How long is a fair trail period after purchase?

[legaldancer]

Following on from the 'Bonding' post, how long would you expect to have a horse on trail?

Last week I bought a pony for my young son. He rode her in the seller's school, as did I, & she was fine. However, we didn't hack out, & as I was being pushed by the seller to make a decision before a return visit was arranged. (Couldn't hack that evening as seller had to go out). I brought her home last Thursday just before the school run & she has been settling in ever since. On Sunday I led her out in hand, in company & she was incredibly strong & virtually towed me round the village.

I was assuming that within 2 weeks when the pony had settled in & my son had had a chance to have a lesson on her I could confirm that she would be staying. I was only told verbally that they would have her back if it all went wrong, no time period was mentioned.

This evening I received a text to say that she needed to know by this Friday or she would lose potential buyers. We are hacking the pony out tomorrow with an older child.

So, in view of the fact that on the bonding post most people think 8 weeks isn't that long to get to know a horse, what would be a fair trail period?

 

[Cazza525]

Usually on a private sale it is one month. If from a dealer it can be longer,perhaps upto 3 months. This is purely on personal experience.

 

[ihatework]

1-2 weeks, any longer and the potential buyer could really screw the horse up

 

[legaldancer]

You see, I would rather not rush things, especially where young children are concerned trying out an unsettled pony. It was still pacing the fence line at the weekend due to being kept in a fenced off part of the field whilst being wormed & integrated with the other two horses. I think it would have been reckless to try much then.

I had a feeling it was usually 2 weeks, but I'm only getting a week. Perhaps I should count myself lucky we're getting a trail at all.

 

[Angelbones]

If you haven't paid for the pony but have it on trial prior to deciding, then i reckon a week is standard. Most people won't let their ponies got on trial these days for all sorts of reasons - and not generally due to the pony being suspect! When i had my daughter's first ridden pony on trial I had no choice but to take her out of school for a day or so to get the pony out and about during that week so we could see how the pony was.

If you have bought the pony then I think there is a 'sort of' rule that you have 30 days to raise an issue if you have a problem, but I can't tell you why I think that.

The problem at the moment is that we are entering the Easter hols and this could be considered to be the best time of year to sell a kid's pony and the owner won't be wanting to miss out on potential buyers if you have the pony for a couple of weeks then change your mind.

I'm selling two ponies currently - one I have had the buyers take out on two occasions to try her out then bring her back to the yard, and the other went off on a week's trial but came back the very first day as they took it to two different comps in the very first day and wondered why it was over excited then over tired! It can be a minefield for both the seller and the buyer.

Hope it all works out well for you.

 

[teddyt]

Personally i think trials are a waste of time. It takes more than a couple of weeks for a horse to settle in a totally new environment, with new handlers, friends, food, tack, routine, water and so on. Many people expect the horse to be perfect and so send it back for things that are just down to the move. Its always the horse that suffers by being pushed around every 5 minutes, which makes the chances of it settling quickly even worse.

For the owner they are also very risky due to injury, illnes, etc and potentially having a spoiled or ruined horse sent back.

For a true picture of the horse a buyer should go several times to try the horse in its settled environment. Then give it a chance (as long as it takes) when it arrives in its new home. If a seller is pushing to make a decision on one visit then i wouldnt have it, especially with a childs pony. A genuine seller would want the best for the pony, which means a suitable home with someone making an informed decision.

For the horse, a fair trial can mean months. Some settle in weeks but many dont.

 

[millitiger]

have you paid for the pony?

if so the seller is under no obligation at all to have the pony back.

if you haven't paid then imo the seller has been very good to let you have the pony on free trial and there certainly isn't a set period to have horses on trial.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

well if the pony is a genuine quiet childs pony it should remain that in most circumstances.
you sound already that you have doubts and issues,n so if sellar willing to take back i would accept that and get looking for an older schoolmaster type who reamins calm and sensible.

 

[legaldancer]

I have paid for the pony, full asking price too.

I really don't intend to return the pony, as I want it to all work out, but I feel as though I've been rushed throughout. I visited first during the day & rode her, then returned with my son after school 2 days later. I returned the following day with a knowledgeable friend to check her over & then paid up. Even when arranging the last visit I was asked if I was 'serious' about purchasing. I don't think they're trying to hide anything though, although I do get the feeling she thought she had undersold it.

I just think that one week of ownership is not long for the animal to have settled.

My horse was a bit of a nightmare when he first came. Now I realise that he was quite stressed at his change of circumstances. He took around three weeks to settle down & wouldn't even leave the yard on his own in that time.

 

[Donkeymad]

A Trial period is made before purchase, not after.
Also, some horses and people can bond vey quickly, while some may take as long as a year. One week is absolutely no time, and i would never expect a horse to settle that quickly.

 

[Brandy]

It took my horse almost a year to settle down to his new environment and for us to bond.

You do seem like you were rushed into buying the pony, which is never a good thing. Was the pony advertised as good to hack out? If so, she should be fine once settled and if taken out with a quiet friend to get to know the area.

Agree that the trial period (if any) shoudl always be agreed, in writing, before money changes hands. Hope it works out.

 

[brighteyes]

QR

I would think the buyer would be under no obligation to have the pony back. It's a nightmare buying a child's pony as we had a pony that taught my two children from zero riding experience to skilled riders able to take on any 'second' pony. They were brave but educated riders although I couldn't have predicted this. This pony scared quite a few of her jockeys with her feistiness but was a pussycat for my two and I trusted her implicitly. I couldn't have sold her with confidence (nor would I have ever wanted to) to anyone as if she didn't like you... floor!

If you scare your child silly, they may be put off for life. My little pony had manners to spare on the lead in any situation. Off the leadrein it was every man for himself. I hope this is just settling in. Do you like the pony? If you do, stick with it and put some work in. If not, chance your arm and see if they'll take it back.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

You see, I would rather not rush things, especially where young children are concerned trying out an unsettled pony. It was still pacing the fence line at the weekend due to being kept in a fenced off part of the field whilst being wormed & integrated with the other two horses. I think it would have been reckless to try much then.

Unfortunately you allowed yourself to be rushed into making a decision before you were absolutely sure that this pony was suitable for your children (if I've read your OP correctly). Now that the opportunity for caution has passed all you can do is take things slowly at home. Hack the pony yourself for the first time with a quiet companion and if all is well take it slowly and carefully from there. If during the hack you have misgivings you will have to take the previous owner up on their very kind offer and return the pony. vowing that next time you will try any potential purchase in every situation you can possibly think of in which you might want to trust it with your children.

 

[diggerbez]

i think you are being a bit cheeky TBH i realise that buying a child's pony must be very difficult BUT i think you are lucky to be getting any kind of trial period at all...especially after paying your money. you say you feel rushed...but it was your decision to buy before going back to try her again so you can't really complain. when i have sold horses i have been happy for buyers to come several times but i certainly wouldn't be offering any sort of trial or money back option...but if i felt someone was taking ages to decide and then someone else came along with the money then sorry i would sell- perhaps thats what the seller was doing, just making you aware that other people might be interested in the pony. you've got to realise that from a sellers POV there are a lot of timewasters and she was probably just worried that you were one. it takes AGES to bond with a new horse- i would say months if not well into a year so trial periods imho are pointless, unless the horse/pony has a serious vice or problem which should have been established when asking about and trying the horse. i think you are going to have to make a decision today and live with it- the vendor is being very reasonable giving you til tomorrow to decide. good luck i hope it all works out

 

[legaldancer]

Thank you everyone for their comments.

I suppose I am a little at fault for allowing myself to be rushed along in this. Seller had a long list of callers wanting to view & was pushing for a decision. I also didn't want to miss out on a good pony virtually on my doorstep!

The pony is a sweetie. She's to be a second pony & has been used in a riding school in the past. I'm sure she'll be fine. I'm just being an over protective mum!

 

[siennamum]

I don't think you've been rushed in this purchase at all tbh.
you saw the pony, went back 2 days laterto try it again and then a 3rd time with your friend.
I've sold/bought ponies on one short visit, and these have been expensive ponies.

I have also returned a pony immediately when it behaved as yours is doing, when it was sold as bombproof. If a pony is bombproof then it shouldn't tow you on the lead rein or be hysterical at being alone for a couple of days - you should be able to light a rocket under it's ar*e!!

 

[legaldancer]

Looked at pony on the Tuesday, returned on the Thursday with child & rode in school.( we couldn't hack then as the family were going out). Visited the following day with friend to look over & bought as other callers wanting to come at weekend. So not just being rushed by seller, but potential other buyers.

Pony not described as 'bombproof', just 'safe for a novice'. TBH, I think the seller is being fair, but I had just expected 2 weeks for the trail. Perhaps I'm expecting too much. Hopefully the pony will be as described, but yes, they can behave quite differently in new enviroments.

 

[jendie]

I tend to agree that trials are a waste of time. Some horses will be on their best behaviour for the first month, others will be very upset at the changes and show only their worst side. I think a horse can take a year or more to settle into a new home, major changes in their lives can be far more traumatic than we give credit for.

 

[bethyboox]

I had a horse on Trial a few years ago, we had a written agreement for 3 months, I actually ended up returning him. I bought my mare straight out though.

 

[exracerfan]

No one has asked the question as to weather this was a private sale or a sale made in the course of a business. (Doesnt have to be a dealer, but if the seller is in the horse business in any way, then that changes things.) If the seller is in the trade, then you can return any horse or pony at any time if it turns out to be unsuitable. I knew of one once who tried to return a horse 4years later. The dealer ignored the buyer, who took him to court. The court gave judgement to the buyer and the court costs broke the dealer and he had to sell of most of his business.

I think the seller is asking you to let her know you are happy with the pony, and if you say you are, she will then think you have no recourse against her, even if the pony goes completely wrong later.

The one thing that would have stopped me buying this pony is that you were not able to hack her out, regardless of the reasons why.

 

[Maesfen]

If it's a private sale, once you've paid for it, it's yours, no trial applicable unless they offered you a trial period; different if it's from a dealer IMO, then you have comeback.

 

[ihatework]

To be honest - I don't buy this 'it takes months to settle' arguement. It might take months to really form a true bond and get the best out of the animal, but it is pretty damn obvious to tell from the word go if an animal has the right kind of temprement to work with going forwards.
If it arrives a neurotic/nappy/nervous mess then although it might improve over time this is alsways going to be it's default answer to a new situation/question and one I really don't have time with, especially for a childs pony.

For example, last weekend I bought a 'project horse' to play with for the summer. It was described by his previous completely nervous rider as spooky and too much horse for her. She told me that he took ages to settle in with her.

Now I sat on this horse for all of 5 minutes before handing over a cheque. You can tell fairly easily the good horses from the bad. The horse has arrived home and behaved to perfection ... and this is a horse I was told would take time to settle. I'm sure he will take time to fully settle in but it's his good temprement that is apparent from the outset.

 

[Pony_Puzz]

Personally trials aren't worth it, if the pony is settled in its environment where it is tried you usually expect it to end up like this in your own. (Not always the case but mostly). My pony took at least 3 months to be mostly settled, and has only now (March) really just chilled down and not worried about anything going on around him.
So I would say depending on the individual horse, trial periods can't really be set and so they aren't really worth bothering with, especially after purchase. I would have gotten a definate about returns though.

 

[Firewell]

I think you are lucky to have been given a trial period, most private sellers dont give them. When I brought a horse from a dealer I had a trial period of 2 weeks. I sent it back because it failed the vet during the trial period. Dealers will often give warrenty periods but it varys.

Its sounds to me as if you are unsure about the pony... If you have a niggling doubts, you need to send it back before the friday or you are stuck with it.

I know people say it can take weeks for a horse to settle (and it can with some) but you know pretty much straight away if its right. My 4yr old TB settled immediatly when I got him, it was like he had had been with me all his life. He didn't pace in the field or get upset at all. True it takes a while to bond and personally I think it takes 18 months to get to know a horse fully but you know within days if you can put up with it or not!

Ive got horses in the past when I was a child that I rode straight away! One was delivered directly to pony club camp for me. If its meant to be an older schoolmaster pony for a child, I would expect it to settle pretty much straightaway. Not be strong and bargy ect.

My old Tb mare could take 3 weeks to settle into a new livery yard but she was a whole different kettle of fish and even she would settle at away shows ect and be good and perform. Go with your gut instinct.

 

[Black_Horse_White]

I had my horse on a 2 week trial. I didn't pay up front. After a week and a half i brought him. He had bad manners on the ground but was bombproof to ride. I've now had him 4 years and he is near perfect. He still has his moments, so there is really no set time. But i had no doubt he was the horse for me. As you seem to, maybe thats answered your question. If there is the least bit of doubt in your mind return the pony. And good luck with your decision.