Dealers :) or :(

[stormox]

I have read several threads on this forum lately where people seem not to want to buy from dealers. Or would be annoyed if they found out the horse theyd just bought from what they thought was a private sale was actually from a dealer
I was wondering why?? why do horse dealers and producers have such a bad reputation? Would the potential buyers not buy a used car from a garage, preferring a private sale?
As I understood it, you actually have more comeback if the horse is sold by a dealer than a private person. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from a dealer if I liked the horse.

 

[be positive]

I think there are several levels of dealers, producers are usually higher end and should be selling quality, well produced and prepared horses suitable to do the job aimed at, you will pay a premium to buy through this type of dealer.
It is the lower end of the market that is more questionable, dealers buying cheap horses from bin end sales getting them home doing little or no work to find out what the horse is really like, possibly patching up issues and selling for a profit within a week or two. The buyer may get a decent horse, especially if they go in with their eyes open and are experienced and realistic about what they are getting, it is the less experienced buyer that sees the "perfect schoolmaster" advertised that often gets a big shock once they get the horse home.
That said buying from private homes has it's pitfalls too but the honest private seller should at least be expected to try and find a suitable home for the horse whereas to the dealer it is about turnover, if a horse is returned they just sell another in it's place, usually at a higher price or rely on the new owner falling for the character and trying to work with it .
The Epona stars website was set up by a buyer conned into buying an unsound horse and doing the right thing for the horse not her bank balance but not everyone can afford or has the decency to do what is right for the horse.
Sometimes it is down to luck, sometimes good judgement but buying from a private person selling a horse on behalf of a dealer without declaring this is dishonest and there will be a reason for them doing so, buying a car is so much easier.

 

[Sarah20]

I recently brought through a dealer, (who like you said i got told by her she was a private seller), ended up having to sell the horse through another dealer as she wouldn't take her back (totally not as advertised but only found that out after a few weeks of riding), and then my horse ended up being brought by another dealer for pennies as he wanted to make money but she was very quirky so had to sell on because i couldn't afford the sales livery. So overall went through 3 different dealers!!
I think there is a lot to be said. Some have got such good reputations, a few horses i have tried at dealers yards were exactly as advertised, and i was never pressured into buying anything. I would definitely just do research! I definitely wouldn't rule out buying from one (even though i just had a terrible experience) because i know people who have brought from them and their horses are amazing!

 

[MagicMelon]

I think dealers vary hugely and word of mouth recommendations mean a lot. I personally have never bought from a dealer, its never occurred for me to do so. I like to know the horses history and I find some dealers don't know much. I also feel that for a horse to end up in a dealers yard, there's been a problem for whatever reason. Lets face it, a lot of people who sell / part exchange their horse at a dealers usually do so because they can't handle the horse. I wouldn't mind so much buying from a small yard where they have a very small selection of horses at a time, but I wouldn't tend to buy from a place with loads of horses. The other reason is what you've pointed out OP, you have more of a comeback with a dealer so basically if you dont like the horse you buy, you can swap it for another one - how would I know the horse I was interested in hadn't been back and forth to numerous homes already?! I'd rather have a nice settled horse when it arrives to me.

 

[Hexx]

I have bought two through a dealer - the first was for my sister, we found out the mare was pregnant the vetting, the dealer was mortified, however, my sister still wanted the mare, so we ended up with a BOGOF! The other horse was from this same dealer - he mainly dealt in cobs, but had been given an appy x TB as a part exchange and he wasn't quite sure what to do with her. My YO was with him collecting another horse that a client had bought, so she rang me up and begged me to buy the spotty! I did and she was fab.

He had a really good reputation, and to this day, when I see him out hacking he always asks after my sister and the horses - and that's 11 years on!

 

[Sarah20]

We had the same too. YO brought a horse from a dealer for a client. Turned out she was pregnant too - YO however didn't know when she brought her, it was only when her belly started getting bigger we got our vet to check and he said she was pregnant. She did have an amazing foal, and even after that she was fantastic to ride!!!! Horse was only 5 herself...so young but she was fantastic to ride! Definitely glad they got her.