If you buy a horse, take responability for your own actions.

T

thatsmygirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 May 2010
Messages
4,341
Visit site
It really annoys me when people buy a horse, many only tried once and without vetting and when things go wrong they want their money back. Why can't people take responability for their own actions?
My rant off the day.
 
Agreed! No wonder so many horses are shunted from pillar to post when some people don't give them half a chance to settle.
 
Was this prompted by another thread by any chance?
I have to say it annoys me too, its the horse I feel sorry...from one bad owner desperate to get rid of it to another who seems clueless!
I really don't understand how people can just rush into buying a horse having it ridden it once and then are surprised when it's not suitable. Even if I had bought a horse then realised I should have tried it out more as it wasn't quite right I'd like to think I'd accept that it was my mistake, find myself a good trainer and work the problem out! :mad:
 
I suspect that too many people go into it without properly thinking it through. At one end of the scale there are unscrupulous people selling horses and not telling the whole truth with naive people buying them who are too trusting and go into it believing everything they're told and then getting upset because they feel they've been let down. Then there are people that probably lose sight of the fact that what they're buying is a living breathing animal and expect to have a refund on faulty goods in the way that they could hand back a broken vacuum cleaner!
 
Unfortunately horses to some people are just like machines and Some horses are more trusting and generous than others. Just like people.
 
It just annoys me, many take time to settle and get use to new people which doesn't happen over night.
Iv got a horse with all issues under the sun which I wasn't told about, but not once did I think " right lets go and get a refund" I considered it my fault for not noticing and learn to live with it the best way I can.
It rattles me
 
Buying a horse is a lottery. I've bought a disaster and i've bought some stars and all sorts in between, and seen millions of other people with all sorts of good and bad luck.

Try looking at it this way. Take my little horse for instance. I knew for a while he wasn't happy to work and wasn't quite right. However on vets assessments he was fine, to the point where I said to my mum, "I just don't know what the hell to do, except sell him quickly because at the moment he'd obviously fly through a vetting".

A few months later, vets work out that he has a tumor in his foot. :rolleyes: How many people would have just done what i'd said, being sarcastic, to my mum? Plenty, I bet, many without even suspecting a physical problem in a very, very nearly sound horse. I know too many people who have bought problems and I hate the whole buying horses system, but unfortunately i can't really think of a better one that would actually see many horses change hands.
 
I agree. When I bought my mare she took a long time to settle, weaved a lot and was generally very defensive, nervy and difficult. But I'd tried her out twice and seen her at the vetting, all at her old yard with her old owner, so I knew this wasn't her, it was the stress of moving yard and owner. It took over a year and a change of yards, but now she's fine. I was grumpy and stressed when I moved house too, but luckily OH didn't try and send me back...
 
My feelings exactly!!!! Maybe they should buy a bike instead!! As I have said in 'other ' thread! If one is subject to a physical issue such as a 'bad back' they could purchase a 3 wheeler trike!! Much better option,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,especially for the horses!!
 
To be honest, back in the day, we bought some ponies without that much thought (although we generally had vettings done) My sister's first pony (when she was 7) was bought for £200 - bargain! Lol. No vetting as he was so cheap we took the chance - he was 13. Got him home, instructor told us he was nearer 30 than 13! hehe. Anyway, he was a little git, hated kids funnily enough and ran at her, teeth bared in the field but I tell you, he taught her about riding! ha ha. We kept him til he died which I think was near enough 10/15 years?

These were the days BEFORE the whole blame culture though - I am sick of it to be honest. I think there are too many people these days who have a few lessons but have a bit of spare cash and think they can just buy a horse but when it goes wrong (ooh, horse is not a machine) they feel someone else must be to blame surely? they don't think to consider THEY may be the problem!!!
 
I remember reading once a suggestion of putting yourself in the position of a horse that's been sold. You're sitting there happily in your home when suddenly someone comes along, bundles you in a car and takes you off miles away to a strange house and just shoves you in. There are no familiar faces, strange people that you have to get to know and no one knows you or what you like to eat and you don't know the house rules. You're told that that's it, this is now your new life, just get on with it.

I think horses probably cope an awful lot better than we'd do in the circumstances!
 
I bought my horse, unseen and untried (by me) and it'd have been no-one elses fault but mine had she turned out to be a lunatic. I think people take as little responsibility as possibly nowerdays and it's getting ridiculous. I also think not enough people (on the flipside) would turn people away if they weren't at all suitable for the horse, which is something I've done in the past!
 
I will add that I have had 8 horses of my own (and worked with countless) but only had one vetted. If you pay peanuts then you know there might be something not quite right, whether the horse is green or crippled, you take a risk buying anything like a horse. And amazingly some horses do not settle in immediately into a new home. Some take weeks, others are fine, it all depends on their past.
 
Well I can guess the thread that prompted this one, and I am afraid to say I find it very hard to sit on my hands. Alhough I do accept that it would be wiser if I did, but I am far too old to let that sort of mind set stop me saying what I think!:o

Just to be quite clear about my opinion on this sort of thing. For the majority of us horses are our hobby, to be enjoyed , both riding and caring for our horses that we are privileged to own. However, sometimes we might be unfortunate enough to find we have found ourselves a horse that does not suit us for one reason or another. After spending sometime to try to bond and move forward with the horse we have bought, we start to realise this is never going to be a happy partnership.

IMO this is understandable and sometimes happens despite all the best precautions in the world when buying, and to then decide to sell the horse (responsible and honestly)to someone else who will be more than happy to own it, is realistic and better for both you and the unsuitable (for YOU!) horse.

But to buy horses with no real consideration and thought - then find we cant cope, so then label the horse a 'nutter', to cover our own short comings is one of my pet hates. Mainly because it is always the poor horse that comes off worse. Stupid buyers like this never think of the horse, only their own selfish immediate gratification. I think they should be put on a lorry and shipped off to Italy, without food water or rest, to be fattened for the meat market, not the 'dangerous' horses that they buy.:eek:
 
I could be classed as one of the ones who could inspire a rant... but I was naive, I now have a horse who could be a problem, but I'm willing to give him a chance... It does pee me off that people expect a horse to be like a car - whevever it is etc. it performs the same - fortunately I'm not that daft.

I have been given some excellent advice on here and am thankful for that!
 
I *mostly* agree except that there are so many dishonest sellers out there that the unwary, unlucky or just novice purchaser can easily get caught. Not just doped horses, but horses who have been ridden for literally hours before the prospective buyer arrives, deprived of water, lunged to a standstill...

I personally don't think it is then reasonable for the purchaser to have to 'live with' a totally unsuitable and possibly dangerous horse.

But I agree in *most* cases spending a little time and effort would see an unsettled confused horse turn out just fine
 
I do think there are some dishonest sellers out there for sure BUT I think people need to know more about horses and horse care in general before they decide they can go out and buy a horse. I also think there are more HONEST sellers than dishonest ones but there are a heck of a lot of buyers who exaggerate their capabilities and then wantto blame the seller for being "dishonest" when it all goes wrong!
 
As Olliesmum, we bought an 18yr old, had been in the same home for 7yrs,
his old owner came and helped settle him in on the first day, but the following days, I really felt for him, a different routine, different people looking after him with different ways, he was obviously confused, luckily he bonded quickly with my OH and despite my doing the daily care, he was a one person horse, as soon as OH appeared, everyone else didn't exist.
We didn't have him nearly long enough, we lost him to colic, but he made an impact on everyone that met him.
 
Went to work today to be told that bosses daughter had just got a new horse. She wanted a quality showjumper between 15.2 to 16.1 after just coming off a 13.2 pony. Shes a tiny girl and has been bought a 16.1 wb and now cant handle her new horse who is just slightly kean so is wanting to send it back after about 5 days!!!
 
In the general I agree, however just to play devils advocate regarding the thead that sparked this one.

The person appears to be very novice, may have just bought her first pony and probably hasn't got a huge budget. Went to see said pony saw it ridden, rode it herself, and then asked to see it ridden out on the road. All appears OK, doesn't get it vetted, which if all she wants is a happy hack type isn't that unusual, pays the money and takes home said new pony.
Gets pony home, puts out in field, goes up next day pony seems settled so decides to take it out on a gentle hack to get to know its new surroundings. Pony goes a short distance, throws an absolute wobbler and scares novice rider to death. Rider perseveres for a few days, each day losing more confidence and until she decides to ask whether she does have any comeback on the people that sold it.
So we all turn holier than thou and say that the she should understand that the poor pony is just unsettled, that she should get lessons, find someone else to ride out with. All of this is probably very good advice if you have bonded with the pony and want to work through the problems, if however there is an alternative, as in return the pony to its previous owner, after all they have just sold this lovely pony and must have been so sad to see it go (ok ever so slightly sarcastic), then why not take it?

After all owning horses as a hobby is meant to be fun and if the seller was genuine, after such a short time they should take it back, if they aren't then they should be held to account. Maybe if people were less willing to make allowances sellers would be a little more honest in their dealings, which would then result in less horses being passed from pillar to post. Better to say it can nap a little if you aren't firm with it, then the buyer can make a decision based upon their riding ability not get conned into buying something that is beyond their ability.
 
I found it difficult to sit on hands too, so am posting here :o

Surely a non "novice" would have tried out a horse more thoroughly than what is described or would have more understanding on the hors's point of view??

April 1st last year, Lyla arrived. She was on a 2week trial and it was 3weeks from first view to when she arrived (work commitments) but within 2weeks of being at her new yard (with me) she bucked me off during a lesson (breaking my hand :rolleyes:

The first my 'instructor' said to me was "send her back!!!"

I've never used that instructor since, I've still got my wench and ADORE her :D

Horses need time to settle, the horse I tried at prev owners yard wasn't the same horse that bucked me off that day (although she's bucked me off plenty since :p) but now, she's settled and happy - I hope :p

And I'm by NO means experienced.

Love ya wenchy :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top