Making an offer - faux pas?

Faux outrage is a common dealer tactic. As is 'readvertised due to time-wasters'. Instant red flag to avoid the seller.

Offers are normal even if the horse is perfect. With a vet issue, lowering further is fine. And in any case people offer what they are prepared to pay for the horse they see on the day. Horses are 'worth' what someone will pay. I viewed a horse who was hugely overweight. The horse was advertised with photos from months previously looking like a different animal. Sure the horse could have been 'worth' the asking price when fit. But the cresty heffalump in front of me certainly wasn't! I debated offering a low amount for the potential but in the end decided the risk was high as his crest was rock solid and passed on him. I was a time-waster too apparently. Whereas I think presenting a horse who looks NOTHING like the horse in the advert makes you a time-wasting seller tbh.
 
My favourite story about making an offer was when I was taken as a second opinion to a second viewing. Horse was advertised at £4500 by a well known dealer. Buyer was going to have to borrow to buy at that price, so I asked the dealer what his best price was. He looked at me and said, pretty assertively, "what makes you think I'll negotiate?". I replied "because you're a dealer" and stared straight back at him. He was just about to compromise when the buyer said "mum will lend it to me", and that was the end of that.

People are too shy of making offers, and fear of losing the horse to another buyer is a barrier too.
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When I bought mine (8 yrs ago, hence the lower prices!) he was up for £8k and I offered £5k. We agreed on £5800 and he passed the vetting with no bother. So I think your offer was fine. They can just say ‘no’! Sound like irritating seller and one not to revisit.
 
I think your offer was fine. Cost of mite injections and extra time and care to manage mallanders would need to be taken into consideration and also that if clipping is required to manage the condition that might rule out showing as a traditional as you have to clip off the feathers which would reduce the value.

The cob is only 4 so presume not done much and you would have to know he was good to clip. Friend has cob who needs legs clipping to manage this condition but needs vet sedation in order to be clipped.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
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.
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Yes, that sort of language sends me running far and fast from an advert too. Makes the seller sound like a wanker. I have viewed many horses I haven't bought. Either I questioned its soundness or it just didn't feel like the right match. We all have!

SO1 said:
The cob is only 4 so presume not done much and you would have to know he was good to clip. Friend has cob who needs legs clipping to manage this condition but needs vet sedation in order to be clipped.
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A good point. In my vicarious experience -- I have a lot of friends with cobs -- the condition can make their legs quite sore, so they find clipping uncomfortable and require sedation. Sometimes, even washing their legs involves ducking flying hooves. One owner tried to transition her horse to barefoot, but he found hoof boots so uncomfortable that trying to get them on was fairly lethal. He got his shoes back on.

Watching my mates struggle with it, it's definitely a condition that would put me off or want a reduced price on the horse. I don't think you were being cheeky at all.
 
Not cheeky given the issues the horse has. Amusing the dealer is claiming timewasters... Knowing someone who has been/still is dealing with CPL, there is no way I would want to take on a horse knowing it had the problem.
 
i have been called a time waster when i was only permitted to see a horse if i agreed to take it there and then, that was the conditions of access

i pointed out i was not going to agree to buy something that i had not seen............. i was told i was a time waster........

there will a lot of other cob's out there.................
 
People travel to see a horse to decided whether it will suit or not. If they then decide no, for whatever reason, to call them a time waster is simply an insult. Despite many questions over the telephone, what you see when you get there often isn't what you were expecting.
 
if thats where you value it when you view, thats what its worth to you

all is fair in love and war and horse dealing

you don`t know til you view, then you see things and evaluate between asking price and real world value if you see something adverse
 
It seems buying and selling is a ‘game’ to many people. A horse is worth the amount you are prepared to pay and the seller is prepared to accept. Frequently you get what you pay for so although a horse may appear over priced it could be one in a limited market and although it’s annoying being called a time waster time wasters are equally annoying especially if they’re just out for a day trip.
 
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