Horse sold.. now they want to give her back! (LONG.. sorry!)

[Ali16]

As the title suggests really... my lovely little ex race mare went to her new home a month ago and I have been keeping in contact with them. Until last night, as far as I was aware, all was fine and dandy. She was behaving in the school beautifully and was great in traffic etc out hacking.

The lady WORKS with racehorses and handle TB every day, so having turned a few more inexperienced people away, I thought that this was a good match.

I did warn them before they bought her that she was a TB and so could be a liitle skittish if she got a shock.. which is exactly what happened yesterday by the sound of it. They were out hacking and a sports car came up her behind very fast, so she shot forward and, getting caught in the mouth (by mistake) went up.

Now I know that it's never nice to be sat on a rearer, but she has never, ever done anything like that with me. The owner called up last night and said that she didn't think that the mare had hacked very much (which is totally untrue - she was our 'go-to-girl' to take the babies out hacking) and that she wants me to buy her back.

However, we are totally overstocked at the moment and have horses coming out of our ears (not ours - various rides/liveries etc) so taking her back is pretty much out of the question, at least for a while.

Am I totally crazy to think that they are being a bit silly giving up on her so soon?

Bacon sarnies for anyone who got this far!

 

[Baggybreeches]

Sorry but they have had her for a month and they now want you to buy her back? Tell them to jog on! If she's admitted the car was whizzing up behind them then I guess most horses would react!

 

[Super_Kat]

Personally I'd tell them to ******* right off!
Unless of course you likes the mare and would like her back. They've had her for a month, surely they could have spotted in the first couple of weeks if she's not really been hacked.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I'm a bit of a sucker when it comes to my horses and generally only ever loan them. THe ones I have sold the new owners have been told that I would like first refusal on buying them back.

If it were me I would say to them to give the horse another 2-3 weeks just incase it was a one off and see how things go. If still no good then at least you have had a few weeks to try and sort out a place for them.

 

[Fourlegsgood]

Unless you actually want the horse back then I would say it's just tough luck for them. I can't see any legal or moral reason to take the horse back.

 

[thetrainer'smissus]

Its a try-on. You have no idea whether this incident actually happened or if it did happen, whether your mare's response was as they say - you never experienced her rearing. Either politely bat them off or, if you are concerned, then offer to go over and ride her out yourself to understand whether they have changed her routine / management / feed in such a way as to make her more flighty. IME, new owners, even experienced ones, will always make unnecessary and sometimes quite substantial changes to a horse's management and this very often leads to difficulties. Best of luck.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Unless you actually want the horse back then I would say it's just tough luck for them. I can't see any legal or moral reason to take the horse back.

Ditto this!

 

[Ali16]

Thanks for all the replies

To be fair I do really like the mare and when sold I did say to them that I would like first refusal if they were to sell her, but that was before (for some unknown reason) we had a massive influx of horses to our yard. I work full time and ride four - five per day and compete every weekend.

I simply do not have the time to take her on again. However, when I told the lady this last night she was not very happy about it and said that I should have a think about it and she would call back tonight to discuss when we could take her back!

Do you think as a 'good will gesture' I should perhaps offer to pay for advertising her if they were set on selling her? Or if she really wants rid THAT quickly, should I offer to pay some of the donation for the mare to go to HEROS (practically next door to us).

I really am not a dealer and HATE selling my own horses.

 

[Mlini]

I wouldn't take her back! It was most likely a one-off.. The horse might not have settled in properly yet and in my opinion the majority of horses would spook in that situation.
I have had my new horse (ex-racer) for just over a month, when I tried him out he was sold to me as bombproof, well behaved in the school etc etc (he didn't put a foot wrong when I rode him at his old home).
Now he's home and his routine and environment has changed, he is like a different horse! Bags of energy, much happier in himself, his personality is coming out more and more every day and he is definatley not bombproof!! I wouldn't dream about giving him back to the previous owner!

 

[TheoryX1]

Ditto the above. Even my laid back cob would react if a car whizzed up his backside - probably wouldnt go vertical as far to much effort for him, but I would have been tanked off with and I have owned him 7 years and know him inside out. Dont even go there. Its their problem, you are not a dealer and governed by the sale of goods act, so please try and resist all their pleas.

I know what you mean about selling horses though - hate it and worry about them constantly after they have left me, which isnt that often thankfully.

 

[PooJay]

Could you not offer to sell her for them? Bring her back to your yard if possible (obviously without giving her the money back until you have sold her) and sell her to a home she may be more suited. That way at least you'll know where she's going and that she is suited to her new home etc

If you get less money than you sold her for to the lady that's her problem.

That's a compromise - otherwise i'd tell her to stuff off as well, especially for being so rude. She's obviously learned bad habits at her new place and that's her problem not yours

 

[PrettyPiaffe]

Oh dear! Tell her to bugger off. If a car came whizzing up behind any of our horses they'd do worse than the little mare did!

Same happened to us, buyer wanted us to buy the horse back after a month, told her to jog on. He ended up being sold to a dealer and being a bit sharp and sensitive he's probably being passed from pillar to post the poor sod but there was no way we could have bought him back.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

FFS horses are horses and even the most ploddy old cob would react if a car came fast up its @rse!

No I don't think you should feel obliged to pay for ANYTHING, advertising or whatever.

Its not like they've had the horse for five minutes is it.

Though probably if it was mine, I'd have her back coz they'll probably just sell her on to any old person and/or put her in a sale unwarranted, and if I'd been fond of the horse I'd want to avoid that ........... but then I'm far too soft and didn't sell mine on, I loaned him.

 

[brown tack]

I think they are trying it on tbh

 

[LaurenBay]

Even my laid back mare would react to a car zooming up behind her. They are Horses and not machines.

I would ring her and explain that Horse has never done this, but is a Horse at the end of the day so is unpredictable. Then explain that you are unable to take the mare back as you don't have the room for her. Could you go and visit the mare? Perhaps ride her out for them, they can see then that it was a one off?

 

[Horsemad12]

I agree with everyone else, you should not HAVE to do anything.

If however you want to do something, then I think the suggestion of selling her again on their behalf is fine. Alternatively, you could buy back at a reduced price to allow for the work that you may have to do if they have mucked her about.

Horrid situation and I feel for you.

 

[applestroodle]

I wouldnt take her back as who knows what has gone on in the last month, maybe i dont have a very trustworthy opinion of people but she might come back with even more problems!! They have had a month and in fairness of your mare i think most horses even the most bombproof horses would react like this, after all they are flight animals. Very difficult situation and i hope you get it sorted asap.

 

[Ali16]

Could you not offer to sell her for them? Bring her back to your yard if possible (obviously without giving her the money back until you have sold her) and sell her to a home she may be more suited. That way at least you'll know where she's going and that she is suited to her new home etc

This was what I proposed to the OH last night... however, it was quickly shot down as we simply do not have the space at the moment. Even our temporary stabling out in the fields is full and we have a waitlist of people wanting to come in for training (and not people that we could put off for a little while either... they are mostly good owners for us so don't want to mess them about).

Being a huge softie, my initial instinct was to say that I'll take her back ASAP and put her elsewhere until we have space, however, this would mean forking out livery money, and taking more time out of my already jam packed day to go down the road to ride/muck out etc.

I just don't think I have the time/space/money to have her back

Thanks so much for all the replies... nice to know I'm not being a cold hearted b**** for not running back to her with the money they paid (which was not a lot for such a lovely little girl).

 

[Winklepoker]

i hope everyday that my mares new owner says this I would love her back!!

But tell them to get ratted if you dont want her back- its not on just changing theit minds like that!

 

[jrp204]

Do not offer to pay for anything eg. advertising, donation, it could be seen as admitting some sort of blame. They are trying it on, they have had her for a month, not a week and alot of horses would have reacted the same way.

 

[PooJay]

This was what I proposed to the OH last night... however, it was quickly shot down as we simply do not have the space at the moment. Even our temporary stabling out in the fields is full and we have a waitlist of people wanting to come in for training (and not people that we could put off for a little while either... they are mostly good owners for us so don't want to mess them about).

Being a huge softie, my initial instinct was to say that I'll take her back ASAP and put her elsewhere until we have space, however, this would mean forking out livery money, and taking more time out of my already jam packed day to go down the road to ride/muck out etc.

I just don't think I have the time/space/money to have her back

Thanks so much for all the replies... nice to know I'm not being a cold hearted b**** for not running back to her with the money they paid (which was not a lot for such a lovely little girl).

You're definitely not being cold hearted and certainly not unreasonable. I can't believe she had the gall to be rude to you about it!

 

[jojo5]

Definitely agree with jrp204 (coooool Jack in your sig!!) - although you are trying to be accommodating with your offers, they could instantly be seen as some sort of culpability by this type of purchaser. Once down that route they will pressure you to take responsibility for her.

 

[Honey08]

Isn't it annoying when they've had her for a month and all has been well, then something happens and they get scared, and suddenly its the horse that is wrong! Its like people take advantage of good sellers because they care about the horse.

When you buy a horse, however good it is, you are always going to have a moment or two when it acts like a horse and perhaps scares you. I've never had a horse over the last thirty years that didn't at some point give me a scary moment. Anyone with half a brain should realise this, and work through the problem. The trouble is, those without half a brain expect the owner to drop everything and pay them back.

If you do take this horse back, it should be minus a chunk to cover what you will have to do to reschool it since they have had it - if they're saying its that bad! I feel for you because it means that you either get guilt tripped into taking the horse back, or you lose contact with a horse that you care about. Either way its not good!

I hate selling horses!

 

[Polotash]

If they've had her a month with no problems then you are under no obligation to have her back... if they want you to have her back and you are willing then i'd buy her back at a lesser price to reflect the re-schooling you'll have to do..

Some people are just a bit dim, most horses will scoot forward at a sudden noise! I sold a lovely young new forest once and the STUPID girl rode him up beside a lorry in a very narrow lane... it's air brakes went off and he spun, clashed his feet together and broke his pedal bone. I was sooo annoyed with her for doing it I took him back, rested him, and sold him to a lovely farm home.

 

[Dizzle]

We had something similar a few years ago, we had this amazing ex-racehorse. He hunted, he jumped, he had an extended trot that even now gives me butterflies in my tummy, he was easy to do in every way, he was the first horse I hacked out after I lost my nerve (down a main road and cantering though fields on the buckle, and that was just the first ride). He did gymkhana games, he was the ‘big’ horse that we could happily put children on, he took countless novices out on hacks, he was in short one of the most perfect horses I have ever ridden (in fact before I had my ex-racer I wanted to buy him).

Anyway, we sold him to a lovely home and had a phone call from them less than a week later that he was rearing, now considering the above you can imagine our shock.

We of course would have had him back in a heartbeat, we spoke to their instructor and advised them that this really wasn’t him. Instructor agreed that this wasn’t the horses fault and the owners carried on with him and as far as I’m aware they still have him and he’s going well.

My own ex-racer, despite the fact that I’d loaned him for six months before buying him went though a terrible teenage phase last year, if I hadn’t of known him I’d have considered sending him back he was that bad! But thankfully we worked though it and now he’s a little star!

ETA: He was rising six when I bought him, I always vowed he had until he was 8 to become a responsible citizen or he'd be sold. Thankfully at the age of 7 he pulled his little white socks up and went back to being wonder pony.

 

[Kenzo]

If their used to TBs and race horses then yes I'd agree it seems very irrational to be sending her back after one episode specially when it's clear that something caused her to flare up anyway, some TB's are solid as a rock on the roads, yet others are well 80% time good as gold but have the odd skitter when something upsets them, maybe she's just lost faith in her and needs a bit of time to regain her confidence with her on the roads again?

It's not reason to have her back, she can't do that everytime the horse has a 'moment' and want to send her back be it one month or 6 months down the line.

 

[AmyMay]

They may be trying it on. But personally yes I'd take her back.

 

[PorkChop]

You have no obligation to take her back, horses are not machines, no horse can be 100% guaranteed, please don't feel bad x

 

[charlie76]

I would not take her back, its a horse not a robot. They have had her for a month and in which time she may have had all her schooling undone and you will have to reschool her. If I am correct in that you are a private seller than they have no right to return her.
I have had this (although mine was after 3 months!) and I get sick and tired of people moaning and complaining the second the horse does any thing wrong!

 

[BigRed]

The point here, is not whether the horse has been naughty or they are worried new owners. The point is - you sold them the horse on the basis that you would buy it back if they wanted to sell it. You said you wanted first refusal if they didn't want it, and now a month down the line you have changed your mind. Which is unfortunate because you are actually going back on your word. They may well have decided to buy her from you, because you offered to buy the horse back if they wanted to sell it.