meleeka
Well-Known Member
I’m guessing the microchip was implanted that long ago that it’s obvious, rather than the OP seeing the vet which won’t be until next week.
My horse is older than advertised/and on passport
- Thread starter sausagedogqueen
- Start date
eggs
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry you are in this mess. Pricing a horse is always difficult but a safe horse for a novice is worth their weight in gold. FWIW a low mileage 17 year old could have many happy and useful years ahead of him.
I am not sure if the age confirmation you have is from the microchip or the vet. If not the vet I would be getting this done asap. A 17 year old mouth is very different from an 11 year old mouth but I wouldn't really expect a vet to be able to say definitively that the horse was 17 versus 15. 17 years ago it wasn't mandatory to chip a foal and as a result many breeders did not chip their foals and it was only in 2020 that all horses were supposed to be chipped. As others have said you should also get the vet to do a full check up and if they are happy that there are not major issues then I would be very tempted to keep Jet and chalk it up to experience. Over the years I have had three 3 year olds die so current age is no indicator of longevity.
The dealer definitely knows what they are doing and how to try to manipulate you. They are also in breach of consumer law. Definitely do not accept a swap or 'selling on your behalf'. You will need to play hard ball and get proper legal advice. The dealer should take the horse back and refund the full amount immediately - not at some future date when they sell Jet (spoiler alert: for sure you will be told it was for less than you paid).
I am not sure if the age confirmation you have is from the microchip or the vet. If not the vet I would be getting this done asap. A 17 year old mouth is very different from an 11 year old mouth but I wouldn't really expect a vet to be able to say definitively that the horse was 17 versus 15. 17 years ago it wasn't mandatory to chip a foal and as a result many breeders did not chip their foals and it was only in 2020 that all horses were supposed to be chipped. As others have said you should also get the vet to do a full check up and if they are happy that there are not major issues then I would be very tempted to keep Jet and chalk it up to experience. Over the years I have had three 3 year olds die so current age is no indicator of longevity.
The dealer definitely knows what they are doing and how to try to manipulate you. They are also in breach of consumer law. Definitely do not accept a swap or 'selling on your behalf'. You will need to play hard ball and get proper legal advice. The dealer should take the horse back and refund the full amount immediately - not at some future date when they sell Jet (spoiler alert: for sure you will be told it was for less than you paid).
sausagedogqueen
Well-Known Member
The microchip was implanted in Feb 2007, confirmed by the microchip company. Which was 16 years ago. I wont be getting a vet out now till Tuesday but it's safe to say he's 17 or older. I feel mentally and physically drained with it. I have raised a case with trading standards and put in writing to the dealer i want a partial refund to keep him or a full refund but it would have to be the same say he leaves the yard, none of this waiting around for him to sell for a refund. I have given them up to 14 days to resolve otherwise i take it to a small claims court and am then entitled to claim for additional fees ie. Livery, bedding, feed etc. The dealer just responded with 'ok'
So god knows whats going to happen next
I instantly got bad vibes on the mare... another replaced passport and looked pregnant / probably an old broodmare. Very pretty but I'm not getting sucked into that again.
My preference is we keep him and she partially refunds us, then we can move on with our lives.
The horse buying/selling world is vastly different from what I remember.
So god knows whats going to happen next
I instantly got bad vibes on the mare... another replaced passport and looked pregnant / probably an old broodmare. Very pretty but I'm not getting sucked into that again.
My preference is we keep him and she partially refunds us, then we can move on with our lives.
The horse buying/selling world is vastly different from what I remember.
wren123
Well-Known Member
Well at least you know for sure.
I hope you get the resolution you want.
I hope you get the resolution you want.
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
Well done and fingers crossed x
Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
Stick to your guns and yes, start keeping track of everything you have spent on this horse already and going forward until it is resolved, because if you do end up going to court you can claim for all of that as well.
Incidentally, which is your preferred option? Keep/partial refund or return/full refund?
Highmileagecob
Well-Known Member
Write everything down, list dates you contacted dealer, trading standards, vet etc., and note down a brief resume of the conversations at the time. Stress can do odd things to memory. It might help to ask around and see what the going rate is for a 17yo cob in your area. May give you some idea of what to negotiate up to. (Always start lower, you can then be 'reluctantly' talked up and everyone is happy).
sausagedogqueen
Well-Known Member
I would rather keep with partial refund but it has to be more than a couple hundred quid to be honest. Hes lovely and we like him. Hes just not what we paid for
BallyRoanBaubles
Buys real biscuits
Fingers crossed the dealer offers an acceptable partial refund
nikicb
Well-Known Member
I think the only confirmation OP has got today is that the horse was microchipped in 2007 so he is at least 16 years old. I don't think the vet is seeing him until next week so we don't know if he is sound. Sorry if that is incorrect OP.
If he is sound, I agree with what many others have said - 17 is not that old for what you want to do with him. For what it's worth, I bought a 17 year old pony 13 years ago on the basis that he would 'do' for my boys until they grew out of him, and then he would stay with us to the end of his days. He's still here now at 30, having only retired a couple of years ago due to a heart murmur. So if the vet signs him off as sound, I would go via small claims court for the difference in value, and enjoy him. Good luck.
sausagedogqueen
Well-Known Member
You are correct, we know hes at least 16 until vet comes next week. My biggest issue is not the keeping him, its the price we paid for him. Ive been completely ripped off. I wanted younger so i had a greater chance of having more years with him. It feels like we have had 6 years of riding and loving him taken away from us just like that.
Ive opened a bottle of wine because I'm so bloody stressed and fed up
my head hurts with it allsausagedogqueen
Well-Known Member
Youre not wrong there! I forgot i was in a meeting meeting with work this afternoon because i was tied up sorting this mess out. Ive not got anything done that i actually needed to
criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
And maybe ask the vet on what a suitable percentage discount would be.
Maybe one way to look at it is on average an 11 year horse has X number of useful years. A 17 year old horse has a lower number. That could be a useful calculation to support your case.
Maybe one way to look at it is on average an 11 year horse has X number of useful years. A 17 year old horse has a lower number. That could be a useful calculation to support your case.
nikicb
Well-Known Member
You are correct, we know hes at least 16 until vet comes next week. My biggest issue is not the keeping him, its the price we paid for him. Ive been completely ripped off. I wanted younger so i had a greater chance of having more years with him. It feels like we have had 6 years of riding and loving him taken away from us just like that.
Ive opened a bottle of wine because I'm so bloody stressed and fed up
I completely understand where you are coming from, but what I will say is that we never know how long our horses will be with us, or how long they will stay sound. I lost my beloved mare at 13 very suddenly just over two years ago to lymphoma, and retired my previous riding horse at 7-8 years old after flying through a vetting at 4 years old. I have developed the mentality that you just have to enjoy every ride on them as it could be your last. I don't mean that in a depressing way, but they are ill designed animals who were never meant to be ridden in the first place. In your shoes I'd be content with a sound 17 year old to enjoy, along with much wine. xx
Arzada
Well-Known Member
I hope you achieve this and can keep Jet. He'll be a lucky horse to have you for an owner
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
Would this dealer be from Soham?
Pearlsasinger
Up in the clouds
Honestly even if i get my full refund back, the thought of shopping for a horse again just depresses me. I feel like il be buying a horse to fit the saddle and everything I've bought for him
Then your best bet is to keep him. I have had 2 horses pts aged 11, because of 2 completely different illnesses. If you like the horse and feel safe on him, keep him, get your evidence together and take the dealer to small claims court for the difference in the cost if an 11 yr old and a 17 yr old. Enjoy your horse for as long as you can and just think that, like all of us, you have learned something from this purchase process, that you will use next time.
sausagedogqueen
Well-Known Member
He is like a different horse to the one that arrived two weeks ago. The dealer got pissy with me for clipping his feather thinking it would make him less saleable, but the poor lad was riddled with mites and desperately needed it sorting. Plus his new shoes and irish clip. He looks lovely and much nicer than when he turned up.
sausagedogqueen
Well-Known Member
sausagedogqueen
Well-Known Member
Also to add to this. I thought i would contact the previous owner of the mare to do some digging on what was being offered to me in exchange. Baring in mind, what I had bought was a safe sensible confidence giver that I can pop my daughter on as well. This is the mares previous owners description of her
Be firm with her, difficult to pick feet up, doesn't school well, good to hack alone with a confident rider (nappy) and also (i thought this was a weird thing to add) would benefit from a good saddle that fits her...
Be firm with her, difficult to pick feet up, doesn't school well, good to hack alone with a confident rider (nappy) and also (i thought this was a weird thing to add) would benefit from a good saddle that fits her...
Equi
Well-Known Member
It happens more than you think, but in your shoes I would absolutely stick to my guns on a partial refund.
A funny one that happened to me. Got my 1st mini mare from an elderly gent. No money involved, I just wanted a companion pony and he just wanted a good home. Swore she was only 6 and had the passport etc, photo looked like the mare as a foal. Off we go with pony in tow and I looked again to find the passport was for a 6yo stallion mare was actually 14. The passport was for her son, so I can only assume some poor family out there have a 14yo mare with raging hormones 
A funny one that happened to me. Got my 1st mini mare from an elderly gent. No money involved, I just wanted a companion pony and he just wanted a good home. Swore she was only 6 and had the passport etc, photo looked like the mare as a foal. Off we go with pony in tow and I looked again to find the passport was for a 6yo stallion
mare was actually 14. The passport was for her son, so I can only assume some poor family out there have a 14yo mare with raging hormones 
Fjord
Well-Known Member
I'm so sorry you have been missold. The dealer definitely knew what they were doing, and is banking on you giving up so they don't have to refund you. Keep strong, if they can give you a substantial part of your money back and you keep Jet, that sounds like the best plan. Don't let them fob you off, keep threatening them with small claims and Trading Standards. Good luck.
mariew
Well-Known Member
It's so sad that this story repeats over and over. Dealers relying on people falling in love with horses that were mis sold and then taking the hit, leaving them free to do it again and again 
nagblagger
Well-Known Member
That's why it needs strong people, with support, to take them to the small claims court and win. It will soon get round the dodgy dealers that some people will take them all the way, win and publicise the outcome, paving the way for others to do similar.
JackFrost
Well-Known Member
My first pony was 17 but was sold as 15. We had 10 happy years hacking together and never a day sick or lame. My second pony was 12, but sadly only lasted 5 years. As others have said, age is not a reliable indication of longevity. I think if a horse is fit and sound at 17 it bodes well for the future. Trust your instincts. This might turn out to be one of those that is 'worth its weight in gold', and you may have the last laugh.
Sometimes I think the 'right' horses have odd ways of finding us.
Sometimes I think the 'right' horses have odd ways of finding us.
TPO
🤠🏴
Join BHS with Gold membership (£40ish) then call their "free to gold members" legal helpline.
Good luck
Good luck
criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
It's been creeping up, £85/£90 depending on how you pay.
OP do you have legal cover with your home insurance or did you get the pony insured and have legal cover with that.
Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
And this is why nobody should ever agree to a swap.
TPO
🤠🏴
I'm hopefully wrong but wasn't there a similar thread and because the dealer offered a swap, which was refused, they were seen to have upheld their side.
There have been a few threads with dodgy dealers and missold horses so every chance I'm combining threads.
SO1
Well-Known Member
Until you have a vet look at his teeth you have no idea of his age only that he is at least 16 he could even be a lot older than depending on the age he was chipped as he may not have been chipped at birth.
I expect as he was chipped at a point where it was not a legal requirement somewhere along the line someone has cared enough about him to get him chipped in case he was stolen. I would not be surprised if he was not older than 17 and even in his mid 20s as breeders at that time would not have been routinely chipping youngster.
I expect dealer has made a profit on him as that is the business model so ignore the fact that she is is saying she can't take the hit it just means her profit margin is reduced.
I expect as he was chipped at a point where it was not a legal requirement somewhere along the line someone has cared enough about him to get him chipped in case he was stolen. I would not be surprised if he was not older than 17 and even in his mid 20s as breeders at that time would not have been routinely chipping youngster.
I expect dealer has made a profit on him as that is the business model so ignore the fact that she is is saying she can't take the hit it just means her profit margin is reduced.