Michen
Well-Known Member
I have two fantastic horses bought unseen but I fully prepared for the effort required and to involve a pro if needed.
I don’t see the issue with it, as long as your expectations are right.
Gerty Tynan Irish Sport Equine
- Thread starter Lady Tinseltime
- Start date
I have two fantastic horses bought unseen but I fully prepared for the effort required and to involve a pro if needed.
I don’t see the issue with it, as long as your expectations are right.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Ps also know about three people with cracking horses from Gerty. But green. As you should expect.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Ooops...
I did, for the reasons outlined. The market has been crazy and I couldn't even get to view. Those I did view were often unsound.
Went direct to Ireland for a 4yo. This is us 9 months on.
I did a LOT of research on the dealer I bought from and did have a vetting. Other than that, I chose one that I thought would at least suit someone if he wasn't right for me, and I was also prepared that I could lose the money.
Easiest purchase I ever did make, and he is lovely.
Not that I would recommend it to everyone, but it does sometimes work out. I was partially inspired by @Michen and @Ambers Echo with their successes. I was fed up with sitting here, unable to get to view anything, even after doubling my budget, whilst they were out having fun! I got mine well within the original budget too.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Terrible. ? Yours is a total cracker.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Thank you, he is ace.
Because I was buying unseen and I am now nearer 60 than 50 ? and out of practice at that, I went for one advertised as 'more woah than go' as I thought that if there was a niggle, he would still make a useful pal for someone.
That was partly as I didn't know if I would have the strength of soul to travel the road you did with Boggle. It worked for you, but I am really old and creaky!!!
Michen
Well-Known Member
Yeh not an easy road. Bear was tricky in his own ways. But either horse would have been huge money over here with a bit more work so I’m happy paying sub 3k for my manky ponies!
Lady Tinseltime
Well-Known Member
I only asked ...
Lady Tinseltime
Well-Known Member
Incidentally I bought a cracker of a cob unseen from Reid Finlay (unbacked 4 year old) but that was a long time ago when I was young enough to back and bring on a youngster. Now I just want an older horse with some basic dressage experience
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
As I said on another thread, I take my hat off to you. I think Bog and Prince are two of the forum's horses who landed on their feet with persistent and kind owners.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Or stubborn ?? Agree so amazing to see Prince now.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
I have had no dealings with Gerty, I did ring up once about a horse but found it all a bit offputting, especially being dismissive about visiting to try.
I think finding schoolmaster types is a lot trickier in Ireland, most seem to be green 4 year olds. I made the mistake of flying there with an agent, who promised older, schoolmaster horses. The best one had been backed all of 6 weeks, but she said he counted as he was long reined for 6 weeks beforehand, was 5 (backed late) so not that young, and had already been hunting. He was beautiful, just not really what I had gone there to look at.
When I bought my 4yo, I did have a pro yard on standby who had space, in case he was wilder or greener than I hoped. As it was, he was simply delightful.
I don't think there is an easy answer, I wish you good luck.
Rowreach
👀
And I answered. And apart from Red, if you read the extensive threads on here about peoples’ unseen purchases, you will see that they have involved much time, effort, money and angst to get them to where they are now. And not all of them have been successful.
Caveat emptor and the best of luck.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
This. You do need to be realistic about what may arrive. Even if its totally as described, it may not be "your kind of horse". Lots of people feel that it's important to meet a prospective purchase to establish if they like its character.
I've generally just gone along to collect a free/cheap horse rather than specifically chosen one to buy, but I'm comfortable with adapting to whatever I end up bringing home. Some have been nice, some ghastly. I think buying unseen is pretty similar in that way. Some people would find that a horrible prospect and if I was spending 5 figs I think I'd want to be more choosey! ?
GreyDot
Well-Known Member
I would question why the horse is being sold through a dealer if it's a sound and sane schoolmaster. With the horse market the way it is, something like that would surely be snapped up on the private market?
clinkerbuilt
Well-Known Member
the nice but potentially imaginative reading I'd want to put on this would be "horse no longer required but owner wants to capitalise on UK price via export without hassle" but I'd also want to know why it did not compete (? did I understand right) the last two years.
windswoo
Well-Known Member
I was going to start a thread on one of the horses they've got on HH at the mo.
Jackson - I really like the look of, but me buying a new horse at the mo is a definite no no and going down the unseen route for nearly 10.000 maybe not.
Jackson - I really like the look of, but me buying a new horse at the mo is a definite no no and going down the unseen route for nearly 10.000 maybe not.
Quigleyandme
Well-Known Member
Gerty has world wide reach and lots of people look to see what she has. She also has the payment and transport infrastructure in place.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Not sure whether buying unseen is necessarily more successful than unseen from what I’ve read on here tbh.
SusieT
Well-Known Member
The horse if it is the grey 14yr old is sweet, but looks like an old pony club mount who would probably come with his fair share of stiffness and potential issues. At 14 if he's a super safe local pony he'd be snapped up. I would guess he's been off due to injury, then shipped to dealer to sell. It's always possible the owner was pregnant etc but I'm afraid I'm a very big cynic and would want 5* vetting, previous owner contact and to ride myself - He could be lovely to ride or very 'bumpy'
Goldie's mum
Well-Known Member
Looks nice doesn't he. Bit bigger than i'm wanting otherwise I'd be tempted.
Michen
Well-Known Member
OP realistically it depends what’s important to you.
I bought both of mine as projects to in theory sell. Therefore I wasn't looking to "click" with a horse. If I was spending decent money then I'd want to view because I like a certain bit of ooomph that you sort of need to look the horse in the eye to see.
One of my unseen horses is quite literally the most intelligent, sparky horse I've ever come across and there was a glimpse of it n the video I saw before I bought him (now posted below) but no one else was remotely impressed by him from the videos.
My other one is such a lovely chap and he is the apple of my friend (his loaners) eye, but would I have bought him as a long term horse for myself? No. He doesn't make my heart sing. So if you are prepared to sell if the horse doesn't quite do it for you, or prepared to fix a few problems then go for it.
In fact it was this look- right here that sold me this horse 5 years ago. It meant nothing to anyone else that watched this video but to me it was an instant feeling. Do you get "that" feeling from the one you are looking at? And do you need it? Will you feel disappointed?
[video]
I bought both of mine as projects to in theory sell. Therefore I wasn't looking to "click" with a horse. If I was spending decent money then I'd want to view because I like a certain bit of ooomph that you sort of need to look the horse in the eye to see.
One of my unseen horses is quite literally the most intelligent, sparky horse I've ever come across and there was a glimpse of it n the video I saw before I bought him (now posted below) but no one else was remotely impressed by him from the videos.
My other one is such a lovely chap and he is the apple of my friend (his loaners) eye, but would I have bought him as a long term horse for myself? No. He doesn't make my heart sing. So if you are prepared to sell if the horse doesn't quite do it for you, or prepared to fix a few problems then go for it.
In fact it was this look- right here that sold me this horse 5 years ago. It meant nothing to anyone else that watched this video but to me it was an instant feeling. Do you get "that" feeling from the one you are looking at? And do you need it? Will you feel disappointed?
[video]
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Lady Tinseltime
Well-Known Member
From 2017 - 2020 he was competed from Prelim to Elem by an equestrian performance coach so not a pony club mount. I have checked this out with Dressage Ireland however, the fact that he hasn't competed 2021 or 2022 makes me a little wary. To be fair she hasn't competed the other horse she owns or any other horses in this time so it may be due to covid and/or other reasons
Upthecreek
Well-Known Member
I never buy unseen because the feel of a horse is so important to me and I can’t get that from videos. Whilst viewing a horse is by no means a guarantee that it will work out, I need to ride the horse to decide if it’s worth the potential hassle/expense/heartbreak. I’ve bought quite a few horses for myself and my girls over the years and temperament and trainability are my top priorities. I’m not one to ‘take a punt’ and sell on if it doesn’t work out, so I guess it really comes down to your appetite for risk.
Patterdale
Well-Known Member
I’ve bought quite a few youngsters unseen from the UK and Ireland, generally it works well.
Said I’d never buy a riding horse unseen but in lockdown I did just that. Saw the video and knew he was The One. 5 stage vetting and he arrived.
He IS the one…but he is also a standardbred and paced instead of cantered which was a shock.
However I always say I’m so glad I bought him unseen. On his sales video he looked unbalanced (he was 8 weeks broken and not quite 4) but if I’d seen him in person I’d have known immediately what he was and walked away - and missed out on my absolute horse of a lifetime.
2 rules for me when buying unseen. Be prepared for a lot of work, and do not ever spend more than you can afford to throw away. Mine was £4k which although it’s a lot of money it wouldn’t ruin me to lose it. I wouldn’t have risked more unseen.
As it happens I have an absolutely fantastic little horse who is everything I wanted, but it’s taken a lot of work and without sounding a knob he would have floored someone even slightly less experienced or more nervous.
Said I’d never buy a riding horse unseen but in lockdown I did just that. Saw the video and knew he was The One. 5 stage vetting and he arrived.
He IS the one…but he is also a standardbred and paced instead of cantered which was a shock.
However I always say I’m so glad I bought him unseen. On his sales video he looked unbalanced (he was 8 weeks broken and not quite 4) but if I’d seen him in person I’d have known immediately what he was and walked away - and missed out on my absolute horse of a lifetime.
2 rules for me when buying unseen. Be prepared for a lot of work, and do not ever spend more than you can afford to throw away. Mine was £4k which although it’s a lot of money it wouldn’t ruin me to lose it. I wouldn’t have risked more unseen.
As it happens I have an absolutely fantastic little horse who is everything I wanted, but it’s taken a lot of work and without sounding a knob he would have floored someone even slightly less experienced or more nervous.
Cortez
Tough but Fair
People, I will say again: Ireland is quite different from England. Probably the majority of horses are sold at sales or through dealers, there are fewer private sales. The fact the horse wasn't competed the last two years would be that we have had one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe. It would be quite unusual to be contacting a previous owner, we kinda just don't do that. Ireland is not where I would be looking for schoolmaster horses, sophisticated training is not really our thing and most horses will be a bit rough and ready (i.e. green) compared to other places. They will jump though.
The Fuzzy Furry
Getting old disgracefully
I completely agree with all the above, and will add that most will let you try the animal too ?however, the dealer mentioned at the top is an exception to this, preferring mail order only.
Antw23uk
Well-Known Member
I like Jackson, he looks so sweet
SusieT
Well-Known Member
Cortez- you are making Ireland out to be some wild west - it is not. Private sales are just as common, and contacting previous owners just as usual or not as England. In both countries some perfectly good horses go to dealers as do some shockers.
By creating the impression that somehow in Ireland you just 'accept' horses -> dealers as entirely normal (it certainly can be in some cases) and minimal contact, no trials sales you are mis representing the country. Not all Irish horses jump (plenty might just manage 80cm!) . Not all Irish horses are unschooled - but dealers thrive on the idea that anything they sell gets extra kudos for being a bit rough and ready as its 'Irish.
I'm not sure you have an up to date knowledge of Irish horse versus English horse sales but maybe a rose tinted glasses view..
By creating the impression that somehow in Ireland you just 'accept' horses -> dealers as entirely normal (it certainly can be in some cases) and minimal contact, no trials sales you are mis representing the country. Not all Irish horses jump (plenty might just manage 80cm!) . Not all Irish horses are unschooled - but dealers thrive on the idea that anything they sell gets extra kudos for being a bit rough and ready as its 'Irish.
I'm not sure you have an up to date knowledge of Irish horse versus English horse sales but maybe a rose tinted glasses view..
Cortez
Tough but Fair
Ha ha ha, I’ve been involved in buying, selling, training, teaching, competing and judging horses all over the world for my entire life, the first 10 and last 30 years of it in Ireland, with regular excursions to the UK. I think I have an adequate insight into the differences between places. Your experiences may be different.
