Advances in computer technology have changed the way people buy and sell things, from cars to furniture to real estate. The live animal trade has grown considerably with the rise of the internet, including the buying and selling of horses. You can browse thousands of photos from all over the country and even narrow down your choices when it comes to breeding or color. This makes finding the horse of your dreams simpler than ever, especially on websites that specialize in the buying and selling of these graceful animals. Equine Now is one such site that lists horses for sale, along with trailers, tack and real estate suitable for keeping horses. If you have never used this site in the past and have questions about its history, content and what others have said about it, we have gathered a variety of data that may help you decide whether Equine Now can meet your needs, whether you are buying or selling your animal.
Equine Now, or EquineNow, as it appears on the website, is a California-based classified online listing of horses for sale. The site also features a variety of tack and other horse supplies. The listing is comprehensive, allowing you to browse horses by location, breed, color or discipline. Horses of all kinds are available on the site, including ponies and miniature breeds. You can also find breeders, borders, and farms for sale on the site, which can be convenient if you have not yet purchased a horse and want to arrange for stabling beforehand.
Brief History
Equine Now was founded in 2005 and currently features around 35,000 animals listed. The website is also active on social media, and its accounts serve as a mobile resource for anyone who wants to buy or sell a horse. Its Facebook page features additional horses for sale, along with information about the classified ad service, photos and a large community of horse lovers you can connect with. Users can also list their secondhand tack on the site, so you may be able to find affordable supplies there if you want to outfit your horse without emptying your wallet. This section of the website includes both English and Western tack and apparel. All listings are free to create and there also paid options if you want to upgrade your ad.
How Does Equine Now Differ From Other Classified Sites?
While there are other online sites that list horses for sale, Equine Now does have a few unique features. Most notable is its online store, which features a wide variety of new items for sale. The products include barn supplies, grooming tools, hats, tack and accessories, such as saddlebags and water bottles. This gives you the option to buy new, used, or to purchase essential products new while saving money on secondhand items. There is a browsing tool on each page to help you find what you need. This site also includes horses for sale in several Canadian provinces, which allows you to expand your search outside the United States. This service is not available on many other classified sites that feature horses and tack for sale.
Features
Another notable feature of Equine Now is its stallion registry, Stallions Now, which is a branch of the main site and maintained by the same company. While other sites feature a list of stallions standing at stud, this listing is unique in that it offers a variety of donkeys, mules and miniature stallions as well as horses over 15 hands. Having a wider range of stud choices, if you are looking for this service, can help you find what you are looking for more easily. Some stud listings link to social media pages where you can find out more about available stallions, including information about their breeding, temperament, stud fees and additional details about where the horse is standing at stud. You may even be able to find barns that are willing to ship frozen sem*n if you want to breed your mare long distance.
Pricing
Because Equine Now is a classified site, the cost of the horses featured there varies widely. Prices on its store feature the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices, which are typically higher than the posted price. For example, a pair of fringed leather chaps listed on the store site cost $49.95, while the MSRP is $92.00. The site claims this is a savings of 46 percent; however, you may want to price this product at other sites before deciding whether this is the best deal.
Website Browsing
Equine Now is free to use if you are looking for a horse to buy. You can browse all sections and view thousands of photos and descriptions at no cost. If you want to sell your horse on this site, there are several different ad choices. Basic text ads are free and appear on the website for three months. You may also add a photo of your horse, along with text, which also runs for 90 days. However, if you want to create an ad that includes video or a variety of photos, you can choose the Premium Ad package, which allows you to add one video and eight photos of your horse for $14.95. This ad will run for three months. The Premium Plus selection is what the site calls its “best placement,” and costs $25.95 for a three-month ad. You can include 15 photos of your horse, along with a video and a detailed description, in this ad. These packages and others like it are also available for trailers, tack, real estate, and boarding services.
Packages
Because each ad package offers a free option, you may be able to sell a variety of items at no cost along with your horse. If the free ad does not generate any hits after six months of posting, you might want to consider a paid package, as videos can help you show off your animal’s best features, such as gait and muscle conformation, when it is in motion. The site does not mention if there is a time limit for any video you want to submit, although you may be given this information when you register to create an ad.
Public Equine Now Reviews
Public reviews from those who have used the Equine Now site are mixed. While the company’s Facebook page has five reviews that rate the site as excellent, users who talk about this business outside the site have several complaints. A few reviews claim that some ads are fraudulent and that photos of the horses are not always accurate. Others complain that the contact information for many of the boarding and ranch listings are out of date or never existed at all. However, the managers of the site have responded to these allegations, pointing out that those who use their site are responsible for the content of their ads and that those who browse the ads should proceed with caution before entering any buying or selling outside of their store. The company also points out that they have a buyer/seller page on their website that lists a variety of scams or red flags that may help buyers avoid fraudulent transactions.
Complaints
Other complaints connected with Equine Now assert that other users have lifted personal information from free listings to create their own scams, usually concerned with the selling of purebred dogs. The site managers have responded to many of these posted complaints, and while they agree to cooperate with any ads that have been copied from their site, they remind the posters that the company is not directly involved with any sales transactions, as it is a site for classified ads. As such, you may want to follow Equine Now’s fraud guidelines before you buy or sell your horse, as this can help you protect yourself and your personal information.
How Equine Now Stands Up to Its Competitors
While Equine Now is not the only classified ad site for buying and selling horses, it is a comprehensive site with thousands of ads posted. Its ads for stud barns, horseback riding and boarding, and horse leasing information are all comparable to other sites of this kind. Equine Now’s secondhand store is also one of the largest of its kind for a classified ad site, especially for tack and riding apparel. The only items you cannot find on the site are feed or medical supplies, such as worming kits, but this may be for safety reasons.
Equine Now also connects you with an array of services that are not available on other classified ad sites. The services drop-down menu on the left side of the site’s main page gives you access to horse sitters, physical therapists, veterinarians, farriers, horseback riding lessons and much more. With all of these choices, setting up care for your new horse can be simpler than trying to find services separately.
What We Think
After reviewing the data we compiled about Equine Now, we believe that although the site is legitimate, you should use its services with extreme caution. Buying or selling anything online can be daunting, especially considering how simple it is to manipulate photos or video. However, when you are dealing with live animals, it is wise to be especially cautious. Some reviews for this service have been positive. But since most of them appear on the site’s social media, we cannot be certain of their validity.
One positive point we noticed when browsing Equine Now is its club advertisem*nts. In which you can find under the services drop-down menu. This area highlights horse clubs, including those focused on barrel racing and 4-H events. If you have a child who is interested in horses, you may be able to find a local chapter on the site to get them involved in the community.
Before Making A Purchase
Customers who bought items from the site’s store seem pleased with their purchases. And we believe this is the least risky area of the site. If you do decide to buy a horse from Equine Now, we advise that you take your time. This is to ensure each person you deal with has your and the animal’s best interests at heart. You may want to consider browsing horses in your own area so you can visit them in person. This makes the website a fine resource for finding the right kind of animal. And without having to worry about buying a horse from what you have seen online.
Overall, we recommend this site for experienced horse buyers who might be able to recognize unethical sales practices. If this is your first time buying a horse, you might want to consider a site that offers local searches. And then work with a mentor or an otherwise experienced horse owner who can help you find the best deal. While we find the site to be well organized and simple to use, you may want to keep in mind that its owners do not create the classified ads and that the information provided in each is posted as submitted. Because Equine Now does not inspect or claim responsibility for any of the ad’s information, we suggest that you read each ad carefully and have maximum contact with any seller before you finalize a deal.
Coupons and Special Deals
Since this is a classified site, there are not many deals or coupons connected to its contents. However, if you want to save money shopping at Equine Now’s store, several popular coupon sites have deals that may help you save up to 25 percent. You might also want to review the store at least once a month, as sale prices and items change. The secondhand section does not offer the same discounts as the site store. But it may yield some good deals on English and Western tack.
A Final Word
Equine Now has a wide variety of resources, ads, photos, and other tools that can help you buy or sell a horse. While it is not the largest classified site online, you might be surprised at what you find there. If you decide to use this site to find the horse of your dreams, you may want to keep in mind that the buyer must beware. And also, take your time browsing, researching and viewing any animal before you ride off into the sunset.
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