buying unseen -WDYT ?

[stormox]

I have just been reading through posts on facebook sites.

A few comments made me think 'would I buy unseen' and the answer is no.

But it seems a lot of people think differently. Some of the comments are:
From dealers on adverts 'honestly described to the unseen buyer'........ 'includes transport. No money due until delivered'.........'no viewing necessary. Buy unseen with confidence'...

From buyers 'Its a different world now. Most people buy unseen'........ 'Every time Ive arranged to view a horse the seller has messaged me its sold to an unseen buyer'......'I bought unseen from xxxx and the horse is a bit greener than described but fine'........ and there are also some dissatisfied unseen buyers too!!

Is buying unseen really that common?Are people these days too lazy to go and look? Too short of time? Just gamblers at heart?

 

[Fiona]

Personally I wouldn't, unless it was on the recommendation of a friend I trusted, and I would still have the potential horse comprehensively vetted by a vet of my choosing.

My last two horses didn't come from round the corner (3 hrs and 4 hrs) so definitely willing to travel within reason for the right horse.

Fiona

 

[Michen]

I bought unseen. Purely because I had just lost my horse of a lifetime and needed something in the stable before I lost my mind, but I just couldn't go looking for a horse hoping for some sort of connection so purchased a well bred Irish project. I'd do it again, though this horse has been far from easy in every way possible!

I wouldn't buy a horse that I intended to keep unseen though

 

[Damnation]

I wouldn't.

My friend bought a horse unseen. Had seen videos of him hacking down busy roads and he looked quiet.

You absolutely cannot hack him out (bit useless for a happy hacker) - she's had some very good riders on him and he has a massive issue with cars, probably doped for the videos....

 

[BallyJ]

I have just made a new purchase (subject to vetting) and seriously thought long and hard about buying unseen, i have never experienced the market as it is currently.

Over a total of 9 horses I viewed 3 - the 3rd i bought. 5 of those horses were bought the day before or day of my viewing even when i had booked the Thurs/Fri to view the Saturday. 1 i cancelled after buying the one i bought, usually i would have viewed the last horse anyway as another option and to compare against each other but the market is going so quickly at the moment that horses are basically being sold out from underneath you.

i would like to add i ended up stretching my budget considerably to get just above the usual 'hobby horse' price bracket in the hopes I could get to see one!

So in the long and short - i can understand why people are buying unseen, I decided it wasn't for me as i'm not looking for a horse that i would want to sell. But i do think dealers are using this against buyers in a hope they will panic buy in a hurry without going through the usual vigorous checks

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I would (and have) something unbacked but would want to ride something that I wanted to ride. The one I bought unseen as a youngster didnt work out but then he wouldnt have anyway.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

We have. I got Flint unseen as he was in Devon - we are in Scotland but his show record and pictures (in the days before you could send video online!) Were more than enough! He has been the best pony I have ever had! My darty was bought unseen. He was a 3yo gelding straight off the Moor from a reputable stud with impeccable bloodlines. He did not disappoint other than I am the only one who can ride him!

The Wee Coloured Job was bought online from he sales based on a dodgy picture of him at 3 months old at an angle from behind. But when buying so young and for such little money (35gns) you take the gamble.

It depends on what you want as to whether you are willing to buy unseen. Youngsters I would. Ridden horses not so much these days.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I just sold a pony unseen. Though I insisted on seeing photos of where he was going and on them coming up to collect him so I could meet them. I tried to dissuade them as I could not see how anyone would buy a pony for a child unseen. But they were 5 hours away, could not get there for a few weeks and I had a queue of people wanting to view so they took a chance and paid a deposit non refundable unless he was not as described when they came to pick him up. They adore him and he was exactly as they expected him to be so I guess it can work ok for some. I did have over an hour of video footage in all situations, Pony Club references, competition record and full history which reassured them I think.

 

[Annagain]

I wouldn't personally as I don't feel I have the skill, confidence or inclination to deal with a young, green project horse and that's the only type of horse I think lends itself to being bought unseen. The sort of horse I would want - a decent riding club all rounder that I could get out and do things with pretty much straight away is one that's going to have to be pretty carefully chosen.

 

[SpringArising]

I have and would again but only because I buy cheap projects.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I wouldn't. Not only am I not brave enough, I'm also not hard nosed enough to move it on or shoot it if it didn't measure up to expectations.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I think cos my memory isn’t great and this is over quite a few years. Bought 9 unseen and 6 seen. None of them have been anything other than I expected, except 1 unseen one was a hand smaller and every single one of them, was better than described.

Of the 9 unseen I lost 1 to EGS, 4 are outgrown and sold on successfully, 4 are here and in full work, 3 are kids ponies 1 is my new cob. Of the 6 seen I lost 1 to EGS, 1 still here, 4 sold on successfully.

Over all, the unseen ones have been by far the most successful horses for me and my daughter.

 

[ycbm]

My current fantastic sports cob was bought unseen. I've bought two Shetlands unseen. And a 16.2 skewbald lightweight with an attitude problem caused by a sore back, who I sorted and made a two grand profit on. I've also bought over ten untried and unwarranted from auction or private sellers, which is not much different than buying unseen.

My rules are that I don't buy anything costing more than I can afford to lose. I don't buy anything that I would not be prepared to put down of it proves to be so broken mentally or physically that it can't safely be sold. And I don't buy anything which isn't going to be slap bang in the right price, size, and ability range for the average rider in case I want to sell it.

I've put one down because it had behavioral issues that the seller did not disclose until after it had nearly killed me. But that only cost one pound, so only the PTS fee lost. They rest I mostly made a bit of profit on. Some turned out to be good performers and I made a substantial profit after breaking or retraining them and getting a competition record on some of them.

I would buy unseen again within my rules.

 

[Sparemare]

No, I have a terrible eye for horses. Can't spot a lame horse in a video even if one leg is chopped off to be honest. So certainly wouldn't trust buying unseen. I need a second opinion Of a friend at a viewing and a five star vetting for anything I'm buying.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Yes, have brought a number unseen, all through breeders, so have been purchased on their breeding with a view to backing and producing on.
Never bought a ridden one unseen tho, as that's not my way.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Duplicate post......

 

[meleeka]

No I wouldn’t.

On be flip side I don’t think I’d sell to someone I hadn’t met either (have never sold so hypothetically speaking). I’d want to be happy they were going someone nice. I can understand it from a dealer, but I bet they bring more than their fair share of problems.

 

[spacefaer]

We have done, to a certain extent, but we buy off known sources in Ireland, frequently get a friend to see it for us, and have a comprehensive 5 stage vetting done. We only buy unseen at a price we can afford to gamble if it's not as described.

We've only had one "unseen" (but checked over by a local friend), go wrong with unforeseen soundness issues

But other than that, it's gone well. But, OH and I have masses of experience between us, can spot a lame horse at 100 paces, and know exactly the type that we like - we don't buy random nice horses, but very specific ones, with known breeding and performance.

If I were an amateur, I wouldn't even consider it - too many pitfalls, too many wrongly (inadvertently or otherwise) described horses - it's a minefield.

If we are spending "decent" money, we go and look, and have a sit on, ourselves. That's the only way to know if an individual horse is for you imho.

 

[minesadouble]

I've bought 3 unseen, 1 ex racehorse as a first 'horse' (after ponies) for my eldest daughter, a yearling sec A with a good show record and a schoolmaster LR/FR all vetted, all as described all worked out fine

 

[catroo]

I have bought unseen on a few occasions, normally from breeders though and as youngsters so there's less chance of it being different vs expectations.

One adult mare (5yrs) I bought without seeing a recent photo or anything, I'd judged her as a youngster at a show and loved her. She really caught my eye and had fantastic blood lines so I remembered the name and when she came up for sale I secured her within an hour. She is just as fab as I remember

 

[Vodkagirly]

I know 2 people who buy unseen. Both have a collection of pretty, allegedly talented ponies standing in a field, rarely riden. Draw your own conclusions.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I know 2 people who buy unseen. Both have a collection of pretty, allegedly talented ponies standing in a field, rarely riden. Draw your own conclusions.

Go to most livery yards and you’ll see various collections of horses doing nothing and costing their owners a fortune.

 

[rascal]

I would not buy unseen, and on the rare occasions we have sold, would not allow anyone we had not seen handle/ride the horse to buy one.

 

[RedDevlin]

I was shopping for a been there done it type after my last boy ruined my confidence. I ended up buying a 3yo mare from Newbury (a fair distance from South West Wales). Lucky for me my livery yard owner was also her breeder. The lady selling her was honest and I could tell from speaking to her that it was a heartbreaking decision for her.

Travelled four hours in the lorry and came home with my baby horse. Best decision I ever made.

https://www.facebook.com/lisa.jadee...98893035209.1073741860.100003753166929&type=3

 

[JustMe22]

I bought my current horse from a racing sales auction so although I "saw" him it was for about 30 seconds in the auction ring, just in walk, and obviously completely unvetted. Not that I necessarily think that is the smartest or most efficient way to buy a horse!

In fact, I swore I would actually ride a horse before I bought as the previous one was bought from a stable with no ride or trot up etc as he'd just had a 6 hour long journey in an open cattle truck from the racetrack to the dealers yard.

 

[rowan666]

I have and would again but only because I buy cheap projects.

Same here.. don't buy what you can't afford to lose, simple

 

[stormox]

Same here.. don't buy what you can't afford to lose, simple

I dont think that is the right attitude. You are actually encouraging dodgy dealers to sell sick or lame or unrideable horses to the gullible and the 'I can afford to lose' brigade, just lining the pockets of the unscrupulous.

 

[Leo Walker]

I dont think that is the right attitude. You are actually encouraging dodgy dealers to sell sick or lame or unrideable horses to the gullible and the 'I can afford to lose' brigade, just lining the pockets of the unscrupulous.

How? I'll bet these horses arent actually coming from bin end dealers but are instead coming from private homes that cant cope. Therefore stopping the bin end dealers buying them and misselling them. A win on very level surely?

 

[stormox]

How? I'll bet these horses arent actually coming from bin end dealers but are instead coming from private homes that cant cope. Therefore stopping the bin end dealers buying them and misselling them. A win on very level surely?

No because once the new owner finds out they are sick lame or unrideable they sell them on or swap them back with the dealer.
Who wants to keep a sick lame or dangerous horse? They shouldnt have been sold they should be put down by 'the owner who couldnt cope'. (I am not talking about people who overhorse themselves here).
And an awful lot of these horses do come from unscrupulous dealers - just read the dodgy dealer sites and see!!!

 

[Antw23uk]

I would if it was a young unbacked youngster or a foal but with two great horses already I wouldnt buy unseen for anything under saddle.