Bargain horse UPDATE

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JoJo_

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I went to see the horse today and he looks really nice. A bit overweight cuz of being out of work for a bit but not too bad. Nice temperament and the owner rode him in a dim lit water logged arena and he didnt spook really at all. Took him over a jump a couple times and he took a bit of a look cuz of the shadows but still went over them. I was happy to let my friend put a deposit down but i've told her previously to get a 5 stage vetting with any horse she wants to go for.

So we told them we want to put a deposit down subject to a 5 stage vetting and the girl was a bit concerned that she wouldnt have a rider during the week for it but said her mum could lunge the horse for it if that was allowed. She then spoke about a man who is coming to view him for his granddaughter on thurs. My friend spoke to the owner's dad on the phone who basically said he wasnt wanting a deposit but that the guy viewing him on thurs would get him if he comes up with the money before my friend can arrange the vetting!!

I was annoyed about this. If they dont have worries about the horse passing a vetting then shouldnt they consider him sold? I was put off by this a lot. My friend is going to arrange a vetting for as soon as possible but if this other guy wants him and comes up with the money first then she will lose him. Its not right
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The horse doesn't have to be ridden for the 5 stage vetting, lunging is okay.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/best/article.php?aid=47193

It's frustrating, but I can understand the owner saying he will sell to the first person who offers the money. The market is slow at the moment, so to turn down a definite buyer in preference to one aranging a vetting would be so risky.

Perhaps your friend can phone around several vets to arrange a vetting before Thursday?
 
Hmmm, this attitude would worry me tbh. It could be that they are just really desperate for the money (hence why the horse was cheap) or it could be their way of trying to sell the horse without being vetted (again, why it could be cheap?!)...
If I was your friend its hard but I would arrange the vetting (with my vet or one I chose!) be there for the vetting and if this other guy buys the horse from under her nose without the vetting then more fool him and theres plenty more fish in the sea!
Just dont let her be pressured, if its meant to be, it will be.
 
I too can understand there point. Far easier to deal with those not worried about a vetting!

Lunging can be okay but depends on the vet - has your friend asked herself why she is bothering with a vetting?! It only counts for that one day - for such a cheap horse far better just to get it insured!
 
Sounds like typical dealer talk to me on their part. It does make you wonder if they are hiding something though,especially given as they supposedly have someone coming in a couple of days time to try him which is a common dealer trick in order to try to get you to buy without a vetting.
 
Agree with firewall. I hope Im wrong but I get the impression the seller wanted your friend to part with her money now. Why has the horse been out of work?? Is it through injury which would seem right with a nice BSJA winning horse going cheap and owner pushing sale without a vetting. Please tell your friend to stick to her guns and have the vetting, even if he does sell before hand, it could be a lucky escape.
Fingers crossed it works out.
 
It just worried me because up till that point there didnt appear to be anything to worry about. I felt like they were trying to put on some pressure but told my friend to still def get a vetting. She's just a bit disappointed now. She's worried she wont manage to get a vetting before thursday and if she does then she's worried he will fail and it will be a £250 down the drain.

I can understand that he doesnt want to miss out on a sale so wont tell the guy not to come on thurs but if they were confident that he'd pass a 5 stage then they could consider him sold and take a deposit so they can be sure my friend wont back out...
 
why waste money on a vetting? - if your friend likes the horse and its right - buy it and insure it! a vetting only counts on that day! you could check with the BSJA to see if it has any significant time off.
 
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I too can understand there point. Far easier to deal with those not worried about a vetting!

Lunging can be okay but depends on the vet - has your friend asked herself why she is bothering with a vetting?! It only counts for that one day - for such a cheap horse far better just to get it insured!

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I wouldnt buy a horse without some sort of vetting and I told her to go with the 5 stage especially for this one as I am very unsure about a showjumper being sold so cheap. The only reason I didnt get a 5stage for my mare was because she had one a year ago so I got a two stage instead.
 
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Agree with firewall. I hope Im wrong but I get the impression the seller wanted your friend to part with her money now. Why has the horse been out of work?? Is it through injury which would seem right with a nice BSJA winning horse going cheap and owner pushing sale without a vetting. Please tell your friend to stick to her guns and have the vetting, even if he does sell before hand, it could be a lucky escape.
Fingers crossed it works out.

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The owner said she doesnt have time for him as she has two others she show jumps and events so hes being wasted where he is now. She said he could go out competing tomorrow jumping 1.15 happily.
 
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why waste money on a vetting? - if your friend likes the horse and its right - buy it and insure it! a vetting only counts on that day! you could check with the BSJA to see if it has any significant time off.

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I beg to differ. Much better to spend £250 and the horse fail then and there rather than taking it home, becoming attatched and finding out it has something that will cost you £££££'s
 
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I beg to differ. Much better to spend £250 and the horse fail then and there rather than taking it home, becoming attatched and finding out it has something that will cost you £££££'s

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I agree. My friend wants a horse she can keeps for years and years and have a lot of enjoyment from. Not to find out in some months time that he has some condition which will cost her or could make him unrideable. I know the vetting is only good on the day but it could find problems or potential ones. I think vettings are worth it even if the horse is below 3k.
 
Well, if your friend wants the vetting more than the horse, then she should go ahead! Sometimes to get a bargain you have to move quick. You can often tell just as much as a two stage vetting by your own assessment. Personally I wouldn't bother with the vetting if there are no red flags and I think the owners are entirely entitled to take the first offer with no conditions attached. Whats the point in them keeping a horse in a stable all week with no rider? Alternatively, if your friend is that keen, surely she can arrange a vetting sooner with a different vet?
 
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I went to see the horse today and he looks really nice. A bit overweight cuz of being out of work for a bit but not too bad. Nice temperament and the owner rode him in a dim lit water logged arena and he didnt spook really at all. Took him over a jump a couple times and he took a bit of a look cuz of the shadows but still went over them. I was happy to let my friend put a deposit down but i've told her previously to get a 5 stage vetting with any horse she wants to go for.

So we told them we want to put a deposit down subject to a 5 stage vetting and the girl was a bit concerned that she wouldnt have a rider during the week for it but said her mum could lunge the horse for it if that was allowed. She then spoke about a man who is coming to view him for his granddaughter on thurs. My friend spoke to the owner's dad on the phone who basically said he wasnt wanting a deposit but that the guy viewing him on thurs would get him if he comes up with the money before my friend can arrange the vetting!!

I was annoyed about this. If they dont have worries about the horse passing a vetting then shouldnt they consider him sold? I was put off by this a lot. My friend is going to arrange a vetting for as soon as possible but if this other guy wants him and comes up with the money first then she will lose him. Its not right
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I really can't see why you should be annoyed that someone selling a horse would prefer to sell to the first person that comes up with the cash. Having said that, try to arrange the vetting before Thursday - otherwise your friend needs to take the decision to either part with her cash first or have the vet on standby if the other potential buyer decides not to buy on the day.

Of course there may be nobody else! in which case - go ahead with the vetting, but, as has already been mentioned a vetting is very much -" in my opinion, on the day." Oh, and there are very few real "bargin horses" out there nowadays.

You normally really do get what you pay for - as in - if it seems too good to be true ...............................

Good luck.
 
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why waste money on a vetting? - if your friend likes the horse and its right - buy it and insure it! a vetting only counts on that day! you could check with the BSJA to see if it has any significant time off.

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I beg to differ. Much better to spend £250 and the horse fail then and there rather than taking it home, becoming attatched and finding out it has something that will cost you £££££'s

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I agree. Also, if you do buy a horse without a vetting now and insure it you may well have problems if you need to claim as it is quite normal now for ins companys to try and say it is a pre existing condition and exclude. If you have no vet cert from purchase you may have problems.
 
Absoloutely get a vetting with a too good to be true horse.
Surprised anyone is recommending not to especially without knowing the buyers experience :S
 
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why waste money on a vetting? - if your friend likes the horse and its right - buy it and insure it! a vetting only counts on that day! you could check with the BSJA to see if it has any significant time off.

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I beg to differ. Much better to spend £250 and the horse fail then and there rather than taking it home, becoming attatched and finding out it has something that will cost you £££££'s

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I agree. Also, if you do buy a horse without a vetting now and insure it you may well have problems if you need to claim as it is quite normal now for ins companys to try and say it is a pre existing condition and exclude. If you have no vet cert from purchase you may have problems.

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It depends on the insurance company - I have only ever had 2 horses vetted - a long time ago! Never again and have never had any problems with insuring them or claiming when I had to! I personally wouldn't waste my money especially on such a cheap horse! It is worse if the horse fails on something minor and you still chose to buy! then they exclude! (happened with one i sold!)
 
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Absoloutely get a vetting with a too good to be true horse.
Surprised anyone is recommending not to especially without knowing the buyers experience :S

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Agree with this. This horse could have anything wrong could have been drugged upto the eyes before your visit. If they don't want a vet visit then there's a reason.
 
I wouldnt be sceptical if they do just want the money ASAP.
I can understand them taking the first money that comes their way in this market.

However if they have said they dont want a vetting then alarm bells would ring then - but as you have described it i think they just want the money asap.

I never say a horse is sold unless i have the money in my hand and its on the lorry ready to go.
 
Id get the vetting if the horse sounds a bit to good to be true.if nothing else you have bloodworks in case of a sedative and in the case of a showjumper id be worried about lameness issues..
If the horse is good why is it so cheap and out of work...

But im not surprized about there reaction letting others try him out.Sales often fall through it makes sense that they want more than one person to see the horse
...but since deposit is subject to vetting id be a bit wary...

Still might be a diamond in the rough for your friend!
 
Personally I'd get a vetting..also, not sure if your friend has owned a horse before but as I found if you've not owned a horse so not been insured before, when you ask for insurance quotes some insurers sucked their breath in and said you need a 5 stage vetting (this was for pony under £3K )
 
why on earth would you be annoyed with the seller???

it makes total, logical sense that the first person to come up with the full asking price gets to buy the horse.

why you think the seller should hold the horse for our friend is beyond me.

tell your friend to arrange the vetting for wednesday and the problem is solved.
 
I say if a vetting will bring you peace of mind then get it done. However I don't blame the owners for their approach, especially the way the market is today - no one is in a position to turn away potential buyers and from experience I know that until you have the full asking price in your hand the horse isn't sold.
 
1st come first served - once the money is in hand its sold.

IMO
they shouldnt have taken the deposit thou if they are letting people see it. but if its cheap why bother with the vetting? buy it - ride it. if it breaks that was teh reason it was cheap............ you get nothing cheap really these days.

personally never had one vetted - never will.
i sold a horse to america and you dont even want to hear the bull***** the vets talk about when they think you cant hear! (or maybe that was the vet that came to vet the horse! lol)

take a knowledgable friend, flex test it, go over it well - and all but heart, bloods n eyes. also if your friend wants to buy it ...... and it turns out wrong for her - someone else will buy it from her!!

im afraid the world of horse selling isnt a nice place to be
 
Personally I am not experienced enough to risk buying a horse without getting it vetted, depending on the price would depend whether or not I got it 5 stage vetted, it would concern me if a seller wasnt keen on me getting one, it would ring bells very loudly!! When I have bought horses it's normal to leave a 10% deposit which holds the horse until the vetting's been done, if horse fails vetting you're money's refunded. Hope your friend sorts it out, but honestly if she's wanting to get horse vetted I wouldnt let the seller bully me into just handing my money over, it costs a lot to keep a horse that you cant ride, I should know got enough of them here.
 
Ditto getting vetted .At least it will give a rough idea if broken (hopefully).
Think its ok to say don't vet for a bargain buy it if it turns out wrong you haven't paid a lot but the horse will still need looked after if you decide to keep it or in short term if you decide to sell it to some poor unsuspecting soul or pts if approriate(still money).
Always think its not so much the buying of a horse its the cost of keeping it.
Are you sure there another 'buyer'?Don't know how many time I've heard folk pull that one.Not saying there not but can be used to pressure you into buying.
 
mmmm, I'm not a fan of vettings as they're only as useful as the day they're done.

If they're wlling to let him go to the first person with the cash that tells me that there's something fishy going on.

I wouldn't buy a house as owners refused to take it off the market once they'd agreed my offer. I won't do business with people who are just out for the cash and are not honarable.

I'd walk away to be honest. as HH says, if you lunge a horse on a tight circle you're likely to see any lameness issues and seeing him ridden should flag up any lamness etc. I just don't like the way they're trying to push your friend into 'getting their first' as there is absolutely no guarantee the other guy will buy.
 
this whole only as useful as the day they're done
-does this include cataracts/blindness often picked up by a vet?
-lameness that the inexperienced often don't spot?
-blood samples that can be retrieved if the horse turns into a looney having been sedated?
-breathing issues such as whistling etc.

All issues that will not change from day to day (or unlikely to anyway!)

All things that perhaps some would feel experienced enough to spot-however noone on this thread unless I'm mistaken has any idea how experienced the buyer is?
Re:the people not being honourable etc.- that would be grand...if all buyers were honourable. In the horse buying world you soon learn that until the horse is on the lorry a sale is not guaranteed..
 
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this whole only as useful as the day they're done
-does this include cataracts/blindness often picked up by a vet?
-lameness that the inexperienced often don't spot?
-blood samples that can be retrieved if the horse turns into a looney having been sedated?
-breathing issues such as whistling etc.

All issues that will not change from day to day (or unlikely to anyway!)

All things that perhaps some would feel experienced enough to spot-however noone on this thread unless I'm mistaken has any idea how experienced the buyer is?
Re:the people not being honourable etc.- that would be grand...if all buyers were honourable. In the horse buying world you soon learn that until the horse is on the lorry a sale is not guaranteed..

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My horse was not blind in one eye at vetting but was when I took delivery. An accident can happen 30 mins after a vetting......

He was also not picked up as having spavins so I completely disagree with you!!!
 
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