Inspired by 'strange viewings': Have you every refused to sell to somebody?

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Once was lost

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After reading the some funny, some alarming stories in the other thread it got me thinking, have you had any strange people come to see your horse, have you ever refused to sell to somebody because you didn't feel it was the right home or they didn't seem competent? If you did, how did you do it and how did they take it?
 
I have once. Some people turned up to see a horse that I was selling and they were unsuitable. I could tell by how they were and how they spoke about their experience. I was just honest and said I could tell they weren't going to be suitable for the horse and vice versa. I was polite and apologetic. They asked if they could see the horse ridden. I declined and they left!
 
Yes. I had a fairly quirky horse (Primitive Rising) who was beautifully put together (showed very successfuly at county level) I bought him to event but the wotsit was so unpredictable with his jumping and it came to a head when he just stopped halfway round Berkshire College and refused to move. Even worst as we were in with a good chance of a reasonable placing. That was the final straw!

Anyway said horse was very talented on the stressage front, but was a cribber (manageable), needed to have his bridle put on in a certain way and needed a competant rider to get the most out of his on the flat. I advertised him as above, was very clear on the phone and wanted a good dressage rider to keep him going up the grades. Can't stress how clear I was that he needed an experienced rider to stop him from taking the mick.

and got someone who had just come out of a riding school. She was heartily offended when I wouldn't sell him to her but while he behaved on the day, it would only be a matter of time before he would test her out and that would awful for both of them. I also took off him after about 5 minutes.

Did sell him to someone looking to improve their dressage and go further and that was much better. The girl was really upset but I was polite but had to put my horses interests and her safety over her falling in love with him.
 
I've seen a dealer refuse to sell a horse to someone totally unsuitable.

I kept my mare there for a short time whilst I sorted something more permanent.

The dealer had this lovely 4yo ID, around 16hh. This lady turned up, struggled to get on with a mounting block and then proceeded to struggle directing the horse in walk into the school. Not a good combination, a complete beginner rider and a 4yo.

But to the dealers credit, she refused to sell the horse and asked the lady to dismount.
 
Yes, I had somebody (in fact the only person) to see my quirky but clever horse.
They wanted him for endurance, which I think he would probably have liked but it was just the way she had about her that I didn't like.

When she asked about vetting him, I told her that I didn't think he was the horse for her and not to waste her money.
 
I have turned down several in the past - for the ponies we broke/schooled etc.

Some parents have a high opinion of their offsprings capabilities and sometimes this is not condusive to owning a newly broken pony, nor one which has maybe only had a few outings.
Even the non-show ones had carefully vetted homes.
It just wasn't worth my reputation to let a pony go to someone unsuited.
 
I have never refused to sell someone a horse as never sold one but somebody refused to sell me a horse as she thought it was unsuitable for me as my confidence had taken a few knocks - I am truly grateful she refused to sell it to me as went on to find my lovely boy. I wish more people were like her and honest about their horse and the kind of home they were looking for.
 
Yes - A 'riding instructor' who didnt have a clue. I have never seem such shoddy riding from a supposed RI.
I asked her to dismount and that I didnt think they would make a good partnership.
 
Yes only a few weeks ago I had a girl out to look at my gelding. He is bred to event, has competed successfully both BS and BD and schools well over x country jumps, however he has never evented.

A girl contacted me to ask a few questions, she wanted something to bring on and start eventing at low levels with the intention to move up.

When she arrived she was much younger than I thought, I had assumed she was in her 20's but she was a teenager who arrived with her dad. This was fine, we tacked him up, she asked to get straight on him so legged her on and off she went.

She pony club kicked him and off he went in trot, she never once did rising trot and her legs were becoming shorter and shorter. My boy is a lazy toad naturally so have spent weeks getitng him in front of the leg but she ineffectively flapped that much he just dropped behind her leg and jogged around, at the same time she was sawing on his mouth with her inside hand crossed over his neck attempting to force him into a shape. She became so handsy and confusing that he reared up.

I stepped in to give her a bit of a lesson in case she was just nervous and things did improve so when she asked to jump him I put up a little cross. Well she buried him into it and jabbed him in the mouth when she got left behind.
At this point I asked her to get off, that I didnt think they were the best match. Her father had been telling me all about how wonderful she was and how much she has acheived whilst she rode.
After I asked her to get off he offered me 5 grand over the asking price :eek: but I couldnt let him go to her and have in fact decided to keep him :D I think it was sheer embarrassment that had him offering the money haha
 
Yup Samba came back as a sweating mess dripping. I suggested that she wasnt suitable and thankfully they agreed(actually said she was a obnoxious and stubborn mare). They rode her in the field before going round the block and looked fine, to this day I have no idea what they did/ happened, they said she spooked at a dog...... I bought her from a lady that bred rottweilers in the stables next to her and my dogs can walk right up behind her with not problem and she has never got that worked up on a hack.




Samba still here, not going anywhere, weve turned a corner and enjoying life right now :D
 
I had a couple who's first comment was 'isn't she big'! I asked just how big they thought a 16.3 was, they had no idea, they said they didn't know what it meant! I wouldn't even let them get on her!
 
I wish the dealer we bought our mare from had told us we were too novice, and I wish I'd listened to my instinct and told the person who loaned her for a short time that they were too novice
 
The dealer I bought Captain off had previously refused to sell him to someone whose kid goes to the PC attached to our RC. I was watching some SJ and she came up to me and demanded to know if I had bought him and why the dealer had sold him to me! No idea why he refused to sell him to her but I think my lad had rather a lucky escape considering she thought a youngish foal at his first show show be belted because he refused to load on the way back from the show :(
FDC
 
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I have refused to sell on more than one ocassion, it is not worth the hassle to sell to the wrong person as i would always take horse back.

I have had totally unsuitable people try to buy and its funny even if you are doing it for all the right reasons they get the strop sometimes.

I once had a lovely warmblood for sale and although the lady viewing had a lovely stables lots of trainers was very experienced she just nagged nagged the horse and he was too nice to object I told her i had sold the next day, he went to a lovely lady instead.

I dont sell alot but bring on a few to sell I am rubbish at selling I love buying them and bringing them on but am pants at the selling bit, i actually have sleepless nights over it.

I would always take them back if it didnt work out and always blub when they go I even give a book saying they can come back to me for a holiday or field rest if they ever need it, and if i can take them back for retirement if needed i will.

I have collected several along the way who are too speshal to be sold on, as you can guess I am never going to be rich.:o
Its so pathetic i know but i just cant help it.
 
Several times I've refused to sell a horse to somebody. The best one was somebody who wanted an eventer. She rode the young horse in the school, started cantering it in 20 metre circles, and then asked how she could stop it!! I was a bit taken aback, and she ended up hauling it in a tight circle until it tripped, and she fell off . She was going to get back on, and when I said it wasn't the horse for her, she said "are you saying I can't ride?". I had to be very firm and tactful!!!
 
yes, I was instructed to sell a horse who'd been in my yard for a few years. Lovely big chap, evented by my teenage daughter and a generous all rounder. People turned up; daughter gave demonstration and horse went beautifully (she's very light and small but can get them going nicely in a sympathetic way). large man got aboard, walked round with legs clamped on and hands locked down, unfortunately in very large field so I couldn't 'advise' (urk), cringingly then went into trot and the poor horse was looking at me as if to say 'wtf?'. I felt so sorry for him - poor animal - and when they returned to where we were all standing the guy said ' He's not very obedient, is he?' I swear I almost hit him. I've never been so cross and the end result is that I bought the horse myself to prevent a repetition of this fiasco!
 
Yes twice with my old cob! One was a local woman, wanted to keep at same yard seemed nice and competant then one day came up saying how she was moving him etc (no price agreed, not even said she wanted him to me and I hadnt even advertised him - she heard through a friend I was going to) to a yard a bit futher away as she hates the yard manager and started saying about how she was changing things etc - I just told her to leave and not come back and not contact me as I wont be selling to her. Another was a kid wanting to do more than she said over the phone and being 15 with a heart murmer (although bombproof and able to jump 1.20 as a 14.3hh cob eaisly) I wasnt prepared to sell to her. She basically wanted to compete jumping a few times a week, all PC etc and I just said its too much work for a horse of his age with his heart - she was a bit upset but txt me afterwards thanking me for being so honest! :)
 
Well tbh these people never got a chance to view as I told them he would not be sold to them, all I got was verbal abuse!!

1stly they asked if pony was quiet to ride on a lead rein - as per advert he is 2yrs old colt!!
Then they asked if I would keep until xmas!!

I was so shocked I had to ask them had they phoned the right advert / tel no.
 
My two experiences,came down to collect pony from field to find strange women hanging from his headcollar saying'oh I really love him -l m buying him from his owner' which was news to me, his owner! Turned out y/o has 'arranged ' for me to swap my much loved pony who was advanced Level endurance for some ones arab who had more 'potential' although unrideable. Given mine wasn't for sale it was news to me so I moved pdq!

Many years later I had long term post natel depression. Pony lamped me across stable so I had leg in plaster for 3 months and a 2 year old son. Advertised him as potential free to good home and was v. Truthful. He was fit to do upto 40 miles in a day rides, a strong ride who bolts at a trot ( fast as a standard bred), regularly ditches rider who has ridden for 30 plus years, can be unpredictable in the stable and to turn out , can't be tied up , lovely looking. I was amazed at the amount of emails asking for him as 'at 15 years old he was bound to be great for little Johny aged six/auntie fanny aged 80/ local handicapped kids group etc'. I was astonished. Don't people read what's written, or just assume you are exagerating or what? I still have him now, he's 21 looks like sugar won't melt,a bit of a pussy cat, nutted me a few weeks back and broke my glasses - I assume to keep me on my toes!
 
margerita11 said:
I have never refused to sell someone a horse as never sold one but somebody refused to sell me a horse as she thought it was unsuitable for me as my confidence had taken a few knocks - I am truly grateful she refused to sell it to me as went on to find my lovely boy. I wish more people were like her and honest about their horse and the kind of home they were looking for.
Click to expand...

It is really nice to hear a prospective purchaser say that!



Trinity Fox said:
I have refused to sell on more than one ocassion, it is not worth the hassle to sell to the wrong person as i would always take horse back.

I have had totally unsuitable people try to buy and its funny even if you are doing it for all the right reasons they get the strop sometimes.
Click to expand...

I agree!

I had a pony club, spitfire jogging pony who was my pride and joy and soulmate, but I was way too big and he was not old enough to retire.

I screened many potential owners for my pony pickles, I had one girl that I knew who was a good rider, but harsh on her horses, she bombed everywhere on her previous mare and she always came home dripping (the mare not the human!) and she was a bit trophy like with her horse, she had no 'bond' I told her politely, that she he was not for sale to her, that I wanted a different type of home for her.

I also had someone come and try him, he rode fantastically for her, they wanted him, and I told them his only vice was boxing, I didn't load him much and he was fine in a horse box but didn't like trailers. They turned up with a trailer. I tried to load him for about 2 mins, they then said he wasn't the horse for them, I told them they should have washed their *** ears out at their last viewing, they then rang later and asked if they could come with a box... you can probably guess my response!

We had a grandfather turn up who had terminal cancer with his 11 year old granddaughter who could not ride, he was very knowledgeable, but FFS he had less than 6 months to live! We were selling our recently broken cob, who was not a novice ride, He got his cheque book out on the spot and was ready to buy her there and then, his daughter was so relieved when I urged him to go away and think some more and suggested that this was perhaps not the right time for this mare!

Also had a woman who turned up in brand new kit and got on said 'not novice ride, cob' promptly almost fell off, then proceeded to trot, horse stopped and she said... "when I grip with my knees, she stops" arrrrgh, after she got off her knees buckled (probably from the strain of gripping) and she fell on her backside.

YES, I have refused many a person when it comes to the sale of my horses!
 
If you lot think you have it hard selling horses you should try selling shetlands!

Many moons ago we had a 5yo stallion for sale mid-covering season. Both our mares were safely in foal and we wanted a change of bloodline. 4 different people rang up and asked if he would be suitable for 7yo and under kids to ride. He had never been broken, never lived in a back garden, never lived on his own, WAS ENTIRE! Jeezo that got tedious! He went to America to start a new line of pure blood shetlands over there instead and produced 44 colts and 1 filly in his first 3 years over there - oops!

Because I back and school shetlands, bought in and homebred ones I always have people asking for them. Some I quite happily let go to the people that as but then some people really do have no clue and I am rather blunt when I speak to people with regards to my ponies.

The best one I had recently was a lady I have on my phone under the name of That ****ing Woman. Year in, year out she pestered and pestered me to let her daughter ride on of my shetlands and I avoided it for 5 years. I finally relented for a 5min ride - should never have done that! 2 years later I still can't get rid of her! Anywho! Her kid comes to ride every week during the summer no matter what despite being told that I am too busy - maybe I am just too soft. Then one day they turned round and said that they would pick said pony up at 6am the following Saturday to take him to a show and they would just take him home from there on loan. Yes, they were practically going to steal my pony. They had decided that their dearly beloved daughter needed to ride him every day in their school and that I had more than enough horses to deal with so one less would be good for me and that they just simply had to have him. Eh Naw! Never in a million years would they be having him! He has sweetitch and he can't be ridden on surfaces as he just gets down to roll - rider and all - bloody shetlands lol! He also just took the mick out of the kid left right and centre. I just couldn't believe the cheek of her! Expecting to take it to a show and not bring it back to me after! Needless to say I barely slept for the next 3 weeks incase he magically disappeared!

Some people are just short of the full shilling!
 
I haven't sold a horse, but I've put my mare on loan a few times and boy I've had some funny viewings :p. One of the first people to ever ring me up about her was a woman who said she was looking for a horse for her son, who was 14 and small for his age etc. They were local so arranged to come and see her the next day. Well, "they" must have consisted of every member of their family, as at least 10 people turned up for the viewing! Then, to my amazement, I was presented to the son, who was a stonking great lad of nigh on 6 foot and built like the proverbial brick ***** house! Well my mare is a 14.3hh Arab, finely built, and was advertised as such, so you can imagine how daft he looked when he got on. The best part was his mother turning to me and saying "she's a bit small, isn't she?". Needless to say, I did not accept their suggestion of a trial!

That said, they were not the only people who came to see her despite clearly needing a much bigger horse! I know Arabs are supposed to be weight carriers, but anyone who is tallish and bulkyish looks really out of proportion on my mare and even if she can cope with the weight, I don't think it does her back any good to carry someone who is completely out of proportion to her size.
 
I refused to sell a very quick TB with confidence issues to a woman who was quite obnoxiously determined that she could manage him. I could see within a coupl eof minutes that she would send him over the top - he could not be ridden with too much rein as he would just stress out and prance, rise slowly in trot and set the rhythm and he would settle beautifully.

I really ahd to put my foot down with her. I eventually sold him to a very sensitive rider who kept him for years and was very succesful with him.
 
A dealer wouldnt sell a horse to me as she felt i would be overhorsed and loose my confidence. She is the only dealer i will recommend as she was spot on!! I know i am not a great rider and lack personal fitness and confidence which she picked up on and told me bluntly but in a nice way.
 
I have turned people away.

The first one never even got here tbh, I had advertised a 2yo PRE colt for sale and received a call from a woman who wanted her for her 8yo daughter to ride, first horse, kid had been having riding lessons for six months. In her defence she was very obviously not horsey.

The second one was worse, woman had said she was very knowledgable and had horses for years and then proceeded to ask how much training had he had, to which I replied he was a 2yo just like the ad said. She went on to say she wanted him for her husband to learn to ride on, to which I replied NO not suitable, bleddy woman argued with me for fifteen minutes saying she had had her horse for a few years (an 18yo cob), he was on working livery in a riding school etc etc etc I had to be rude in the end as she just would not take NO for an answer stupid woman!
 
Oh Yes! I have a lovely gaited Kentucky Mountain horse mare who has quite a bit of training and is high energy. She was advertised as such and I had a lady turn up who was a complete beginner and could not even hold the reins properly. Nor did she have and body control and flopped all over the place, which was a signal to my angelic mare to stop. The mare is not usually angelic but she was for this lady!

I wouldn't let the lady out of the school area to try her around the fields. I told her that I didn't think she would get the most out of the horse and sent her on her way. I had NO problem doing that and would do it again in a heartbeat.
 
Goodness! Some of these are just :eek: !

I have never sold a horse and I hate any kind of confrontation so I know that if I was selling I would make myself ill with the worry of how to turn down unsuitable prospective buyers, I would never allow a horse to knowingly go to the wrong home but I think I would have to get somebody else to do the tough bits while I stud quaking in my boots, good job I am unlikely to ever be in the situation!
I am currently horseless and although in a couple of years I am hoping to have one again I have pretty much decided I can't hack the stress of buying or owning and it will be loan all the way!

Thanks for sharing, if there are any more tales of strange viewings from the other side of the fence (as the seller rather then buyer) or completely unsuitable buyers keep them coming!
 
So I have a CELEBRITY I refused to sell to... Ms Katie Price!
I was selling my daughters eventer through a dealer and KPs trainer came along to look. We were a little surprised as she was/is? into dressage but she apparently wanted a horse to do a bit of jumping and possibly hunting. She jumped him in the school and generally got on well with the boy, who is rather pretty and would have looked good in her pink horse clothes line (he's a dark bay). She offered full price. We awaited confirmation of vetting, then got a phone call from KP saying she wanted to hack him. Fair enough, date set, dealer waited around. No KP. She phones him about 10pm to say she was doing a perfume shoot in Ireland. Hmmm... At that point I ordered him to advertise horse on Horsequest and he sold in 2 days.

Glad I didn't do the deal with KP as he would have probably done very little and was a nice lower level eventer for an amateur rider, but I do dine out on this story!
 
Prospective purchaser wanted to buy my 2yo (for a four figure price) who would be living alone. Their previous horse had been "quite happy" living alone and my pony should be too. I suggested they might get a Shetland to keep him company. Purchasers replied that they "did not want to go to that expense". I replied that the pony was no longer for sale....

The pony was sold later, but I did have to wait. He is now in a perfect caring home with others owned by nice knowledgeable people. Sometimes patience pays off in the end.
 
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