Need advice - should I buy him back?

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zoon

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I sold my gelding in Feb to a dealer. She is one of my friends and I trust her to find him a good home. Just needed a quick sale as wasn't in a position to keep him.

Well, she can't sell him. He has a heart murmur, so will never pass a vetting. She rang me today and asked if I want him back. She is tempted to pass him on to another dealer as he's not selling. I'm not happy about this, but as he's no longer my horse there's nothing I can do and it was a risk I took.

I have my own land. Currently have a 2 year old pony and a weanling. Vast amounts of grass and shelter. So where to keep him is not a problem.

I am on maternity leave at the moment so have no income coming in. I have haylage to pay for and fencing to fix this month so to be honest I can't really afford to do it, although money could be found if desperate.

My heart is saying get him back as I really don't want him passed from pillar to post. He was a fantastic horse to me.

He could be a large drain on my finances as he loses weight over winter and has previously always been stabled. I don't have stables. He has always been expensive to keep - a walking vet bill who eats money to keep his weight on! So brain is saying no!

What shall I do?
 
zoon said:
I sold my gelding in Feb to a dealer. She is one of my friends and I trust her to find him a good home. Just needed a quick sale as wasn't in a position to keep him.

Well, she can't sell him. He has a heart murmur, so will never pass a vetting. She rang me today and asked if I want him back. She is tempted to pass him on to another dealer as he's not selling. I'm not happy about this, but as he's no longer my horse there's nothing I can do and it was a risk I took.

I have my own land. Currently have a 2 year old pony and a weanling. Vast amounts of grass and shelter. So where to keep him is not a problem.

I am on maternity leave at the moment so have no income coming in. I have haylage to pay for and fencing to fix this month so to be honest I can't really afford to do it, although money could be found if desperate.

My heart is saying get him back as I really don't want him passed from pillar to post. He was a fantastic horse to me.

He could be a large drain on my finances as he loses weight over winter and has previously always been stabled. I don't have stables. He has always been expensive to keep - a walking vet bill who eats money to keep his weight on! So brain is saying no!

What shall I do?
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Horse trade is dire for anything that is not 100% and some.
It could be a rocky road for your animal - and your call, I suspect. Three options
1. Have him back and hope that trade picks up one day (and you do sem to have some means to hand to care for him)
2. Let him pass on to another dealer, and hope all will be well
3. Well I am not going to put it in writing - but if he has no future, what is the other option?
 
Only reason I had to sell him as I had no where to keep him and was about to have my baby! Now I have a nice bit of land and have had said baby.

If I had the cash sitting in my hands, I'd take him back (she only wants what she paid for him). But it may mean the other 2 have to suffer if I can't do fencing or buy the winters haylage. Who should I let suffer; my old horse who gave me everything while he was with me? Or my other 2 who are now my responsibilty?
 
dressedkez said:
3. Well I am not going to put it in writing - but if he has no future, what is the other option?
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I agree, at least then you would know where he was, sometimes it is the bravest thing to do.:(

Is this horse still rideable, could you find a sharer for him if he did come home?
 
Work out all your finances carefully - with horse and without so you have the options in black and white. How would it help if you could get a sharer in (and then see who this would address your finances) or could you take him back and then loan him out. On one hand you are being sensible - because the cold hard reality is that sentimentality will not help you when you are pregnant and trying to keep/pay for 3 horses. On the other hand you are being torn by emotions. Wintering out could be a possibility though - we have horses up here (and its blooming cold in the winter) and there is only one horse who didn't do well. Everything else has including skinny and elderly TB's. The YO starts to really fatten all the skinner grass liveries up now and they are all rugged mega heavily. Premier Equine gets the overwhelming vote, even ahead of Fal as being the most durable and heavy duty rugs. As an aside, even a friends cobby mare ended up being in a m/w and h'w together in the midst of winter.

I hope I might just have raised a couple of extra options. I am sorry I can't offer a clean and working solution = particularly as I would be in exactly the same position as you (and emotional standpoint!).

I did buy back a horse I felt I owed as he was being sold on for eventing which he would not do (and was why I sold him in the first place) but I bought him back knowing he would winter out well and then found him a lovely home the following spring - although I only got back a quarter of what I had paid to have him back.
 
Allover said:
I agree, at least then you would know where he was, sometimes it is the bravest thing to do.:(

Is this horse still rideable, could you find a sharer for him if he did come home?
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Yes, still rideable. Vet says he is no more likely than any other horse of his age to fall down dead, but a murmur puts everyone off. Doesn't struggle with work at all - was doing affiliated SJ before I became pregnant. I wouldn't have sold him if I felt he wouldn't be able to find a new home - would have had him PTS or done all I could to find somewhere to keep him until my situation changed. He is honestly a super schoolmaster so thought he'd find a home easily despite the murmur.
 
Have him back and keep him until he shows that he will deteriorate given a normal horse regime then pts? Obv don't leave until he is emacaited, but showing unhappy signs. Plenty of grass should mean he doesn't need fed?
 
When did your dealer friend find out that he had a heart murmur? Has he always had it or is it something he has acquired. If it was something that he was born with then it may not affect him so much because that is 'normal' for him, in which case he can probably continue to be ridden etc. However if he has just recently got a heart murmur then that changes things. You could get your vet to have a look at him to judge what he can/cannot do anymore. I've seen horses sell that have a heart murmur, obviously at a smaller price, but still sold. I would personally have him back and see if the market picks up again/ or see if I could get a sharer/ loan home.
 
if the horse is still rideable and a good hack, i would have him back at a reduced price seeing that the market has got worse as the year has gone on.
then i would advertise him on long term loan.
at the end of the day the horse is no longer yours and sorry to say but not your problem that your friend/dealer cant sell him.
 
Has always had the murmur, I bought him knowing he had it. He has evented and showjumped with it. Being a super schoolmaster I thought it'd balance out the murmur and he'd find a nice home (even though price would be low - money wasn't the issue) Friend also knew he has a murmur and didn't think it'd be an issue!

I could find a sharer, but doesn't help get back chunk of money to buy him back that should be paying for my haylage!
 
That's a hard decision,if you had him back you could loan him out,perhaps with a view to buy.
If he is still healthy he may suit someone for a light hack,I have just brought a lovely old horse full of scarcoids and she suits me. Not all riders want event horses or would worry about a vetting...BUT Be honest.
There may be some one out there who would have him. If he comes back and things dont work out,then you may have to look at the final option
Whatever you decide to do..Good Luck
 
Test the water and see if anyone would have him on loan?
See if you can work out a viable way of having him back before your heart overrules your head.
*if* its doable then give it a go.
If its a defo no then you will just have to let him go.
Rock and hard place!
 
kiteman0 said:
if the horse is still rideable and a good hack, i would have him back at a reduced price seeing that the market has got worse as the year has gone on.
then i would advertise him on long term loan.
at the end of the day the horse is no longer yours and sorry to say but not your problem that your friend/dealer cant sell him.
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Would you offer less for him?

I'd be afraid she'd sell him on to another dealer at the price she paid for him. But would another dealer buy a horse another couldn't sell?

Really learn who your friends are at times like this!
 
How about offering to have him at home over the winter (if you have a shelter and some good rugs hopefully he will be ok) and then your friend can try again to sell him next year, surely there are not many dealers out there who are interested in taking on horses with known issues that are willing to pay top whack for them?
 
I would get him back but then to be perfectly honest if he were mine I would never have sold him in the first place if i knew he had a murmur, and certainly not via a dealer. Sorry, just my opinion.
 
i really would offer less for the horse.
at the end of the day there is no way a dealer would have paid you full up price for the horse because there would be nothing in it for them.
i can understand how you feel (i think) but i would be more concerned about being able to feed the horses i have this winter rather then spending the money on a horse which shouldnt have been offered back to you just because the dealer cant sell it.
 
Not everyone will be put off by a heart murmur - I have just bought a horse with one. It was found during vetting, and I decided that as he was perfect in every other way I would have a further in-depth heart exam done (cost around £400). This confirmed that it was nothing serious, and having this extra vet report means that he passed his vetting and I can also insure him without any problems.

I think that if I was in your situation I would have him back and either sell him on under my own terms (possibly at a reduced price), loan him out or get a sharer. If you decided to sell him, and had the money, it may be worth getting a heart exam done to confirm to potential buyers that there is no progressive problem.
 
brighteyes said:
My heart breaks for him. Get him back and work out what to do afterwards. I don't know how you could do this to such a good friend.
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Thanks for the constructive advice.

I hope you are never in the position where you cannot keep your horse.

Like I said - he is a super schoolmaster, fit and competing. Yes he has a heart murmur, so do many race horses! Does that mean I should never sell him? I sold him to a friend thinking she'd find him a good home as time was an issue - he had to be sold quickly. Didn't realise he'd be so difficult to sell.

Personally I think your advice is the worst - you think buying a horse without thinking through the cost and comittment is a good idea?
 
brighteyes said:
My heart breaks for him. Get him back and work out what to do afterwards. I don't know how you could do this to such a good friend.
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What a nasty, judgmental post, you should be ashamed, peoples situations change and sometimes they have to make tough decisions, you can see from previous posts that OP is upset about this and that sort of comment helps no-one. Hope you feel better though.:mad:
 
Well what I would do is if he is a schoolmaster is he good on the roads? as people are crying out for horses to hack that are sensible on the roads. Just be honest with them, but honestly they are crying out for good sensible horses. Its how you advertise the horse thats gets them to come out and look at them. I sold my horse a couple of years ago and the people came to see him and bought him there and then without a vetting. They had no idea if he had a heart problem or not. They still have him now. But all they wanted to do was safely hack him out.
 
Can I just ask how much we are talking? I know this is a bit nosy but as some people have said- another dealer probably won't pay as much for him as you sold him for. If you could buy him back and advertise him again straight away for the same price you have a decent enough chance of selling him on your own terms. Or ask your friend if she will give you a couple of months grace on giving her the money so you can sell him first?
 
I would have him back and look for a sharer, a loan home or try to sell him yourself. Im sure he will be fine living out- theres company and grass. With a good thick rug im sure he will be ok. Sugar beet, alfalfa nuts and grass nuts are relatively cheap feeds that can be given as extras if need be
 
I would think you could loan him out as a schoolmaster if you got him back. You might have to settle for a novice loaning him, and be able to help them, but then if you let a dealer sell him you have no control over who he goes to anyway. You could also loan him with view to buy.
People are crying out for safe, sensible horses for first/second-time owners. Have a look on the internet at horses wanted.
My friend has been looking ALL summer for a nice solid all-rounder with which to hack, do a bit of local dressage and SJ, nothing serious. Her budget is sensible and she is not a novice. She has had NO luck whatsoever!!!!

Bear in mind also that a lot of people (me included) won't even look at dealer's horses. A private sale may be easier.
 
noblesteed said:
I would think you could loan him out as a schoolmaster if you got him back. You might have to settle for a novice loaning him, and be able to help them, but then if you let a dealer sell him you have no control over who he goes to anyway. You could also loan him with view to buy.
People are crying out for safe, sensible horses for first/second-time owners. Have a look on the internet at horses wanted.
My friend has been looking ALL summer for a nice solid all-rounder with which to hack, do a bit of local dressage and SJ, nothing serious. Her budget is sensible and she is not a novice. She has had NO luck whatsoever!!!!

Bear in mind also that a lot of people (me included) won't even look at dealer's horses. A private sale may be easier.
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Thats very true about dealers horses, did your friend know about his heart before she bought him from you, if so eeekkk I dont suppose she told people before he was vetted. Although good if she did.

These dealers that buy horses from sales have no idea about their state of health, another reason why people shy away, and also the part exchanges they get in they try to reschool. The list goes on.
 
What a sad situation you are in. Your friend must understand you are financially compromised. You have two options:

1) You have no surplus money to buy or look after him, be brave and let your friend sell him on.

2) Buy him back, but offer a lot less. You shouldn't have to explain your situation to your friend, she will already know. See how he goes over the winter or find a loan home/sharer.

Good luck!
 
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