False advertising

[polopony]

Random post really but before I got my horse, I went to view one that looked a great prospect in the advert, I'm sorta novicey so it looked like the perfect first horse. Don't get me wrong he was a lovely little chap, but I'm not going to buy a lame horse!
So we arrived at the yard and introduced ourselves; she said 'Oh right, I thought you were coming tomorrow' but let us view him anyway. Advertised as 16.2, more like 15.3/16h and was clearly nodding and had a very apparent problem with his stifle (even my non horsey mum noticed straight away). The woman seemed oblivious, when we said we didn't want him she asked why, saying he was perfectly sound. My question, was it just a sad story of an inexperienced horse owner (she put the saddle on the wrong side!) or if we had have gone on the right night would he have been dosed up with bute and her carrying on pretending he was fine? Sad story for a poor horse I say.
Anyway else turned up to view a horse, only to find the opposite of what you expected? x

 

[SianLizzie]

i think this is quite a common thing when buyin a horse i think itz more noticale when buyin around the so called 14hh mark rather than your more exspensive horse.
Had a simular thing myself when lookin for my second pony, turned up on a yard to view a horse which the owner claimed to have sold but insteads they had others for sale so said we could view a diffrent horse than we had previously rung about dnt get me wrong this cob waz very nice but had slipts the size of mount everest LOL and was completely differant to what we were lookin for another c ase waz a horse we went to view around the same time when the woman clamed this horse waz to slow for her when we turned up the horse must have been tb x and waz bein led around on the end of a lead rope bouncing around at this point we almost turned around and drove away but me bein me wanted 2 sit on the thing so i think itz sort of a thing whjere people will try and say ne thing to ypu to try and sell them just to get rid of them, but have had friends who have been to see a horse bought it and brought it home which had turned out to have problems due to bein dopped up.

 

[polopony]

So its not just me then :L and normally I'd want to at least have a sit, but I wouldn't ride a lame horse, just glad we had a lucky escape, I think its sad for the horse though when an owner is ignoring its medical problems. And it was probably more common for someone looking for something like us - safe and sensible, happy hacker, not above the 3k mark. I say this yet I've ended up with a crazy new zealand thoroughbred, ideal first horse .. NOT! lol - i love him to bits though x

 

[NeilM]

Second hand car dealers and double glazing salesmen look like absolute saints in comparison to some people selling horses.

It is not just the inexperienced owners who are seemingly oblivious to injury, there are several very knowledgeable and experienced people around where we keep ours who seem to have little concern when it comes to lameness and injury, shrugging it off as 'one of those things'.

 

[ginadrummond]

I'm afraid that over the years (god I'm old) I've been in this situation many times. I'd give it a 50/50 on ignorance and trying to sell a lame horse. I did get one shown to me by a BE eventer and instructor once. Honestly. A salient lesson on making sure you vet though cos they don't all nod!