No Timewasters ???????

[canteron]

I am horse shopping and so many ads have ‘no timewasters’. What exactly does that mean ?? I am pretty set on the type of horse I want - but I really do want to meet the horse, check I will enjoy riding it and have the option of declining if it’s not a good match before you off load your - let’s be honest - no longer needed horse and relieve me of several thousands of pounds - after all if I get it right it will be a 20 year commitment.

What really confuses me is having ‘must go to good home’ and ‘no timewasters’ in same ad - sellers if you can’t be bothered to invest the time and effort to make sure it’s a good match it’s much less likely to be a long lasting good home, so don’t be surprised if you see it up for sale again in a few months time.

Yes sure some buyers mess you around, but putting ‘no time-waster’ on an ad reads to me as if you can’t be bothered with the inevitable hassle of finding your horse a good home and therefore makes me suspect there is something to hide.

 

[Red-1]

I have never put this, but to me it means not to go and view unless you have enough money in the bank and if the horse is right you are prepared to spend it.

It also means don't come looking unless it is a likely fit. Like, not to go look at a 17hh gelding and then say the horse is nice, but you don't want anything over 15.2 and wanted a mare anyway!

 

[poiuytrewq]

It’s the good home only that I always wonder about. Does any buyer actually then think “ah no, I’m not a good home so won’t call that one, shame”
😳

 

[Gloi]

Selling a pony one time , I had a family come and try it and they let all their kids have a good ride before declining. Same family came to a friend and did the same. Found out their kids want to ride but they can't afford lessons were getting free rides on various people's ponies

 

[Busy mare]

I guess people who come for a free ride, or don’t show up etc?

 

[Ambers Echo]

There are LOADS of time-wasters who arrange to view horses as a sort of hobby and really are not seriously interested in buying. Or who view horses way over budget without prior discussion as to whether the price is negotiable. Fun day out for the family! But I would never put it on an ad. Time-wasters won't care and genuine buyers may be put off.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I’m cautiously shopping at the moment and I worry that I’ll come across that way.

I’m at a point in my career where I know that riding needs to be a break for me, and I need to really enjoy my horse as a leisure activity. My work is incredibly demanding and I can’t provide a competitive home for a horse right now. So many ads ask for competitive homes these days!

If I was shopping for my next event horse, I’d have a very fixed set of breeding, conformation and record criteria but shopping in the hacking/ all rounder / leisure category is more about attitude and fit. My decision-making process is far less objective so I do feel like I could be seen to be wasting someone’s time.

I do want something to work with that will provide a level of interest for me because I like a horse that thinks, and I still want to enjoy my riding. I am also cautious because the kind of horse I am looking for will hopefully be for life.

It’s such a hard line to walk. I feel so guilty when I don’t want to take things forward. Especially if there isn’t anything wrong with the horse but there just isn’t anything right either.

 

[mandyroberts]

When I was horse shopping and talking to the seller, she said we have had so many time wasters. Despite having cross examined her and having video, I said I couldn't be sure I would like him so I would be a time waster? She said if I drove through their gate at roughly the right time I wasn't a time waster. It must be hard as a seller as well as a buyer

 

[Ambers Echo]

Plenty of sellers are time wasters too!

I am not a time waster as seller or buyer. I never view unless seriously interested and in a position to buy. I don't faff about with multiple viewings. My horses are accurately described. But sellers have accused me of time wasting simply because I don't want to buy their horses after a viewing!

LadyG don;t worry about it. View as many as you like, take your time and never be pressured into buying if you have doubts.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I don't write that on the works ads but OMG! The amount of people that ask you stupid questions make you want to bang your head off a brick wall!

People will always label you a time waster if you don't buy the horse. Even if you are being very thorough because as you say it is a huge investment of time and money and the horse isn't for you it's better to do that than take the horse on anyway and then regret it.

 

[ROMANY 1959]

When I was looking 8 years ago. We went to see 2 on the same day. After seeing lots of pictures of both and lots of other info. 1st one was lame. We never even got on it.. when they trotted it up my instructor whispered, it’s lame behind.. owner said he was fine this morning🧐
On we went to next one, all seemed fine till instructor got on, then it’s back went up, and a rodeo show happened... it had such a sore back .
Few days later we saw the add up again for one of them.. “ still for sale due to time wasters”
How did we become time wasters ? We never even stayed more than 15 min with 1st one and the other was not fit to be shown..
I finally found a horse by accident...through a friend after it failed a vetting on a wind noise...but he was fine as a happy hacker for me..

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

My classic idea, if you like, of a "timewaster" buyer (and haven't we all heard of this happening) would be perhaps a punter who trails herself and a friend - and/or family/kids/MIL/dogs/OH etc around to everyone else's yard just to have a nosey and to find people on the yard they can then have a gossip with. And/or someone who has say ridden a RS plod and then sees an advert for a 16.2 scopey competition horse and they think to themselves so OK let's go and have a sit on that and see what it feels like and impress their accompanying "friend" who will also (obviously) want to jump up and have a go........

As a buyer, I did encounter what I would deffo call a "Timewaster seller". I'd gone to see to see a little mare - this about an hours distance away, and taken a friend with me. Owner immediately struck me as way over-precious. Mare was OK'ish but greener than I'd expected from the ad and we hadn't particularly gelled. Owner gave the impression that she wanted ME to have the mare!! Apparently a few people had viewed her but owner wasn't happy with them. I knew she wasn't the mare for me, so I walked away saying basically that I would think about it but unless I got back to her then to presume that I wasn't interested and no doubt there would be someone else who would come along who would be "right" for her. Seller was obviously disappointed with this and reiterated that she thought she was "the" horse for me and I could go down and ride her any time I liked, for as much as I liked - which all felt a bit OTT TBH as I hadn't committed to buying the mare or anything, I'd felt I'd given a "no" answer TBH and had let owner down as nicely as possible.

Anyway, owner rang me later that day, practically in tears, saying that she'd "thought about it" and couldn't possibly bear to sell the mare and a whole heap of apologies etc., but basically even though I'd felt the mare wasn't for me, I was a bit peeved to put it mildly that she hadn't decided this BEFORE I'd gone to view!! FFS.

Anyway, that wasn't the last I heard of her, because - fast forward a few months from this - she got in touch with me again!! Unbelievably! She said that oh she'd "changed her mind" and was offering the mare for sale again and was I interested.

Luckily I was able to say that thanks for the thought but I'd actually bought myself a nice little youngster only the week before.............. bleddi woman! Now if THAT isn't a "timewaster" seller, than what isn't??

 

[Ambers Echo]

. “ still for sale due to time wasters”
.

I always take this phrase with a tonne of salt! What does it even mean? It is meant to imply that the horse was taken off the market because a sale had been agreed so was now for sale again - and the fact it has not sold did not reflect on the desirability of the horse. But I'd bet a lot that the horses were never off the market in the first place. Even if a horse has had viewings and is under offer they are usually still for sale till money changes hands. Or if it was taken off the market it will now be back on because it failed a vetting!

 

[Ceifer]

Slightly thread hijackjng but as people have mentioned it.
People who go to try horses out with no intention of buying.
Who does this?!
When I was last looking for a horse I got bolted with, generally rode horses that were a lot greener than advertised, one guy demonstrating a horse got thrown off into a ditch. I had one psycho owner leave an abusive voicemail.
It was the least fun I’ve ever had and people who do this for ‘fun’ need to have a serious word with themselves.

 

[Winters100]

To me 'no time wasters' means don't view unless there is a real possibility that you might buy. If you are looking to buy I wouldn't worry about it
. It is sometimes a difficult one, I recently tried a horse twice, and there was nothing wrong with her, but she just wasn't a 'fit' for me. It was a bit awkward as I know the owner and they kind of implied that I must not be serious about buying, which was not the case. 2 weeks later I travelled almost 1000 km to try another, who was very similar on paper, but she felt 'right' and I agreed the purchase on the spot.

I have also had the situation as a seller of receiving an offer from someone who I felt had not looked really confident on the horse. Since I wanted the horse to go somewhere that they would be happy with him I told them that I would reserve him for a week, and to come back the following weekend for another ride. On the second ride they were more confident and they are now very happy with him. Don't feel bullied by this, anyone wanting a good long term home for their horse will be happy for you to have a proper try, and if you feel that you need a second viewing ask.

Good luck with your search.

 

[sport horse]

As a seller,timewasters include the ones who came three times to view a horse, bringing a different 'expert' each time and on the third visit that was actually most inconvenient timing for me as I had the farrier shoeing a young horse so I left the purchasers to do whatever they wanted and when they had ridden the horse for 45 minutes they declined him because he was too big. Um - he is the same size that he was when you first came?! Or the ones, who again were determined to come on a day when I was going to a show but right at the end of the conversation, after getting directions etc etc, said 'we are really looking for a mare as we want to breed from her'. As I was selling a gelding i suggested that they stay at home, forget my horse and I would go to my show. Lucky I did as I won my class!!
As a buyer, when I enquire about a 16.3 middleweight and I say it is important that the horse is exactly that as it is for my husband who is 6' 2" and 13 stone. Assured that all is fine, a good 9" bone etc etc, we travel two hours to find a 15.2 Arab! Thanks but NO!
Works both ways - if only people could be honest it would save everyone lots of time.

 

[Moscovite]

I've just had someone view a horse for the 2nd time, decide 3 days later that they definitely want him, agree a price. Then go quiet and dont pay a deposit and don t respond to calls, then ring 5 days later (8 days after 2nd viewing) wanting to pay a deposit. I told them I needed the deposit in 3 hours and the horse vetting in the next 2 days as he is on v expensive sales livery. Get a text with them backing out a few hours later because it is too stressful to be so rushed and they don t have a stable available yet! That's a time waster, not someone who tries a horse and tells you within 24hrs that they dont want it. I did once have a horse vetted that was lame on 3 legs so the vetting was stopped. It was readvertised due to time wasters. I'd known the owner for 20 years!

 

[blitznbobs]

I’ve been accused of being a time waster... I called about a horse asked relavent questions including is he open to the vet... drove 2 hours - saw a horse - liked him but was not happy about his feet - said I’d have him subject to vet and she gave me a list of vets she ‘wouldn’t have on the yard’ so I phoned the referral hospital 30 miles away and asked for them to vet and x Ray his feet fetlocks and hocks — next thing was an irate phone call saying ‘I never said you could X-ray him’ I said ‘ well if he’s not for X-rays he’s not for me’ at which point she calls ME a time waster... I still don’t get it unless there was something seriously wrong with his feet. It’s a annoying phrase that won’t stop the hoof kickers but might put off genuine buyers ... nothing they can do if you simply don’t want the horse

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

Sellers also put on “back for sale due to time wasters” as a reason for why the horse hasn’t sold faster....

Could be genuine —— or because the horse is not as described for some reason.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have been described as a 'timewaster', although tbh I felt the seller had wasted my time. I was cross!
I went to view a 4 yr old cob, who when I got there looked a bit smaller than advertised. then seller told me that they had no saddle for her, daughter had been riding her bareback, she was not advertised as being sold from the field, so i expected to see her ridden and be able to ride her myself. I was not prepared to ride a strange horse bareback. However she seemed sensible and quiet in traffic, so we arranged to go back the next weekend, taking a saddle which should fit. Then I viewed a 2 yr old which I put a deposit on. I let the 4 yr old's owner know, before I was due to take my own saddle for the 2nd viewing. When I next saw the ad, I read that she was re-advertised 'due to time waster'. At no point had I said that I would buy the 4 yr old, they had been perfectly at liberty to sell her to anyone else who was prepared to buy without trying.

 

[paddi22]

you see the maddest amount of timewasters. A friend had a horse for sale that had the age clearly on the ad. people showed up regularly, loved the horse, spent an hour asking questions and riding. and then said 'hes perfect, it's just a pity hes so young'.. totally wasting her time

 

[Ambers Echo]

We went to view a pony for the girls who kept bucking. The dad started giving Katie detailed instructions- basically launched into a lesson -, telling her that he was only bucking because x,y,z... 20 minutes later pony is still bucking going into canter. When he asked her if she liked the pony she said 'er not really' and he launched into more lecturing about how the pony was fine but she needed to ride him differently. Eventually his wife marched over and said 'for heavens sake let that poor child get off. It's not her fault pony is being a twit '. It was a waste of time but very entertaining!

 

[laura_nash]

I am horse shopping and so many ads have ‘no timewasters’. What exactly does that mean ??

It means the seller is an idiot.

Clearly no true timewaster is going to see that and say "oh, I won't both wasting that ones time then, I'll try another ad that doesn't say it as they will love a timewaster". The only thing you might achieve putting it in an ad is putting off genuine buyers.

Even worse is "re-advertised due to timewasters" as most potential buyers probably wouldn't have known the horse is re-advertised if you didn't point it out to them, and anyone who did notice is unlikely to be re-assured by seeing that in the ad since it could be genuine or just as easily mean a vetting failure.

 

[Bernster]

LN I was just thinking that! Like a time waster would be put off by that!

 

[paddi22]

You have to read between the lines on ads though and I think both those phrases are fairly harmless. 'good home essential' i would read as 'will not sell to a dealer' and also 'possible chance of lowering price if the right person came along'. I always just read 'no timewasters' as a flag that the seller doesn't want people turning up who aren't committed to buying or are just out for a joyride.

 

[Minny]

If I saw “no time wasters” or back up for sale due to time wasters” my first concern would be the integrity of the sellers. “Serious enquiries only” says the same thing in a totally different way. It takes “time” to make sure the pony you are selling is going to the correct home. IMHO “no time wasters” = desperate to make a sale.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Then you get the picture collectors. You get a message that simply reads - do you have any more pictures of xxx???? - Nothing else, no what is his temprement like, how is he to ride etc

And the ones who don't read the ad - He sounds perfect, just what I am after but why does he need til xmas off? Why cant I just get on him now??

Why did I ever agree to deal with the rehoming stuff?!?!?!

 

[D66]

to me it means "to me this is a business deal, I don't want to spend hours on questions that could be answered by reading the ad properly or giving pony rides to all comers".

Re-advertised due to time wasters means "it didn't pass the vet".

 

[Tiddlypom]

Re-advertised due to time wasters means "it didn't pass the vet"

This, and/or the previous viewers needed hospital treatment after it decked them when they tried it.

 

[Jellymoon]

I don’t like that phrase either, it’s a bit offputting, but my horse had that on his ad when I bought him, and I’m so glad I didn’t let it stop me seeing him! It just made me think before I rang up, am I really serious about this one? I read and re-read the description and watched the vids several times over. Which is fine. But what I didn’t feel was under any pressure to buy had I not liked him, that’s just crazy. And I also negotiated on the price, as per usual.

What really puts me off is ‘readvertised due to time-wasters’. It makes me think there’s something wrong with it. Why bother anyway? Very few keeps such tabs on all the ads that they would remember it was advertised before?

I don’t mind only available to a good home, it’s quite sweet.

‘Not for a novice rider’ puts me off, even though I’m not a novice!!

And if I’m the seller, I ask a lot of questions on the phone and if I think they aren’t right for the horse, I’ll tell them, thus saving everyone’s time. Such as people ringing up for a schoolmaster type when the horse isn’t that type, etc.