Constantly buying and re-selling horses.

HeatherAda

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Please tell me if I am over reacting, but this is really grating on me although I know the situation is nothing to do with me really…
I found a family locally this time last year who needed help exercising their horses and for a small contribution I was able to ride 2-3 times a week with them. I but decided to stop going as it was bothering me how many horses they bought (apparently intending to keep) only to find fault with them a month or so later and sell them on. Whilst I was there they had 2 horses their daughter and a friend used to compete and who I hacked out on, but 4 different horses came and went in around 3 months.
They always advertise on the same website which I take a look at and I’ve worked out that in the last 12 months they’ve bought and re-sold 9 horses!
Am I being a bit soppy here, it’s just I always think it’s upsetting for a horse to be constantly up-rooted and shifted around not having the chance to settle.
Anyway, just a rant really I would like to add that these horses aren't mistreated or neglected in anyway and for all i know the horses may have gone on to a very nice home. Just felt like having a moan as I spotted another of their horses for sale, and the ad implies the horse is well-loved and has done a lot with them, which I find hard to believe.
frown.gif
 
Are you sure they are not buying them to make a bit of money on? I can't see why anyone would buy lots of random horses to sell for the sake of it - too much hassle! I don't think the horses will care that much - as long as they have nice homes. Unfortunatly a lot of horses get moved around a lot.
 
possibly. it's just when i was there they bought one for the father to ride, but then he changed his mind. then they bought one for the mother to drive, but then she decided she didn't really want to, and then they bought another for the daughter to bring on a bit, but it didn't have much talent for jumping so they sold that one on too. then they bought another to showjump but decided he was too slow. there just always seemed to be a reason not to keep them.
 
As buckybee says, they are either dealing on a small scale, or just not very good at choosing horses! It is possibly not the most desirable thing for a horse to be moved around, but better than staying in an unsuitable home.
 
Some people chop & change their horses regularly, some do it to make money i.e. dealing, others don't really know what they want so keep changing. I'm afraid alot of horses move from place to place....specially ponies as the rider either grows out of them, tire of them or need a pony with greater ability. Only a very small percentage stay at a home for most of their lives....sad but true.
 
i know someone like that.
she buys the horse and its the bees knees, 2 months later it's not, and up for sale it goes.
she isn't doing it for money, i have no idea why she can't see how she is the one common factor in all these horses supposedly going bad either.
 
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It is possibly not the most desirable thing for a horse to be moved around, but better than staying in an unsuitable home.

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absolutely agree with you.
 
It upsets me a bit as some people always blame their horse and go on to another, then another ,how long does it take for them to realise ,it is them.
I know when you out grow a pony it has to go on to another home and some horses just don't suit or are too good or not good enough but to just buy and sell them all the time is unfair on the horse[wish my horse would appreciate his home at the moment ,he was born here and will probably die here ,but does he appreciate it ,no]
 
Well, we've recently sold a horse we bought as a project. We bought him, schooled him a good bit and he had a lovely time, stayed here for about 5-6weeks and then got sold (via this forum) to a lovely home where he appears to have settled well. We made a small profit, he is a much better educated horse and we have improved as riders. On the ohter hand, have had the rest of ours a min. 6 months, most have been here for 2+years and two have homes for life. I don't think changing home affects them that much if they have the right situation.
 
You are probably right I just get too attached.It is just the ones who blame their horse again and again, or the ones that have a horse for years and then think it is past its best and get rid when it is old, if the horse has been good to them then it deserves a good retirement [but I do know they are expensive to keep and retire]
 
It sounds like they are looking for the "perfect" horse which they are never going to find. It's a sad fact that there are loads of people who buy horses expecting them to be completely perfect from day one and don't have the experience or patience to persevere and sell them pretty quickly. If it is bothering you, then you have done the best thing by keeping away.
 
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