How far do you travel to buy?

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Louby

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It seems like everything I like and in budget is miles away, as in hours away. Weve travelled over 2 hrs only to be disappointed on more than one occasion, and hubby has now had enough but I cant seem to find anything more local, so.
How far would or did you travel to buy?
I darent put what Im looking for fear of being 'button pushed' for advertising :(
 
After travelling the breadth of the country, to be shown horses that were nothing like their adverts (smaller/thinner/lunatics) when we were looking for the horse that we eventually found by word-of-mouth within hacking distance of home, I now refuse to travel for more than an hour, so no more than about 50 miles.
 
I went about 3 hours for my mare.

I took my tb 10 hours and about 350 miles to his loan home as it was the right place for him to go (he had a few issues)
 
It depends on what I have seen before hand. I fell in love with a horse from a pic but am glad I insisted on a video, totally different horse. I will travel upto 3hrs normally but generally insist on videos if more than 2. I was willing to travel 5 hrs for the one I fell in love with but like I said not for me. Ended up not travelling at all for the one I have now! (prev owner brought him to my yard to try and was 20mins away to pick up :D)

If you are both a bit fed up insist on some videos so you have a bit more confidence about what you are going to see.

Where are you? and you can Pm me what you are looking for, I like shopping :)
 
Thanks,
Ive just seen something I quite like but its about 3 hrs away. Hubby has said only an hour now as everything weve seen up to now looks and sounds fantastic on the ad but is never like it when we get there.
I feel like I will wait for ever, if I stay local.
 
I considered horse from miles away, up to 3 hours, but only considered, I was so wary of travelling all that way to be only disappointed, though I would have done it had I not stumbled across Nell who was half hour from home :D
I viewed her twice, was not wholly convinced as she was not a piebald and looked a bit small, but I loved her attitude, and almost 10 months later we have come on leaps and bound together, after a shaky start
 
I will go as far as I need to for what I want.

My next one I think I will be going oop norf but will just as easily go anywhere for what i want, I just like what this certain breeder breeds ;)
 
Black Beastie said:
I will go as far as I need to for what I want.

My next one I think I will be going oop norf but will just as easily go anywhere for what i want, I just like what this certain breeder breeds ;)
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Weve both said, if we knew it was going to be as advertised, then we'd travel anywhere but weve had such bad experiences up to now, we lost the will a bit.
 
PM me what you're after, I have 2 for sale, you never know!!

Oh and I flew abroad for one of mine when I bought him!!
 
Louby said:
Weve both said, if we knew it was going to be as advertised, then we'd travel anywhere but weve had such bad experiences up to now, we lost the will a bit.
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See thats the chance, If I go to this breeder Ill be 2hrs+ in the car and I might get there and not like what I see.

My oldie I got from the borders and we were about 1.5 hrs travel to see him, then i went back alone, then he was vetted and passed then we had to go back to get him.

What I might suggest is seeing if there are some more in the same area and planning a trip to see several over a weekend/few days. Means no back and forwards and lets you see whats out there :)
 
I went on a 8hr round trip for mine, as the advert was fantastic and the lady was lovely, spoke to her on the phone for ages and felt confident she was true with what she said, luckily he wasthe first one I went to see so I didn't have to do loads of journeys up and down country looking for the perfect horse.
The lady even delivered him as she wanted to see where he was going.
My family have always travelled for the right animal (dog/horse/pony) as my mum says it's not everyday you buy animal,and once home they are with us for life.

Good luck with your search OP
 
Generally up to an hour or so having had similar experiences, however travelled 4 hours to see the horse I bought and very happy so far! Luckily it was near a friend so I stayed there the night before and made a weekend of it. it is handy having friends dotted around when horse hunting as I put their respective counties into my searches and at least we can have a nice catch up if all else fails!

Also thought if it was reeeally far (might want a highland one day!) then might take the OH along for a weekend,in fact I wouldn't rule out going to Europe one day but would need the extra funds to make it a nice weekend while I'm there :-)
 
Travelled about an hour and a half, once to see some thing not as described in any way apart from it was grey and a mare. Also went an hour and a half in the other direction and found my boy, most uninspiring advert but he has turned out to be every thing I hoped for and is going further than I ever expected we could go.
 
Distance isn't an object for me if I find what I want. I've imported quite a few horses.

If OH doesn't want to go horse shopping with you then don't you have horsey friends that would accompany you? You could have a girls day out and all :)
 
We've flown to the other end of the country to buy an 11.2 for our younger son and I regularly go to Ireland to assess horses. When those Irish horses we produce are sold its mostly through word of mouth so friends of clients around the country are happy to travel large distances. Quite why some vendors don't tell the truth is beyond me.
 
Eeeek, Im feeling a bit inadequate now lol :D
Ive decided to do the 3hrs if the measurements are right, will know more tomorrow.
I have travelled over 2 hrs, ended up running late, (half hour) due to traffic, so rang to say Im nearly there and was told it had just sold, now I was totally :mad::mad::mad: I thought that was really unfair as they knew I was travelling a long way.
 
Germany, Belgium, Holland... will go anywhere reasonable for the right horse.
I wouldn't want to "settle" for something just because it's local.
 
How much information would you like to see before travelling? Photos? Video? With today's technology, surely that is not a problem. Then, if you like what you see, discuss over the telephone, and then travel to take a closer look?
 
I totally agree but Im finding the good ones sell quick!
If travelling far, I would like the seller to be honest. Im finding I get there and its a total rust bucket and the seller says oh I didnt realise you could put your hand through the floor. 2 mins and we are back in the car :(

Please dont button push :eek: Im not advertising
 
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I did ring one recently and once the seller knew how far I was prepared to come, pretty much tried to put me off, said this aint going no where, please have a think about it.
I really appreciated ther indiscreet honesty :)
 
I blame the ridiculously long distances people go to view horses on internet advertising. People seem to think that the only horses that are up for sale are on internet sites. Unless you are after a 'world beater' then you should be able to get the horse you want within 50 miles or nearer of your home.

Our 2 horses, both can jump foxhunter & one will go further have been bought within the above distance.
 
We traveled four and a half hours so nine hours driving to see the one my friend has just brought, I would always travel for the right horse but would do lots of home work first videos etc, last time it was a six hour round trip, its personal choice when it comes down to how far to travel I guess but for us it's worked out. Pm me what your looking for and what area your in and I'll let you know if I know of anything.
 
In the past, I've gone hundreds of miles to see horses that have not corresponded in any way to the details advertised, other than they had a (not necessarily sound) leg at each corner! Now have a look on the internet to see what's advertised in the county, and look at notice boards in feed/tack shops, ask friends, farrier, instructors. That said, got the last one from N. Ireland, via a dreadful ad on Gumtree!
 
Toby_Zaphod said:
Unless you are after a 'world beater' then you should be able to get the horse you want within 50 miles or nearer of your home.
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Agree, and that's about as far as I'd go for a viewing.

By the time you factor in all the extra fuel money and wasted hours travelling further, you might as well just up your budget a bit instead to give you a bigger pool to choose from nearby!
 
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