse keeping style changes the way you fuel your sport horse.

Horse Trailers

I am officially summoning the wisdom of the horsey blogosphere. Please do contribute any knowledge you happen to possess. I am on a steep learning curve.

I am considering saving up this year and purchasing a horse trailer. I've been reading up on it a bit, but there is a LOT of information out there. So, if you're willing to help me out, please give input and qualify it by telling me 1) what truck you drive 2) what trailer type you haul 3) how frequently you use it.

Since I have one horse, I would like a two horse trailer. Since I've always used slant loads, I think I want a slant load. I would prefer a tack room over a tiny tack compartment (must accommodate my whoring tendencies). It must be bumper pull--the truck I have access to (newer Ford F-150 with tow package) has a bumper pull hitch and I see no reason to go to a gooseneck.

So... help me out. Steel vs Aluminum? Straight vs slant? Trailer height for a 16 hand horse? Width? Good manufacturers? Bad manufacturers? Any tips, pointers, ideas?

One Less Nightmare

I've been spending a lot of time lately reading about the troubles with buying horses, from dishonest sellers to unbroke horses to undiagnosed physical problems. I was fortunate enough to avoid all of these so far. I knew her owner wanted $8000-10000 for her, and I knew that she would never, ever be able to get that much for a mare with almost zero training and breeding that was ok, but not spectacular.

The mare's mother was my longtime show partner, which gave her sentimental value to me. When I traded for her, I knew exactly what I was getting: a gorgeous, untrained, sweet, smart, and dominant mare. I don't know if her owner would have been honest about her training level, but it would have been hard to hide as soon as she tried to put a halter on her.

I'm very glad that I didn't have to spend months looking for the perfect horse. Miss Izzy is everything I wanted. She's young, athletic, pretty, and sweet. We're working with her dominance issue, and soon she and I will be able to go wherever we want to.