Contacting previous owners - etiquette?

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Sologirl

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I'm hopefully buying a horse (second time lucky!) pending vetting and want to find out more of her history. The current owner has had her 2 years but I've found contact details of her owner before that and also the stud where she was bred. I want to contact them to find out more about her but don't want the seller to think I'm doubting her word! Should I ask her if its ok to contact them or just do it anyway?
 
I personally wouldn't contact previous owners until you have your new horse and she is settled. Horses can act very differently in different homes so I think it is more beneficial to judge the horse in front of you rather than look to its past. Sometimes if previous problems are highlighted the new owner will get too hung up about it and problems will start to arise.
 
I think if the current owner has had her two years, the previous owners wouldn't be able to say what she's like now- a horse will change a lot in 2 years. I had someone asking me about a horse Id bred and sold as a 5year old - he was now 8 and had done 3 years hunting- I didnt have a clue what the horse was like now! All I could say was 'he's probably changed a lot since I had him'... not much help at all!
 
Good point, thanks. It's not so much how she is, as I can only really judge that on how she is now and take into account how she could change once I have her, but more of what she's done in the past and general nosiness really!
 
Sologirl said:
Good point, thanks. It's not so much how she is, as I can only really judge that on how she is now and take into account how she could change once I have her, but more of what she's done in the past and general nosiness really!
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No harm in asking a bit later down the line :)
 
As a breeder, I would want to hear about any I had bred so from that point of view I am sure the stud would love to hear how she is doing.
 
Once bought i think there is no prob contacting previous owners. they may reply they may not. i contacted babys breeder and given her life between breeder and me I made her breeders day knowing she was with me for life,that she was safe now. she sent me photos of babys mother (sadly none of baby as foal) .
 
It can be nice to hear from previous owners about a horse you have purchased. I contacted the breeder of my cob and we have kept in touch ever since and I send her photos of him so she can see him maturing. I am sure you will know if the previous owner is interested in giving you information and if they want to be kept updated about the horse in the future. If you think they are not interested then you don't have to keep in contact.
 
i contacted my horses breeder by letter and sent her some up to date photos. she was really pleased to know what i was doing and invited me to her yard to see my horses full brother and other half siblings. she gave me pics of her mother and her as a foal and yearling and showed me pics of her dad. so well worth contacting..good for both of us...
 
I would have loved to have had contact details for previous owners of one of my horses. We unearthed them about 6 months down the line and discovered some awful things about said horse which the current owner had lied about which explained a lot and would not have bought him had we known. May be worth asking the current owner so they do not feel you doubt them, but would just like extra reassurance which every buyer deserves.
 
I've been toying with the idea of contacting my boy's breeders, but its a huge sports horse stud in Ireland and so far all I've done with my boy is hacking and schooling at home, so I'm not sure they'd be all that interested???? What do people think?

I'm sure I'm likely to contact them at some point, but at the moment I think I'll wait til I've actually had him out and about doing things (if that ever happens) :)
 
I contacted my previous horses breeder by email and got a lovely reply, saying she had done a lot with them (ODE, showjumping) and including photos. Which was great as she was being sold as 'green'! :-) She was a bargain!
 
I'm glad I never succeeded in getting hold of Ned's owner/breeder. I managed to dig up a LOT about her.

However, I did get in contact with a woman who looked after Ned for a while and she cried with happiness when she saw his photo on facebook! She though he was dead! I'm so glad I found her, or she would have been wondering forever :(
 
This! I bought my mare off my instructor, who had bought Her from sales. Through passport was able to trace breeder who loves seeing updates on how we are doing and put me In touch with person he sold her to recently as they bought another horse from him.

I've pics from being a foal right up to pics of her being broken! Love knowing her full history :)

HBM1 said:
As a breeder, I would want to hear about any I had bred so from that point of view I am sure the stud would love to hear how she is doing.
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If it's just to put your mind at rest that horse is as vendor says he is/has been (as far as they can say)why not? You only risk slightly offending vendor but if they're not someone you know,I think peace of mind that horse has no hideous past that they may not have divulged is more important than what vendor thinks of you?

Personally,if I was vendor and had nothing to hide,I'd say,'Yeah,knock yourself out!'.

Whilst previous owners etc may not know what horse is like now(depends on time elapsed,number of owners inbetween etc) am sure it's still possible to glean something useful (and if not,nothing lost!).
If vendor does have something to hide on the other hand,this may become apparent by their reaction, if you request their prior permission to contact previous owners/breeder...

I traced the Dutch breeder of mine (via his passport) and spoke to him (albeit about 8mths after I bought him) but plenty he said made a lot of things slot into place! Whether if I'd known them beforehand it'd have changed my purchasing decision,I don't know,as horses can be so different when at different yards,with different people/owners/riders,herds of other horses,routines etc etc

If I had the chance you have here & it's a horse you seriously would buy,I'd contact them.
 
If you want to confirm what the vendor is telling you - the time to do this is before you buy not after. If you just want more information about the horse well whenever is ok. I would let the vendor know if you intend to contact previous owners - but that is just polite you are under no obligation to do so.

I contacted previous instructors of a pony i was about to buy - most people though will not stick their neck out to tell you something adverse anyway, so it is a bit hit & miss.
 
Thanks everyone :) I do believe what the current owner is telling me, she's had her for 2 years so I'd just like to find out more about her from her younger days (she's 15) - she's been a broodmare for a number of years with a bit of everything in between (SJ, xc, hunting) and with a bit of luck this will be her last home pootling about with me round the country til she's an old lady lol.
 
I would let horse settle then contact previous owner. As others have said you need to judge what you have in front of you not what she used to be.

Having said that I had a horse on trial a number of years ago. I had it off someone I had known for years but didn't totally trust. I managed to track down previous owner and they were horrified that she was being sold on and she was not supposed to be ridden again!!! So in that case I'm glad my curiosity got the better of me!!
 
I think its perfectly normal to want to find out all about your horse and if I was selling the horse I'd almost expect you to do so, I'd just proceed with an air of caution, I have done way too much digging into my boys history and he has had a terrible time here and in france, actually lucky to be alive due to severe il treatment and though this explains alot of his untrusting behaviour I almost wish I didnt know it all as I tend to pussy-foot around him more then I would normally and to be honest he gets away with alot more then any other horse would as I'm always releuctant to tell him off due to his past and as we all know horses only remember the bad. Sometimes the past is left as that and just moving on with your new beginning is the best option. Good luck wit it all :)
 
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