Buying unseen ... tell me your good and bad experiences

[Expo]

I would want to ride the horse myself as well. I do not enjoy the way some horses move especially as my back is sometimes quite bad and thats before all the other things that could be wrong.

Very good point .... my back isn't always the best (getting on a bit, sadly!) ... hadn't thought of how the horse moves.

 

[ycbm]

Very good point .... my back isn't always the best (getting on a bit, sadly!) ... hadn't thought of how the horse moves.

There are any number of things you might not actually like when a horse bought unseen arrives. You probably shouldn't even think about doing it unless you are prepared to sell on quickly, possibly at a considerable loss.

How sure are you that the dealer honours their 30 day return policy?
.

 

[Expo]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Some positive and some negative experiences. It seems like the success stories are wildly successful and the failures have been pretty catastrophic .... I think I'll pass on this one and look for something a bit closer to home, but clearly there are success stories out there. Onwards and upwards ... Bob's new pal is out there somewhere ....

 

[Berpisc]

Good luck, keep looking,like you say there will be one out there somewhere.

 

[Trouper]

I am sure you will find the "right one" soon - or he will find you!

My only concern about dealers is that a 30-day return is OK in principle but is that a 30-day return with my money or just the opportunity to pick another one from his stock? I would want some written confirmation of just what the policy meant.

 

[Expo]

I am sure you will find the "right one" soon - or he will find you!

My only concern about dealers is that a 30-day return is OK in principle but is that a 30-day return with my money or just the opportunity to pick another one from his stock? I would want some written confirmation of just what the policy meant.

Another very good point!! I guess they don't call it horse trading for nothing!!

 

[spacefaer]

@Expo might be an idea if you outline which part of the country you are looking in, and what you are looking for .... Someone on here might have exactly what you want ..... ,?

 

[Expo]

@Expo might be an idea if you outline which part of the country you are looking in, and what you are looking for .... Someone on here might have exactly what you want ..... ,?

Good thought ... I'm looking in a 25mile radius of Derby/Burton on Trent, so South Derbyshire, Staffs, Leicestershire, bits of Warwickshire and possibly bits of Notts. Hope that's allowed!!

 

[ycbm]

That's a very tight circle, 25 miles. Derby/Burton is only an hour from me and I'm at least twice that distance from you. You are severely limiting your choice of horses. If you double your radius then you multiply your search area by over 4 times the size.
.

 

[2ndtimearound]

Good thought ... I'm looking in a 25mile radius of Derby/Burton on Trent, so South Derbyshire, Staffs, Leicestershire, bits of Warwickshire and possibly bits of Notts. Hope that's allowed!!

I drive that far from Burton every Saturday morning to go riding (as I don't have my own)! Sometimes twice a week if I can manage it. And I can do that in 35 minutes on a good day, so it's not really that far at all (unless you are a very nervous driver, of course). Given how good the transport links are around here (unless you're stuck behind yet another accident on the A38), I'd agree with ycbm that it seems a really small radius. But of course, it's still your call, Expo (only you truly know your circumstances). And I will keep my ears open for you!

 

[Ratface]

Where are you and where's the horse?
Could you ask an experienced HHOer to give the horse a once over for you? With some live WhatsApp videos?

I'd also check out the dealer on some of the numerous Dodgy Dealer FB pages.

Excellent advice. I've been very lucky. The only horse I bought unseen ( a bag of bones Arabian horse being sold from N. Ireland) had started life as a beautifully bred S.E. born at a highly respected breeder's stud. He'd been sold, became a failed vanity project, then sold on to a film company who had used him disgracefully, broken him (literally - brought down in an TV film episode of Lord of The Rings which required horses to look as if they had been killed in battle) and then re-sold on again to a dealer in Belfast to try to recover his price.
I had all sorts of aggravation. I had to threaten the vet with the RCVS because he refused to do a 5-stage vetting prior to the horse being put on a ferry at Dun Laoghaire (sorry for the lack of accent over the u). He was worried that the then owner would be angry if the findings would reduce the price paid. It did, but the dealer agreed the price anyway.
Ten days later, an exhausted dreadfully thin horse staggered down the ramp into our yard. He'd come straight from landing at Liverpool, no rest in any lairage and come the length of the UK beforehand. Broken in body, mind and spirit. It took more than a year to mend him. He was, and still is a complete star. Sharp, opinionated, flouncy and an all-round winner. Not a bad bone in him. He took me to dressage, endurance, showjumping and RC competitions. We won/placed in almost everything we did. He made up for my assorted frailties and we had a ball. For the last many years he's been with a friend in the North East (UK). They continue to succeed in everything they do, and he has a home for life. Any older reader of ArabianLines may remember him as "A the P".

 

[Ratface]

The moral of the above is - "don't read adverts for horses during lunch at your office desk!"

 

[Expo]

That's a very tight circle, 25 miles. Derby/Burton is only an hour from me and I'm at least twice that distance from you. You are severely limiting your choice of horses. If you double your radius then you multiply your search area by over 4 times the size.
.

Yes, I think you're right. Need to look further afield .... its just the thought of trekking miles to look at a potential match, only to find I've wasted my time and it's not "the one" for whatever reason.

 

[dimavenilibfrey]

Well, I'll tell the story of my one and only unseen horse. Last year I was looking to buy a youngster as my old girl was due an easier life (still plodding on but comfortably enjoying semi-retirement atm!), it felt very difficult as it was my first time being in charge of buying (old girl was bought 8 years ago when I was a teenager), finding something in my budget was hard enough, I expanded my search radius and was prepared to do overnight trips to look at horses but no viewing ever went ahead as the horse always seemed to sell just a day/days before I'd booked to view. Finally, got in touch with the lady I'd bought my semi-retiree from, who has become my horse of a lifetime so I thought I'd give a dealer another go, she's out of the dealing business but knew of a little mare in NI who was in terrible condition and needed some love and work, a friend of hers who transports horses from NI to UK had met her, tried her and was certain she'd be good for someone, he was just desperate to get her off the dealers yard. It all happened very quickly and after initially saying no way I won't be buying unseen, she sent me a picture of the mare anyway. The state of the poor thing I couldn't say no! The transporter man said he'd buy her from the dealer and bring her over to give me a trial as long as I covered transport costs, then at the very least he could get her sold in the UK as he was certain she'd sell. Within a week she arrived, the '15.2 5 year old' turned out to be 14.3 and 3 (which was actually a relief because seeing her in person I was horrified at how a 5 year old could look like that). No big deal, I was happy with a youngster and at least I knew she was broken, plus 15.2 was my max height so, while a bit of a mess, all worked out for the best really. Her personality was as described, a very genuine and quiet horse. She's now 15.1 and 4 and has had a summer of fun trying new things, she takes absolutely everything in her stride and I'm yet to find something to phase her. She's an absolute star and I'm glad I took the gamble.

However, she was relatively inexpensive compared to some horses nowadays and for only a transport fee I wasn't losing much, and at least felt like worst comes to worse I've helped get this horse a chance at a good home, and even if things had gone wrong and she wasn't what I wanted after buying her, due to her breeding I knew I'd be able to work on her a little and get her into good condition and sell her on for likely more than I paid. I also felt confident in my abilities to work with whatever came off the lorry, even if it didn't end up being forever.

Really, you have to decide if it all goes to pot can you stand to lose a bit of money on selling this horse on? Or, is it a horse that even if not the right fit, you have the ability and time to do a bit of work and sell on for the same/more than what you paid? Horses are selling at the minute, so as long as no glaring issues you would always be able to sell on, but that may not be something you want to deal with which is absolutely fair enough (this is assuming you kept beyond the 30-days or the return policy isn't suitable, i.e trade for another horse - which is the deal I got with the aforementioned semi-retiree and is common, luckily I didn't trade her in!)

Either way, hope you find your perfect next horse, when its meant to be it'll be, sometimes it just takes longer than we'd all like!

 

[Squeak]

Yes, I think you're right. Need to look further afield .... its just the thought of trekking miles to look at a potential match, only to find I've wasted my time and it's not "the one" for whatever reason.

You might get lucky and find one really close but I've often had to drive a couple of hours each way to look at horses. It's helpful if you can get some good videos and speak to the owner properly before committing to the drive but inevitably you will end up with some longer drives for a horse that isn't right.

 

[J&S]

Or, is it a horse that even if not the right fit, you have the ability and time to do a bit of work and sell on for the same/more than what you paid?

This would be the crux of the matter in my mind. You need to be confident that you can deal with what ever comes of the lorry, and have the facilities/help that might be required.

 

[Leandy]

I don't have a story to tell because I would absolutely never buy unseen for my one and only horse for me. Buying unseen is for those who are prepared to ride and deal with what comes and sell on if it is not for them or for unstarted youngstock where there is less to go wrong and how they will be ridden is unknown in any event. For your one and only horse to get back into riding, I would not even consider it. You need something that is a match for you in ability, way of going, how it is to handle and temperament and above all, which you like and are excited about. You cannot test this unless you try. It doesn't matter how good the dealer is, he/she does not know you and even if the horse is exactly as described that does not make it ideal for you.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I think I’d wet myself buying unseen. What if a different horse was unloaded? Or it died the day after like an horrific story I read recently? (Hadn’t been fed, had swallowed part of a hay net or something?) Also, even if an HHO pal rode/approved it, you might hate it. It’s a huge investment and for someone like me, only has one horse, rides for pleasure only, spends a lot of time with the horse because he’s my ‘big dog’, I’d say it’s worth the time/petrol to visit.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I took a loan on unseen with a view to buy. Young pony with no miles on the clock. She's still here 4 years later, though outgrown and needs a new person! Would I do it again? Possibly not a ridden one. I would take a punt at a youngster though.