Pre-Purchase Trial Periods

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jelibean

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As title really, do you allow them and how long do you think is an acceptale period for the trial of a horse you are selling? Also do you have any specific terms and conditions to which the loanee has to abide by, Deposits, Insurance Etc?
 
no, i never allow horses to go out on trial.

they are welcome to ride as many times as they like at my yard, i will let them take it xc schooling etc as long as i am there.

i would never let anyone take the horse to their own yard for trial.
 
The only horse I have recently allowed out on trial was being sold to a good friend, so allowed her to have him for a 2 week period. I took a refundable deposit, kept him insured from my end , but she was responsible for all other costs whilst he was with her.
When I was a kid it was the norm to have a horse on trial but would be very wary of doing it nowadays.
 
I'd never consider a trial and I'd even limit the number of times someone can come and try the horse (I'm not as nice as Millitiger). I've had real issues with a timewaster in the past who came and tried a pony on several occasions, with me putting off other views, and then didn't go ahead with the purchase, despite assurances that he 'was the one'.
 
Millitiger, sorry to sound stupid, and i hope i dont offend (As i dont know you) but may i ask, is that because of the value of your horses or because you dont agree with the idea, If that sounds like a rude question its really not suppose to, but im very interested.
I personally have never had a horse on trial, ive been brought up that "if your having something, you have it", if ive bought a project horse my thoughts are you get what you see (warts and all) and if ive purchased an animal of considerable amount its been beacuse a. i really wanted it b. I was happy it was what i was looking for and suitable for the purpose intended. Im interested in peoples opinions that a horse may differ so greatly from being with its owner to getting it home that would require a pre-trial period ranging longer than 4 weeks.
 
We had our gelding on a months trial prior to purchase, but the circumstances were a little different. The seller lives in the village where our field is, knew of my OH and also is friends with a lady who owns a field adjacent to ours, so it was a convenient arrangement for all, as he was at the end of a 6 month loan to someone some distance away.

We bought him anyway, so it all worked out.

It is a big risk though and I very much doubt that I would want to loan to or from a complete stranger, too many crooks and idiots out there that could easily injure a horse in a month.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Millitiger, sorry to sound stupid, and i hope i dont offend (As i dont know you) but may i ask, is that because of the value of your horses or because you dont agree with the idea, If that sounds like a rude question its really not suppose to, but im very interested.

[/ QUOTE ]

not rude at all, don't worry!

nothing to do with their values, i just think you cannot trust what someone you have just met will do out of sight, whether it is putting the horse in danger and injuring it or simply riding it badly, undoing the schooling and then returning it.
 
I must say I do think if I had in my mind to sell a horse I would say no to a trial. I think I would know just from seeing someone around my horse and watching them ride if they were suitable for my horse. I wouldnt sell to someone who I wasnt 100% comfortable with. I would be happy for them to come and try as many times as they liked.

I would be worried if I agreed to a trial that something untoward may happen. It would also prolonge the upset of letting the horse go I think.

Saying that I have been stung by unscruplous dealers selling me lame horses, now im paranoid that I cant pick my horse on the basis of one or 2 rides!

When Vay died I was very grateful for the girl who has loaned me my current ned as it means I can really get to know him with no pressure. Its working out well but when your the one trialling or loaning a horse its easy because you know you will care for the horse, but for the owner its a risk as they dont know you from adam.

Sorry major waffle, basically if I was adamant I was selling and if the horse didnt have any quirks which would nessecitate a trial I would say No.
 
I have had horse on trial before and I have paid in full up front when I collected them on the condition that if the horse was unsuitable then as long as it was returned in as good as or better condition within the agreed time then the money was refunded in full.
I bought my mare, she was more or less what they said she was on the tin!
smile.gif

I have also let horses I have sold out on trial as well as I wanted to make sure that the horse was going to a suitable place too and that the buyers were happy with the horse.
I would sooner that happen than a horse be unsuitable and be shipped on a few weeks later.
I know things can go wrong but in my opinion I have never had a bad experience yet.
BTW the trials I have had and allowed have been for approx 2 - 3 weeks.
 
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