ablazza
New User
I have recently bought a horse, unseen, from France, and would be interested to hear about other people's experiences of doing this.
Buying horses from France
- Thread starter ablazza
- Start date
severnmiles
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I'd buy one unseen! But I did hear alot of people are buying in France now instead of Ireland - I heard it on the grapevine so nobody shoot me down - that only cr*p is going to the sales in Ireland nowadays and anything half decent is up around the 8-15k range. A guy nearish me goes over with a lorry fairly frequently!
Bertie1
Active Member
I know a lot of people from America buy horses from Europe (Ireland included) and Aus/NZ unseen. Apparently they get sent videos and have lots of discussions with the dealer.
Apparently in the US, they don't have a great choice of sports horses to do dressage/sj/eventing, which is why they might buy one unseen.
Personally, I wouldn't do it as it would be way too risky for me. Unless I was related to the dealer and trusted him or her 100%, and they would have it straight back if I didn't like it!
But that would be such a shame for the horse to have to travel all the way back, poor thing!
Apparently in the US, they don't have a great choice of sports horses to do dressage/sj/eventing, which is why they might buy one unseen.
Personally, I wouldn't do it as it would be way too risky for me. Unless I was related to the dealer and trusted him or her 100%, and they would have it straight back if I didn't like it!
But that would be such a shame for the horse to have to travel all the way back, poor thing!
PeterNatt
Well-Known Member
I do not know your circumstances or relationship with the seller but with my 'Welfare Hat' on I would tell you that there have been a number of reported cases recently where individuals have bought horses 'unseen' and have ended up with big problems with the horses ('Click and buy deals wind up in court' Horse and Hounds Pages 4 & 5 27 July 2006 and 'Dealer Fines for false description' Page 4 & 5 Horse and Hounds 15 June 2006) and even issues in the transporting of them (one horse sadly died) where the purchases was criticised for not ensuring the safe transport of the horse from the vendor to them.
airedale
Well-Known Member
Agree with the above.
Another thing to consider when buying horses from France is that the French don't sell abroad much that they would want to keep.
If you breed a horse in France then you are entitled, as the breeder, to 10% of the horses prizemoney for life - but ONLY so long as the horse remains in France. Once it is sold abroad then the breeders premium ceases.
Hence why lots of sports horses for sale from Holland/Germany but not so many from France, where they tend to keep the good ones to themselves !!
Another thing to consider when buying horses from France is that the French don't sell abroad much that they would want to keep.
If you breed a horse in France then you are entitled, as the breeder, to 10% of the horses prizemoney for life - but ONLY so long as the horse remains in France. Once it is sold abroad then the breeders premium ceases.
Hence why lots of sports horses for sale from Holland/Germany but not so many from France, where they tend to keep the good ones to themselves !!
Bri
Well-Known Member
My YO buys horses from France. But never unseen. As far as I'm aware he's never had a bad experience and he said the french are generally more honest and easier to deal with then English sellers!
ablazza
New User
[ QUOTE ]
I do not know your circumstances or relationship with the seller but with my 'Welfare Hat' on I would tell you that there have been a number of reported cases recently where individuals have bought horses 'unseen' and have ended up with big problems with the horses ('Click and buy deals wind up in court' Horse and Hounds Pages 4 & 5 27 July 2006 and 'Dealer Fines for false description' Page 4 & 5 Horse and Hounds 15 June 2006) and even issues in the transporting of them (one horse sadly died) where the purchases was criticised for not ensuring the safe transport of the horse from the vendor to them.
[/ QUOTE ]
Sadly this has been the experience of myself and a friend whose horse came over on the same lorry as mine. Several horses in the lorry had sustained injuries on the journey, including my friend's and we had to call out an emergency vet for one of the ones left on the lorry who injured itself while we were there. My friend was left to pick up the tab for hers, which had arrived with an infected wound to its leg as well as a serious long-standing back injury. Neither of the horses have proved to be remotely what we specified, and now the dealers, who incidentally were British, have gone to ground and have not responded to our complaints. We are hoping to find other customers, of whom I feel sure there are many, who have found themselves in a similar situation.
I do not know your circumstances or relationship with the seller but with my 'Welfare Hat' on I would tell you that there have been a number of reported cases recently where individuals have bought horses 'unseen' and have ended up with big problems with the horses ('Click and buy deals wind up in court' Horse and Hounds Pages 4 & 5 27 July 2006 and 'Dealer Fines for false description' Page 4 & 5 Horse and Hounds 15 June 2006) and even issues in the transporting of them (one horse sadly died) where the purchases was criticised for not ensuring the safe transport of the horse from the vendor to them.
[/ QUOTE ]
Sadly this has been the experience of myself and a friend whose horse came over on the same lorry as mine. Several horses in the lorry had sustained injuries on the journey, including my friend's and we had to call out an emergency vet for one of the ones left on the lorry who injured itself while we were there. My friend was left to pick up the tab for hers, which had arrived with an infected wound to its leg as well as a serious long-standing back injury. Neither of the horses have proved to be remotely what we specified, and now the dealers, who incidentally were British, have gone to ground and have not responded to our complaints. We are hoping to find other customers, of whom I feel sure there are many, who have found themselves in a similar situation.
Parkranger
Well-Known Member
Decent horses can be brought out of Ireland but I think that they mostly get snapped up by dealers, hence there not being much left!
When does the horse arrive?
When does the horse arrive?