Buying 'neglected' horses...should we?

S

Shilasdair

Patting her thylacine
Joined
26 March 2007
Messages
23,686
Location
Daemon from Hades
Visit site
Scenario - you go to look at two horses for sale...one is happy, healthy and sound. The other, though...has overgrown feet, is underweight, and looks neglected.

Which of the two should you buy?
S
smile.gif
 
TBH I would love to buy neglected horses and give them a lovely new life however I am worried if we did this people would still think it was ok to treat horses like this and still get money for them.
So at first I would want to buy the second one but on reflection I would think it may be best to buy the first one......
 
i would buy the sound fit one, all other things being equal - i don't have money to burn after all.
However I have been given some horses to sort out in a similar state, and apart from one in constant pain that had to be PTS, all have improved to the stage where they have been acceptable riding horses, sometimes better than that.

I might consider the poorer horse, but only if it was very cheap so i had some budget left to pay for dentist/chiro/ farrier. etc
 
Only time i wouldn't buy a "sad and sorry" is from a market.....i would begrudge putting money into the meat mans coffers....

but as Rema has said, depends on a few things.....value for money..could it "look" the part once fed/fit etc.
 
That would depend on many things really. Which you prefer? Temperment, conformation, which one suits the purpose you are buying for more, why the neglected one has been neglected? Price etc etc
 
Depends on if it was from a dealer or private home.
A private owner isnt likely to go off and buy another horse t get into the same state, a dealer will just have more cash to spend at te meat man making more profit when he sells them,to go back to the sales/meat man.........
 
I'm such a mug, I would buy the neglected one!!! Not really sensible, though. My last purchase was a little bit like that and has proved challenging, but I wouldn't not have bought him. My head says buy the fit, sound one, but my heart would always go out to the neglected one.
crazy.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Is it not true that if there is a demand, 'the market' will supply it....
So if you buy the neglected horse, you are, in effect, paying someone for their neglect?
Thoughts?!
S
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree which is the point I was trying to make with my post.
 
my head says the fit sound one, and i havent got a heart
smile.gif


sorry though i might feel for a horse, i wouldnt buy it *because* it was neglected, although if it was a promising horse that i thought i could do something with, i might, if it passed the vet.

all things being equal id take the easier fit,sound option, and probably report the neglected animal.
 
[ QUOTE ]
my head says the fit sound one, and i havent got a heart
smile.gif


Best way to be when it comes to horses!
smile.gif


Totally agree about the "supply and demand" theory, but there's so many basket cases out there I don't think you'll ever eradicate the negelctful sellers. The sensible choice will always be the sound, fit one.
 
Well, I bought a neglected horse off a private seller. It was neglected through ignorance and lack of funds as the girl genuinely thought the world of him. I must say it was a shock when I got there as he wasn't advertised as being so scrawny and depressed but I saw through the state he was in and bought him as he seemed everything I was looking for. He's now fully back to health and very happy, although a little livelier than I expected
grin.gif
He didn't cost much so I took the chance and had money for vet, blacksmith, dentist etc.
I could have reported her to the authorities but I doubt they would have done anything, going by stories on here, and she would have sold it to someone else anyway.
 
This has happened to me a few times in life; all times I have taken both horses; kept the one I intended to buy in the first place; given the other one some kind care and attention and then sold it on as a good equine citizen.

I never ever pay full price for a horse that has been neglected though and I have no qualms about saying to the owner that they WILL sell me the neglected horse for a pittance.....they always do.
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Is it not true that if there is a demand, 'the market' will supply it....
So if you buy the neglected horse, you are, in effect, paying someone for their neglect?
Thoughts?!
S
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Not if you know fine well that you are buying the horse for a LOT less than they paid for it!
wink.gif
 
Because if I am buying a horse for $200 then I know fine well the owner paid more.
wink.gif
No horse is less than $300 over here regardless of what it is - because meat money is $600 for a 1,000lb horse.
 
Oh no these people have no option but to sell to me, I make that quite clear when I come across neglect
smile.gif
.
 
No. I quite politely tell then that the SPCA will be contacted immediately and what do they think the SPCA will make of a horse with a halter growing into it's head
smile.gif
. I then, again politely, tell them that I am not leaving without the horse; this works well I find
smile.gif
.
 
i bought the neglected one...

we went from this....
PICT0363.jpg


to this...

PICT1097.jpg

however i wasnt planning on buying a horse when i got him, and he sort of came to me
condition wouldnt put me off but first impressions do count so would obviuosly be more attracted to the better looking one
 
That's a really easy 'Spot the Horse' - he doesn't have his hair in bunchies in the second picture!
Seriously, nice looking horse....did you have problems putting the weight back on him?
S
smile.gif
 
Ah different ideas of what neglected means; sorry I was meaning cruelty rather than underfeeding.

Nice horse - I've had a number of underfed horses and it's always amazing how quickly they come around isn't it.
cool.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top