Buying unseen

[Marigold4]

I bought a weanling unseen in order to keep my homebred company. I had a vetting done and breeder said she was wormed and well handled. She was a nightmare from the start. Full of worms, gave my other horses a virus, unhandled, wouldn't be caught, sort of scared and bolshy at the same time (Welsh). Kicked me really hard for no reason. Stirred the others up so that they galloped round like maniacs. Sent her back to her breeder and lost lots of money in the process. Won't be buying unseen again!

 

[Snow Falcon]

I have only purchased one, a yearling, unseen 2 years ago via an auction. I'd seen pics, videos and spoke to the seller for a couple of hours. He has a smashing temperament. I don't like selling to anyone unseen.

 

[teddy_]

I bought a Thoroughbred from Newmarket unseen. He was sold to me as “a bit nippy”, but actually was a dangerous, aggressive biter who would come back at you with gusto if you reprimanded him. He was scoped, x-rayed, the whole lot - physiologically fine. Never displayed any discomfort or unwillingness under saddle - in fact that was the easiest part!

I found out after buying him from the trainer that he’d been a true rig; operation and all.

I suppose that may have explained his behavioural problems, but they were extreme. After eight months of trying to ‘soften’ him - I sold him to a good friend who enjoys trying to reform horses. I simply didn’t want a horse I couldn’t give a cuddle and had to tie up to do absolutely anything with. Two years down the line, he’s still nasty and she is very, very patient with him.

That put me off buying unseen.

 

[Jenko109]

Only a foal.

I'm not sure I would purchase a ridden horse unseen.

 

[Nari]

It's not for me, not least because I have to see something in them that says "yes, you" and I can only do that face to face.

 

[Goldenstar]

I did buy a brood mare unseen ,my friend a vet knew the horse as a vet and she was Proven mother and had decent competition form .
I saw in ad showed my friend who I know a vet from round there really she rang him and he said go and get her .
She was a lovely lovely lady.

 

[Puzzled]

Sell Connemaras for a living but still try and view everything I buy personally. This involves frequent trips to Ireland but I really do think you need to get a feel for a horse plus I don’t trust anyone else’s judgment other than my own!
I’d never buy a ridden horse for myself without viewing…have no idea how people can do that!

 

[spacefaer]

I've bought unseen and sold unseen but I'm not a novice in the horse world. I don't spend more than I'm prepared to lose, I do my due diligence and am prepared to sell to a more appropriate home if it doesn't work out.

The most recent purchase was seen and tried. While she's lovely, we had to take the seller to court for the horse being not as described. So swings and roundabouts!

The most recent unseen purchase was through friends - he was meant to be a potential hunter for my OH . He is very much not - he's an event horse through and through. He's been with a pro rider for most of our ownership and is about to be sold. (We don't want an eventer!) He's very beautiful and very talented and we'll find the right niche for him.

 

[Ratface]

I bought Rigs seen and ridden but not vetted as he had not a hope of passing anyway He is ace and has done everything I've asked of him and is still trugging along 4 years later. We were out hacking for 2 hours yesterday, he is a fun turbo cob to hack. he's also won at trailblazers dressage and trotted round a small clear round show. He's also done PAT type visits to a care home and had kids riding at home.

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I had BH vetted but bought him unseen from Ireland. I saw a video and photos and spoke to the dealer/vendor. he was a sweet type and I decided that if he didn't suit me then he would suit someone. I had the vet out after a few days to vaccinate and the vet did his damdest to find fault but admitted he could not. BH is fabulous. Done loads of hacking and unaffiliated dressage, SJ and eventing, and has now started BS jumping. He did a hunt ride in autumn and I box out to a country park happily alone to blast round some XC fences. He is a best friend type, kind and easy. In fact, he is currently teaching my boyfriend to ride. He is very forgiving and tries to work out what is required. I've had him 3 years.

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Would I do it again? I'm not sure. Rigs was in Covid 2020 and BH in Covid 2021, horses were hard to buy! I did due diligence with both and was prepared to sell on immediately, at a loss if necessary, if they'd not been as described.

Lovely photo of you and Rigsby. The one of you with BH is nice too. Was the latter taken at your country estate?

 

[McFluff]

I couldn’t do it, as I’m an amateur owner, and my horse is pet first. I have to connect with them, so need to meet them. I’m also too soft to sell on, so couldn’t do the sensible approach of finding a more suitable home if not right for me.
I can totally see why more experienced people who are happy to sell if needed do it.
I can’t get my head round why a novice would. That’s bonkers.

 

[silv]

I bought a project mare unseen, saw a video of her trotting down the road and photos of her working on the farm. She was used in the bush for pig hunting and farm work, I liked her type and knew if we didn't get on I could easily sell her on. There was no way I was going to the the top of the other island to see her, plus she was not expensive. I also knew where she was bred and those horses have a great reputation for soundness.
She has proved to be the most amazing horse, so trainable and lovely to ride, she is also very pretty, I have been asked numerous times if i would sell her, but i never would, she is just amazing.
I wouldn't buy an expensive competition horse unseen though, would need to know that I got on with it and it was a nice person.

 

[Red-1]

Lovely photo of you and Rigsby. The one of you with BH is nice too. Was the latter taken at your country estate?

LOL, I wish! It was at a venue where I went SJ training over the winter.

This is probs a more flattering shot of him in autumn on his hunt ride.



I fitted him with a pelham just in case he was wild when the field set off cantering.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

I've owned 3 so far, the first, my hairy champion I viewed and tried twice. Little Madam I had as a share for over 6 months and known since a foal. I didn't see Old Lady's face before bringing her home (she refused to have her fly mask off!) That's the closest to buying unknown I've been (and she was free). The next is currently a bun in the oven.
I can't imagine buying anything ridden unseen. I could possibly stretch to young stock or companion bought unseen, but that would be it.

 

[blodwyn1]

Àt 68 I did buy unseen for the first time in my life! She was too far away for us to drive and see her,she had already done the job I wanted for her previous owner so I agreed a four week trial with part payment before and the rest on completion. I had her vetted after two weeks and she has turned out to be perfect for me.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

My sister bought unseen earlier this year! It's not something I would do! She had heaps of videos and chatted a huge amount to the owner, then had a 5 stage vetting which he flew through, was brought up by a transporter and settled in wonderfully!
Had been looking on and off for nearly a year, had a failed trial, missed one at the Connie sales but something about him really caught her eye.

 

[Hannahgb]

I bought two 3yr olds unseesn, both unbacked. They were both vetted and could have been sold on once backed if we didnt click. Ended up adoring them both though

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I bought Lottie unseen - partly due to a glowing reference of the dealer from @Mrs. Jingle among others. Best thing I ever did.

It felt pretty low risk: she was priced very well for a horse of her quality. Popular size, type and age. Prices in Ireland were way, way lower than in England. Dealer had a good rep and she was vetted.

She was shipped and then delivered to a friend who has a sales livery/schooling yard for her to assess her for me. If she wasn’t quite right for me I’d have sold on immediately and made money to fund the next one.

Luckily it worked out fine. She was rough round the edges and we had some things to iron out, but in every way that matters (brain, heart, athleticism) she is perfect for me.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

It depends on an honest dealer though. It all hinged on her being sound and as described. Which she was.

 

[spacefaer]

The people who get into trouble buying unseen are the more novice types who should have their hand held by someone more experienced and should definitely try the horse before they buy.
As I said, I have bought unseen but I vet the seller, I vet the horse and I'm prepared to regroup and sell on if necessary. If I was a one horse owner buying with finite funds and wanting to insure their perfect horse, there's no way I'd do it.
I've ridden 100s of horses over my lifetime. I can't think how many I've owned. Some I've liked, some I've loved, a very few I've downright disliked. And I'd hope I'd have the experience to pick the right one for me, if I were buying solely for me.
I have 3 lists when buying- one "must have" one "would be nice" and one "never in a million years" if a horse has a single tick on the 3rd list, I don't buy, no matter how much else is good. As I've got older (wiser?) And more broken , each list has got longer!

eta should have said " tend to be more novice"

 

[teddy_]

The people who get into trouble buying unseen are the more novice types who should have their hand held by someone more experienced and should definitely try the horse before they buy.
As I said, I have bought unseen but I vet the seller, I vet the horse and I'm prepared to regroup and sell on if necessary. If I was a one horse owner buying with finite funds and wanting to insure their perfect horse, there's no way I'd do it.
I've ridden 100s of horses over my lifetime. I can't think how many I've owned. Some I've liked, some I've loved, a very few I've downright disliked. And I'd hope I'd have the experience to pick the right one for me, if I were buying solely for me.
I have 3 lists when buying- one "must have" one "would be nice" and one "never in a million years" if a horse has a single tick on the 3rd list, I don't buy, no matter how much else is good. As I've got older (wiser?) And more broken , each list has got longer!

I don’t think that’s totally accurate to say those who get into trouble are novices.

I am not a novice by any means; and it didn’t work out for me - purely because the seller was not honest about the horses behavioural problems. Nor does the sale not working out necessarily mean you’re in trouble…

 

[TheHairyOne]

My sister and I have bought a fair few unvetted and rocked up with transport on the viewing, but never unseen. We did let the sellers know we were planning on doing that though so it wasnt a surprise. Only 1 person refused to let us. 2 are still in our field, 2 a friend bought from us having come out riding and expressing an interest (neither were for sale!), and a couple more were sold on after a few issues were sorted out, but all were lovely horses and all passed vettings when sold on!

 

[blood_magik]

I’ve bought more unseen than I have viewed. All have been vetted and vetting findings/X-rays are always checked by my own vet.

Funnily enough, the ones we viewed have been the ones that ended up having major issues…

 

[Patterdale]

I’ve bought loads unseen, most recently May this year. Quite a few from Ireland.
I haven’t had any disasters, but I have had some surprises/not what I was expecting. My current riding horse is amazing and I love him, bought unseen, but not what I thought I was buying and I would NOT have purchase if I’d viewed him! So I’m glad I didn’t

I never spend what I can’t afford to lose. I have to say though, there are so many more dishonest people out there in recent years that although I’ve always been happy to buy unseen in the past, I’m getting less likely to do so.

 

[cosmic389]

I have bought a horse sight unseen from an online auction, and it was the only time. The ad has plenty of videos and a detailed description and I could tell it wasn't a dealer. It was during covid lockdowns and I have been searching for a horse for months, with either viewings being unsuccessful or horses being sold before I could get out to see them. I saw his ad, like him and thought I'd try my hand bidding. Because it's an auction, there's no opportunity to talk with the owner or do a vetting. He wasn't great at the start, quite spooky but a year on he was a different horse. I had him 3 years and in that time he was never sick or lame. He was wonderful and I was very lucky. Unfortunately I had to sell him due to personal circumstances but he is at an amazing home now and I still keep in touch with his new family.
I probably wouldn't buy sight unseen again unless I know the horse or the seller well. My current horse is still young and basically a blank canvas. I went to see him (8hr round trip) and knew he was the one.

The auction mentioned above used to be on site but they switch permanently to online since covid. I still follow it occasionally and it boggles me how people would bid 6k+, sometimes 10k+ on a horse they can't view or vet, especially looking at the ad and it has barely any info and minimal photos.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Earlier this year, aged 61, I bought unseen. Various reasons, too ill to ride her (covid) and the pony had been off work for a few months through the winter and didnt have a properly fitting saddle, she was recommended to me by the lady who had recommended my previous horse and was related to my previous horse, spoke to her owner at length and was sent more videos than you could shake a stick at.
It just felt completely right and 5 months in I havent once regretted it. She was very fairly priced too. She is everything I was told she was, she does exactly what I want and is utterly perfect for me. To be fair when I bought pony for my grand daughter I drove 150 miles knowing he was coming home with me. 6 years on he is now 22, semi retired and has never put a hoof wrong. Didnt vet either as both are only ever going to be in light work and I felt happy with what I could see. Would I do it again, I hope I never need to but probably not, think Ive used up all my luck!

 

[Jambarissa]

When I was looking during covid and considering buying unseen I did read that if you are buying from a dealer you have more rights because distance selling rules apply.

It's something along the lines of being able to reject the 'goods' for any reason, not just if they aren't as described which is the sale of goods act.

Obviously you could still have a fight on your hands but the law would be on your side.

 

[catembi]

I bought unseen in May this year. (My first unseen purchase a few years ago was a disaster - undisclosed shiver, hoof defect, bit me badly etc etc.) I wanted a big, just backed 4 yo that wasn't a nutcase, which is exactly what I ended up with. ETA both from Ireland but from very different dealers. Disaster was from Gerty Tynan; ginger mare was from Adam Ferris. OMG, the excitement when the lorry turns up! It is just sooooooo exciting (and a little bit terrifying...) The dealer sent loads of photos & videos. I thought she'd be a good horse & she is.

 

[TheHairyOne]

Before I found my 3 year old earlier this year I very nearly ordered from Adam Ferris myself. He had a beautiful chocolate dun in that appeared to be everything I wanted other than being too far away (and i supect the price tag - but didnt ask!).

 

[Rowreach]

I'm meant to be viewing a horse 100 miles away this morning for someone, but the seller cancelled because she's just taken a deposit from someone in America. That's the second time this has happened with this seller. I guess it's easier for her to do that than bother with actual viewings.

 

[spacefaer]

I'm meant to be viewing a horse 100 miles away this morning for someone, but the seller cancelled because she's just taken a deposit from someone in America. That's the second time this has happened with this seller. I guess it's easier for her to do that than bother with actual viewings.

Very much so but the seller has to be 1000% confident on the xrays if they're selling to America. ..