No Timewasters ???????

"Readvertised due to time wasters" is one of the most passive aggressive phrases ever. It means "I am boiling with rage that someone didn't immediately hand over wads of cash for my little darling/massive mistake/crocked wreck that I can't ride or be bothered looking after".
 
The thing is, something as serious a responsibility as buying a horse means you most likely have to see a few/have a few people view your horse, before the correct match is made.
Most people rarely buy the first they see.

When I bought my first boy, I was massively messed around.
I'd never owned before and had only ridden and loaned RS horses, so I had to be certain a horse was right for me before I bought it.
I actually found him through a friend, went to view and the first thing he did when mounted was start rearing. I trusted my friend when she said it was out of character, so the O arranged a physio to come out while I was present.
Turned out he was very sore due to broken tree. She then also told me he'd been out of work for 6 months due to lami. Then in some weird part of the O's brain she put his price UP!!! So I walked away.
Fast forward several weeks and she practically chewed my hand off for the low offer I had previously made as she had a horse she couldn't sell.
She wasted a hell of a lot of my time initially.
 
Cortez said:
"Readvertised due to time wasters" is one of the most passive aggressive phrases ever. It means "I am boiling with rage that someone didn't immediately hand over wads of cash for my little darling/massive mistake/crocked wreck that I can't ride or be bothered looking after".
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It’s also often written, particularly on Facebook, with lots of exclamation marks or in capitals. Just to show how seething the owner is that someone obviously came to try their horse but did not buy it...
 
I used to think ringing before a viewing would save a lot of time in avoiding pointless trips but I have discovered people are as deluded and/or dishonest over the phone as they are on the ad! I drove 3 hours to view what sounded like THE perfect pony: 14hh, wonderful temperament, manners to burn, safe and steady, suitable for a novice with the potential to step up for a better rider. No competition record as owner had no interest in competing but popped happily round 70/80 courses. Perfect for novicey twins! I did not want to go more than 2 hours so I grilled the woman for ages and in the end thought pony sounded worth travelling further for.

Turned out to be over-sized. It was nearer 15hh. Then owner looked surprised when I said I wanted to see her ridden first. Then she told me pony hadn't been ridden for a while since her daughter had going to uni. And she (mum) was a nervous rider. Then she got on and pony (horse!) went every way but forwards: sideways, backwards and up! And she was going to let my kids get on that! She started making 101 excuses: "I am nervous and she can tell", "it's windy today I think that is upsetting her" and even "that gate is open when it is normally closed". Hello we live in Derbyshire - it is occasionally windy and pony might nave to cope with gates moving from time to time!

I got on as I thought maybe the woman really actually could not ride at all and pony (horse!!)was slightly better. It did at least walk and trot forwards. But it felt like a bottle of pop so I was not prepared to canter her nor let my kids on her.

So that was a 6 hour round trip to groom a pony!

She did at least have the grace to say 'sorry for wasting your time".

I now ask very specific questions:
1) When was the pony last ridden and by whom
2) Has it been under a stick? If not how confident are you of the height and why?
3) When was the last time a rider came off and why? And the time before that?
4) How often does it buck/rear/nap and in what situations.

So people have to actually lie rather than just skirt round the edges.

I used to think buying ponies would be fun. But actually I loathe it. I am already dreading having to find Jenny's replacement when Izzy starts literally knocking poles off with her feet when jumping her!
 
I've seen horses I've looked at readvertised 'because of time wasters.' One was a connemara which shrunk a hand from me leaving home to me arriving at the yard - and I was clear on the phone that it needed to be close to 14.2 as it was for me to ride in WHP classes. Found a scrappy 13.2 on tiptoes thing and left without seeing it out the stable.

Other one was at a riding school (!) and I stopped the viewing when it levitated and took off broncing from the mounting block as their groom got on. Advertised as a quiet all rounder, suitable for low level RC. I suspect it had kissing spine looking back, but there was no way I wanted to sit on it.
 
scats said:
It’s also often written, particularly on Facebook, with lots of exclamation marks or in capitals. Just to show how seething the owner is that someone obviously came to try their horse but did not buy it...
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Read more at https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/no-timewasters.773918/page-2#AXaoWBUdumRoBbzZ.99

Ah Facebook. A viewer came to try Max. Put in an offer. Then rang to say she had just been told she needed knee surgery so had to pull out. I accepted that as appalling bad luck. But she had FB friended me when she was arranging to view (she was a pupil of my dressage instructor and we had mutual FB friends). Either she forgot or she is too shameless to care but a few days later she was trying another one. Then a couple of weeks after that she posted a "I am so SICK of time wasting sellers" post which obviously I saw! I was very tempted to comment that time wasting buyers are quite annoying too but I just unfriended her instead.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
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.
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Sounds like you are in need of a Welsh D!! They think, sometimes too much! they are certainly interesting, have a sense of humour and can be competitive if you want them to be, a good one will be able to be picked up and put down as and when your job requires it.
 
I would never go to see a horse with "no time wasters" on an ad as it would make me feel uncomfortable about asking too many questions or having a second viewing.

If people genuinely want to sell their horse to a decent home they need to expect people to ask questions and perhaps view more than once and be open to a vetting. Maybe there will be a risk that the match is not right even if the horse is as described and perhaps a few people may need to come and see the horse until the right home is found. I appreciate for people who are desperate to sell or perhaps dealers who may not know much about the horse's history this might be frustrating and they might not care who buys the horse as long as it is sold.

If I saw good home only on the ad I think it would mean they might want to inspect and see where the horse was going and know more about you before they made a decision to part with the horse and they were not desperate to sell
 
I do put 'good home essential' on ads and I mean it! I specify that they need to have year round turn out in horsey company and that before anyone views they need to ring me to talk about what they will be doing with the pony and how the pony will be kept. People can lie but at least I try! I am astonished that I have never once been asked a single question about my plans with and for horses when I buy them.
 
Three of us took a 4.5 hour drive to view a 15 hand ride and drive for an RDA group. We had rung up a local driving person to ask them to view first and it turned out that she knew the person and pony, had seen them out on BDS rallies ect and said that the advert and emails we had sounded right for the pony.

Only to find the perfect pony just in a 12.2 version of what we needed.

By the time we had stopped for a meal break and toilet breaks that was 12 hours wasted for three people and the pony was re advertised, still at 15 hands (as that was what the passport said) due to time wasters.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
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??
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Good grief....
 
rabatsa, that reminds of a horse shopping journey I did with a friend 0 odd years ago. Friend found a horse she wanted to see in mid Wales, we live near Doncaster. So arranged for viewing, friend even rang to confirm horse was still for sale before we set off; when we got there and tried him she then said she had taken a deposit from another buyer "but wasn't sure if she liked them or not".
Still, Wales was nice...
 
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Ceifer said:
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.
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I was thinking this! I HATE horse shopping, it’s hellish and awful.
 
Ceifer said:
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.
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And it’s bloody expensive when you factor in fuel and a pub lunch on the way home 😀 plus a waste of a day.
 
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exracehorse said:
And it’s bloody expensive when you factor in fuel and a pub lunch on the way home 😀 plus a waste of a day.
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And can you imagine the bleating from the children that they’ve brought along for a free ride, when they realise they aren’t getting a pony 😮

Brave souls, some of these time-wasters.
 
Cortez said:
"Readvertised due to time wasters" is one of the most passive aggressive phrases ever. It means "I am boiling with rage that someone didn't immediately hand over wads of cash for my little darling/massive mistake/crocked wreck that I can't ride or be bothered looking after".
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Also means 'already sold it once but it failed the vet'. It happened to a friend of mine in her last horse search.
 
I was once called a time waster (even though I had driven 4 hours in one direction twice), after I declined to take the pony after I had it vetted; despite saying I wanted to do dressage, the vet noted navicular changes on the foot xrays (in a 5yo), but said that the pony would be fine with remedial shoes and if I avoided small circles 🤦🏼‍♀️

The owners were extremely unhappy that I wouldn’t buy the pony, and came on very aggressively saying that there were other people interested... so I said « that’s ok, one of them can have her then! »
 
to me a time waster would be someone who comes to view a horse and then offers 50% of its asking price. An offer slightly under might be acceptable but the above happens fairly often to a breeder friend of mine who generally sells her stock backed and ridden away (as in wtc and some baby hacks out). She does her youngsters really well, trimmed, appropriately handled etc until then and so won't sell 'for a cheeky offer'. If you've no intention of buying at anything like the advertised price even after a well vetted phone call with the breeder then yes, you are a time waster.

Saying that I agree buying horses is ghastly and imle time wasting sellers are more likely! I did reply to a couple of ads that stated no timewasters, I was never sure if I was one or not seeing as I didn't buy.
 
We were the timewasters once apparently. We were buying to be a family share and did view twice, the horse was essentially a slightly bigger, older version of Frank but on second viewing we were unconvinced of soundness behind.

I always wanted to show them a picture of Frank and say look we were serious and genuine.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
to me a time waster would be someone who comes to view a horse and then offers 50% of its asking price. An offer slightly under might be acceptable but the above happens fairly often to a breeder friend of mine who generally sells her stock backed and ridden away (as in wtc and some baby hacks out). She does her youngsters really well, trimmed, appropriately handled etc until then and so won't sell 'for a cheeky offer'. If you've no intention of buying at anything like the advertised price even after a well vetted phone call with the breeder then yes, you are a time waster.

Saying that I agree buying horses is ghastly and imle time wasting sellers are more likely! I did reply to a couple of ads that stated no timewasters, I was never sure if I was one or not seeing as I didn't buy.
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I always ask if the seller is prepared to deal on the price before I go to view. Sometimes I'll pay what's asked if it seems value (the last horse I bought was priced very reasonably so I just said "I'll take her"), but here you'd be considered very odd if you didn't haggle.
 
Cortez said:
I always ask if the seller is prepared to deal on the price before I go to view. Sometimes I'll pay what's asked if it seems value (the last horse I bought was priced very reasonably so I just said "I'll take her"), but here you'd be considered very odd if you didn't haggle.
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yep, but there's haggling and being rude-I think a 50% offer on a well done youngster is rude and I'm pretty sure she says she doesn't take offers on the phone (she did with me, I ended up not buying and we're still mates 15 years later).
 
I don't think it is unfair to ask if there is any movement on the asking price, I suspect it is more how it is phrased. I do think aiming for a 50% discount is not good, especially for a geniuine sale.
How the haggling is done can make or break a deal in my experience.
Being accused of a timewaster of the horse is not right for you is rude. I have to say, when I see the phrase on adverts I find it offputting.
 
Reminds me of a time many years ago. After a 2 hour drive in the rain to see a beautiful healthy looking schoolmistress type who had done a bit of everything and looked fab in the pictures the owner sent me - I arrived to see a dull unhappy thin mare with terrible rain scald. Needless to say when I refused to buy her at the price they were selling her for I was accused of being a timewaster. Felt so sorry for that poor mare. On paper she had ticked all the boxes too... I can only hope she found a good home.
 
Cortez said:
"Readvertised due to time wasters" is one of the most passive aggressive phrases ever. It means "I am boiling with rage that someone didn't immediately hand over wads of cash for my little darling/massive mistake/crocked wreck that I can't ride or be bothered looking after".
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Ooof yes, that phrase always puts me off, makes me feel that if I didn't like the horse/it had something wrong with it/failed the vetting then I'm going to be subject to all sorts of backlash :x
 
i have managed to be a time waster even before i got to see the horse. rang up and asked for more details, green ID mare, quite close, sounded ok on the phone asked when it would be ok to come and view. nothing but straightforward you would say.................got told Thursday evening was ok, but they would only let me come and see it if i brought a lorry and took it away, pointed out that i wouldn't commit until i saw it in the flesh............"bloody time wasters all the same" and they put the phone down, and blocked me. even got a friend to try and they got the same grief.

sometimes wonder if there was really a horse............
 
hollyandivy123 said:
i have managed to be a time waster even before i got to see the horse. rang up and asked for more details, green ID mare, quite close, sounded ok on the phone asked when it would be ok to come and view. nothing but straightforward you would say.................got told Thursday evening was ok, but they would only let me come and see it if i brought a lorry and took it away, pointed out that i wouldn't commit until i saw it in the flesh............"bloody time wasters all the same" and they put the phone down, and blocked me. even got a friend to try and they got the same grief.

sometimes wonder if there was really a horse............
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"Why yes, let me spend £££'s extra in lorry fuel/hiring costs to make my way down to see a horse I've never met before, owned by a stranger I've never met before whose word I am taking at complete face value!" :rolleyes:
 
My friend and I have been time wasters because not only do we ask for videos we also do investigations. Went to see one on sales livery, why is it on sales livery - owner doesnt have time to sell it she is an amazing horse. Do a bit of digging find out she is very spooky and unpredictable even with the farrier.

Goes to see the next one, looks ok in the videos but find out these are from a while ago, since then it has had intermittent lameness that was not going to be disclosed even when asked. Was a day before the vetting and found a post on FB about the horse being lame and having 3 months off a month ago.

Next one went to look at looked good from the videos gets there an is in terrible condition.

Next one went to look at got the videos hasnt been ridden for a year but that was not on the advert.

So dig dig dig and dig more and take all the time you need. but if you dont like it say and if your not going to turn up cancel.
 
I was accused of being a time waster, horse had nondescript picture of horse head over a door but sounded great on the advert description and over the phone. No video, but not too far away so I jumped in the car and drove there.

As soon as I got out of the car I could see it was tied to the fence and that it was not what I was looking for. We did the normal greetings, I checked that this was the horse I had come to see, and said that it was not quite what I was looking for.

Apparently that was time wasting! I could not think of a way I could waste less of their time!
 
I was accused of being a time-waster by the rudest woman I have ever met and her equally rude daughter. Again this was during the utterly dispiriting search for a pony suitable for fairly novicey kids.

The pony would not trot or canter calmly to a small x-pole - just ran at it with her head in the air -when the daughter was on board. My daughter pulled an 'oh help' face at me at the thought of getting on it which the woman saw. She launched into a tirade about how it was already obvious we weren't going to buy the pony (true but that was because it was totally unsuitable!) and what total time wasters we were and how they wouldn't sell to me anyway now and they wished they had just gone hacking instead!

She was bonkers.
 
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