Do you think its a good idea to contact previous owners of your horse?

[Benefice1]

As the title states really, i have the name and address of the first person on my horses passport (there is only me and his previous owner on it as well) and i am soooo tempted to write to them to find out some history about him i.e. where they got him from, what they did with him etc.

Do you think its a good idea or would you let sleeping dogs lie??

Would be interested to hear other peoples views.....

 

[Tierra]

I think its a completly personal choice really

I did contact the old owners of my horse. Well actually, I know the person who we bought him from but I went back one owner further.

I wrote them a letter simply saying that Id understand if they werent really interested but that the horse was fine and gave a bit of information on what he had been doing and so on.

They replied and seemed really happy to know he was ok and said that they missed him but he hadnt been suitable for their daughter. I learnt a little bit more about his past which is always nice and can now trace exactly where he has been from stud all the way to me

I suppose it depends on what you want to get out of it partly!

 

[kick_On]

i would say you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I would write a short polite note and see what happens. I've contacted previous owner before and breeder never had a rude reply. They always want to see image of how the ggs etc... problably don't want to be best buddy etc...
i would go for it

 

[Benefice1]

thats what i thought, i dont know anything about his background so would be interesting. ill get writing i think!

 

[kick_On]

I learnt alot when i spoke to pervious owner and i often bump into her competeing and she always asks after my horse. It's was lovely when i spoke to breeder and also popped down too see breeder, and to have a look at my horses' mother, which was fab. Can so see, where my horse got some of his habits from, chatting bottom lip etc...
I now send her the odd email when i've get new photo or gone really well at comp.

 

[Rambo]

It's entirely up to you...but whatever you do, don't judge the horse by what someone else tells you. You know him now, and you don't know what his previous owners are like, so just be sensible and use it for background purposes.

I contacted my horses previous owner from Holland, and she was very nice and told me everything she knew about him...there were no skeletons in his cupboard, but just be prepared for it not all being a pot of roses

 

[Benefice1]

wow that must have been great to see your horses mum! I think its a good thing to know where your horse has come from and what experiences they have had - (even if the experiences weren't always good at least then you can see why your horse is how it is or why it does a certain thing) if that makes sense!!!

 

[Benefice1]

i totally agree with you rambo, it would purely be for background purposes, but i also wondered if there was something 'bad' whether the person would actually tell you?!? or would they make it seem that everything was perfect?!

 

[I_A_P]

yes i did i now know all of her old owners and there have been a few and i now know a lot more than i did and iv seen loads of pics and everything

 

[Maesfen]

If anyone contacts me as a breeder or previous owner then they get a warts and all lowdown up until I sold it - why lie when the horse has been gone from you for some time; there's no need for it IMO!

Personally, I love new owners to get in contact and tell me how my children are or are not doing as the case may be. It's for this reason that I always put a note in the passport to this effect on the new owner page where they can't miss it.

 

[glenruby]

Ah its usually interesting and if you want info on breeding then it can be fairly handy. My firts ponies I was in contact with the previous owners. At one show, the previos owner of my jumping pony introduced me to her breeder (she didnt have her breeding recorded) who happened to be the farrier on call at the show and he brought me to see my pony's dam who was in the field opposite the racecourse where the show was held. It was pretty cool.

So yeah, Id say go ahead and give them a buzz.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Since i sold my pony her new owners email me almost daily and I'm hopfuly going to vist her soon for the weekend. It helps them because i knew that pony so well and know how she respons etc.
I feel so proud when they says shes done really well at pony club etc Because I always knew she could just never had the chance with me!
They also tell me the bad things like atm she has gone badly lame, vets not sure why and box rest and boredom are in order. I
t makes me relise i did the right thing when they are kind enough to relise im a useful contact for the interest of there pony!

With my new horse he was basicaly from a dealer, with the name Althone, I found out is a place in ireland, so my mum is taking me there in hope we might find his breeder and get more info and backroom!

You have it easy!

Good luck with your letter!

 

[kick_On]

i was chuffed to bits - but as everyone says you do get the warts aswell

 

[threeponies]

My three ponies all came from the same breeder and she loves to hear how they are all doing. I would send them a letter and tell them how the horse is doing , explain where you got their address. If they don't want to know they will either reply and tell you this or not bother to reply at all. You have nothing to lose, you could even get a load of great info and some photos of your horse as a a baby ( i'm assuming they bred him/her) Good luck with it!

 

[hussar]

When I bought my senior Arab I discovered he'd been bred only 20 miles away although the girl I bought him from was a four-hour journey ... so I got in touch with the breeder and she came out to see him - in tears! She'd had him till he was 4 and I got him aged 8. She was keen to be kept in touch with his endurance career but eventually moved away and we lost contact.

I still update my youngster's breeder on his progress, at her request.

 

[marmite]

i think its a great idea maybe the old owners would love to hear from you and see how the horse is doing.

 

[druid]

If he's a happy, well adjusted animal go for it otherwise leave well alone - there's two I never want to hear of again and the rest I'd be delighted to know how they're doing

 

[seaofdreams]

i did, and got some lovely reports back im now in full contact with Mouses full sister who i have just found out is Cullohills grey, Bud mum so thats cool
and got some fantastic pictures of Lottie as a foal
i love finding out there history

Also there breeder/previous owner was very pleased to know they are safe and well and thanked me for getting in contact.

 

[jinglejoys]

I contacted the owner BEFORE the lady I bought Sarah-lee off and got the exclamation "Good god is she still alive!"

 

[tashyisaudrey]

I think its a great idea to contact them. I am now very good friends with my horse's previous owners. But have yet to get the courage to write to the owners before them. I sooo want to see a picture of her as a foal!

 

[taggartgolf]

I have mixed feelings... I contacted my horses prev (prev) owner and got the warts and all.... not all good I'm afraid. Apparently she was sold because she had bolted with her and she was terrified.I felt sick to the stomach and very nervous.However,I have owned her two months and there has been no sign of her 'running away' despite several opportunities.I am still wary but am going to persevere as she is a lovely horse.I hope that she never tries with me but almost wish I hadn't asked as I am always a little nervous ' just in case' .If hadn't asked I could have saved myself weeks of worry which I am sure she has sensed. Conversely, I haven't galloped accross country yet but amm prepared for when I do!! As they say it's 'horses for courses' and hopefully she never does it with me...Fingers XX'd!

 

[TheresaW]

I contacted the previous owner to the one I bought Mac from and she was pleased to hear he was doing ok and had some nice things to say about him.

 

[xspiralx]

Prob a good idea to wait til you've had the horse a bit longer before you do so - so you know the horse as your own!

 

[Benefice1]

thank you all for your replies, it certainly seems to be a unanimous (sp) answer! Im going to post the letter today....im so excited!