Can we agree not to...

Selling ponies is the best and worst part of breeding ponies. It is the best part when I look back on the amazing people that I have met over the years and the fun stories that they share with us. Nothing makes my day like getting an update about one of our ponies out doing amazing things and putting smiles on their new owner's faces. Recently we've heard from Styx, Revolution (Milkshake) and Jumba's new owners. All are much loved and doing fantastic - oh and look at that - all are Fi babies.

Speaking of Fi, Fi finally foaled her surprise baby two days ago. Peeps is here and she is fantastic. She also continues Nugget's filly streak of five for five. Peeps is a full sibling to Beans which brings me to the focus of this blog.

Beans is for sale. I HATE the thought of her leaving as she is one of my all time favorite ponies. But Beans is tiny. Too small for me to ride and the kid that I had here who could ride the littles has grown up, moved away and is getting married. How dare she do adult things as an adult! I have no problem keeping her for another year and doing all the ground work next year to get her ready for a kid, but have been offering her for sale to a home that can use her for a kids' pony sooner rather than later. HOWEVER... I'm not giving her away.

Can we all agree not to make offensive low ball offers any more? I understand making an offer. I understand not paying full price, but when the price is already REASONABLE - do not walk up to me and ask me to knock another third off the sale price. Would you walk up to someone asking $20,000 and offer them $13,000? Would you make this offer at a show where they had just placed at the top against a deep class of ponies? I sure hope you wouldn't. Let me just say that when that happens, negotiating for me is done. Here are a list of things that will make me dig in deeper on the hell no she won't go side of negotiation the price of ponies.

1. "He/she has been for sale since they were born." Yep, they are all for sale from the time they are born. We are BREEDERS and we are well aware that several of our babies will be with us until they are started under saddle. That doesn't mean they aren't listed for sale the minute they safely arrive and it sure as heck doesn't mean they are on fire sale just because they have been for sale for a while.

2. "He/she is gray or a fewspot or not a fancy color." Yep, you're right. You may spend a little time in the wash rack. I guess as a buyer, you need to decide what you're willing to deal with to have a quality show pony that will succeed and keep you safe while doing it. Personally, I have a lot of experience with washing and keeping white ponies white - worth it to me. Also I have a type - red mare. If you prefer palomino, buckskin, grulla, etc... our reds may not be for you?

3. "But I brought a trailer all this way." Bummer - you should have brought your wallet with the trailer. If you hadn't liked the pony once you got here you would have gladly driven home empty. Distance from our house to yours is not my fault and will not be reflected in a pony's price. Which also goes into people who ask us to ship the pony for free. Gas and wear and tear on our vehicle is expensive. We have a 2012 truck and a 2003 trailer. We need to make them last. We aren't shipping for free. We have shipped ponies all over this amazing country and the folks were always happy with the pony they got. They are worth the price of a shipper - I can promise that.

4. "You said you had some wiggle room." Wiggle doesn't mean flail like a rooster on meth. I said wiggle, not flail around and collapse onto the ground. Reasonable offers are always considered. Unreasonable offers end negotiations, even IF we get back to where I would have originally accepted an offer.

5. "He/she has big ears, a big head, blah blah, blah..." Do not bother pointing out any faults you see in a pony we have for sale to try to get us to lower the price. We are not the barn blind kind of folks. We are well aware of our ponies' faults (and all ponies have them)and the price reflects those, guaranteed.

6. Can you hold the pony for me until weaning? Sure! All we need is a signed purchase agreement and a deposit. "Oh - I'm not comfortable with that." Sorry - a pony is not "sold" until we have those things in place. And that deposit will be nonrefundable just to be clear. I do not understand the point of a deposit that is refundable. Make that one make sense.