Deposit on a pony?

[lazycat]

Hi all,

If you look at my post history it’s been a bit of a saga over the years trying to ride/loan/buy a pony. I’m finally graduating from university in June and will have all the time in the world (1 whooole year) to get used to a new pony. After that I’m hoping to do a masters and bring them with me!

I was scouring the market today and I’ve fallen in love (completely sane sounding and in my budget). I am so sure of this pony that I want to ask the owner if they’d let me put down a deposit with a contract agreeing to buy in June.

Has anyone ever had luck doing this? Do people do it? I’m desperately hoping I can, because even unseen, this pony is ticking every box. Also, I’m going to text the owner in the morning so if you see this, ‘Hi’

 

[conniegirl]

I very much doubt that anyone will hold a horse for that long. Thats a lot of extra livery for them to pay with no guarantee that you will actually pay the rest in June.
Horses are selling fast right now

 

[blitznbobs]

Be very careful people lie in adverts all the time - the amount of horses I’ve been to see advertised as say 16 hh and turn out to be 14.2 etc ... just remember there is always another horse that will do everything you want and maybe even more perfect. Don’t rush in - go and see a few, make sure it’s a dream come true not a nightmare waiting to happen

 

[little_critter]

I very much doubt that anyone will hold a horse for that long. Thats a lot of extra livery for them to pay with no guarantee that you will actually pay the rest in June.
Horses are selling fast right now

I agree, if the pony sounds so good I very much doubt they will hold it until June when they could easily sell it next week. Holding a pony for that long also creates issues regarding what happens if the pony injures itself between you paying the deposit and paying the balance in June?

 

[dogatemysalad]

I doubt it, unless they are so desperate to find a buyer for a pony they can't sell otherwise.
Realistically, you'd have to buy the pony and pay for full livery until you're ready to collect it.

 

[PSD]

Ask the seller. You won’t know until you do, but be prepared to pay the livery costs.


I did this with my 3 year old, I put the deposit down in March and she came in may however we were in the first lockdown so she had to stay put regardless, until restrictions were eased.

 

[sunnyone]

You have to try imo. Otherwise you'll find it haunts you in the future.in a what if scenario.

Your chances of success depend on two things:

How much it costs to keep the pony where it is now.

The personality of the current owner, certainly I've had friends who agreed a deal for some time in the future, especially when buying youngstock, and both parties kept their word.

If you do pay a deposit don't expect it to be returned to you if your circumstances change but get a written receipt in case the pony develops major health issues in the interim..

 

[Flicker]

I know someone who had to delay buying due to a work project. In that case the seller knew them and knew they were right for the horse so was happy to hang on for 3 months. But the situation was unusual IME.

 

[Lois Lame]

Be very careful people lie in adverts all the time - the amount of horses I’ve been to see advertised as say 16 hh and turn out to be 14.2 etc ... just remember there is always another horse that will do everything you want and maybe even more perfect. Don’t rush in - go and see a few, make sure it’s a dream come true not a nightmare waiting to happen

And not just lie, but have no clue what height a horse might be and hazard a guess and arrive at something positively mad. Perfectly nice people can do this.

Have you seen the horse in the flesh, OP? If I were you I might be tempted to ask the owner to hold until June but only if I'd seen and ridden the horse and knew that I was certain of the match.

 

[TreeDog]

I have actually done similar when I bought my horse, though I don't think the gap was that long. I knew I wanted to buy after graduating but didn't think I'd find the right horse so quickly, he was the first horse I went to see. My mum went to the vetting for me as I was in the middle of my final exams. After he passed the vetting I think it was a month or so before I collected him. I offered the seller a deposit, she refused.

I was possibly naive as he was my first horse purchase and I didn't really think about what would have happened had he injured himself. Perhaps that's why the seller didn't want a deposit, to avoid any legal issues around money should the sale fall through.

Also, this was in 2017, from what I've heard from others buying at the moment the market is very strong and horses are selling quickly, especially decent ones. Mine probably had less risk of that anyway due to a combination of prior injury, being out of work and not really done much other than light hacking, and also sarcoids were found in the vetting which have since gone, touch wood! (Reading that back I think I was mad to buy him!) The seller liked me and really the new home was more important to her than money, they had two other horses and kept them at home.

Tl/dr: It's worth asking as it depends on the owner and the circumstances around the sale. However, I strongly recommend seeing the horse in person and getting a vetting.

 

[Bellaboo18]

If someone selling a horse is prepared to hold it for 3 months, for someone they've never met, I'd seriously wonder why they think the horse is so unsellable.
Horses are selling quickly and a sane horse without issues sells quickly at anytime.
Theres no benefit to the owner.
Wait till June, go and view a few horses and try them...buying unseen for a first horse is very risky.

 

[AmyMay]

Just buy it and put it on livery....

 

[southerncomfort]

You need to go and view it first.

Their are very long threads on here about disastrous viewings and horses being nothing like the adverts.

 

[HeyMich]

Please don't buy unseen.

Wait till June, or look for something closer now that you can put on full livery.

 

[windand rain]

I have bought like that not unseen but youngsters when I have seen them before weaning or when my dad died suddenly in the midst of buying a youngster. I think it is quite common in some breeds too as you need references etc before you can buy one from many owners and breeders if you are the right person for the pony you are accomodated for a time. Generally though do not buy unseen a ridden pony and it might not be as common in the open market

 

[Leandy]

Do not buy or put down a deposit unless and until you have properly viewed and vetted the pony. I'm not sure from your OP whether you are considering buying unseen but I would strongly advise against it. Even if the pony is as advertised and ticks every box theoretically, that does not mean it is in fact perfect for you and you can only assess its suitability properly by trying it. You could ask the seller whether they would accept a deposit to hold until June but I would expect them to say no. If you did enter into such an arrangement then you would need a properly drawn up contract and to be honest, even then, I think you could write off ever getting the deposit back if it came to it. You will be expected to take the risk on the pony from the time the deposit is paid and possibly also all costs and for this reason I would not do this myself. There is no rush. Wait until you are ready to buy and look then. Look at it differently. You have a whole year to find a pony.

 

[lazycat]

Thank you for all your replies. I genuinely appreciate it: this isn’t my first purchase/ time owning but I don’t have horsey people around me to bounce ideas off of. I texted the owner telling her my situation and to arrange a viewing and she said the pony’s up for vetting next week but that she’ll let me know if it falls through. I wasn’t planning to buy unseen by the way, I may be mad but I’m not bonkers! No in all seriousness I think I’d only do that if there was an exchange guarantee.
Also, I’m now considering full livery if I see another gem because you’re right, it’s dog eat dog out there — horses in high price brackets being sold fast!

 

[Kaylum]

just do your homework and ask about the horse on fb as there is usually a story about them, seen quite few even recommended dealers are selling some very dodgy and lame horses. Bascially lots are doped up in the hope that they wont do a full vetting. My friend was a day away from getting a horse vetted, had been to see it a few times and rode etc. Everything seemed fine but she had videoed her riding it and something just wasnt right. Slowed the video right down and you could see the horse wasnt right on one of its legs. She had asked the owner a few times if the horse had ever had problems. The owner said no. She went facebook stalking and saw the horse had had a serious injury and 6 months off work quite recently. Dodged a bullet and was lied to and that was from a private owner.

Always stalk and post on fb thats my extra advice x

 

[lazycat]

just do your homework and ask about the horse on fb as there is usually a story about them, seen quite few even recommended dealers are selling some very dodgy and lame horses. Bascially lots are doped up in the hope that they wont do a full vetting. My friend was a day away from getting a horse vetted, had been to see it a few times and rode etc. Everything seemed fine but she had videoed her riding it and something just wasnt right. Slowed the video right down and you could see the horse wasnt right on one of its legs. She had asked the owner a few times if the horse had ever had problems. The owner said no. She went facebook stalking and saw the horse had had a serious injury and 6 months off work quite recently. Dodged a bullet and was lied to and that was from a private owner.

Always stalk and post on fb thats my extra advice x

Thanks for this. When you say post on fb where would I post to? Is there a page where people show their prospective buys and people help you research?

 

[Kaylum]

Just join the dodgy dealer groups and say your going to look at this horse at wherever it is does anyone know it. You will usually get someone messaging you.

 

[Sail_away]

You may well find the horse market has slowed down by June - I really did think it would have slowed down by now but no such luck. I think most people are wanting to get a horse in time for comps starting so there’s a sense of urgency now with a few weeks to go. That’s the sense I’m getting at least!