Making an offer - faux pas?

[Mister Flynn]

Is there any etiquette around making an offer nowadays? My last horse was 1.5k so i may be a little out of touch.

My daughter and I went to view a newly broken cob. Top of our budget and probably a little overpriced.

He was a nice sort, but had mallenders and scabbing and swelling in his pastern voids to the front. Imagine a small sausage each side. Our CPL radar went off, we spoke to our vet who agreed it could be a concern in a just turned 4YO, but wouldn't neccesarily discount if the price was right .

Horse was 7K, so we made an offer of 5K. Dealer said they were insulted!

Have I been rude? Is it still the thing to haggle, particularly if there are potential red flags?

We drove 3.5hrs to see it which I think indicates we were serious viewers.

 

[nagblagger]

I personally wouldn't worry about upsetting the dealer. The horse is only worth what people are willing to pay. I'm no expert but your offer seems fair for a newly broken cob, what height was it?

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I don't think you've been rude. Don't lose any sleep over it.

I think you offered a reasonable price for a horse which will need long term management.

 

[Prancerpoos]

You weren’t rude. I wouldn’t personally touch a horse with mallenders, although I realise that is hard to avoid if you like hairy legged types.

 

[nutjob]

Have you been on any of the dodgy dealer fb pages to see if this is a reputable dealer? If so I would expect this to have been declared before doing the 3.5 hour trip.

The main question would be are you prepared for the additional work a horse with CPL and / or mallenders would involve and if not are you confident that a vetting would correctly identify it. I wouldn't be concerned about upsetting a dealer. It's not their pride and joy just one more animal to boost their profit. On the other hand, with no veterinary issues, a decent size well mannered cob would fetch £7k and so many novices are buying without trying or vetting these days so the dealer will hope one of these will come along.

 

[Mister Flynn]

I personally wouldn't worry about upsetting the dealer. The horse is only worth what people are willing to pay. I'm no expert but your offer seems fair for a newly broken cob, what height was it?

15.2

 

[Mister Flynn]

Have you been on any of the dodgy dealer fb pages to see if this is a reputable dealer? If so I would expect this to have been declared before doing the 3.5 hour trip.

The main question would be are you prepared for the additional work a horse with CPL and / or mallenders would involve and if not are you confident that a vetting would correctly identify it. I wouldn't be concerned about upsetting a dealer. It's not their pride and joy just one more animal to boost their profit. On the other hand, with no veterinary issues, a decent size well mannered cob would fetch £7k and so many novices are buying without trying or vetting these days so the dealer will hope one of these will come along.

Yes, I scoured the dodgy dealer FB pages thoroughly. I think she was suprised (or perhaps dissapointed) at what we had found. Having a cob with malenders already we were on the lookout. I am glad others agree it wasn't an outrageous offer. I am sure something else will turn up.

 

[greenbean10]

Definitely not done anything wrong.

Everyone puts their horses up for more than what they would accept unless they specifically say no offers. The dealer would have likely accepted 6-6.5k with a perfect vetting so 5k with a problem seems totally fair. I’m surprised they said they were insulted instead of trying to negotiate 6k!

 

[blitznbobs]

Perfectly ok to ask … a dealer insulted by someone trying to make a deal? All they need to say is ‘ sorry I can’t get to 5k,’

I’d walk away tbh

 

[Needtoretire]

15.2

Taller cobs are few and far between, if the confo was ok and it was a sensible colour it will likely go at 7k. I bought one years ago, he is 18 now and I managed the leg problems, he has been a fab all round cob, safe as houses and good enough to show locally.

 

[blitznbobs]

Taller cobs are few and far between, if the confo was ok and it was a sensible colour it will likely go at 7k. I bought one years ago, he is 18 now and I managed the leg problems, he has been a fab all round cob, safe as houses and good enough to show locally.

Yeah I had a 15.3 traditional … i literally got offers for him everywhere I went..

 

[Mister Flynn]

Taller cobs are few and far between, if the confo was ok and it was a sensible colour it will likely go at 7k. I bought one years ago, he is 18 now and I managed the leg problems, he has been a fab all round cob, safe as houses and good enough to show locally.

I know what you mean about bigger cobs being scarce, hence the long drive. Mallenders alone I wouldnt worry about. But the pastern swelling was worrying. The dealer is now readvertising on FB due to 'time wasters'. I shan't rise to it

 

[Jenko109]

I don't know anything about mallenders/swollen pasterns, however quite how the dealer can feel insulted after you travelled all that way to find an assumedly undisclosed medical condition is beyond my comprehension

 

[Goldenstar]

You offered what you were prepared to pay if you had offer 2.5 k that would have been cheeky .
If he’s smart and good minded he will sell close to 7
On the mallenders Blue has it I dont find it hard to manage it awful and out of control when arrived the sales agent had just clipped him to get a proper look at the issue .
Vet said that can be difficult to manage but passed him .
It’s not a problem with disipline with the clipping and the products we have found that suit him .

Blues 16.2 he had hunted he’s knew the older gent job ,he jumped ,he does dressage he’s a lovely hack he was in a bit of an unkept state and very very fat, his owner was injured falling from him and the sale was because of that .he was also a beautiful blue roan and white socks and blaze really smart .
I would have paid 10 for him without blinking he was 6.5k based on his condition I think that had lowered the agents expectations he was not ready to go out and do a job .

 

[Mister Flynn]

I don't know anything about mallenders/swollen pasterns, however quite how the dealer can feel insulted after you travelled all that way to find an assumedly undisclosed medical condition is beyond my comprehension

I know. He is just now been readvertised due to 'time wasters' !

 

[blitznbobs]

There are worse things to be called than a time waster…
I have been accused of that in the past after horse was lame when I arrived … it’s just an excuse to readvertise

 

[Mister Flynn]

You offered what you were prepared to pay if you had offer 2.5 k that would have been cheeky .
If he’s smart and good minded he will sell close to 7
On the mallenders Blue has it I dont find it hard to manage it awful and out of control when arrived the sales agent had just clipped him to get a proper look at the issue .
Vet said that can be difficult to manage but passed him .
It’s not a problem with disipline with the clipping and the products we have found that suit him .

My cob has mallenders that we manage, If it were just malleders I wouldn't have worried. We were concerned about the swelling/ridges under the pastern and potential CPL.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I don't think you were rude, to be fair you don't know how many people make cheeky offers to them on the daily so they may have been a bit over sensitive to it.
Mallenders I could manage, but CPL I wouldn't touch with a bargepole so I don't think losing out on this one is a bad thing, there will be another out there for you

 

[Cowpony]

It was probably a sales tactic to try to get you to increase your offer. Don't give it a thought.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Is there any etiquette around making an offer nowadays? My last horse was 1.5k so i may be a little out of touch.

My daughter and I went to view a newly broken cob. Top of our budget and probably a little overpriced.

He was a nice sort, but had mallenders and scabbing and swelling in his pastern voids to the front. Imagine a small sausage each side. Our CPL radar went off, we spoke to our vet who agreed it could be a concern in a just turned 4YO, but wouldn't neccesarily discount if the price was right .

Horse was 7K, so we made an offer of 5K. Dealer said they were insulted!

Have I been rude? Is it still the thing to haggle, particularly if there are potential red flags?

We drove 3.5hrs to see it which I think indicates we were serious viewers.

Tbh I think 2k discount for mallanders is a lot, if they passed the vetting for everything else. Maybe thats because my cob with mallanders is pretty easy to manage- once i realised what it was (seller said it was an injury) I clip her heals so i can it see it, apply m&s cream occasionally and a mite treatment maybe twice a year if she stomps.
Surely if it was that bad you would of noticed on viewing not at vetting. If you like the horse, I don't think it would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Mister Flynn]

Tbh I think 2k discount for mallanders is a lot, if they passed the vetting for everything else. Maybe thats because my cob with mallanders is pretty easy to manage- once i realised what it was (seller said it was an injury) I clip her heals so i can it see it, apply m&s cream occasionally and a mite treatment maybe twice a year if she stomps.
Surely if it was that bad you would of noticed on viewing not at vetting. If you like the horse, I don't think it would be a deal breaker for me.

It wasn't just mallenders, there was a swelling in each of the front pastern voids. We didn't get as far as a vetting, we asked our vet for his opinion as we were concerned re CPL

 

[webble]

@Vodkagirly this was at the viewing

 

[saddlesore]

Tbh I think 2k discount for mallanders is a lot, if they passed the vetting for everything else. Maybe thats because my cob with mallanders is pretty easy to manage- once i realised what it was (seller said it was an injury) I clip her heals so i can it see it, apply m&s cream occasionally and a mite treatment maybe twice a year if she stomps.
Surely if it was that bad you would have noticed on viewing not at vetting. If you like the horse, I don't think it would be a deal breaker for me.

Mallanders is exclusively behind the knee due to hyperkeratosis. If you’re seeing issues at the heel you can almost guarantee it’s CPL in a cob.

 

[Lois Lame]

Definitely not done anything wrong.

Everyone puts their horses up for more than what they would accept unless they specifically say no offers. The dealer would have likely accepted 6-6.5k with a perfect vetting so 5k with a problem seems totally fair. I’m surprised they said they were insulted instead of trying to negotiate 6k!

I doubt the dealer really felt insulted. I think she was just pretending. It's a salesman's trick to act that way.

 

[Lois Lame]

I know what you mean about bigger cobs being scarce, hence the long drive. Mallenders alone I wouldnt worry about. But the pastern swelling was worrying. The dealer is now readvertising on FB due to 'time wasters'. I shan't rise to it

She sounds like one to avoid.

 

[Lois Lame]

I don't think you were rude, to be fair you don't know how many people make cheeky offers to them on the daily so they may have been a bit over sensitive to it.
Mallenders I could manage, but CPL I wouldn't touch with a bargepole so I don't think losing out on this one is a bad thing, there will be another out there for you

Good point. Who knows what other offers that dealer had to field that day. I might have been hasty in my judgement.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

The challenge with price is often it poorly delivered on both sides so people get offended or insulted.

Remember that if you are offended or insulted, nothing actually happens. Lightening bolts don’t come out of the sky and strike you down, it’s just an emotional response you or they are feeling.

But to avoid that hurt or discomfort, be reasonable. Make one offer, explain in polite terms why you have made that offer and it’s up to the dealer/seller to consider it.

As a seller of anything - anyone who tries to low ball as a negotiation tactic I just write off and politely decline to continue any discussions.

Selling a house once I had a d***head male who tried to negotiate down a $ at a time, so I just rejected his offer and put the house back on the market and sold to someone else. I couldn’t be bothered.

When I’m buying something, I bring the commercial discussion up front as price is a first qualifier for me, make a conditional offer if there is a building/pest/mechanical soundness/vet check to be done and work from there.

 

[sollimum]

Honestly I wouldn't worry. I travelled a similar distance last December to see a big cob, told them I loved him but pointed out some issues that would require vet care and would they be open to an offer as these issues would be flagged up in a vetting. He sold to another buyer the next day, unvetted, the dealers were really nice were not funny with me. The big cobs do sell very quickly. So keep looking until you find one that you are happy with and then you will have to pay the full asking price I should think.

 

[LEC]

I know what you mean about bigger cobs being scarce, hence the long drive. Mallenders alone I wouldnt worry about. But the pastern swelling was worrying. The dealer is now readvertising on FB due to 'time wasters'. I shan't rise to it

I don’t really get the logic behind saying this. It just makes people look a bit crap, selling a horse inevitably involves an element of time waste as won’t suit everyone but don’t get why people advertise it. To me when I read that on an advert I think not that nice a horse and overpriced that people are not buying!!

Also you don’t get if you don’t ask with price.. hence I never take it personally if someone offers me lower than I want. It’s up to me to say yes or no depending on circumstances.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I know. He is just now been readvertised due to 'time wasters' !

If it’s any consolation, whenever I see this on an ad, I avoid the seller. I think it makes them sound petty and difficult. There are lots of reasons people don’t buy horses, it’s not time wasting to look at a horse and decide it’s not for you.

There are worse things to be called than a time waster…
I have been accused of that in the past after horse was lame when I arrived … it’s just an excuse to readvertise

I was called one after a 8 hour round trip and a stay in a hotel, and a paid five stage vetting because the vet found issues with the horse and the owner felt that was my fault as she wouldn’t have vetted if she was serious about buying.