Bought horse - age incorrect

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hobbit

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Posting on behalf of a friend...she isn't sure what to do, although is adament wants to sell the horse as she didn't want a horse aged 20!

So about 6 weeks ago, she bought a pony advertised as 17years for £500. She said the girl sounded genuine, so she isn't sure if they were lieing or genuinely didn't know age...they said they couldn't find the passport and would hand it over when find it....so now 6 weeks on, they brought the passport down...it was only after they left that she saw the pony was born in 1993...which makes her 20, not 17...

she doesn't know what to do...other than she wants to sell her....

any similar situations and advice on what she can do?

I said to her to tell them that they false advertised and that she either has a few hundred given back to her, as she would never have paid £500 for a 20year old...or that they can have the horse back and return her money...

but is she within her rights to do this....she said it's partly her fault as she bought her without seeing passport...but then again they said they couldn't find it....

I know she'd love some advice, or stories of what people did in a similar situation.
She wants to sell her, but knows at 20years, she's not going to sell her for £500, and will end up making a loss....

Greatly appreciate all help.

Hobbit
 
Poor pony, to me if it was going to do the job required aged 17 it will still do that aged 20, I think it sad that a few years at that time of life means selling on quickly at the bottom end of the market to just move her on.
 
i doubt there's much she can do as she should have checked the passport before purchase. In fairness, i doubt there'd be much difference in price anyway at that sort of age especially as she only paid £500.
 
be positive said:
Poor pony, to me if it was going to do the job required aged 17 it will still do that aged 20, I think it sad that a few years at that time of life means selling on quickly at the bottom end of the market to just move her on.
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I was thinking same re age and job.

If she really doesn't want it I just cut her loses and sell/give away- personally at that end of the age bracket I don't see much difference in 17 and 20yrs particularly for a pony.
 
does the horse do the job and what did she plan to do with it a few years down the line. To be honest I dont think there is much she can do if bought from a private home. Three years at that age is a bit irrelevant any way it is an aged horse and would before passports been sold as such with no specified age from about 15 years old onwards it is just a matter of time until it is aged beyond use a 15 year old can be more crocked than a 30 year old
 
Ditto to be positive, if the horse is still able to do the job you want it to, which I assume isn't 3* eventing or something at that age, then what difference does three years make?
 
If the horse was what she wanted when she tried it and hasn't changed temperament since she got it home, I really can't see what difference 3 years makes. Most equine dentists will tell you that there is very little difference in the dentition of a 17 yr old and a 20 yr old and we all know that horses sometimes live very happily into their 30s but equally can be injured 6 months after you get them.
What is your friend's objection to the horse, other than its age?
 
Is 20 such a horrific age? I got my first pony when she was 17. I later traced an old owner, and it turned out she was 23 ish when we got her. I took her to two pony camps (including senior camp when she was 25, where we rode for 4 hours a day). We paid £750 for her in 1999. She was with us for almost 12 years, and was my best friend.

If she likes the horse, she wouldn't have bought it in the first place, so why the desperation to get rid of it now she's found out it's 3 years older? TBF, that's the better way to find out the age is wrong- nothing like buying a "6y/o" who is actually 3. I had a friend who had a 7y/o on trial...when it turned out to be a psycho when she got it home, she got the vet out, who told her it had been sedated when she tried it and was 7.

I'd say it's taught your friend a lesson about buying a horse without seeing the passport- as much as they're not even worth anything as bog roll, technically, she shouldn't have done it (of course, neither should the seller). Unless they never looked at the passport, it sounds like they knew her real age... but I don't see that your friend has a leg to stand on tbh.

If she likes it, she should keep it. If she doesn't like it, then she shouldn't have bought it in the first place. I fail to see how three years is so drastic.
 
Gosh -tell her to stop worrying about the age. As long as the pony is healthy and fit there should be no problem. She could go on until she is 30 in ridden work - who knows. I currently have a beautiful 4 yr old that can't be ridden as she has ringbone in one fore, yet my 20 yr old cob does regular dressage competitions and fun rides and is ridden at least 5 times a week.
Age actually means little - a horse can break down at any age. Anyway the Golden Oldies are just the best.
 
cool, passed on the messages. think she's keeping her. her mum said exactly the same thing...she's still the same pony as yesterday, just today the age has changed...so she's just going to look at age suitable supplements and just be aware of her age...
 
17...20....not much difference TBH.
As long as the horse is fit and well....what does it matter?

At 17a horse is classed as a veteran anyway, she obviously liked it when she thought it was 17, what has actually changed???

I bought a horse whose passport was a total work of fiction. I thought he was 12, turned out to be more like 19. I had 5 good years with him when he died of something not related to old age specifically....he didn't look act his age and taught me loads.
No...its not what your friend was expecting but TBH I think its awful that she just wants to get rid....

ETA...just read post above, cross posted.
Good.Im glad your friend is keeping....hope she has lots of fun. :).
 
hobbit said:
cool, passed on the messages. think she's keeping her. her mum said exactly the same thing...she's still the same pony as yesterday, just today the age has changed...so she's just going to look at age suitable supplements and just be aware of her age...
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Glad to hear this :)
 
Is what it says in the passport proof of age? And, if so, how did the vet (assuming it WAS a vet! It could just as well have been the breeder) who filled out the details know that the horse was that age?

I doubt whether it is possible to tell the difference between a 17yo and a 20yo from an examination of the teeth as a lot depends on management.
 
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Lesson learnt regarding buying a horse without doing proper checks into age.
Not much difference between a 17year old and a 20 year old. If she had bought a 6 year old that turned out to be 20 then I would be more sympathetic.
I would happily ride a horde that I liked, rehardless of age. My first loan pony was 30! Every horse at my yard is over 15 and all but one still in work. Calm down and enjoy the horse that money was spent on!
 
The best pony I had was sold to me as a 12 yo but was in fact nearer 17!! Didn't have him vetted, never a days lameness and boy did we get up to some stuff!! He won every local show jumping championship and the pony club championships. only realised his true age once sold for a quieter life. He had been used for hacking for about 3 years when he went very stiff. Vet came and diagnosed arthritis and aged him 30 ish!!! My current boy is 17 and does dressage. Intact he goes better now than he ever did!! If your friends horse is safe and sound, as others have said, really can't see the problem. Alot of my friends have older horses and we are all proud of the way our boys look and we all still compete x
 
Passport would have been issued after it was born so could be wrong. 3 years is nothing anyway.

My last horse is a year younger than her passport says and I didn't notice it until years after I'd got the passport and never bothered to change it. I had her from 2yrs old so I know her age.
 
what was she going to do 3 years down the line if the pony had been 17 when she bought it, feel sorry for the pony. I know of 20 yo show jumping mare that competited in Africa A Grade and won the Puissance.
 
hobbit said:
cool, passed on the messages. think she's keeping her. her mum said exactly the same thing...she's still the same pony as yesterday, just today the age has changed...so she's just going to look at age suitable supplements and just be aware of her age...
Click to expand...

Glad of this update :) I was a bit shocked she wanted rid initially for the pony being just 3 years older.
 
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