How to buy a horse

Hal1k1

Hal1k1

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Ok I'm looking for one and this is what I think is going to happen!

Make at least 50 phone calls- Probably £50 phone bill
Buy 10 magazines- Cost £30
Spend £80+ on petrol for viewings only to be told on arrrival horse has just been sold.
At least £300 on vet check only to be told the horse won't pass

On to second search-
Make at least 50 phone calls etc etc. This is without the time you waste.

This is my perspective as a buyer but what about the person who is selling-

Pay a fortune for adverts
Make endless calls in response to messages left.
Buyers don't turn up for viewings
When they do they say "Oh I thought it was bigger/smaller/ a bay/chestnut/grey/ black or I thought it did sj/cross-country/ dressage/did passage//piaffe etc etc

So how do you make the process easier for all concerned?
 
Mine is the polar opposite.

Look on horsemart idly, find a filly, call up, go look. Say yep, I'll have it because it's cheap and a blank canvas. Pick it up a week later

or, with BH, find horse on yard you're already at and ask to borrow it as a companion offer to re back it as it's doing nothing, then offer to have it on loan as owner has no time or money for it and then eventually (as of this week) buy it.

Neither cost me any real time or money apart from the actual purchase price.

I think I was lucky and also I'm not hugely picky. Plus it helps the filly wasn't even two so riding was out of the question :)


Good luck in your search.
 
We sold one last year to people who had gone through the 50 calls/vet fail etc.
Theyplaced a wanted ad, we replied as the description was our horse exactly they saw videos/photos and travelled 3 hours to try him twice.
We didnt have to advertise and they found their ideal new horse without the pressure of other people in a queue .
It is worth trying, let them contact you.
 
Hal1k1 said:
Buyers don't turn up for viewings
When they do they say "Oh I thought it was bigger/smaller/ a bay/chestnut/grey/ black
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How about at the first viewing horse goes fantastic, they love him. Come back a second time, hack him out for an hour - horse perfect, then call an hour later and say 'I think he's too big'. Could you have figured that out on the first viewing or maybe even when you read the advert??!! :rolleyes:

The next person I called back on my mobile, must have cost £5 at least, she made arrangements to come the next day and didn't show! Just rude isn't it.

There will always be people like that. I don't know if we can change that!
 
Hal1k1 said:
So how do you make the process easier for all concerned?
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Going on past experience, to find the perfect horse I would suggest making a list of all the things that you want in a horse i.e. sex, colour, height, temprement, ability etc.
Then...go and see something that is the complete opposite of what's on your list...Bingo! you'll find just what you really want... I've always ended up with a completely different horse that I originally went looking for :D:D
 
The best purchases are the ones that come along when you aren't actually looking. I am going to buy another horse in the autumn to replace my beloved mare who I lost in Feb, and to be honest, I'm dreading it!!! I've put feelers out with my vet, and also someone who buys a few very good horses from Ireland. However, I'm also quite set in what I want. Pure or PB Arab mare, 6-8 yrs, has to be excellent in traffic, and no bigger than 15hh.

I think I might be a while!!

As far as selling, we had a Section A broodmare with foal at foot, never been ridden, and we had numpties ringing up asking if the mare was ok to go to Pony Club camp that summer!!
 
my coloured lad, id seen him advertised brfore but for a lot of money, then advert changed and price dropped. advert appeared on horsequest. I loved the hors eby piccie and his showing record was impressive.

i rang up, asked a few questions and said if i transfere you a deposit of.... right now will you accept a cheeky offer of.. she asked for more i said no finally agreed on 150 above what i offered but that included delivery.

funny thing was.. in trying to set up a card reader to my natwest account i mananaged to block the chip so couldnt do transfere. next day went to bank to unblock, by this point horse was arriving in a few hours.. got cash out. went to car then to feed place to get bits.. lost bank card and reversed in to a pallet of compost... ops..

any way .. thats how i bought current lad. from a piccie, and when he was unloaded he is more impressive. he is the total love of my horsie life *swoon*:D
 
Yep, we've brought a few over the phone as well, although they were all from the same stud and not a substantual amount of money. Always interesting to see what comes off the lorry!!!
Oh, and one who was still lying down in her stable when we said yes please, she was that stunning. We didn't even know if she could stand!! Turned out to be a right cracker that one!!
 
lhotse said:
However, I'm also quite set in what I want. Pure or PB Arab mare, 6-8 yrs, has to be excellent in traffic, and no bigger than 15hh.
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Put a Wanted " Pure or PB Arab mare, 6-8 yrs, has to be excellent in traffic, and no bigger than 15hh" ad online, does horsemart have a wanted section?

Definitely go on Arabian Lines/Link or whatever the arabian forum calls itself - I forget now.

If I am selling I always go through the wanted ads and have sold several horses that way without even advertising:)

Actually, apart from 2 teeny little things I would have a horse for you to consider. 14.2, Arabian x QH (looks like an arabian) unfortunately she's only 3 and in Canada :(
 
You could do what I did. I waited and waited, spending lots of time on here and noticing one HHO user who also buys and sells a few horses and sells quite a few to other HHO user who are all happy clients. I read all about their wonderful purchases and saw lots of pics of their gorgeous horses. I then messaged her and asked her to find me my ideal horse. She thought she had the exact thing I was looking for so I went and tried it, bought it and couldn't be happier. Without a doubt I LOVE my new horse. She has been with me about a month and despite being only 6 she's a star. So if I was needing a new horse - as I have 3 my OH might have a heart attack if I mentioned horse 4 - then I'd go back to my newly found dealer without a moments hesitation.
 
dont forget this scenario...

Horse advertise as 'not for novice'.
Young family turn up for initial non riding viewing, pony to be for mum who has been having riding lessons for a year.
I explain ponies quirks but they say they love her already.
Leave deposit, arrange to come back at weekend to ride.
Hour late at weekend but turn up with a trailer.
Take pony into menage.
Mum gets on...........
OMG the mum looks like she's never had a lesson in her life, flapping about, panicking while horse is just walking calmly.
They leave and say they will let me know.
They dont!

Did they not read my advert NOT FOR NOVICE!!!
Wasted a good few hours of my life :rolleyes: and i have never seen any one before or since ride as badly as the mum did that day - shocking!
 
Yes I thought it might be a minefield!

I thought I would advertise that I was looking and couldn't believe the third reply I got. Phone call:
"I think I have what you are looking for"
Me "OK so what have you got?"
Seller " A great allrounder she goes everywhere"
Me "Please can you be a little more specific"
Seller "We walk everywhere"
Me "Sorry do you mean your horse goes to RC events and local competitions?"
Seller "Oh no we don't jump, canter or trot"

I'm starting to think this is a complete wind up when she says
" I meant she walks all around because she is 26"
Me " Did you read all my advert where I asked for something suitable for RC activities?"
Seller "Oh no my sister gave me your number as she saw your ad and said my horse sounded ideal."

Thanks Sister!
 
Enfys said:
Definitely go on Arabian Lines/Link or whatever the arabian forum calls itself - I forget now.

If I am selling I always go through the wanted ads and have sold several horses that way without even advertising:)

Actually, apart from 2 teeny little things I would have a horse for you to consider. 14.2, Arabian x QH (looks like an arabian) unfortunately she's only 3 and in Canada :(
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Spending a lot of time on Arabian Lines at the mo, I have to say!! I might just take your advice and put a wanted advert on there, it's free.
Shame, but Canada is a bit out of reach for my trailer!!
 
I have done a wanted on preloved and its still there and I seem to attract people with problem horses..there is always a BUT..I am just being patient but I really do think the good old fashioned horses that I remember are few and far between.So many people with money (or did have) come into horses and live in a protected bubble.

Good luck but let us know how it goes..I keep trying to think up new ways to find a horse!
 
WeeBrown said:
You could do what I did. I waited and waited, spending lots of time on here and noticing one HHO user who also buys and sells a few horses and sells quite a few to other HHO user who are all happy clients. I read all about their wonderful purchases and saw lots of pics of their gorgeous horses. I then messaged her and asked her to find me my ideal horse. She thought she had the exact thing I was looking for so I went and tried it, bought it and couldn't be happier. Without a doubt I LOVE my new horse. She has been with me about a month and despite being only 6 she's a star. So if I was needing a new horse - as I have 3 my OH might have a heart attack if I mentioned horse 4 - then I'd go back to my newly found dealer without a moments hesitation.
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Delighted that you are having such fun together and so happy :) Keep in touch :)
 
I do know of the total opposite of what you want, actually, I want him, but he's in Wales.

Professionally (would recommend this trainer to anyone) started 4 y.o gelding by Psynergy. Nice, nice, nice.
 
GingerCat said:
Going on past experience, to find the perfect horse I would suggest making a list of all the things that you want in a horse i.e. sex, colour, height, temprement, ability etc.
Then...go and see something that is the complete opposite of what's on your list...Bingo! you'll find just what you really want... I've always ended up with a completely different horse that I originally went looking for :D:D
Click to expand...

Actually I think sadly this is how a lots sellers have their time wasted. If people don't stick to their list of requirements and get tempted into phoning up about horses that are too big/unbroken/unsuitable/out of their price range then they often end up being the kind of 'buyers' talked about on this thread.

I have a v v strict and picky list of what I want in a horse and I won't budge from it. I was mocked by friends and family when I bought my last horse as it took me 15 months - however that didn't include lots of phone calls and viewing because if an advert didn't sounds right I would dismiss it straight away. As a result I ended up with the most amazing horse I've ever sat on, who ticked my wish list to perfection :) Very, very sadly she has had to be retired though :( So I'm faced with the whole thing again... :(
 
GingerCat said:
Going on past experience, to find the perfect horse I would suggest making a list of all the things that you want in a horse i.e. sex, colour, height, temprement, ability etc.
Then...go and see something that is the complete opposite of what's on your list...Bingo! you'll find just what you really want... I've always ended up with a completely different horse that I originally went looking for :D:D
Click to expand...


I love this analagy as this is what happened to me lol.
 
there are alot of joyriders and time wasters out there unfortunately. A lady at our yard is selling a lovely 13.2 mare that's 16 and a really good second pony. They have been completely honest in their advert but they have had people turn up, thrash her round the manege, one lot bought all their gymkhana stuff to try her out at ( pony has never competed competitively at this which they knew) and another wanted to gallop her up the bridleway. The gymkhana lot phoned back the next day and asked to have her on trial for 2 weeks to take to competitions and when the owner said no, they said that the pony wasn't good enough and too small anyway!!! The other said she was too old and so on.
 
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