Potential buyers upsetting horse?

[The Fuzzy Furry]

love that FF.....would have liked to have been there

She was all the gear with a little idea. It's only stuck in my mind as he was the last TB I ever sold (grandson of Royal Palace no less). He just didn't understand bring kicked in the ribs or having his mouth pulled about. But, many people lie about their capabilities....

My daughter, then a tiny 15 yr old had taken him to PC camp and a couple of successful showing outings, he was a lovely horse but had a couple of quirks I was still ironing out one was that he was an *#@* in company when behind. But otherwise a super classy chap. Got him a good home as a dressage horse and light hack (as would hack anywhere in front) and his owner stayed in touch till only a few yrs ago when he was pts in old age.

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

This lady held my horse's head vice like really high in a position like a P then kept booting him forward. It was like he was in a stress hold. Poor horse. I tried to tell her but she wouldn't listen. Prior to her getting on her friend had grabbed his back leg and swung it round like a chiropractor.
Poor horse.

I was just inexperienced with the process and out of my depth.

Next time I am going to take control.

She did say that she kept coming off at viewings. ?. Maybe some horses aren't as tolerant as my poor boy.

 

[Cutgrass]

*Wheresthehoofpick* it sounds like you went with the flow because she seemed fairly normal and then when she came back she was the version of herself she thought her friend should see. Unfortunate for you and your poor horse.

I once had someone come for a viewing of a horse who had been nappy in the past. The lady was a very nervous rider and the mare immediately realised this and began to nap. The lady quickly realised she wasn't for her and got off. I wished I'd ridden after she did and left it on a good note because the next time I rode the mare went straight into napping and became quite annoyed when I rode as per. We got past it but I vowed to always get on myself and end riding on a happy, relaxed note if the same thing was to happen in future.

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

*Wheresthehoofpick* it sounds like you went with the flow because she seemed fairly normal and then when she came back she was the version of herself she thought her friend should see. Unfortunate for you and your poor horse.

I once had someone come for a viewing of a horse who had been nappy in the past. The lady was a very nervous rider and the mare immediately realised this and began to nap. The lady quickly realised she wasn't for her and got off. I wished I'd ridden after she did and left it on a good note because the next time I rode the mare went straight into napping and became quite annoyed when I rode as per. We got past it but I vowed to always get on myself and end riding on a happy, relaxed note if the same thing was to happen in future.

You have hit the nail on the head. She was here for hours on day one and it all seemed really positive.
Then visit 2 she was this bossy, show off with zero empathy and a point to prove to the "expert" friend.
Lesson learnt.
Luckily I managed to get him back on an even keel this morning. He even bit me when I tacked him up. He has never done that.
I have also contacted the other buyers and said I am not doing any viewings for a week. He needs a break and refocusing after the experience.

 

[muddybay]

I often think 'expert' friends provide nothing but stress to the novice horse owner as they make themselves tense in an attempt to prove themselves

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I stopped a potential sharer because she was upsetting the horse and was clearly clueless. I felt that I needed to protect my horse!

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

Thanks everyone for empowering me. I let him recover for a week. Then called the next people.

I left him in the field while I sussed them out. Then got them to catch him. Made them do in hand work with him first. Then let her ride.

I let him decide if they were suitable. ?

She was great and fingers crossed has agreed to buy him.

 

[Birker2020]

How much deposit do you ask for?

It doesn't have to be much, and its only for a couple of days until a vetting can be arranged. All of my horses have come from a dealer and they never wanted a deposit, my word and the word of my father than we were going to call the vets to arrange a vetting as soon as they were open on Monday was enough for them.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I wasn't selling mine but a friend kept asking if her friend could share help ride one of my Arab's, I eventually gave in girl showed up went on about how much riding she had done bragging about how great she was, I knew she didn't have a clue the minute she got on.

My arabs do test people especially if they know they are novice and they often just won't move for them, she continued to boot and flick the whip with reins like washing lines, I kept telling her to shorten them if she was going to get after him, and then he just went at a very fast canter throwing a few bucks in, I don't know how she stayed on but when they eventually stopped she got off pretty sharpish, hence to say she didn't want to come back.

 

[Annagain]

Both I and two friends who bought recently paid 10% to hold the horse subject to vetting.

 

[Lady Jane]

I always have asked the seller how I'm doing and are they happy with my riding. If they can give me advice it is helpful - providing you think they rode their horse well (at least better than you the potential buyer). On one occasion I went to see a horse (fortunately local) and the seller had clearly been drinking and was riding her horse so badly I stopped her and just said he is not for me, nice horse, thank you. She was in a local shop and I was sneaking around trying not to be spotted but she caught me and asked why I didn't get on her horse so I told her. Not very diplomatic and I'm not sure what came over me but I felt so sorry for her horse. I didn't point out she was drunk but said she rode her horse so badly she was upsetting it and there was no point me getting on. I think she was lost for words but said thank you for your honesty. I fled as quickly as I could......

 

[Renvers]

I have not sold one of mine in years, but as a buyer I always ask the seller how the horse likes to be ridden before I get on for mine and the horses sake and because up until the point I buy it, its still someone else's horse!

Plus, the rider knows quickly if the horse will suit them so pushing too many buttons is pointless, if you don't gel pretty quickly you know it is unlikely to be the horse for you.

I also would expect to leave a deposit if I really wanted the horse and had to arrange further viewings due to trainer/friend not coming to first viewing.

 

[stormox]

In the past I have asked people to ride the bombproof old pony to check out their riding before allowing them, or not, on the one to sell.

I would be seriously annoyed if Id travelled a long way ro try a horse and seller asked me to ride another one first!!
Or maybe didnt even let me look and try it.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I would be seriously annoyed if Id travelled a long way ro try a horse and seller asked me to ride another one first!!

Why?

 

[ponymum]

Interesting reading some of the suggestions about how to assess someones's ability to ride. Why not ask to see a video of them riding before you let them come? I haven't sold many horses but it's fairly easy to suss out someone on Facebook for videos/phots to give yourself a rough idea

 

[stormox]

Why?

Why??? Itd be ok if they asked me on the phone beforehand, I could say no. But not to spring it on me when I got there. If I drove 2 hours to potentially purchase horse X, its horse X Id want to try. Not horse Y.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Years ago we were selling a quality show jumper. He would be competitive at Foxhunter, he good at dressage & he loved cross country so was advertised as a school master, he was around 11 years old at the time. We found that many contacted us asking questions & we had put links to video showing him jumping, doing cross country & competing at dressage. There were numerous time wasters & there were several who wanted to buy success. Some had had some riding lessons & wanted him as their first horse. Others rode him & it was clear they were out of their depth. The horse was good as gold, never put a foot wrong & put up with some terrible riders. In the end we took him off the market, he's still with us now & we are still enjoying him. If the attempted sale of him showed us anythin it was apprecoiate what you have & enjoy him and we are.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Why??? Itd be ok if they asked me on the phone beforehand, I could say no. But not to spring it on me when I got there. If I drove 2 hours to potentially purchase horse X, its horse X Id want to try. Not horse Y.

Oh, ok. But if you rode assessment horse Y well, and the vendors then deemed that you were suitable to try the more inexperienced horse X, who was for sale and who you then liked, wouldn't that be ok?

As I posted earlier, I did have an assessment ride when I last purchased. I was looking at younger horses after not riding for a fair while. It was suggested that I hop on the schoolmistress so that they (ie both the vendor and the schoolmistress ) could suss out my riding first, to see what was suitable. Seemed sensible to me!

My rather lovely 'assessment' mount, who I nearly went on to purchase.

 

[stormox]

Oh, ok. But if you rode assessment horse Y well, and the vendors then deemed that you were suitable to try the more inexperienced horse X, who was for sale and who you then liked, wouldn't that be ok?

As I posted earlier, I did have an assessment ride when I last purchased. I was looking at younger horses after not riding for a fair while. It was suggested that I hop on the schoolmistress so that they (ie both the vendor and the schoolmistress ) could suss out my riding first, to see what was suitable. Seemed sensible to me!

My rather lovely 'assessment' mount, who I nearly went on to purchase.

View attachment 76905

As long as I was told on the phone there was another horse for sale ..... and as long as I could try the one I'd phoned up about first!
But to be suddenly lumped with riding a 'bombproof pony' to see if I could ride - I wouldnt be amused....

 

[Gloi]

As long as I was told on the phone there was another horse for sale ..... and as long as I could try the one I'd phoned up about first!
But to be suddenly lumped with riding a 'bombproof pony' to see if I could ride - I wouldnt be amused....

How do the sellers know you can ride? You could well be yet another bullshitter who says they can. When my friend was selling her horse a bloke got on who'd bigged himself up and gave it a massive boot in the ribs and when it galloped round the school started screaming which really didn't help it to slow down.

 

[stormox]

How do the sellers know you can ride? You could well be yet another bullshitter who says they can. When my friend was selling her horse a bloke got on who'd bigged himself up and gave it a massive boot in the ribs and when it galloped round the school started screaming which really didn't help it to slow down.

I could tell if someone was any good with horses by how they answered my questions on the phone, then by the way they approached, mounted did girth and stirrups etc.
As I said, if they told me beforehand I would have to ride a 'schoolmaster pony' or whatever on the phone first I would either have no problem or say no depending on the rest of the conversation.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I wouldn't have a problem riding the bombproof one first, as long as you haven't exaggerated your abilities there wouldn't be a problem you'd still be trying the horse you went to view afterwards. In fact I'd rather be put on the bombproof one first and then the seller could hopefully stop me potentially getting on a horse that would end up dumping me on the floor if we weren't suited.

 

[Renvers]

That is an interesting idea, I have never considered assessing the rider. Makes some sense though, when we are always told to get the seller to ride the horse first so that the buyer gets to see if it is rideable and sane.

 

[turkana]

I went to view a horse a few years ago, who was a bit of a hot head and was asked to ride a school master first.
I wasn't expecting it but was happy to do it. I bought the hot horse, I liked the school master as well and asked if she was available but she wasn't.

 

[Bernster]

For my recent purchase I sent videos of me riding ahead of time. I hate watching myself ride but it seemed like a sensible thing to avoid an obvious mismatch.

 

[cauda equina]

Buying something unbacked does away with this problem entirely!

 

[Gloi]

Buying something unbacked does away with this problem entirely!

Though be careful it is actually unbacked and not a failure to back ?
Buying foals normally does away with this problem entirely!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Though be careful it is actually unbacked and not a failure to back ?

Indeed. Many a breaking failure goes on later to be sold ‘unbacked’ .

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I think you are perfectly justified in culling a viewing where horse & rider were patently not singing off the same hymn sheet.

I went to view a very nice "bombproof" youngster a few years back now; nice little horse but somehow we just couldn't agree which was a shame as he'd been well brought-on and was everything it said on the tin plus some. The seller was obviously as genuine as it gets because she obviously realised this and we both agreed it was pointless for me to do anything more. As a buyer, I appreciated her honesty and candidness.

Tis a nightmare being both a buyer and a seller at the moment. Don't think it's ever been so crazy.

 

[Loubidy]

I went to try a horse at a dealers yard once and it was going terribly, the horse wouldn't stop cantering no matter what I asked it to do. The dealer just said she didn't think we were a match and there was no point in me trying to jump it. She then had me try a four year old (I was there to try an 8y/o) which I thought was going to be a disaster but when I got on we just clicked - decision made and agreed to buy subject to vetting.

It is your choice which buyer you sell to. If you're not happy with how its going just call it. With regards to a deposit a few hundred is usually reasonable unless they're asking you to hold it for weeks as you need to consider how many prospective buyers you could miss but unless a commitment is made the horse is very much still available for veiwings.