Mmm am I right to be a little bit dubious?

[lennysmith]

YO has a dealer friend who i got Josie off. so cant say a bad word against him. She is the light of my life. However, he has brought a little mare down to the yard again for one of the girls to try. She's a nice little rider, wants to do PC stuff on her not been riding for too long I dont think, she's 13 years old. Really nice kid I have a lot of time for her.

Mare is 14hh. Been there doen it type. VERY sensitive in the mouth, but I do think that gag she has in HAS to go. Rode her last night, and she def knows her stuff. She has a lot of scars on her. She 14 years old. The previous owners have had her for 14 years apparently, so all her life, but daughter has out grown her. Dealer is asking £750 for her!

Now 2 things are screaming at me here; why has she ended up at a dealer when her owners had her all her life and she's as good as she is said to be? Surely you'd go out of your way to find her a good home? Also £750?? Surely thats too cheap for a been there done it type? Means dealer paid meat money for her proabaly?

I dunno, maybe I'm getting to cynical in my old age. I've sort of taken this little kid under my wing a bit too I guess. Shes such a good kid. Her parents dont know much about ponies so she asks for my opinion. I just cant stop those alarm bells form ringing. What do you think?

Ps, she does have her on a weeks trial, so I shall be getting her to do as much as she can with her in that time.

 

[_jetset_]

I agree that you are right to be cynical... however, some horses that are good do end up with dealers. For example her previous owners may have had her all her life but bought a new horse from the dealer and part-ex'd this little mare.

It is good that she is going on a week's trial. That is a good thing about buying from a dealer I think, some private sales do not want someone to have a trial.

Rebecca x

 

[JessPickle]

I can understand you doubts, but at least a weeks trial will give you a chance to see if there is anything that isnr right

 

[Bri]

Price is what worries me! Why would the dealer be selling her for so little, if she seem's to be a nice enough horse?
Are they getting her vetted?

 

[lennysmith]

Mmm I will recommend it. But they all seem really governed by price. This is also what worried me is the price. Esp as he said his daughter (dealers daughter) has taken her jumping and always done really well. So they obvioulsy know she's good?

Also bearing in mind. They sold Josie to me for £1000 completely green only juts bcked couldn't get near her. She was only just 6 though but even so I still think they'd be asking more for her??

 

[Kelly1982]

Their personally circumstances may have changed and as the market is slow at the moment they may not of been able to afford a pony that was never getting ridden maybe??

What i would say is get the little girl to do as much as she can on her while she has her on trial, hack her out alone and in comapny, jump, school etc and if at the end of it she likes her then get a 5 stage vetting done before ANY decision is made!!!!

See if you can also find out some more history on her if she is local and maybe try and contact the old owers.

I have always found my gut instinct to be right though so dont blame you for being cynical.

 

[Kelly1982]

Maybe the reason they are selling is her age??

A lot of people dont like buying horses or ponies that age.

Or maybe i am just being too nice as this bloke is a dealer after all!!

Whatever the reasons are i would definatly get her vetted without a doubt

 

[Bri]

The way horse prices are at the moment, I personally think there has to be something wrong with her. But then I am very cynical!
I'd definitely try and steer them towards getting her vetted, or it could all end in tears!

 

[JM7]

i wouldnt waste money on a 5* for a 750 pony...get a 2* to check out that she's hale n hearty...a 5* is an awful expense, especially if they are short...

oh, josie..if you know the dealer...then have a word over your concerns..i'm sure he'll help if he's the nice guy you say he is??

 

[Bri]

I'm just of the opinion that you don't often get something for nothing....
They may have to fork out and extra £200, but surely that's better then being stuck with an unrideable ill horse a few months down the line?

 

[Kelly1982]

I personally would always get a 5* done no matter how cheap the pony was just for peace of mind.

Especially if there was a child involved as if 6 months down the line something goes wrong with the pony that could of been picked up in the vetting then it is the child that will end up heartbroken.

If it was for me just to have a bit of fun on then i probably wouldn't bother. Round here a 5* is only about £70 more anyway. I know that is a lot to some people but it could be well worth it in the end instead of paying out thousands of vet bills and a heartbroken chil at the end of it.

Thats just my opinion but i would recommend some kind of vetting whatever.

 

[lennysmith]

[ QUOTE ]
i wouldnt waste money on a 5* for a 750 pony...get a 2* to check out that she's hale n hearty...a 5* is an awful expense, especially if they are short...

oh, josie..if you know the dealer...then have a word over your concerns..i'm sure he'll help if he's the nice guy you say he is??

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah I see what you mean about the price. Maybe if they start saying they dont want to fork out for a 5* thengive them the option of a 2*?

I will ahve a word with dealer/ his daughter. It was actually his daughter that sold me Josie. I must admit she does have an eye for a good horse, having seen the ones she's bought/sold. This one juts doesn't seem 'quite right' tho. Thankyou x

 

[juliehannah58]

Well it does happen! I got my pony for £725 at age 14 from a dealer, she ended up going top level affiliated showjumping!

Try and take it as you find, these things do happen and you have to make the most of it. 1 week trial is quite reasonable of him too (I wouldn't put any of mine out on trial!!) so perhaps have a quiet word and try and dig some more info out of him.

I also wouldn't get a 5* for a £750 pony, no way! Like JM7 said, 2* is more than enough for this pony and it's future workload.

Good luck

 

[Chumsmum]

I agree that sometimes good horses do end up at dealers and not all dealers are bad. Price does sound cheap so if trial goes okay perhaps have it vetted.

 

[lizstuguinness]

was she P/xed?

if so dealer may just want her gone, lots of p/x horses are just sold for what dealer "paid". most deealers want very high turnover and doesnt want the hassle of keeping her.

be reassured that he offered a weeks trial. if there was anyhting to dodgy going on it will show up. and he wouldnt want that.