Horse buying - losing the will

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Patterdale

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This is semi lighthearted as I have to keep my spirits up somehow.
But oh my days. People selling horses at the moment....
I’m having to seriously bite my tongue as it’s getting increasingly tempting to be rude.

Me: I’m enquiring about the horse you have for sale, how much is he please?
Seller: ring me
Me: please could you just tell me the price so I’m not wasting yours or my time if he’s over budget?
Seller: <sends 150 pics and their phone number>
Me: I’m happy to ring but please can I have the price first?
Seller: what’s your budget?
Me: if you tell me the price I’ll let you know if he’s within budget thanks
Seller: well how much are you wanting to spend?
Me: oh **** this

????‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️

I get that one or variations on it several times a day^^^^

Then we’ve had, many MANY times -

Me: I’m enquiring about the horse you have for sale, how much is he please?
Seller: 7k. He’s done 2 80s last year and <proceeds to reel off description of my ideal horse>
Me: great!
Long conversation ensues about virtues of said horse, exactly what I’m after, many videos and photos. Sometimes on phone, sometimes message. At the end -
Me: could I come and view this afternoon please?
Seller: well actually I have 3 viewings booked this weekend but if none of them want him I’ll get in touch.
Me: <silent scream> well there’s 45 minutes and some high hopes I’ll never get back....?‍♀️?

And then we have the above....but after all the chat they say yes, you can view him no problem. Did I mention he has sweet itch and navicular though? He’s really sound though please don’t let it put you off! Some people have been a bit funny about it.
Erm, no thanks. I thought he was expensive when I’d assumed he was sound, now you’re just being ridiculous.

OR there’s the one that sounds a paragon of virtue, totally perfect but over budget. I’m tempted to view, but first I look up the BE record. Just a technicality, surely after the ad...’perfect grassroots horse, done 3 seasons at 90/100, etc etc’
2 average seasons. Then the last one, no fewer than 12 faults jumping and at least one XC stop or elimination at Every Single Event.
Erm, no thanks. Either your horse has decided it hates the job or it’s hurting.

Beginning to think I may never find something.

Just had to get all that off my chest....anyone else struggling!?
 
Your pain shines through!!! From all the recent threads of folk trying to buy horses at the moment it seems the advice is - don't. If you can sit on your hands until the autumn when, hopefully, the reality of horse ownership kicks in for some and the world is not quite so mad (fingers crossed) all the sane people are thinking that there will be some bargains to be had - or at lease some realistic pricing.
 
you have to be a machoist to be shopping in the current climate! Put a very detailed wanted ad up with a clear budget. Delete 99% of the replies that don't meet any of your wants and hope for a diamond in the rough. My friend and a HHO member incidentally, just bagged herself the most amazing new horse at a very sensible price by having a wanted ad up. She was contacted by someone who clearly wasn't aware of the current madness and was more interested in the right home. So it can happen.
 
Berpisc said:
(In a similar lighthearted manner) Patterdale! Step away from the keyboard! It ain't worth it!!

It is a bit heartbreaking at the moment, isn't it.
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I think I’m going to have to!

Leo Walker said:
you have to be a machoist to be shopping in the current climate! Put a very detailed wanted ad up with a clear budget. Delete 99% of the replies that don't meet any of your wants and hope for a diamond in the rough. My friend and a HHO member incidentally, just bagged herself the most amazing new horse at a very sensible price by having a wanted ad up. She was contacted by someone who clearly wasn't aware of the current madness and was more interested in the right home. So it can happen.
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I nearly found an amazing one doing this, was booked to view next day then was gazumped by someone else who saw the post and bought it unseen.
Perfect pony, still gutted.

Michen said:
Did you look at the dun I posted the ref for? He’s a very nice horse.
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I did, and thank you BUT he wasn’t quite my cup of tea and I thought he was again incredibly expensive for an older horse that hadn’t done much.
Maybe it was just the ad wording.
 
Patterdale said:
I think I’m going to have to!



I nearly found an amazing one doing this, was booked to view next day then was gazumped by someone else who saw the post and bought it unseen.
Perfect pony, still gutted.



I did, and thank you BUT he wasn’t quite my cup of tea and I thought he was again incredibly expensive for an older horse that hadn’t done much.
Maybe it was just the ad wording.
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eek, totally understand him not being your cup of tea but if you think he’s over priced I do think your expectations are wrong. He’s a solid all rounder competing successfully at novice and elementary, is extremely well bred from the Rosewater Stud and at 11 years old is hardly older. Plus a dun. £10k even before the crazy market is a good price for him.

I’ve never met the horse btw but know of him and know the breeder fairly well, so I’m not trying to gain anything here, but I just think your expectations may be wrong if you think he’s over priced.

Frustrating I know- I hope you find something! Did you sell your boy?
 
Michen said:
eek, totally understand him not being your cup of tea but if you think he’s over priced I do think your expectations are wrong. He’s a solid all rounder competing successfully at novice and elementary, is extremely well bred from the Rosewater Stud and at 11 years old is hardly older. Plus a dun. £10k even before the crazy market is a good price for him.

I’ve never met the horse btw but know of him and know the breeder fairly well, so I’m not trying to gain anything here, but I just think your expectations may be wrong if you think he’s over priced.

Frustrating I know- I hope you find something! Did you sell your boy?
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I'm still in love with the other horse you posted an ad for one that thread (the bay). If I were in a slightly more stable financial position right now I would have enquired about it already! Mind you, bet it's already sold in this crazy market!
 
Michen said:
eek, totally understand him not being your cup of tea but if you think he’s over priced I do think your expectations are wrong. He’s a solid all rounder competing successfully at novice and elementary, is extremely well bred from the Rosewater Stud and at 11 years old is hardly older. Plus a dun. £10k even before the crazy market is a good price for him.

I’ve never met the horse btw but know of him and know the breeder fairly well, so I’m not trying to gain anything here, but I just think your expectations may be wrong if you think he’s over priced.

Frustrating I know- I hope you find something! Did you sell your boy?
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Maybe phrased that wrong - no jumping competition record that they’ve mentioned, so for me personally not worth it.
If I were into dressage however then probably a different story! :)
 
Patterdale said:
Maybe phrased that wrong - no jumping competition record that they’ve mentioned, so for me personally not worth it.
If I were into dressage however then probably a different story! :)
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Your phrase was that he was incredibly expensive for an older horse that hasn’t done much. Swap the BD record for BE/BS. Expect he’s not that old and he’s got a very solid BD record.

I totally get that you want a jumping record so it’s irrelevant for you, but my point is that I think you do have unrealistic expectations for the money you want to spend based on what you thought of his price tag in general.

How about a trip to Ireland...? (ETA when things open up again of course!)
 
It’s horrendous out there! I feel for you! I’m on the verge of becoming an alcoholic ? I swear there aren’t actually any sound horses for sale. I’m giving up and now looking at youngsters!
 
Ok well let’s just stick with not my cup of tea then :)
But again, thank you.

Same story in Ireland at the moment according to my Irish connections..! Think I’ll be hanging on till winter probably.
I’ve possibly sold mine though so I’m going to have nothing to ride at this rate ??
 
RHM said:
It’s horrendous out there! I feel for you! I’m on the verge of becoming an alcoholic ? I swear there aren’t actually any sound horses for sale. I’m giving up and now looking at youngsters!
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Oh gosh yes!! Forgot that most common of problems!
I’ve got an extensive collection of lame horse videos now, it really is amazing how many people don’t know their horses are crippled behind.
But on the positive side, some of these horses must be bloody genuine to keep jumping as they are :(
 
Patterdale said:
Oh gosh yes!! Forgot that most common of problems!
I’ve got an extensive collection of lame horse videos now, it really is amazing how many people don’t know their horses are crippled behind.
But on the positive side, some of these horses must be bloody genuine to keep jumping as they are :(
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I know it’s so sad! I was really excited last week because I got videos of a sound one! Went to view (5 hour round trip) got there and it was again another cripple, asked when they took videos and they were from his advert when they bought him!! I am actually loosing faith in humanity, I don’t believe there is this many people that are just naive, just think they are dicks.
 
I’m completely depressed by it all. I’ve travelled 100s of miles to look at cr@p over the last few weeks. Feel like giving up.
 
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Not sure whereabouts you are but have you tried Julia Martin at Kings Hill Equestrian in Sussex near Hickstead. Julia has horses over from Ireland weekly. She has a FB page Kings Hill Equestrian.
 
Oooh, Bramble ref

Ref #: 223430


?? Quite liking this shopping thing!!!


or Ref #: 231514 ... but possibly too inexperienced and far from you (think you are south?) super smart though...
 
I feel in the same boat as everyone else shopping- very depressing. I totally understand the deflating feeling! Three I would have seen have been bought unseen
 
I feel your pain as been in your situation. The only thing I’d say is that finding a horse with a nice temperament and a good BE record (not necessarily a winning one but a consistent one) and sound is not easy. In your shoes I would get a good vet to vet and access to vet history but maybe look over the odd niggle. Something nicely schooled and fun with a niggle is in most cases better than a sound not particularly nice horse.

Having worked in the industry for many years treating niggles is as common as getting the physio out and dentals done. The mileage these horses have often means they do need some help.

Of course some things are a definite no, for example PSD, but On the other hand hocks just wouldn’t bother me if the horse had been successfully treated previously.

I don’t want to offend you but I just think sometimes people look for the near impossible. Yes I am sure they ARE out there but don’t write off everything with the odd problem.

Sorry for the ramble
 
Leo Walker said:
If you dont like him, so long as you get him back on the market quick you wont lose anything and will prob be able to ask enough to cover vetting and transport!

But I hope he's everything you want.
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Thank you! Yes this is my thinking.
He was advertised this morning and I sent deposit early afternoon. So I’m now one of those unseen gazumpers - sorry to anyone else! Lots still commenting on his ad but if I hadn’t done it this way I’d never have bought anything. Tbh anything in the market for longer than a few days at the moment makes me think there’s a problem with it...
 
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