HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: shane on May 03, 2026, 10:42:40 PM
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Serious question for people who actually buy and sell Standardbreds online.
Is there actually room for another Standardbred sales site, or is everyone basically fine with how horses are sold now?
I’ve been working on BuySellHorses.com . It is focused on Standardbred racehorses, not riding horses, tack, pets, or general classifieds.
I’m not posting this to pretend the industry needs something just because I built it. I’m asking because I want honest answers before pushing it harder.
The things I keep coming back to are trust and control.
Would sellers care about having more control over reserve prices, auction vs buy-now options, seller privacy, and when their contact information is released?
Would buyers care about verified sellers, better race line and pedigree info, clearer listing structure, and a real bid history instead of wondering what is happening behind the scenes?
Or is the real issue simpler than that.. people will not move unless known trainers and sellers use it first?
I’m looking for actual feedback, not fake encouragement. If the answer is “no, nobody will use another site,” say that. If there are things that would make you try one, say those too.
What would a new Standardbred sales site have to get right before you would take it seriously?
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Confucius said....
As long as there's asses there's going to be seats.
tmbz1
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That’s kind of where my head is too. If there are still buyers and sellers, there may be room for another option, but only if it actually solves something and gets real listings.
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Serious question for people who actually buy and sell Standardbreds online.
Is there actually room for another Standardbred sales site?
Yes
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Yes there is!! It’s called harness gate . Been up and going for about a yr. The most secure site possible easy to use . ZERO fee unless the horse sells. As good or a better site than ongait. Yet people think they are missing smthn not listing on ongait . So good luck trying another one!!!!
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There is always room for a better mousetrap. You need 2 things; personal credibility and trust. Those things take time to build, unless you are under an established and credible banner.
Good luck. Competition makes for a better market.
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try having a "cooling off "period
if you buy a horse from the site , once you take physical control of the horse you have 48 hours to confirm the sale and payment
this way if you take possession of the horse, maybe jog it the next day and see something you don't like you can return and void the purchase
this would discourage people from putting horses up for sale that have issues not disclosed
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try having a "cooling off "period
if you buy a horse from the site , once you take physical control of the horse you have 48 hours to confirm the sale and payment
this way if you take possession of the horse, maybe jog it the next day and see something you don't like you can return and void the purchase
this would discourage people from putting horses up for sale that have issues not disclosed
As a life long ow/tr/dr/breeder I would never allow a buyer to take a horse home to train 6 trips down to a dead spit just to see if the next day it could still stand.
I have let many future buyers train, but only if I am sitting on the knockers bench.
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Yes there is!! It’s called harness gate . Been up and going for about a yr. The most secure site possible easy to use . ZERO fee unless the horse sells. As good or a better site than ongait. Yet people think they are missing smthn not listing on ongait . So good luck trying another one!!!!
It’s called harnessgait. And it has no listings. If it’s better than ongait, why is nobody using it?
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try having a "cooling off "period
if you buy a horse from the site , once you take physical control of the horse you have 48 hours to confirm the sale and payment
this way if you take possession of the horse, maybe jog it the next day and see something you don't like you can return and void the purchase
this would discourage people from putting horses up for sale that have issues not disclosed
They already have that process..Its called a private sale! Go ahead of time..Look him over, take your vet ask to jog him and bingo there you go!
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Harness gate is where I sell my horses. Take it from me I won a ton of races along with a bunch of titles a lot of these sites are not credible.
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Take it from him, how he won a ton of races. tmbz1
(https://iili.io/BQhdwj1.md.jpg) (https://freeimage.host/i/BQhdwj1)
(https://iili.io/BQhdjTP.jpg) (https://freeimage.host/)
(https://iili.io/BQhdXyB.webp) (https://freeimage.host/)
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ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
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Why Dnt more people use Harness Gait ??? You tell me! Like i said they think if they Dnt list on Ongait they are missing out on something. Also allot of these people own part of OG. And they do not pay the same fees as the rest. Harness gait is 100% legit. Zero fee to list a horse. You only pay if the horse sells !
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onGait & Preferred's site have a large customer base that would be very hard for any new site to match. Sellers need eyes on their listings & both of the above mentioned sites have that.
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Appreciate the replies. This actually helps.
The biggest point I’m hearing is that features alone do not matter if sellers do not get enough eyes on their horses. That is fair, and I agree with it.
onGait and Preferred already have buyer attention, and that is the hard part to earn. I’m not pretending a new site automatically deserves listings just because it exists.
What I am trying to build with BuySellHorses.com is a more structured Standardbred-focused sales process: verified seller accounts, clear auction or buy-now listings, reserve options, race line and pedigree document uploads, visible bid history, seller privacy, controlled contact release, and a step-by-step post-sale process so buyers and sellers both know where things stand.
One part I think could become important is the professional marketplace around the sale process. Instead of a messy "take the horse home and see what happens" situation, the goal is to support cleaner due diligence before the deal is completed, including pre-bid inspections, vets, transporters, trainers, farriers, photographers, and other professionals buyers and sellers may need.
I agree with the comments about credibility. That has to be earned. No shortcut there.
For now, the real test is whether sellers are willing to list and whether buyers show up. If anyone has a horse they may want to sell, they can pre-create a listing here:
https://buysellhorses.com/sell-your-horse
No obligation. I’m trying to prove whether another Standardbred-focused option can actually earn a place.
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Good luck with this ! There is no perfect way to sell a horse other than a live auction .
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WWW.Harnessgait .com
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One thing I should clarify: we do already have buyers who have opted in to be notified when listings go live. The current focus is getting quality Standardbred listings so those interested buyers have real horses to look at.
That is why I’m asking sellers, owners, trainers, and buyers for feedback. Buyer interest helps, but listings are what make a marketplace useful.
I appreciate the honest replies so far. The credibility point is fair, and that has to be earned.
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My first suggestion is to use up to date modern pictures on your home page.
Pictures of racing in the 1950's IMHO is not a good look.
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My first suggestion is to use up to date modern pictures on your home page.
Pictures of racing in the 1950's IMHO is not a good look.
Fair point, and I appreciate the direct feedback.
The homepage imagery is something I need to improve. I agree that if the site is going to ask people to trust it with real listings, the first impression needs to look current and serious.
I’ll work on updating the photos so the site better matches what it is trying to be.
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I LOVE the old time photo/painting!
In terms of disclosure, why no mention who the principle(s) are in this venture, their background, experience, location, etc.
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I LOVE the old time photo/painting!
In terms of disclosure, why no mention who the principle(s) are in this venture, their background, experience, location, etc.
My name is Shane Shuford. I was born and raised in Kentucky and currently live in southern Indiana. I’m the software developer behind BuySellHorses.com .
My background is in software development and digital marketing. I’ve built websites, business systems, and marketing campaigns for years. I’m not pretending to be a trainer or lifelong Standardbred insider myself, which is why I’m working with people in the business, including a trainer and a racehorse owner, and asking for direct feedback from sellers, owners, trainers, and buyers before pushing the site harder.
The site is still in its early/maintenance stage right now, so not everything is visible yet. The full version has an About section explaining who is behind it, the management side, and a section for industry partnerships.
The goal is to build a focused Standardbred sales platform with more trust built into the process: verified seller accounts, race line and pedigree document support, pre-bid inspection options, a professional marketplace for services around the sale, visible bid history, seller privacy, controlled contact release, auction or buy-now listings with reserve options, and a step-by-step post-sale transfer process.
I agree that who is behind it should be easy to find before anyone is asked to trust it with real listings.