Buying Unseen

[Whoopit]

Morning!

Has anyone bought unseen before? From anywhere- Ireland, France, Poland, Germany etc?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Yes, from Spain.


You really need a keen eye and to be able to "read between the lines" so to speak. As well as being comfortable with a certain level of risk. I don't recommend it for most people.

 

[ycbm]

From other parts of England, twice. Plus several from unwarranted auctions which is about as close to unseen as you can get. I've also sold three unseen.

I wouldn't spend money I can't afford to lose, and I'm always prepared to sell or even to pts if the horse isn't right.
.

 

[shortstuff99]

I would buy young stock unseen but not a riding horse, too much risk for me!

 

[ihatework]

Yes but I wouldn’t be in a rush to do it again. Nothing has been a disaster, all broadly as described but they haven’t been horses I wanted to work with and wouldn’t have bought them had I seen them in the flesh. I’ve come to realise I have quite a strong gut feel/chemistry when I see a horse and feeling that is my priority now

 

[Whoopit]

Hmmm ok. So I feel it’s a genuine advert rather than scam. Response isn’t overwhelmingly to doing it! ?

 

[Asha]

Yep, ive bought unseen from ireland/UK. Just youngsters though. I did my research before hand and made sure they where genuine studs.

The UK filly - was much smaller than anticipated, and very poor. if id have viewed her,no i wouldnt have bought. But she did turn out to be a lovely mare

The ones from Ireland where in much better condition, an where as described.

Id never buy a ridden prospect unseen though.

 

[ycbm]

Hmmm ok. So I feel it’s a genuine advert rather than scam. Response isn’t overwhelmingly to doing it! ?

If the purchase is supposed to be a horse for keeps, definitely not!
.

 

[jnb]

I bought unseen from a video - 3yo unbroken cob, when he came he was smaller than I'd thought (149cm) and I nearly had a heart attack...shouldn't have worried, I do think he was a year younger (and so do his teeth bear that out) but that was OK, I was too broken from losing my old cob and then had health issues of my own, he needed that extra year.
Haven't regretted it since tbh ...

 

[spacefaer]

Yes, from Ireland but only from personal recommendations of the seller, lots of research ( photos, videos, references )
We've only sent one back. A couple weren't quite what we were expecting but turned out good and are in excellent homes now.
I wouldn't do it if I had no knowledge of the seller

 

[Whoopit]

If the purchase is supposed to be a horse for keeps, definitely not!
.

Yeah, it’s a horse for keeps rather than selling on. I’d sell on if it turned out we didn’t bond or wasn’t for me.

 

[ycbm]

Yeah, it’s a horse for keeps rather than selling on. I’d sell on if it turned out we didn’t bond or wasn’t for me.

Can you afford to lose much money? All of it, if the horse has something badly wrong? Spend months and/or tons of money to get a problem it arrives with fixed? PTS if you don't want to or can't do that?

If not, just don't go there!
.

 

[TPO]

I bought a 2yr old unseen from a stud in Wales, I'm in scotland.

It wasnt great because a skeleton with rain scalded, mud fever, matted winter coat (in mid June), worn away below the gum line teeth and massively overgrown but underdeveloped hooves with big malnutrition event lines arrived. Kinda an eighth of a horse instead of the Quarter Horse that I thought I was getting...

Theres a long story but short version is stud was known to me for over 10yrs and had glowing reviews. Only after my horse arrived the people who had previously publically (well some still praise them currently despite everything) recommended them messaged me the actual truth along with awful pictures. I wish I had never put money into the pocket of scum like that but on the flip side if id visited in person like I planned id probably have bought at least one more to save it ??

Long term it's the best thing I've done. Horse still had the same amazing bloodlines I bought it for and he's awesome (although would still never recomend the stud to anyone)

 

[Winters100]

I have done it twice from Argentina, but as ycbm says it is something to do only if you are ready for it to not work out. In my case neither were disasters, and one turned out to be a very good horse, but not for me so I sold on. Also I was younger at that time and not so bothered about 'quirks', now that I need horses that I feel safe on I would not consider it. Unless it is absolutely impossible to view the horse I would not recommend buying unseen.

 

[Hannahgb]

I have with unbacked, probably wouldn't do it again, certainly not with a backed one either

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Yup bought from Germany based off a video and couldn’t be happier with how things turned out. However he was 7 months old at the time and won’t be backed until next year so still somewhat unknown as to just how suitable he is for me, but personality wise he’s a dream.

My ridden boy was also unseen but less risk as originally I had him on loan and my trainer recommended him so I was fairly confident we’d get along. He’s my horse of a lifetime, but I appreciate there’s probably an element of luck involved with these things.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Twice.

Once it was a brilliant decision and the other time the horse only had one working leg. I wouldn't do it again unless it was money I could afford to lose.

 

[taraj]

yup, from his breeder in Ireland. Loads of videos and a 5 star vetting with a recommended vet that didn't mind me asking random questions! So far I adore him, his a green 4yr old. Not saying I will keep him forever as I think he has too much potential for me as was more" quality" than i thought (being a bit older now and was looking for an older horse!) but am enjoying him for the moment.

 

[emilylou]

Twice. But both relatively inexpensive and unbroken. Don’t think I would buy a ridden horse unseen

 

[Archangel]

When young and foolish I bought unseen and a vet failure - had him for the next 33 years.

Bought two I tried in the school and hacked out and had full vetting on - both crocks.

I would do it again from a breeder or after a sudden rush of blood to the head at an auction.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Ask catembi if she d recommend it......

 

[Pinkvboots]

I don't think I would I tend to buy them to keep forever so they have to be exactly right, the personality of a horse is really important to me so meeting first hand is a must.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister took on a freebie unseen. She was a filly left behind after a stud sold up. New owner of the property didn't want her and we heard about her from an online friend. Saw lots of pics and she looked just what my sister wanted. However when she finally arrived she was a lot smaller, finer and younger ( 2 rather than 4) than we expected. Very sweet tempered little mare but has a good panic button. My sister got as far as backing her and first time she was sat on went well, next time however my sister ended up doing an unplanned vertical dismount on her head. She hasn't sat on her since. She has grown on to be the size that was wanted but without a lot of work will never be the quiet pony my sister wanted. She also has less than ideal conformation and fitting a saddle to her would be very difficult. However she is a nice little soul to have around so has a home for life. She is 12 now. Based on that experience I would be very wary of buying unseen.

 

[laura_nash]

I bought unseen during lockdown as my companion pony had to be PTS and my cob wasn't doing well alone. Bought a pony from a riding school which was slimming down, after lots of online stalking of the seller. I had realistic expectations and knew the risk I was taking, riding pony for my daughter but worse case she could have been a companion only. So far is going pretty well, pony basically as described (green but very sane) and condition was ok, just some feather problems (mallenders and mites) which could have been quite recent as cleared up easily enough. A few quirks (not keen on injections!) but I wouldn't necessarily have known about those if I'd viewed. I'm in Ireland, so bought "from Ireland" I guess.

 

[Whoopit]

For those of you who have done it, what did you do with regards to paying? Did you pay half up front and then half on delivery or through PayPal, credit card or straight up bank transfer?
Any issues with exchange rates etc?

 

[spacefaer]

@Whoopit
Pay in full before the horse leaves the vendor's yard. Paid by bank transfer, bearing in mind that international payments can take 24 hours to show in the new account. I take the exchange rate into account when I'm buying, and always make sure that the vendor knows which currency I'm negotiating in. I've found Irishmen prefer to negotiate in figures, and then add "sterling" on once we've agreed a price. That has always meant that they would have got more money

 

[Whoopit]

@Whoopit
Pay in full before the horse leaves the vendor's yard. Paid by bank transfer, bearing in mind that international payments can take 24 hours to show in the new account. I take the exchange rate into account when I'm buying, and always make sure that the vendor knows which currency I'm negotiating in. I've found Irishmen prefer to negotiate in figures, and then add "sterling" on once we've agreed a price. That has always meant that they would have got more money

Ohh haha! Never thought of that! Thanks for the advise.

 

[paddy555]

For those of you who have done it, what did you do with regards to paying? Did you pay half up front and then half on delivery or through PayPal, credit card or straight up bank transfer?
Any issues with exchange rates etc?

I bought one foal unseen and one stallion. I paid for both by bank xfer a couple of days before they left. With the foal I trusted the breeder. It was all done online but I had done my homework and I was sure the foal would be with me for life and I trusted the breeder even though I had never met her. However I did a lot of research.

With the stallion I just had to have him. I knew his history and within about an hour of seeing his advert I had bought him over the phone. I didn't have either vetted. The stallion could have been on 3 legs, unrideable due to injury (I knew his temperament would be rideable) I took the risk but I wanted him and I would have kept him for life even if he had turned out to be permanently lame. I was prepared and able to risk the money for what could have been an overgrown pet.

Then I read Keira's story on here on the horse she bought unseen from Ireland. A very different experience. I would make sure in that sort of case I knew it's history and had checked it out and had seen the passport plus I knew exactly what sort of dealer I was working with.

If I was using an agent I trusted I would buy unseen from abroad provided I was prepared to be flexible with whatever arrived and provided it could get a very high quality, genuine vetting.
If not I would visit the horse to at least make sure it had 4 legs, that I was there for the vetting, that it had not been drugged and that I could get on and ride it.

If you import a horse, get on it and it stands up what are you going to do? If you are a good rider and knowledgeable you may have the expertise to work with it and produce a good horse. If not you are left with a problem that could well be difficult to unload.

You said you felt it was a genuine advert not a scam. I think I would need to be 101% sure.

can you not just get a quick flight over to see it? are there people on here who could give advice on the sale? Winters is in Poland, several in Ireland and some in France. Just a thought.

 

[Cortez]

Yes, I do it all the time, but I'm pretty experienced, not sentimental, not buying a pet, and am always prepared to lose if it turns out wrong. But then I am like that even if I do go to see the horse. I've had a very good strike rate; never had a dud.

 

[AandK]

I buy to keep long term so it's not something I would be prepared to take the risk on personally. I like to see the horse in the flesh and ride to make sure they are what I am looking for, the pics of my 7yo in his ad did not do him any justice! He was just down the road from me, so decided to see what he was like.

Have heard good and bad for buying unseen. If you have the experience, money and guts to PTS if needed, then it can be worth a punt.