Allowing a buyer to take a horse on trial?

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Dovorian

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Has anyone allowed a trial away from home and if so what sort of written agreement (if any) did you draw up? I was thinking about a loan agreement for a limited period etc. I do 'trust' the people but as we all know horses can go wrong!
 
I wouldn't let a stranger take a horse away on trial.

I would however let a trusted friend, but even then there would be a loan contract and full insurance including loss of use would be required.

If they wanted the horse vetted I would want it performed before the horse left my yard for trial
 
Allowed it once, never again. The horse came back a nervous wreck after one weekend, when they had him for a 2 week trial.
We used an adapted version bhs agreement, but it didn't count for much, and the horse was the one who came off worst
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no, not ever and never would - seen too many horses come back ridden into the ground by people who just wanted a free ride, or ruined to the point where it's taken a long while to get them back to a marketable state.

Would happliy allow potential buyer try horse as many times as they want at my premises but that is all, my view is if you buy a car/pair of shoes etc etc you don't get to use them first.
 
I did with pony I sold last year, allowed a 2 week trial, but made a contract which was very specific. They paid for horse up front, and were responsible for insuring her from the day they picked her up. I'm trying to think what it included, as a lawyer friend helped me write it...

That if they wanted to return pony, in good health and condition, they were responsible for arranging this at a mutually suitable time, at their expense, and they must return all tack/rugs as listed, and in the condition listed (I discussed the list with them to make sure it was fair), otherwise I was entitled to replace anything missing or damaged out of the money before refunding it.

That if I wanted to (this is a bit selfish, perhaps, but would have been worried if they had not agreed to it) within the period of the trial, I could check on pony with 24 hours notice, and if I was unhappy at her condition or care, that I could remove her immediately, at my expense, upon refunding their money.

I specified the precise time and date that trial was over, and stated that within the trial period, I would cover costs arising from any pre-existing medical condition not disclosed by me, (she was vetted first) but that they were responsible for any costs resulting from the time that she was in their care.

I will add if I think of any more, it was a long contract!
 
I wouldn't recommend doing it, tell them they can come and try your horse as many times as they like but the first to come up with the money gets him.
 
We did but they paid for it up front and we agreed that we would take it back providing that the horse was in the same condition as when it left and gthat they were responsible for any injuries it may incur. Even this sort of agrrement requires a lot of trust (on both sides -as you actually have their money and them the horse)
 
My friends let someone take their precious eventer for a trial, it got spooked in the new field and galloped around, did both front suspensory ligaments, so it was brought back the next weekend completely broken. They then spent a year getting it right and the horse's value decreased considerably. When something isn't theirs, people don't value it quite as much and in a strange environment things are more likely to go wrong. Be very sure yours won't come back broken.
 
As per my 'endurance saddle' topic, I'm just buying my first horse. Seller offered to loan it for a month without me asking. It's 2 hours drive away and not a chance in hell of me fitting in many visits to try him. We will pay up front and if he goes back the seller still has our money and can withhold part.

Every one of the last 5 we've bought have been on this basis. When we returned one we never saw our money again. Seller had given us a false address and the pony disappeared from the livery the day after we took it back.

We've kept in touch with all the people we've bought the others from, and they see the horses / ponies regularly.
 
Have done and certainly wouldn't ever do it again. Lady had our bombproof 13.2 for her daughter and my mum agreed to 6 month trial period. Lady has now rung at the end of 6 months saying pony is not suitable, my mum asked when she would be returning her and she has asked us to wait until she finds a companion for her horse, erm no way. Obviously just wanted pony for her daughter without having to buy one as her excuse as to why pony wasn't suitable does not ring true.
 
As they are 4 hours away it isn't very practical for them to come more often - They have agreed to pay me for the chap when they pick him up which seems very fair. As I said they are known to us pretty well and it is just the sort of home I want for my horse. Various 'local' enquirers left me cold and I had almost decided not to sell him and leave him in the field as an alternative .

Will see what I can do with the good advice given here - BHS agreement + additional bits.
 
Someone got really arsey with us for not allowing one and they lived 5 hours away and had already tried it 3 times. They thought we had something to hide by saying no and got v agressive!!
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As per some of the other posts I have seen a friend's horse completely screwed up by the experience and it took a hell of a lot to sort. It may come back physically OK but the one I saw became a bit mentally unhinged. If you knew someone and it was local so you could check on it easily and it was for only a short time that may be workable.
 
Yes I let my mare go on a 3 month trial!!! I look back now & think yes it was a bit excessive!

I didn't know the people b4 but they came 3 times, they wanted to keep her at their home so I viewed it & everything was fine.

I was a bit crap on the contract thing & never actually got round to it. Luckily for me it there was never anything untoward that happened.
 
Never, ever would I let a horse go on trial. If the people are seriously thinking of buying your horse, then surely they can come and try he/she at your yard as often as they like and see he/she in all sorts of situations. They can then have the horse vetted if they want to and make an informed decision.
 
I asked for and got a week's trial with one of ours. Over an hours drive away, I wanted other people to see him and get their opinions of him. He was insured with NFU by his then owner so was covered insurance wise. I picked him up on the Sunday, had him vetted on the Friday and went back and returned his tack/paid for him on the Sunday. Owner knew where he was going to be staying and my name and address etc. He cost £2,000.00

I guess it depends what you think of the prospective purchaser, certainly I would be prepared to consider it myself, but would probably put some conditions on it like if he were injured on trial, and what reasons they could return him for (not just because they don't like him) They would have to buy him regardless, and money up front. I think I was very lucky with hindsight. I never thought much about all the things that COULD go wrong...
 
From a buyer's point of view I always ask if I can have it on trial (talking kids ponies here) and generally am told no but one woman did let us as the pony made 'kill you' faces over the door, which we saw when we tried her out, but the lady was so adamant that the pony didn't ever do any more than just make faces, she would stop it the minute you entered the stable etc, that she wanted us to see for ourselves and be sure, as of course with kids petting her over the door it could be scarey. We had the trial, without a written agreement, but the lady delivered the pony and saw all our other horses, came in for lunch etc, and called every night to get a progress report. She was absolutely right, the pony was an angel who just didn't like contact over the door. We bought her and have never looked back. I have to say though that now I'm totally in love with the pony and I don't know how the lady had the courage to let her come, I certainly couldn't do it, I'd be too worried about her. But then again, that's why I've got 8 ponies/horses as I can't believe that anyone would ever look after them the way I do and I can't sell them on (and yes, it's getting very expensive!).

My own mare took 6 weeks to settle in and in fact I said after the first week that if I'd had her on trial I would have sent her back! My point being that sometimes even a trial won't do the trick as you may not be dealing with the 'real' character. I'd only let a kid's pony go on trial to a friend, with a contract of some sort, and only for a week or two but I 'd have to absolutely sure that I wasn't setting the pony up to fail, eg that I thought the buyer was a good match for the pony.
 
No No NO NO!

Never especially if its a long distance

However I'd offer a potential buyer to come and ride the horse under my surpervision as many times as they liked

Too many stories of the horses never coming back or generally being used and abused.
 
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