Dear Vendor

SirBrastias

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I went and viewed (and brought) a 16.2 ex-racer. He's absolutely perfect but only just 16hh if he stands up straight (fine for me, though my 6ft something little brother looks a bit odd on him).

I think people tend to just guess/generalise height a lot. There seems to he a lot of 'x'.2s out there. I'm not sure I've seen many thoroughbreds who haven't been described as 16.2 at some point
 

Jesstickle

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A lot of people seem truly terrible at guessing the size of horses. I think a lot of people assume any horse over 15.2 is at least 16hh and anything over 16hh is 16.2. It should be mandatory to use a measuring stick when advertising!!
 

Nessa4

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We had opposite experience - went to look at a "15.2hh Cob" - turned out he made our existing horse (17.1hh shire x TB, with the accent on Shire) look like a pony! I swear he was part elephantQ
 

sue_nf

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I've told this story before but thought I'd add it here. We were selling my little coloured cob and had several enquiries. The first teenage girl arrived with her mother, after seeing pony ridden she hopped on and rode her in the school, then asked to pop a few jumps, no problem and pony behaved like a dream. Her Mother then asked me if they could hack her out, my friend duly agreed to accompany her and off they went. They came back 30 minutes later with daughter smiling widely. I asked the mother what she thought and I will never forget her reply to me......... "Oh no dear, we aren't buying, it's just that my daughter is taking her Stage 2 in a few weeks and it's so important for her to experience riding all different types of horses". I was gobsmackingly speechless.
 

sidewaysonacob

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I had nine months of 'fun' two years ago horse shopping. Highlights included:

- driving four hours to see a horse that the seller had offered to leave out in the field so I could catch it before grooming, tacking up etc. Caught horse fine with owner watching, led it down the lane...tap, tap, tap CLONK... it had lost a shoe and was lame

- driving nearly two hours to see a horse on a reputable dealer's yard that was advertised as 15.2 but was 14.2 at best. By coincidence, the dealer had brought in and popped in the stables either side of this horse three random 15.2s from their stock...

- driving 90mins to a very very reputable dealers to try a 6yo that had apparently done a bit of everything - only when kept in a vice-like overbent contact I discovered (Dealer said "I think you might be better with a cob", which was clearly intended as an insult!)

- WBx 2 hours away who had 'excellent stable manners' yet tried to bite me and knock me over when tied up and was suitable for 'riding club activities' but hadn't jumped in 5 years

- a done-everything 7yo show horse that in fact had been backed very late, had a heavy season competing then spent the last 6 months in the field forgetting everything

In the end, my perfect pony was only an hour away and came via word of mouth. Sods law.
 

Lolo

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A lot of people seem truly terrible at guessing the size of horses. I think a lot of people assume any horse over 15.2 is at least 16hh and anything over 16hh is 16.2. It should be mandatory to use a measuring stick when advertising!!

I think people are also always a bit surprised by how little ponies are/ how big horses are depending on what they've always had. To us, Smokes is tiny but I think if he went to someone who'd had ponies/ small horses he'd look fairly normal or even tall... But until him we had 4 years of the smallest on the yard being a 16hh cob, followed by 17.1hh Reg!
 

Elvis

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Height perception is such a funny thing. Elvis measures in at 16.3hh, but at my last yard, where he was one of the largest horses, he was referred to as over 17hh. At his present yard where he's one of the smallest, he's thought of as just about 16.2hh. Certainly not the biggest disparity, but still interesting to see how people's perceptions are affected by what they are used to seeing!

(Although I do feel sorry for poor Elvis now, 16.3hh but still the smallest and stabled next to an 18.2hh)
 

Orangehorse

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I've told this story before but thought I'd add it here. We were selling my little coloured cob and had several enquiries. The first teenage girl arrived with her mother, after seeing pony ridden she hopped on and rode her in the school, then asked to pop a few jumps, no problem and pony behaved like a dream. Her Mother then asked me if they could hack her out, my friend duly agreed to accompany her and off they went. They came back 30 minutes later with daughter smiling widely. I asked the mother what she thought and I will never forget her reply to me......... "Oh no dear, we aren't buying, it's just that my daughter is taking her Stage 2 in a few weeks and it's so important for her to experience riding all different types of horses". I was gobsmackingly speechless.

Now THEY were timewasters! Some sellers think that anyone who has come to look at their horse and not bought it is a timewaster.

You know about the dealers with a concrete pad for you to measure said horse, with a slope so it comes out at whatever size you said you wanted!
 

fatpiggy

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With all the technology we have now, there's no excuse for not having a full set of confo photos to email to somebody. I've got horses for sale at the moment, and would hate anybody to turn up and be disappointed, so have videos of them at several stages of training, and always ask if there are any views that they would like to see. It doesn't take long to film or photo. I think its a bit like Ebay, ask the right questions, and hopefully you won't get ripped off!
I've been looking to buy in Ireland, and if the ad doesn't have one good "stood up" photo, and a video, I'm not interested.


You beat me to it! If I was going to drive 3 hours I 'd ask for additional photographs before I put my seat belt on I'm afraid. Fancy papers and price tag don't come into the equation for me.
 

HaffiesRock

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My Haflinger was advertised 14hh. I had not had a pony for a year before seeing him, but had been helping my friend out with her Sec A. Benji was very fat and rode quite big. I looked fine on him so bought him without question. I measured him a few weeks later at 13.1hh!
 

fatpiggy

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I think people are also always a bit surprised by how little ponies are/ how big horses are depending on what they've always had. To us, Smokes is tiny but I think if he went to someone who'd had ponies/ small horses he'd look fairly normal or even tall... But until him we had 4 years of the smallest on the yard being a 16hh cob, followed by 17.1hh Reg!

Unless of course the vendor is using a measuring stick which bends in the middle and they push it down as far as they can into the arena - seen both with my own eyes. The same dealer claimed the animal was 15hh and measured its withers with the saddle on. I fetched out my mare who was 15.1hh and another livery brought out her 14hh and the pony for sale was the same size as the 14hh. Mind you she also claimed her 7 year old granddaughter had been safely riding it - it bucked like you've never seen, was as green as grass and further probing revealed it had been broken just 3 weeks.

Even a height certificate doesn't mean much. A friend had a WHP which was certificated at 15hh. He had a much higher neck and head carriage than my mare who was 15.1 but her TOWERED over her. I suspect all the usual show-ring tricks had been played to get him to measure out at 15hh.
 

palo1

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Oh this is quite fun! I have variously experienced:-

A 'lovely jumping cob, very sweet to do' : would take any single jump of any height at top speed and then p*** off across country having no brakes or steering whatsoever. Cribbed permanently too.

A ' 14 y/o palomino gelding - perfect first ridden, traditional child's pony': in fact, mare, of about 22, clearly cushingoid, plain as a piece of paper and unlike any equine I've ever seen!! I did actually buy her and she is still going strong and has been brilliant but not at all as advertised.

Also drove from South Wales to Bolton (up north!) one Sunday morning to see the horse of my dreams. I had spoken to the seller several times on the phone, including the night before about this paragon: 16hh 4 y/o arab mare - started the previous summer. I arrived in Bolton only to be told it was no longer convenient for me to view the horse but seller would let me know when it was. A short time later, saw the horse out competing - Boohoo. Total waste of my time. No idea why the seller didn't just ring to say horse sold to best friend or whatever!!

A standardbred gelding - 'unsuccessful racer, would make lovely riding horse' - clearly didn't fancy being a riding horse and was both drugged and injured on viewing!

A 16hh mare of uncertain breeding - suggested by the owner who was my husbands cousin and should certainly know better. She was so clearly wrong behind that when I gently suggested that her action was a little unusual, owner admitted that she had never been right!!

A 4 y/o appaloosa mare - having had a successful showing career as a young'un, now ready to move on; had been started gently and riding away nicely. Rather expensive. Seller started viewing by hitting another horse on the head with a bucket. Hard. Warned me not to enter any of the stables as all the horses were 'a bit funny when stabled' . When asked how the mare felt about being ridden, owner said 'I've no idea'. I wasn't allowed near her back legs either.

I bought the jumping cob and had years of joy and trouble from him; bought the palamino gelding that was a mare and finally also bought a horse who was exactly as described and as honest and clean as ever a horse could be. Sadly I have never sold one so have never had the chance to take my revenge on the horse buying public.

How about:-

15hh chestnut mare (13.3) Pony Club/hunting/fun rides. (Done one fun ride - very quietly, jumped an occasional tiny cross pole and would probably have a nervous breakdown if taken to pony club or hunting but has seen a stray hound once. In the distance. Super second pony (only just been broken in and ridden away) PUK potential (pony doesn't know what that means so she cant be lying!! and anyway maybe she does have potential!) Schools quietly (hates it and stops trying as she is still very green) Hacks alone or in company (always in company - my daughter isn't big enough to hack alone) Brilliant mother/daughter share (mum could certainly manage to lead her and feed her but she's a bit small!). Now how about a juicy price tag...
 

Clannad48

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When selling our Welsh Section D I was very honest in the advert, correct age, height and what she had done. Specified that she would be unlikely pass a 5stage vetting, had had laminitis and was prone to it, would NOT travel in a trailer but no problem in a lorry (had been in an accident in a trailer).

One set of parents came to try the pony for their daughters, liked her and asked if they could have her on trial, (they were fellow pony club members so I foolishly said yes) I delivered her and gave them her food for the next two/three weeks and reminded them about the grass restriction due to the laminitis possibility. After two weeks she came back lame (had been competed successfully by the daughter) and was told that they wouldn't buy her as they didn't want another laminitic pony and only had a trailer and wanted something younger.

After so many muppets and idiots I decided not to sell and she is now out on permanent loan to a 5* forever home
 

cundlegreen

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You beat me to it! If I was going to drive 3 hours I 'd ask for additional photographs before I put my seat belt on I'm afraid. Fancy papers and price tag don't come into the equation for me.
Three hours driving, I would want to see a video first unless it was dirt cheap! Re how far to go and view, I've always found my best horses ( apart from my homebreds) in Wales, which is an awfully long way from the east coast!!
 

littlen

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I was searching for a registered m&m with potential to show and to rebuild my confidence with.

I spoke to a well known dealer in the area and told her exactly what I was looking for (ie, been there done that!) and she assured me she had the perfect connemara pony who was registered and bombproof and traveled 2 hours to view.

Got there to find an overheight (at least 15.2hh) pony in some kind of gag. Watched it ridden and it seemed spooky and unsettled but she assured me he was fine and just looked 'flashy' so I hopped on anyway to find myself bombing around the school unable to stop for a good 5mins before I managed to slow enough to jump off! Not the confidence giver I was after. It then proceeded to buck for England with the dealers assistant riding it after I had. I also found out it wasn't fully registered either and was still down as a stallion on his passport.

The dealer 'sold' the pony only for it to appear again on horsemart under a different name as a forward going fun teenagers pony!

Luckily the next pony I viewed was the one as it seems a minefield!!
 

sjp1

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I think it is six of one and half a dozen of the other.

I had an ex racer, well actually two. One of them was sane, larger than life and the sort loads of people would love. The other quirky, nervy and had a life in racing he hated.

I decided to put the happy easy one out on loan. I stated specifically, no novices - an ex racer is not a novice horse no matter how lovely a personality they have.

The amount of nervous novices and mothers asking for their 14 year old daughters who were at riding schools that I had was unbelievable!!!

I did ultimately find the perfect home for him, but I do actually feel for people who are looking to rehome their horses - absolute nightmare - why would anyone who is a novice or looking for a child look at a 16.3 ex racehorse when the advert clearly states 'NOT SUITABLE FOR A NOVICE'!!

So I think it works both ways really.
 

NZJenny

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No, of course it does not and I guess you are questioning my post so I will explain.

The horse in question was an exceptionally smart type and being marketed at the top end of the hunter showing world as reflected in the asking price. It had been lightly shown as a young horse so relatively unknown which is ideal for us. It was marketed as being ready to compete together with a sane and easy temperament. It was all of the above, however, a top end show hunter does not need tennis ball sized hard windgalls.

Had it been marketed as an all rounder or hunter then fine, I would expect to see blemished or less than perfect limb/confo. The time wasting aspect was how it was marketed and described, the fact the vendor never once mentioned a serious defect despite having been told we are looking for another HOY's horse. Whatever you are trying to buy needs to be fit for purpose.

AdorableAlice - I wasn't questioning your post at all. The term "no time wasters" really irritates me. How do they define that? Hence my question. It certainly was not pointed at tyou.
 

roz84

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I once turned up to see a Fell pony that I had said I wanted to show and I admit it looked quite nice on the photo. They hadn't mentioned until I arrived and saw the off side of the pony, that it only had one eye.

This made me laugh out loud!
 

laura_nash

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As a teenager I persuaded a friend to drive me to look at my perfect pony. The ideal childs pony turned out to be closer to 12hh instead of 13.2 and hadn't been ridden in over a year as owner was terrified of it. Rider (not owner) got on and pony tanked off around the arena. When we left it was still going around.

I eventually bought the pony I was riding at the riding school at the time, who I had known for over a year.
 

Runaground

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ME TOO! Been looking four months and seen : lame behind x about 6
lame in front x2
sarcoids x1
sedated and unsound x2

This all despite having been very forensic in my checking who the sellers are, ( ie. pretending to be private when actually small time dealing) and asking umpteen questions on the phone, getting video (old obviously) sent etc....

I give up!
 

Sprig

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I find it good to surreptitiously find out the sellers full name. It is amazing what info you can turn up by reading through the sellers old Facebook posts ('selling due to work commitments' often ends up meaning 'selling as it has dumped me one too many times'!). I have also been amazed at the number of horses that are lame when you turn up to view, and that actually most of the owners can't even see it.
 

CowCob

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Dear Vendors:
Please stop calling me a time waster when I ask how much or simple things about the horse/pony then explain politely that it's out of my budget or it's to short.
I had so many problems with this when I was looking for one, it was ridiculous how many people would put videos of their 'quality not one to be missed' clearly lame or not right horses and expect stupid amounts of money for them.
 

keri66

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I once went to see a yearling gelding that turned out to be a colt. The seller was most surprised when I pointed out it had testicles. He was the breeder lol
 

Stormynight

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I hate horse shopping...

15.1 (in reality more like 16.3) 4yo gelding, good natured & friendly, ideal project (attempted to cave my friend's head in when she opened the stable door, virtually feral, and had direly twisted forelegs). We travelled 100 miles round.

15hh (13.3 at a push...) 3yo mare. Ideal project. In the photo looked lovely (admittedly not taken at the best angle), but had the worst cut-and-shut conformation I've ever seen. Her fetlocks nearly touched the floor and she had no neck to speak of, yet she would make a wonderful breeding mare - top quality stock.

The 14.2 (13.2) that could be a little strong to and from the field (full blown riggy).

The professionally broken 5yo that just needed bringing on (verging homicidal).

The 4yo that was covered in melanomas, and scars.

I could continue. However I think genuine sellers can have similar problems. There just seems to be a sheer lack of honesty in the world. It's sad, really.
 

pennyturner

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As everything I've ever taken on was ridiculously cheap, I have had the opposite problem, and have learned to take what the owner says with a pinch of salt.

Latest buy (a couple of years ago) was a well bred welsh D, unbroken at 6. Very local, or I would have put the phone down after the first sentence from owner "I have to tell you he kicks". She reckoned she'd had 'professional' help to try to break him, and had given up.

He was kind but sensitive. Owner was jumpy and he reacted to her defensively, but without intent.
Back at our place he was brushed all over, making a point of talking calmly despite his kicking out. By day 2 he'd stopped worrying about being brushed, and hasn't kicked since. He took tack etc with no issues and was ride and drive within the week.
He's the sort you can give to a complete beginner, take hunting or ride through a public market.

Not bad for £200.
 

Aeolian

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Here's a wasted journey story with a different ending:

I drove about 40 miles to see a 4 year-old TB filly, substantial jumping type, never raced, 16.2 hh, fit and going well on the flat and over grids. Sounded like just what I was looking for, maybe to go eventing with in time.

What I was shown was a spindly creature, not quite 16hh, a huge grass belly and clearly straight out of a field, no topline and no evidence of having done any work at all. I gave the vendor the benefit of my opinions, including on the 80 mile round trip, and was about to stomp off, but the vendor insisted I try the filly, so out of curiosity I did.

I had to ride her down a narrow track to a field to try her out, and there blocking the way was a tractor with the engine running and about 3 feet gap to get past. I thought: 'if this uneducated 4-year-old TB goes past this, I'll buy her!'.

She did, without turning a hair, and really made an effort when I tried her out. That was in 1992 and I finally lost her 20 years later. She grew up to be the horse of a lifetime, who gave me and my kids more than any other horse.

There's no moral to this, but I'm very glad I didn't do a Rumpelstiltskin and get back in the car.
 

Annagain

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I've only gne through the minefield once but even that was bad enough. I was after a nice riding club allrounder, jack of all trades master of none who was good in traffic and just a general good egg. 15.2 - 16hh middleweight.

The first horse I saw was a 15.2 Sec D xTB. Photo looked a little on the light side but it was local so I phoned about it. Was told photo was a bit old, it had muscled up a bit since then and was more Welsh than TB. It was bought as a lead horse for a trekking centre but hadn't settled to the lifestyle. Asked for him to be left in field so I could see how he was to catch (having had 14 year of a s*d who thought catching was a game of chase, this was important!) Arrived and he was in field, good start. Asked for his headcollar at which point they looked at me like I was mad and said, "We don't go to catch them, we send the dog out to round them up and then tie them up when they get to the yard." To be fair, if I was looking for a dog to round up horses I'd have bought him there and then. He did a fab job of rounding up about 40 horses in 2 minutes flat.....after we had spent 15 minutes trying to catch the horse on a vast hillside. By the time we had waded through the other 39 (yes they ALL came in!) and saw him up close, there was no way he had any D in him at all, he was a spindly weedy thing, I can't believe he was ever at a trekking place. Anyway, I rode him out of politeness more than anything. He was quite sweet on the flat but totally lost it when he saw a jump, plunging and charging at it, and it was only about 18". Despite saying he jumped up to 3ft on the phone, they neglected to tell me the 3ft was a 3ft drop out on one of their rides which he would slide down very carefully. They then told me the reason he hadn't settled to trekking life was every time a horse came past him at anything faster than a walk, he'd leg it!

Second one was even worse. Was meant to be a 5 year old 16hh Welsh x Warmblood jumping nicely at 3ft and having done a couple of prelim tests. They wanted £3k. Alarm bells rang when they told me the address - another trekking centre known for selling crocks, but she told me she had had to move him there on livery temporarily (and this was also the reason for the sale) because she'd split up with her husband, who kept the house and land and there was nowhere else available. It was only 20 minutes away so I gave her the benefit of the doubt and off I went.... to find what I can only describe as a very poorly bred thing that was neither Welsh nor Warmblood, about 14.3 and judging by his teeth barely 3 years old. He was really sweet though and I had romantic visions of rescuing him and turning him into a beauty so I rode him. That lasted about 3 minutes.Poor thing couldn't even trot round a corner without nearly falling over. I was going to offer them £300 just to save him but my (thankfully far more sensible than me) friend dragged me away practically with her hand over my mouth! I don't know how they ever thought they'd get away with advertising him like that.
 

Cgd

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Having a rubbish time with my new horse on 3 months box rest ............. but this thread has really had me laughing! Not sure it was meant to but some of the situations are so ridiculous ! Horse had an eye missing and they didn't mention it ?!!!!

After keeping my previous horse for 22 years I was on the hunt again beginning of this year. Saw the perfect one advertised who I viewed. Agreed a price and then she told me that they didn't want to sell immediately as her daughter was doing her a levels - she was worried about disrupting her studies. So I agreed to wait 5 weeks. Ended up suiting me as my dad suddenly passed away unexpectedly.

6 weeks later had it vetted and it failed - suspected PSD. I was gutted !

After trying loads more horses I finally found a great mare through word of mouth.
She arrived in July and we have had soo much fun. She is perfect . Except she now been diagnosed with acute PSD - how's my luck ?! Passed a 5 stage vetting.
Currently on box rest so I could possibly be horse hunting again next year. OMG what a thought !
 
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