Andalucian horse broker, anyone had any complaints?

[leonh]

hello H&H chatter people

I have my own stable-yard and purchased and imported, blind (i've bought 2 times before with this company and each time it was true description and i was happy), a full PRE 6yr andalucian gelding, he was to be used as an all rounder, mainly hacking, to live in and out, with others, in amazing location. He arrived 5 months ago and the HUGE problem is, although beautiful this horse is totally different from the description.

the broker/dealer who are a huge UK based company are now twiddling their feet and telling me his issues (rears - been over backwards, naps, spins, cribs, serious anxiety with being left, refuses to load, fence walker, totally unsocialised, very stalliony, box walker and a weaver.... and i have video's and emails from day it arrived to prove) it's not their fault.

The horse wasn't like this in spain (turns to light now its never been out/grazed/socialised and to boot was in stable with bars, and only excercised 3 or 4 times a week) they say they are not responsible as the horse they sold me was true to THEIR description when it was IN SPAIN. This horse couldn't be further from their descriptions. granted it is a good hack, but thats it. this thing has gone through fences (barbed wire, hedges, wood and electric), over stables, horsebox dividers and any other obstacle .. if it is left or see's a horse being taken away (even from another field). it was thrown in a 15 acre field for 7 weeks with a gelding youngster it liked, with horses on each side of fields to even see if that helped - it didn't.

i told the broker immediately (the evening he arrived) that this horse was unsuitable and "not the horse i bought from description". they told me to keep it for a while as some take a month or so to settle in. i told them i would give him a three week trial to see if it worked but this horse had issues not described. it didnt calm down at all. this was the horses personality.

the broker offered to swop him for a x breed 3 yr old spanish mare, two months ago which i refused. since then my weekly emails are ignored, with the occasional "still looking" fired back at me.

since then i have spent a fortune on this horse to get to root of problems: rigcalm, so-kalm, professional dentist, phsio, horse whisperer, parelli instructor, part time stallion groom, vet to take bloods (it is a gelding), vet to vaccinate ... and now he is in full livery at £325 pw with top dressage rider to TRY to get enough for selling (i bought him for £5,500, i'd be lucky to get a grand for him right now) as his one positive is that he has great breeding and is a natural at dressage. plus, she explained to me that quirks among talented horses are common so if i'm lucky i could get back 2-3k.


i really dont want to go to court, i cant stand the hassle, but want to know, am i the only person who has ever been in this boat? has anyone gone through this before?? i do love this horse and want the best for him, i've become attached to him now, even though he is a disruptive devil!!

any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[mik]

I think what you are dealing with is complete culture shock from this little man, as you mentioned he was in the normal set up here, stable, bars and always under strict control. I think with time and understanding he may improve. Was he gelded just before he came to you? It is unusual to geld here. I hope your dressage rider can sort him out, he would probably be more settles in a barracks type livery, if you know what I mean. Best of luck.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I think Mik has the right of it, you have turned his little world upside down - why not give him more time and see if this helps?

I bought a 16.2 ISH who has had a hard past, he has almost put me in hospital through stable aggression BUT with careful management and understanding he is now a pleasure and the best horse I have ever known.

 

[joeley]

Hi, I had similar issues with an ex racehorse. She (chestnut mare - yes I know!) would box walk, nap when asked to walk, (riding and in hand), away from other horses. A complete nightmare to handle. She went through so many electric fences and even over the stable door. I was at my wits end thinking it was my fault and she was not as described (re-broken, good to handle, catch etc etc with no vices). On the good side she didn't rear or buck, was good with the farrier and didn't kick or bite. That was just under 3 years ago. She is now 90% better in all aspects. It takes time, and probably like my horse has trust issues. As Mik said, a culture shock for him. Over the past 3 months I have a Homeocranial healer who comes every 2 weeks to see Dizzy and at £20 per visit worth every penny. She is a different horse. So chilled out and actually let me have cuddles. I was sceptical at first but it actually has worked for my girl. I would persevere with your boy, unless you feel it is unsafe to do so. Routine is probably the key here. He will learn that he is not going to be abandoned and that he can trust you. Good luck.

 

[Andalusianlover]

I bought and kept my Andalucian at an importers yard so have a tiny bit of experience with this. Sometimes the journey can have a bad effect on them. One horse took 3hrs to get off the lorry, another PRE who was a darling in Spain turned quite nasty on arrival to the point where he had to be given away in the end, he couldnt be sold.

I know its no help but I just posted this to let you know what I've seen personally. Maybe the horse was ok in Spain, who knows.

I hope you get him sorted, just give him time. Unusual he was gelded in Spain though, they dont usually do that (would make me a wee bit suspicious.

 

[MrsMozart]

I think that either you'll have to go the way of Trading Standards and possibly court (I'm assuming you have kept the advert, etc.); or, if you like this lad and want to give him a chance, which you may well do given how much you have spent on him already, you will have to start keeping him as he was kept in Spain, i.e. return him to what he is used to in terms of how he was kept, and then gradually introduce a small paddock and five minutes of turnout, etc. etc. etc.

At over three hundred pounds a week livery, you will have eaten into your selling price within weeks.

 

[leonh]

thanks guys , phew!!! good to know that there can be light at the end of the tunnel!! routine with this dressage yard and keeping him like he was used to in spain (stabled most of day with turn out increasing gradually) i think is way forward. it blew his mind coming over and the freedom - thats for sure - and hoping his stressy issues (cribbing, weaving, boxwalking etc etc) will ease off FINGERS CROSSED!! lol!! he has such a good heart and isnt aggressive, just super bloody anxious!!! he was gelded in march this year, before i bought him, as he was too small to be a stud (15.1) ... will keep you updated!!

 

[MrsMozart]

Good luck!

Look forward to the updates

 

[Azabache]

Hi there. I bought my boy in Spain with the help of my friends who live out there. They had bought many good horses from the same place and so I knew this yard was legit. I bought him in Dec and left him out there until April. I rode him in Dec, Feb and April and each time he was extremely calm and good natured. One of the reasons I bought him, was for his 'kind' eye. The horse that emerged a few weeks in, once he arrived in the UK was nothing like the one I had seen in Spain. I had a permanant hoof mark on my thigh where he would frequently kick me (luckily he had no hind shoes on). He used to pin me in the corner of the stable with me looking at his back legs, thinking 'oh *****'. In the arena he spent his whole time going backwards and up. At one point I could not even get him to walk forwards at all. He reared up and fell right over once which freaked us both and did seem to reduce the height of his rears thereafter. I can't tell you how many times I cried in frustration and was at my wits end. I'm quite a plucky rider, but don't mind admitting that at times he really frightened me, mainly when I was in the stable with him. It has taken a long hard slog, lots of tears, patience and perserverence, but I would not swap him for the world now. I can muck out around him, with him loose in the stable. We still have the odd tantrum, but not a half hour discussion before he considers walking forwards. I am able to take him out eventing all by myself and people often comment when we are out, at how good he is, which always me smile, 'if only they knew'.
I have no idea what happened to him in Spain. I can't believe that he was abused as I know so many other horses from the yard, but his behaviour would certainly seem to suggest otherwise. The horses are usually looked after and ridden by men in Spain and are kept vey tightly in line. I knew from the day he arrived that I could not let him get away with anything, but I'm only tiny and so I don't have the physical strength or presence that a man has. Suddenly his whole world had been turned upside down and it blew his mind. He is very much, I'll get the first punch in before you can hurt me. At times it was extremely upsetting to see how messed up he was. I'm wittering a bit know, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have had a similar experience, but he came good in the end. Best of luck.

 

[Azabache]

Meant to add. They dont' tend to cut them in Spain. Mine was gelded in Spain, which a Spanish vet (working in the Uk) later said to me 'wasn't that a clue'.

 

[natalia]

First of all I can't believe anyone would buy a horse without even seeing it, or sending someone else independently to see it. They should also have taken the horse back within the first few weeks if it was not the right horse for you, for the horses sake! Thats a lot of money to spend on a horse unseen and untried. Have you had bloods taken and tested from when you got him, just to see if anything off there? I agree he's probably struggling with the routine here but they are meant to be running a professional company, I don't care if their description was "in spain" or not, its still their professional opinion and they should stand by this.

 

[noblesteed]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

Have you tried posting on the BAPSH forum? They were quite helpful to me when I was having problems with my andi x.