Is it time to give up looking?

[Mikas-mom]

As the title suggests really, is it time I gave up searching for a new horse?

after not one, not two, but three sellers/owners messing me around (and they say buyers are time wasters) I’m once again horseless and more than a little bit depressed ? and seriously debating if to carry on searching or just call it a day.

i don’t think I’m being too picky about what I’m looking for, 15.2hh upwards, any age/breed/gender. Don’t mind quirks (eg: don’t mind the odd excited buck or bit of fizz, but nothing dangerous). Don’t need a jumper as I don’t jump at all. Doesn’t need to be stressage ready. just a nice happy hacker who is good in traffic and will hack alone.
looking to buy/loan or lwvtb (though I do hate that term).

i’ve now been messed around by three sellers/owners who have decided that a) I’m too far away b) they can’t part with the horse or c) have been offered more money.

do I carry on searching or say enough is enough and call it a day?

 

[Cutgrass]

I'd wait until September/October. I'm sure you'll have your pick.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Hang on in there...things will come right for you.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would keep browsing the ads, whilst intending to wait until Autumn, when I think prices will drop and horses will be plentiful. You never know you might spot something suitable earlier but I wouldn't actively look.

 

[Cortez]

It's not like there is a shortage of horses out there......

 

[The Xmas Furry]

It's not like there is a shortage of horses out there......

Yup, but it seems that anything half sensible is going v quickly indeed.
I'm assisting friends with very healthy budget to find a particular animal, each one that we have found and seen will either fail vet or has a cluster of folk waving cash and taking with no vetting.

I've advised to sit tight, if something does come up then we can check it out, but best waiting till end Sept as current one will sell v easily at any time.

 

[Ish2020]

I am in the same boat as you I was considering getting a new horse until I saw how much it would cost me a lot of money for what I am looking for and I would have travel a far distance. Lucky I have my own horse that I will keep for the future for now.

 

[Cortez]

Whenever I am in the market for a new horse I put no time constraints at all on it, and something always turns up, because....there isn't exactly a worldwide shortage of horses.

 

[Mikas-mom]

It's not like there is a shortage of horses out there......

I agree, there are horses out there. But as FF said for each decent horse there are a string of buyers willing to buy unseen/unvetted etc.
Ive now paid for two 5 stage vettings on two horses(third horse was a loan so I didn’t bother) only to be told that the seller is keeping/had a higher than asking price offer that they have accepted. The loan horse was the one the owner couldn’t part with.
on top of the vettings I’ve also paid for transport as I don’t have my own, and was only told by the second owner the night before said horse was due to be collected. the transport still had to be paid for. And I’m paying out for stable and grazing (which I don’t mind but it’s all adding up lol)
its just all very depressing

 

[[131452]]

I'm also feeling very low about it. Not even getting a viewing or going to view a lame horse! And today a horse failed the vetting and i was told that I couldn't get a low level all rounder for 7 grand !
Ridiculous!

 

[be positive]

I agree, there are horses out there. But as FF said for each decent horse there are a string of buyers willing to buy unseen/unvetted etc.
Ive now paid for two 5 stage vettings on two horses(third horse was a loan so I didn’t bother) only to be told that the seller is keeping/had a higher than asking price offer that they have accepted. The loan horse was the one the owner couldn’t part with.
on top of the vettings I’ve also paid for transport as I don’t have my own, and was only told by the second owner the night before said horse was due to be collected. the transport still had to be paid for. And I’m paying out for stable and grazing (which I don’t mind but it’s all adding up lol)
its just all very depressing

If the seller has accepted your offer, you have paid for a vetting, which I assume was a pass, then how was it sold to someone else the day before you were meant to collect it, as soon as it passed the vet it was technically yours, as the verbal contract to purchase subject to vetting would then be in place, you should have arranged immediate payment, if the seller had then pulled out for any reason they should have refunded your costs, that almost sounds like a scam to me to sell the horse knowing it had just passed the vet.

 

[sport horse]

If a seller pulls out after you have viewed and had the horse vetted I would ask them to refund you the cost of the vetting.

 

[Mikas-mom]

That’s a whole different story. One I’m currently in the process of trying to get to the bottom of myself.
cut a long story short, I viewed Twice, horse was fab For what I wanted. Agreed that if she passed a vetting I would buy for full asking price. Seller agreed and I left a deposit (20% of the asking price) with the understanding that if the horse failed the vetting deposit would be returned.
horse sailed through the vetting.
owner and I agreed on a date for my transport guy to collect.once he arrived and the horse was loaded balance would be transferred to seller.
all great.
the night before the horse was due to be collected I got a text message from the seller telling me that the horse had been sold (unseen but at a higher ticket price) and my deposit had been returned.
sure enough I checked the bank, deposit HAD been returned.
so I don’t think scam, just greedy seller IMO

 

[be positive]

They really need to be pushed to pay for the vetting, the other buyer has gained by not needing one so was probably very happy to pay a bit more, totally dishonest behaviour by the seller as well as the person who bought the horse and very unfair on you, no wonder you are fed up, whenever I have sold I hold the horse and have never considered selling to anyone else.
I have only once pulled out of a sale after vetting, the horse passed but the buyers decided to offer a lower price for no real reason , I was not happy to be messed about and had someone else ready to view the next morning, they tried him, liked him and came to pick him up in the afternoon, I did not refund the cost of the vetting because it was them that changed the terms, or tried to.

 

[Caol Ila]

Yeah, had a similar clusterf&(ck as be positive when selling a young horse. I was in the UK at the time, so my mom and trainer were dealing with it. I was just recieving emails. It was more complicated, but making a long story short, the horse passed a vetting, and then the buyer starting leaving angry voicemails with the trainer, accusing her of "highway robbery" and argued that the horse was too expensive. Among other things, like threatening to involve authorities (what?). Mom and trainer decided to not sell our horse to this woman. She made a lot of noise, wanting to be refunded her vetting costs and saying they were "denying her the right to buy the horse."

When she vetted the horse, we assumed that she agreed to buy the horse at the price we'd set (I mean, if the vetting flagged anything weird, that could have been discussed, but it didn't). She wanted to change those terms and acted batsh*t crazy to boot.

 

[Mikas-mom]

It’s just really disheartening to be honest and has really made me sit back and think is it really worth it. It’s not just the expense (cost to travel to viewings that are usually a couple of hours away, vettings etc) but the disappointment and stress it causes.
we often hear about time wasting buyers, joyriders or photo collector, but I honestly never imagined as a buyer I would be messed around.

 

[Mikas-mom]

I'm also feeling very low about it. Not even getting a viewing or going to view a lame horse! And today a horse failed the vetting and i was told that I couldn't get a low level all rounder for 7 grand !
Ridiculous!

it’s absolutely crazy! I’m personally not even looking for an all rounder, just a happy hacker who I can enjoy pottering about on (and maybe even popping to the pub every now and again ?) I’d be more than happy with an older horse, and wouldn’t even mind some medical issues (obviously as long as the horse is comfortable and able to potter around without being in pain) but even those types of horses are being advertised for silly money, and again being bought unseen and unvetted etc.
saw a 28 year old advertised the other week for 6k.....

 

[[131452]]

Ffs ?
I've seen much older horses being advertised than usual , horses in their 20s. Feels like people have realised there are buyers desperate enough out there

 

[Mikas-mom]

I absolutely agree with you, it’s heartbreaking seeing the older horses advertised. Most of them deserve to be retired and spoilt for the rest of their years, not passed around because their owners can make a few quid!
its definitely a sellers market at the moment, which is very depressing for us buyers

 

[ycbm]

I agree, there are horses out there. But as FF said for each decent horse there are a string of buyers willing to buy unseen/unvetted etc.
Ive now paid for two 5 stage vettings on two horses(third horse was a loan so I didn’t bother) only to be told that the seller is keeping/had a higher than asking price offer that they have accepted. The loan horse was the one the owner couldn’t part with.
on top of the vettings I’ve also paid for transport as I don’t have my own, and was only told by the second owner the night before said horse was due to be collected. the transport still had to be paid for. And I’m paying out for stable and grazing (which I don’t mind but it’s all adding up lol)
its just all very depressing

I would be taking a small claim to get the vet fees and the transport fees paid back for the horses you were gazumped on. A contract is a contract, verbal or in writing.
.

 

[ihatework]

I would be taking a small claim to get the vet fees and the transport fees paid back for the horses you were gazumped on. A contract is a contract, verbal or in writing.
.

So would I. That’s really poor form.
Some sellers are the pits.

 

[Red-1]

Talking of silly buyers, we had one who came to try our horse. She was not suitable as a match, for many reasons. Mr Red and I discussed it, and decided that it was a no.

She made us an offer, then another... when we wouldn't sell she threatened to sue us for her time, diesel and emotional whatnot and disappointment.

I told her to crack on, if she really wanted me to reveal, in a court of law, exactly why we thought she was an unsuitable owner...

She stalked us for weeks, we even had to remove the horse when we saw her parked across the lane in the early hours. Just goes to show that our instincts were correct!

OP, I am guessing that by the end of the year, there will be a glut of horses.

In your case I would ask for the out of pocket expenses. I would go to the small claims court. It was a verbal contract.

 

[Shilasdair]

I feel for you, OP, you have been treated really badly.
I think you should sit tight and save your money for the time being. I'll eat my hat (the crunchy riding one ) if the market isn't flooded with horses by late autumn/early winter. That's when I believe the impact of the Covid 19 recession will have hit, coupled with hay shortages (in my area yields are around half of normal years) driving up the price of hay...

 

[southerncomfort]

I would keep browsing the ads, whilst intending to wait until Autumn, when I think prices will drop and horses will be plentiful. You never know you might spot something suitable earlier but I wouldn't actively look.

This is what I'm doing. I'm window shopping but ive pretty much given up the notion of buying anything for a while.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

That's shitty. However, it's one experience, don't let it discourage you. There are many more horses and sellers out there. A horse is a "big" purchase, so relax, it's ok if it takes a bit.

I found my current horse 3 years ago when I was just aimlessly scrolling around online. Not looking, per say.

Something will work out eventually.

People are griping a bit about the current market over there, and tbh, you all have had dirt cheap horses in the past ? so the current "inflated" market isn't so terrible to me. I mean, there are some outrageous sales going on, don't get me wrong.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

My friend is looking too and is having similar problems to you. The demand is crazy at the moment so the prices have rocketed. If you could sit tight for a while, I'm sure it will calm down in a couple of months. I know thats easy to say when I'm not the one wanting a new horse but I hate seeing my friend get so stressed out.

 

[lamlyn2012]

I’m tentatively looking at the moment but in no hurry. Saw a nice one advertised so arranged a viewing. The dealer gave me their earliest time and date for viewing and I arranged with a third party to accompany me to the viewing. A four hour journey which I wouldn’t normally entertain but the horse did seem perfect for me. dealer didn’t take any details from me, didn’t have my name or phone no., which I thought a bit strange so I called the evening before setting off to confirm all was ok only to be told the horse had been sold unseen the previous day. I could quite easily have wasted a day travelling to see a horse which was no longer for sale. Horse was top end four figures, sold unseen and highly unlikely to have been vetted as no time to do it. For now I’m putting it on the back burner.

 

[[131452]]

I've just driven a 4 hour round trip to see some pretty sad animals. They travel from Ireland over 10 hours , arrive tired and a bit battered, and of not immediately behaving get sent back. The horses i saw had no topline , not even basic schooling, long feet , teeth needing doing , and then a rider sawing at the mouth to try and force the head down.
Made me so sad for them.
I'm feeling pretty low about it after yesterday's failed vetting and am thinking of giving up for a bit.

 

[Keira 8888]

I've just driven a 4 hour round trip to see some pretty sad animals. They travel from Ireland over 10 hours , arrive tired and a bit battered, and of not immediately behaving get sent back. The horses i saw had no topline , not even basic schooling, long feet , teeth needing doing , and then a rider sawing at the mouth to try and force the head down.
Made me so sad for them.
I'm feeling pretty low about it after yesterday's failed vetting and am thinking of giving up for a bit.

Don’t give up. Your horse is out there!! If it were easy then we would all have perfect horses. We reap what we sow so hang on in there! I know it’s bloody frustrating but you will get there. Where others give up... you will still be there and find the right horse. Easy to say I know. But I reckon - the juice is worth the squeeze! It’s what makes us horse folk tough!! Good luck x

 

[exracehorse]

Look out of the box. If it’s a happy hacker that your looking for I’d go for a trotter or even a standard bred. I’ve got a trotter x cob. Not everyone’s cup of tea but at hacking he’s superb. Done a 15 mile long distance hunt ride today on my own. Jumps like a stag too. And over lockdown concentrated in my flat work and he’s really progressed. He was only 1.4k and is a diamond to hack out by myself or in company.