So You Think You Bought the Wrong Horse?

Schedule lessons, stick to a training plan, schedule, and see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, you gave it a fair shot. Make sure you keep in touch with the trainer throughout.

Sell the Horse on Consignment

If it turns out that after training, the horse is not going to work for you, I would suggest seeing if the trainer you work with would take the horse on consignment sale. Meaning they handle the sale for you and get paid a certain percentage of the sale.

There are a lot of different terms for these kinds of arrangements, so make sure you understand what you are paying for and how much of the sale cost the trainer will get. If you can afford it, this will be the best option to sell your horse.

It is in a safe place where he will continue to be trained by someone who knows him well and will be able to show him off to the best of his abilities. Having the horse for sale with a professional will also get it a lot more exposure due to its clients and professional contacts, which hopefully will help it sell sooner.

Sell the Horse Yourself

If you cannot afford to sell the horse through a trainer, you can advertise and sell the horse yourself. You will just have to be honest with potential buyers about why you are selling the horse. People appreciate the honesty, and it doesn't necessarily mean they won't like your horse or give it a chance.

If the horse is to the point of being safe to ride, but you are just afraid to or you don't get along, try and find someone else who is capable of riding the horse. Obviously, there is liability involved with someone else riding your horse that you need to keep in mind.

Oftentimes though, if the horse is safe, you may be able to find a horseless rider to keep the horse going well for you until it sells, which leads me to my next point!

Lease the Horse Out

If the horse is safe for a more skilled rider and you are still unable to sell it for whatever reason, you could try to put the horse up for lease. It is a good option because lease terms can vary depending on what the two parties agree to, and if you set it up right, it could help you pay the horse's expenses. At the same time, in the hands of a capable rider, his training will be maintained.