help needed. buying from ireland

[landyandy]

can anyone please help me, I am thinking of buying from Ireland, and was wondering if anyone as had any experience of doing this, I would go and view, but it all sounds really scary to do. would like to know from people who have done this please.

 

[laura_nash]

There have been quite a few thread on this recently, do a search and you should find quite a bit. One that I particularly remember is: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...0-Irish-shopping-trip-amp-thanks-to-Irish-Gal

 

[Abby-Lou]

I bought a foal nearly 7.5 years ago. I went on my own for two weeks looking around I had a ball !. My advice would be to take someone with you an an expert second opinion. Try and get a couple of contacts and make appointments to view, what I found one contact led on to another and really two weeks was not long enough ! I bought privately in the end but don't be put off with the sales. Keep in mind to look through the rough and ready appearances a bit of good food and wormer works wonders !. I travelled over initially by plane then when back a month later after foal was weaned to collect with trailer. It defo cheaper to get a transport company to bring over but I didn't like the thought of a foal been weaned and put in a holding farm for a week until a full load could be made up to ship across to the UK. Would I do it again ? yes definitely great experience.

 

[Irish gal]

can anyone please help me, I am thinking of buying from Ireland, and was wondering if anyone as had any experience of doing this, I would go and view, but it all sounds really scary to do. would like to know from people who have done this please.

Don't worry Landyandy it's not scary really, in fact I think it ends up being a very enjoyable experience for most people. It's a horse shopping mini break really, trying a selection of horses in different farms and yards and meeting lots of characters!

All I would say, and not just because it's something I do, but going through an agent can be helpful. That way it's not a once off sale for the seller, the farmers/breeders and owners all know that they will never get another sale through the agent if they misrepresent a horse for sale. So it's a good safeguard in that respect. I have PMed you.

 

[Abi90]

This is something I would definitely like to do if and when I buy another horse. And I would definitely be asking for your advice IrishGal as you are so knowledgeable

 

[landyandy]

I have spoken to irish gal today, and she is so lovely and helpful, i'm going to try and get over there asap.

 

[Irish gal]

This is something I would definitely like to do if and when I buy another horse. And I would definitely be asking for your advice IrishGal as you are so knowledgeable

Thanks so much, that's really nice of you to say! And thanks Landyandy, it was lovely talking to you too.

I actually really enjoy finding horses as I know people will go on to get so much pleasure from their new partner and the horse will be going to a great home. So it's a lovely thing to do and it's always fun introducing people to all the characters that are breeders and producers.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I've done it unseen. Horse was as described although a hand smaller. The horse is absolutely what I wanted but I wouldn't have bought her if I had known the correct height.

I would probably do it again but would make a holiday of it over there and also take a measuring stick

 

[cundlegreen]

I've bought 4 from Donedeal, all sight unseen, but I made sure I saw plenty of photos and videos first. They were all a bargain, and 3 unbroken, so not messed up, and I was very happy with all of them, except one that looked super on paper and from the video of her being jumped. She turned out to be a real nappy sod, so went pretty quickly. The others are all going really well under saddle.

 

[Rowreach]

And once you've bought something, please please do your research about transporters, because there have been several people on here who've ended up having nightmares over it. Ask the questions and you will find out who is reputable and who is probably best avoided!

 

[flyzee]

After seeing lots of unsuitable horses over here me and a couple of friends went to Ireland in January and so glad we did as I found my new horse. I'd definitely recommend using an agent as they can make the whole process so much easier (we were helped by Irish Gal). We picked the horses we wanted to view from videos we saw before we went over.

Take an experienced person with you so you get an unbiased 2nd opinion and make sure you factor in time for 2nd viewings too (we saved a day for this). After the first viewings I had two horses on my 'possible' list so the 2nd visit was really helpful in making the final decision. Don't feel pressured into buying either.

The most stressful thing was waiting for the weather to settle so that the horse transporter could get the ferry.

We treated the trip as a mini horsey break and had a really good time.

 

[Irish gal]

A few things I would add. It's great to be buying sight unseen if you're happy to take the risk, and it's fantastic it worked out so well. It's great to be coming over and going round to dealers buying, but you are a lot more on your own and unless you are a superb judge, you are more open to being caught; simply because when it's a once off sale unscrupulous people could try and palm off a problem horse as they won't be worrying about future sales from you. Then there are sellers that have awful reputations, that would take the eye out of your head - as the saying goes - but you're not going to know that.

Also there is the logistics of vetting and transport. You'll want to make sure it's an excellent equine vet and some are better than others and only someone on the ground will have the lie of the land, or else a UK buyer who is very well informed and has contacts here. The transport can throw up problems too, there was a thread recently here of someone who had bought from Ireland and couldn't get info from the transporter and was starting to panic and I don't even know if they eventually got the horse. Some are not good to keep in touch and some are just not great to mind horses. Again that's something it's not easy to know about if you're not from here.

I use an excellent transporter, the same one used by Coolmore Stud, who stand TB stallions with fees of hundreds of thousands. Horses I send are in lorries with horses worth fortunes, so it goes without saying that they are well looked after. Also trying to keep after a transporter based here from the UK would soon see you running up a hefty international phone bill.

Another plus in coming here is that horses are usually sourced from breeder/ producers and there's a great chance of getting a top quality type that might prove more difficult to buy for a similar price in the UK. The dealers who buy here for the English market are on top of their game and immediately grade the horses and send the best to the top end dealers of Irish horses in England. Anybody who has bought from those big name dealers knows the sort of prices they charge, which are definitely significantly more than you will pay on the ground here for the same horse.

And lastly, when it's a horse of a lifetime you're after, it's nice to be able to go to the farm where he was born and buy from the professional producer there. You know that the horse has not been passed around, through dealers etc, and has had nothing but sympathetic care all his life. Hence he's in great shape mentally and shouldn't have issues. If you listen to great trainers the one thing they will agree on is that the most crucial factor for a horse is his accommodation and who is running it. If he's in bad hands he'll turn out badly and in good hands he'll turn out the best he can.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Use an agent, or at the very least, go and see the horse in the flesh. I know an Irish girl, don't know if she is still an agent, she used to do it a fair bit, I'll ask her. She is on here, but not much.

 

[JanetGeorge]

And lastly, when it's a horse of a lifetime you're after, it's nice to be able to go to the farm where he was born and buy from the professional producer there. You know that the horse has not been passed around, through dealers etc, and has had nothing but sympathetic care all his life. Hence he's in great shape mentally and shouldn't have issues. If you listen to great trainers the one thing they will agree on is that the most crucial factor for a horse is his accommodation and who is running it. If he's in bad hands he'll turn out badly and in good hands he'll turn out the best he can.

And - oddly enough - you can do exactly the same thing in England - and have more feedback on what existing buyers think of horses that have come from the same breeder!

In my early days, I bought two unseen mares from Ireland - from a reputable breeder. It helped me get the bloodlines I was after. I have no need to do it now.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/105812282793548/

 

[Irish gal]

That's true Janet, there are great studs in England like your own. But there is a reason that for generations people have been crossing the Irish Sea to buy horses here. Many of the UKs top dealers, best professional riders and producers come here religiously.

In small little farms there are gems of studs where people have been breeding FEI competitors and HOYS champions for generations. For instance two of the breeders I like to use for youngsters have some of the best performance bloodlines in the world. One of them stood Stan the Man, sire of Michael Jung's Sam (world no 1 eventer recently) and the other has a stallion from one the world's best jumping families - his sister qualified for Rio for the Swiss.

Each if them could have 50 youngsters and buyers can take their pick, some will go on to be FEI horses and some will be very smart leisure horses. Their stock is amongst the best that can be found and buying direct from them is affordable. Alternatively, people can wait and buy the same horses at home from the big UK dealers, with a significant mark up.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Their stock is amongst the best that can be found and buying direct from them is affordable. Alternatively, people can wait and buy the same horses at home from the big UK dealers, with a significant mark up.

Or they can buy from a British stud - for cost of production - or less!

 

[stormox]

If you go to a sales in Ireland, the stock is of far superior quality to that at UK sales, especially the 3,4,5 year olds

 

[JanetGeorge]

If you go to a sales in Ireland, the stock is of far superior quality to that at UK sales, especially the 3,4,5 year olds

You're an expert, are you? How many Irish Sales have you been to - and I guess you could have limited your experience here to Derby or Leomister! And how many breeders' stock have you been to see - you sure haven't been near mine!

At the last ID sale at Cavan they had a total of 5 x 2 yos, 4 x 3yos, 3 x 4yos - by comparison, I have 10x2yo, 9 x 3yo, and 8x3yos. The only number they beat me on was weanlings - as I only have 4 of them left now.

Some of the prices were reasonable - but anyone who sells a 2 yo for 700 euros is either desperate - or selling rubbish!

 

[stormox]

You're an expert, are you? How many Irish Sales have you been to - and I guess you could have limited your experience here to Derby or Leomister! And how many breeders' stock have you been to see - you sure haven't been near mine!

Sorry, Janet, I'm certainly no expert, and I didnt mean to diss anything you've bred, indeed my friend here in Ireland has a lovely 18 yr old by Ladies Tralee Raj out of a TB mare. But I regularly go to Goresbridge and the Clifden sales, Cavan not so much, but have been. And I have been to the sales in UK such as Malvern, and regularly went to Melton, Northants, Leicester etc although a lot of these are no longer held.
But for sport horses and ID x I dont think you can beat the Irish sales, partly because there is a far greater number of horses to choose from than there is in England, and there is a stricter criteria for stallions. Also I like the fact that the SJI is transparent, its easy to see what horses have done SJ wise, the BSJA you have to pay to see any record.
But my apologies again, I certainly didnt mean any disrespect to you.

 

[Knockadoon]

Call on over, I'll put the kettle on. Sit anywhere, don't mind the cat, just push him off. Now I know a man who has a lovely mare for sale. It's my sister-in-laws cousins lad.......

 

[sport horse]

One trip to Ireland for me was quite enough. Never wasted so many miles to see totally misdescribed horses often covered in s..t because noone had even bothered to catch them in and brush them over. We were only English and it did not matter unless we could be ripped off.
Have been a very happy customer of France and Holland for many years. They also have lots of horses!

 

[landyandy]

well i'm going to Ireland, my tickets are all booked, I am looking really forward to it, hopefully I will see some lovely horses, and meet some nice people on the trip, I will let you know how it goes