5 Red Flags of "Tire Kicker" Buyers (And How to Filter Them Out)

You list your horse for sale. Within hours, you have 47 inquiries.

By day three, you realize 46 of them were "tire kickers"—people who had no intention of buying, just wanted information or entertainment.

You've wasted 20 hours answering the same questions over and over.

This is the hidden cost of selling horses. And there's a system to filter out the noise.

The Problem: Tire Kickers Cost You Time and Money

A typical horse sale takes 60-90 days. Most of that time isn't spent finding the right buyer—it's spent filtering out the wrong ones.

Tire kickers are:

• Browsers with no budget
• "Research" buyers doing homework for horses they'll never own
• Collectors of horse videos for Instagram
• Competitors spying on your horse
• People just curious about the process

They're not malicious. They're just not serious.

But they consume your time. And time is money when you have a horse eating $50/day in feed and board.

Red Flag #1: The "Storyteller"

The Pattern:

You get a long email. Very long. Two to three paragraphs minimum.

They tell you about their childhood. Their daughter's dream of owning a horse. Their previous horses. Their barn setup. Their experience level. Their family's riding goals.

And then... they ask zero specific questions about YOUR horse.

Why it's a red flag:

Serious buyers ask about YOUR horse first. They ask about:

• Age
• Training level
• Veterinary history
• Temperament specifics
• Price

Storytellers are either:

1. Fantasy shopping ("Wouldn't it be nice if...")
2. Looking for emotional connection (they're lonely, not necessarily buying)
3. Writing for an audience they'll never mention this to

How to filter them:

Write a response template:

"Thanks for your interest! To make sure [Horse Name] is a good fit, could you answer these questions?

1. What's your experience level?
2. What's your budget?
3. What's the primary discipline?
4. When are you looking to buy?

Once I have these details, I'll know if we should move forward with a trial ride."

Serious buyers will answer. Storytellers will either:

• Go silent
• Give vague answers ("We want a family horse")
• Tell another story instead of answering

Red Flag #2: The "Budget Ghost"

The Pattern:

First message: "What's your lowest price?"

You respond with price.

They go silent. Forever.

Sometimes they reappear three months later: "Still available? What's your lowest price?"

Why it's a red flag:

Budget ghosts are either:

1. Out of budget and fishing for a deal
2. Shopping across 100 horses, comparing prices
3. Not actually in the market, just accumulating information

The real issue: They will never commit. If your price was acceptable, they'd have scheduled a trial ride by now.

How to filter them:

In your listing, state:

"Price: $[Price]. This reflects current market value for [horse type]. Not negotiable."

Don't engage in price negotiation before they've even seen the horse. You're wasting time.

If they persist after seeing the horse in person and still want to negotiate, then you have a real conversation.

Red Flag #3: The "Video Collector"

The Pattern:

"Can you send me videos? Lots of videos. Trotting, cantering, jumping, cross-country, dressage, liberty, in-hand, under saddle, with a rider, without a rider..."

You send 10 videos.

They ask for 10 more.

And 10 more.

You never hear from them again, but you see your horse's videos on Instagram tagged with their username.

Why it's a red flag:

Video collectors are often:

1. Other competitors gathering intel on your horse
2. Video enthusiasts (not horse buyers)
3. Tire kickers who find entertainment in watching horses

Real buyers: Ask for one comprehensive video. Sometimes a specific video ("Can I see him cantering?"). Not a video library.

How to filter them:

Create ONE comprehensive listing video (5-10 minutes) that shows:

• Tacking up
• Walk, trot, canter (both directions)
• Jumping (if relevant)
• Turning, stopping
• Personality (loose in pasture, etc.)

Put a link to this video in your listing.

In your response to video requests, say:

"I've uploaded a comprehensive video at [link]. It covers walk, trot, canter, jumping, and personality. If you'd like to schedule a trial ride after reviewing, I'm available [dates]."

If they ask for more videos: "Happy to answer specific questions, but the main video covers the fundamentals. Shall we schedule a trial?"

If they persist in asking for more videos without scheduling a trial: They're tire kickers. Move on.

Red Flag #4: The "Zero Research" Buyer

The Pattern:

"Is he safe for beginners?"

Except your listing clearly states: "Trained to Intermediate level. Not suitable for beginners."

They ask questions answered in your listing. Twice. Then three times.

Why it's a red flag:

They either:

1. Didn't read your listing (not serious)
2. Can't read (concerning for horse safety)
3. Are testing how much work you'll do for them (wanting free consulting)

Real buyers: Read the listing first. Then ask clarifying questions.

How to filter them:

Make your listing comprehensive. Answer these questions upfront:

• Suitable for what experience level?
• Primary discipline?
• Any behavioral quirks?
• Veterinary history overview?
• Why selling?

If someone asks a question answered in your listing, your response is:

"That's covered in the listing! Check under [section]. If you have questions after reading, I'm happy to help."

You're being helpful but also communicating: "Read the listing."

Red Flag #5: The "Lowball Offer" Without Seeing the Horse

The Pattern:

"I'm interested. What's your lowest price? Would you take $8,000?"

Your asking price is $18,000.

They haven't scheduled a trial. Haven't seen videos. Haven't asked any questions.

Just... lowball numbers.

Why it's a red flag:

They're either:

1. Clueless about market value
2. Testing to see if you're desperate
3. Not serious buyers, just collectors of lowball offers

Real buyers: Schedule a trial ride first. THEN negotiate if the horse is perfect but slightly above budget.

How to filter them:

Don't engage in price negotiation before a trial ride.

Your response:

"Thanks for your interest! I'm firm on [price] for a horse of this caliber. If you'd like to schedule a trial ride, I can make myself available [dates]. Once you've ridden him, we can discuss if he's a good fit."

This does two things:

1. Establishes you're not desperate
2. Filters to people willing to invest time seeing the horse

The Inverse: How to Attract Serious Buyers

Now that you know red flags, here's how to filter FOR serious buyers:

1. Price Transparency

List your price. No "Best Offer" or "Price on Request."

Serious buyers want to know if they're in budget BEFORE investing time.

2. Comprehensive Listing

Answer the questions before they ask. Your listing should include:

• Age, breed, height, weight
• Training level
• Discipline
• Temperament (with specific details)
• Veterinary history (summary)
• Why you're selling
• What he's good at
• What he's not good at

3. Video Link in Listing

One comprehensive video. Not multiple. Not "email for videos."

A link they can watch immediately.

4. Pre-Screening Question

Add this to your listing:

"Before scheduling a trial ride, please provide:

1. Your riding experience level
2. Your budget
3. What you intend to do with this horse
4. Your preferred trial date"

This filters to people who've actually thought about whether this horse fits their situation.

5. Trial Ride Standards

When scheduling, establish:

• Trial ride is 30-45 minutes
• Helmet required
• They must be experienced enough to ride independently
• One trial per person (unless very serious)

Serious buyers appreciate clear expectations.

The Bridleway Advantage

Bridleway's Verified Buyer program helps filter tire kickers automatically.

When buyers create accounts, they verify:

• Budget
• Experience level
• Discipline interests
• Purchase timeline

You see this before they contact you. You can message only buyers who match your horse's profile.

This means fewer tire kickers, fewer wasted hours, faster sales.

Your Action Plan

1. Review your current listing. Does it have comprehensive information?
2. Create a pre-screening question template. Use it for every inquiry.
3. Record one comprehensive video. Link it in your listing.
4. Set firm prices. Don't negotiate before trial rides.
5. Track inquiries. How many are red flags vs. serious buyers?

The goal isn't to be unfriendly. It's to be efficient.

Your time is valuable. Your horse is valuable. Attracting serious buyers means faster sales and less frustration.

Ready to filter for serious buyers? List your horse on Bridleway with Verified Buyer screening.

List Your Horse →