Moral dilemma ish... well not really but would like your views!

LauraBR

LauraBR

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So... hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get some good photos of Sam and get him advertised.

I'm worrying about how it is going to look to potential buyers when they find out I broke my leg coming off him, and how best to handle this and would appreciate your thoughts.

Now, I was VERY unlucky to break my leg when I came off him- it wasn't a bad fall I just landed awkwardly on one leg. But I had come off him in a similar way (jump run outs) a few times in the past. So he is not for sale BECAUSE I broke my leg, more because now we are stuck in a bit of a vicious circle whereby he needs someone confident to ride him positively (in which case he is easy to jump) not someone like me who is riding him defensively because I'm expecting him to stop.

Make sense so far?

He will be advertised as needing a confident confident rider in terms of his jumping (he's pretty easy in every other respect) and I plan to be quite open with people about my broken leg. They are bound to ask when they see me on crutches plus I am going to have to have a reason why I'm not getting on to show him to prospective buyers.

I guess I'm asking- would I be putting people off when I needn't by being completely honest about my leg? Would it put you off a horse? I suppose if someone was put off by it they probably wouldn't be a strong enough rider to jump him anyway in which case that is a good thing.

Think I have convinced myself I'm right by rambling on but ho hum I might as well post anyway now I've typed all this... be interesting to hear others' thoughts!

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It's a tough one... but I think you've got to be honest. And you're right if it puts someone off then they're not the right person for him anyway. I guess he either needs someone who's a very confident jumper or someone who doesn't want to jump at all. Is he good to hack out - alone and in company?
 
I was tempted to say don't tell ppl you broke your leg falling off, but use some other excuse. Then I thought - I'd probably suspect you'd fell of the horse anyway so it wouldn't make a difference!
Lets be honest - anyone can fall off, it doesn't make you a bad rider and anyone decent will take that into consideration. If you are looking for a confident rider to take him through his jumping issues then I'm sure it wouldn't put the right person off. It wouldn't put me off if I was confident in my riding abilities.
 
Yeah he is smashing to hack out- not perfect as he can be strong in company and lacks a bit of confidence on his own but fairly normal! He's only ever seen traffic out hunting (was fine) but the girls who are riding him for me at the moment called this morning to say they had done a load of roadwork with him this week and he wasn't bothered at all by big buses etc.
 
Hooch was sold not long after I broke my leg falling off him, and my leg was never mentioned to potential new owners. I wasn't happy about this though, but I could see their reasoning because it wasn't really his fault I fell off.
 
VERY true, it is a small world and it did happen at an SJ comp with LOADS of people watching LOL so I could never lie about it if someone asked me outright even if I wanted to.
 
If you are saying in your advert that he needs a competent rider for jumping, and you are otherwise honest about him (which you will be) I think that any serious buyer who will offer a good home will be able to see for themselves that you are up-front about everything and make up their own mind.
I would always advocate honesty. I think you would like an honest buyer in return.
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You'd better tell the truth. You know how word gets around and anyway, if you aren't honest about the horse you lay yourself open to all sorts of liability after the fact.

This is more out of curiosity, because I am involved in buying and selling quite a few horses, but how are you planning to show him to people? It's my policy to never get on a horse I don't know if I don't see rit idden first (and I ride young horses and do retraining for a living so it's not like I'm unfamiliar with what horses are capable of nor of my ability to deal with it) and I would NEVER let a client get on such a horse. Is that not such an issue in the UK?
 
If you said he went bucking round the sand school and chucked you off then YES it would put me off but seen as you just fell off and landed awkwardly then NO it wouldn't put me off.

The best riders fall off and these things happen unfortunatly, thats the joy of owning horses.

He didn't do it malicioulsy (sp) it was just an accident.
 
Aslong as your honest about your confidence jumping and riding too, wouldnt be a prob. Would only concern me if the person made themselves out to be a grand prix rider and had similar ruun outs! And thats not saying you are not very capable, because you are, but perhaps not being so confident is what caused the accident.... hope I dont sound harsh cos i'm not meaning too!!!!
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People would expect to see the horse ridden. I am 'hiring' someone who has done some work with him in the past so come and ride him for people for me.

After me he has ridden the horse most and hunted him for me so can show him at his best and alse be an extra person to answer any questions.
 
no no, that is exactly what happened Kat.

We hadn't had a run out for ages and the last time we went to that comp we came 1st! But I left nervous as soon as I got on and that's what happened. It's a vicious circle and a real shame because we were beginning to get somewhere.
 
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Yeah he is smashing to hack out- not perfect as he can be strong in company and lacks a bit of confidence on his own but fairly normal! He's only ever seen traffic out hunting (was fine) but the girls who are riding him for me at the moment called this morning to say they had done a load of roadwork with him this week and he wasn't bothered at all by big buses etc.

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And you definitely have to sell him? I'm guessing money wise you do because you want to get another, I only mention it because I know someone who's looking for a good hack but only on loan or for rehoming.

I'm sure the right person will come along for him
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You are right to be honest, if not more for the horses sake, you obviously care that he is going to the right home and so the more information you can give the better.
 
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TBH, would you want to sell him to someone who was at all worried about your leg situation?
The type of home/rider you want for him shouldnt even think twice about it - be honest.

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No, I wouldn't want him to go to someone who was worried about it, you are quite right.

Can I just say- I wasn't pondering re holding back information about his ridden quirks AT ALL, I am ALWAYS totally honest when selling horses, too much so in fact LOL!

The question was more around whether the fact I broke my leg was relevant given it was an unlucky landing.

Have to say though... I'm now thinking deliberately mentioning it up front MAY actually be to my advantage and help prevent timewasters, particularly when I'm going to be paying someone to 'display' him for me... hmmmmm
 
Look at it this way, in the last few years Nick Skelton and Peter Charles have BOTH had far more severe accidents than you coming off horses when jumping
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Wouldn't put anyone off buying those horses would it!
 
Honesty is the best policy. You obviously want him to go to a great home and to be happy.

I wonder if you may be in a stronger position if you sent him to a professional yard to be sold?

Gah, I don't know. It is all "Ifs" and "Buts" isn't it?

Laura, I wish you all the very best of luck in selling him. You will get him a great new home.

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Hi, I think it wouldn't put me off as you say you are going to be honest anyway and that is why he needs a confident rider. Now if you were telling me you hadn't broke your leg falling off and were selling the horse anyway then I think I would be more suspicious.
When I was 16 I fell off my horse when he reared up and broke my arm. I decieded to sell him as we had quite a few issue's and I was starting to loose my confidence. Anyway I had my arm in plaster when he was sold and I was honest with the lady who bought him. She was confident that she could solve his problems so happily bought him and appreiciated my honesty
 
I once bought a horse that was far too sharp for me at that time, told them I was more nervous than I actually was and the bloody thing nearly killed me. Tell them the truth, anybody can fall off youre just not good at bouncing!
 
No it wouldn't put me off in the slightest.

I would be there to look at the horse's legs.....not yours!!
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Say you have totally lost your nerve and cannot do the horse justice. It's not true, but the more blame you take yourself, the better the horse will look in the eyes of a potential purchaser. By the time you've done, you can convince someone that they will be rescuing him from a life at the hands of a neurotic!
 
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