Prospective buyers riding another horse

At the very top end of the competition market (six figure price tags) if you get an unknown rider this might be useful or if you're going to a dealer and they want to get a feel for you first.
But in the 'normal' horse market I think there is a bit of a duty to school horses to be capable of being sat on (not necessarily ridden well) by an average rider. It's a difficult life if they can only be ridden by experts - what is expert is ill/ on holiday/ has a friend/ has to sell etc.

I've a friend who has a couple of horses that have a number of olympic titles between them - they are hacked by her teenage daughters no problem
 
Polos Mum said:
How will you deal with the ones that don't 'pass' you riding test? I'd expect some pretty upset people if they've travelled to view and you decide they aren't good enough. I do understand the issue but I'd be trying hard to weed out idiots first and have this as a last resort.
If i really wanted the horse I'd send my instructor in to buy him for me - sadly it won't stop him ending up in the wrong hands
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You would do as I've done in the past - quietly and politely say that you don't feel they are reasy for your horse.

IT IS YOUR HORSE - you can chose who rides it - the person is no longer a potential buyer so if they get their nose out of joint then that's their problem.

I let a rider stay on one of my sensitive TB's for too long - it took a week to get the horse back to where it had been before she got on it. She then tried for several days to convince me she was capable of handling the horse - I could see she was not - I had to get quite blunt in the end as she really thought she was capable.
 
peehapsacross this an intially thought no problem, I'm good enough and happy enough to ride pretty much anything within reason. Booked in to see said horse a week later with the understanding I would ride a yard horse first. On reflection during that week I was put off, others had said to me "is it really that bad you can't watch someone else ride then pop on yourself if happy" etc etc and doubts crept in so I cancelled the viewing.

perhaps I missed out, perhaps not but at the end of the day it did put me off. Now this was an established riding club horse. I ride newly backed, naughty horses, show and event horses so not a novice rider by any means.
 
What a strange and exotically wonderful place the UK horse world is! I'm from Ireland: the idea of having to "interview" for the position of buyer of your horse is just fabulous. The only qualification you need over here is a cheque book (preferably cash).
 
I am a bit surprised at the comments about it taking too long to buy a horse. Given the commitment involved in buying a horse, surely an extra half an hour - or even an hour - spent buying the right horse is not that big an investment? I would so much rather buy a horse from someone who cares enough to do this than someone who tells me I am riding it brilliantly so they can sell it. (done that a few times!!)
 
If after explaining to you that you could view my BE event record online you wanted me to ride another horse first, I would not come to view, I would assume that the horse was a real problem.
 
Tnavas said:
Unfortunately the majority of people coming to view horses have a very over inflated idea of their ability. If you take umbridge about being asked to first ride a nice sensible horse then you possibly don't have a horses welfare true to heart!

It is not their horse therefore the owner has the right to decide how 'Interviews' progress - because this is exactly what is happening when you either try a horse or are the owner of the horse.

We were discussing the behaviour of prospective buyers recently at a coaches meeting and the cheek of some is unbelievable.

I one try a horse for almost 2 hours - true she bought him but she could also have broken him in the process. Another lady commented that she had an elderly pony for sale, the rider (child) trying it came with her instructor proceeded to jump the life out of it and then after an hour or so declared 'It's too old' - they knew the age when the planneId the visit.
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I am sorry it's ridicous to suggest that someone who would not rise another horse before the horse was sale does not have horse welfare at heart no horses welfare will ever be threatened by being tried by me however my welfare may well be therefore I would have to watch two horses being trotted up and ridden .
I don't need to waste my time assessing whether two horses are safe for me to get on when only one of them is for sale it's a straight waste of my life .
In the examples you give neither would have been affected by making the rider ride another horse .
A seller can always stop the viewing if they wish.
Children are a different matter and I can understand why care is needed selling a super sharp childrens pony.
 
After the hours, days, weeks & months you have put into him I think you are quite within your rights to ask potential buyers to ride another, given that he is a 'tricky ride'. Its your horse and you owe it to him to ensure that he finds the best home possible.
It wouldn't put me off but alas, with my riding skills I probably wouldn't get to ride him anyway :o
 
cptrayes said:
If after explaining to you that you could view my BE event record online you wanted me to ride another horse first, I would not come to view, I would assume that the horse was a real problem.
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I have to say, I agree with this.

I think you have to play it by ear. If someone said this to me, id reply as above poster would, however if someone has less experience/ no competition record then perhaps you are right.
Tricky one, but at some point the horse has to stop being so sensitive to new riders.
 
Cortez said:
What a strange and exotically wonderful place the UK horse world is! I'm from Ireland: the idea of having to "interview" for the position of buyer of your horse is just fabulous. The only qualification you need over here is a cheque book (preferably cash).
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Hey, is it just an English thing then ? I interviewed prospective buyers for the few I've sold. And they thanked me for letting them buy the horse.:D:D:D
 
Goldenstar said:
A seller can always stop the viewing if they wish.
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This
i totally agree with, any horse and rider can clash and certainly people do have very different ideas about what 'not novice ride' should be defined as but at the first sign of trouble a polite 'oh I am sorry they aren't behaving for you, he must be having an off day, good luck with your search' is a good option
 
Haven't read the whole thread but I get the jist.

I've a pony advertised that was broken for me and I was told she could be something special. I've also been told she still has a lot to learn but the foundations are all there. So far, she hasn't put a foot wrong. And I am quite serious about that.

Fast forward. Prospective buyer turns up and apparently ticks all the boxes. Speaks of the horses she's owned and ridden and declares that she has just sold a house and would like to buy the pony for the full (slightly inflated!) price -- no arguments, no negotiations. The cheque is there on the table for me to pick up.

But when we put her on the pony, it is quite clear that she is not as good as she thinks she is. It seems that at this stage, if I was in Ireland, I'd grab the money and run. But the girl who broke the pony says she will quickly be ruined if this buyer falls off or panics when the pony is confronted with something she is not sure about. At the moment, she will stop, look, and take the initiative from the rider she trusts.

So, I've turned down the offer. Fortunately, the client understands. I have also refused a viewing to the mother who wanted her for her eight year old daughter! Did I do wrong? If I needed the money that badly, I did -- and to hell with the probability that a very promising pony would be spoilt.

Surely, the first priority should the welfare of the stock we breed, not the bottom line? If a potential buyer is upset because I want to be sure, tough. I wouldn't want to sell to that sort of person anyway.
 
Goldenstar said:
I am sorry it's ridicous to suggest that someone who would not rise another horse before the horse was sale does not have horse welfare at heart no horses welfare will ever be threatened by being tried by me however my welfare may well be therefore I would have to watch two horses being trotted up and ridden .
I don't need to waste my time assessing whether two horses are safe for me to get on when only one of them is for sale it's a straight waste of my life .
In the examples you give neither would have been affected by making the rider ride another horse .
A seller can always stop the viewing if they wish.
Children are a different matter and I can understand why care is needed selling a super sharp childrens pony.
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Children are no different when it comes to the safety of the rider!

A novice is a novice wether they are 6 or 60 - you take equal care of each. I corrected my niece recently when she put on her CV she was a very experienced rider - she's not - she rode weekly as a child at a good riding school and had her own 'evil' pony for a couple of years - she's capable but not experienced.

When a seller understands their horses nature then its their perogative to chose how you try their horse. Buying/Selling a horse is a risky business at the best of times.

Re my example - if I had seen the rider ride one of the school horses first she would not have even had the chance to ride the horse for sale - she was all over the place - she really upset the young horse I'd spent weeks on - she could not comprehend that she didn't need to slow the horse down just with the reins that if she used her rising trot she could actually steady the horse and then be able to ride it forward! If she had bought the horse it would have had a mental breakdown i a matter of weeks - or injured the rider!

The other example was just a comment on the cheek of some riders when viewing horses!
 
I've done exactly this when I've had a tricky horse to sell. All I do is tack up two horses, the tricky one and a very easy to ride one. I ride the tricky one and then at some I invite the potential buyers into the arena to ride the other horse. I don't think I've offended anyone, most of them enjoyed riding at the same time as watching the tricky horse, so kinda gave them something to do instead of just sitting there. A few of them I haven't allowed to get on the tricky horse after seeing them on the easy going one, but some who can clearly ride I'm fine with swapping horses for them to try out the tricky one.
 
Dry Rot said:
Haven't read the whole thread but I get the jist.

I've a pony advertised that was broken for me and I was told she could be something special. I've also been told she still has a lot to learn but the foundations are all there. So far, she hasn't put a foot wrong. And I am quite serious about that.

Fast forward. Prospective buyer turns up and apparently ticks all the boxes. Speaks of the horses she's owned and ridden and declares that she has just sold a house and would like to buy the pony for the full (slightly inflated!) price -- no arguments, no negotiations. The cheque is there on the table for me to pick up.

But when we put her on the pony, it is quite clear that she is not as good as she thinks she is. It seems that at this stage, if I was in Ireland, I'd grab the money and run. But the girl who broke the pony says she will quickly be ruined if this buyer falls off or panics when the pony is confronted with something she is not sure about. At the moment, she will stop, look, and take the initiative from the rider she trusts.

So, I've turned down the offer. Fortunately, the client understands. I have also refused a viewing to the mother who wanted her for her eight year old daughter! Did I do wrong? If I needed the money that badly, I did -- and to hell with the probability that a very promising pony would be spoilt.

Surely, the first priority should the welfare of the stock we breed, not the bottom line? If a potential buyer is upset because I want to be sure, tough. I wouldn't want to sell to that sort of person anyway.
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No you you where right to not sell your pony that's not what we are being asked we are being asked what would we do if asked to ride another before the one that was for sale .
I would walk and look for another that's my right too.
 
Spring Feather said:
I've done exactly this when I've had a tricky horse to sell. All I do is tack up two horses, the tricky one and a very easy to ride one. I ride the tricky one and then at some I invite the potential buyers into the arena to ride the other horse. I don't think I've offended anyone, most of them enjoyed riding at the same time as watching the tricky horse, so kinda gave them something to do instead of just sitting there. A few of them I haven't allowed to get on the tricky horse after seeing them on the easy going one, but some who can clearly ride I'm fine with swapping horses for them to try out the tricky one.
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That's a clever way of doing things.
 
I've seen lots of people who've bought far above their ability level - I think it is very responsible for the rider as much as for the horse to have them sit on something sensible first. Anyone who has been involved with horses for long enough to be able to cope with your quirky horse should understand this and not mind.
 
This is a very interesting question... Honestly, it would put me off. But I had my confidence wrecked years ago and the subsequent rebuild has left some odd quirks. I'd be loathe to turn up and find myself fine with riding the advertised horse and uneasy around the schoolmaster(!). I can sometimes simply think 'no' with a horse, regardless of how straightfoward and uncomplicated it is, but cheerfully get on and deal with something much more hot/sensitive/difficult. There's no logic to it at all!

That said, I would almost be tempted to do this if I ever had to sell my current youngster, who is very very sensitive, reactive, and explosive. Then again, if I felt I had to put someone up on the saner mare first, they probably wouldn't be right for Bug anyway...

As others have said, though, your horse, your choice. If prospective buyers are fine with it, roll with it.

ETA: On further reflection, I think I'd spend a while worrying about the possibility of hating the schoolmaster but, if I really liked the sound of the advertised horse, I suspect I'd woman up and just get on with it, especially if the approach Spring Feather suggested was used!
 
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Tnavas said:
Children are no different when it comes to the safety of the rider!

A novice is a novice wether they are 6 or 60 - you take equal care of each. I corrected my niece recently when she put on her CV she was a very experienced rider - she's not - she rode weekly as a child at a good riding school and had her own 'evil' pony for a couple of years - she's capable but not experienced.

When a seller understands their horses nature then its their perogative to chose how you try their horse. Buying/Selling a horse is a risky business at the best of times.

Re my example - if I had seen the rider ride one of the school horses first she would not have even had the chance to ride the horse for sale - she was all over the place - she really upset the young horse I'd spent weeks on - she could not comprehend that she didn't need to slow the horse down just with the reins that if she used her rising trot she could actually steady the horse and then be able to ride it forward! If she had bought the horse it would have had a mental breakdown i a matter of weeks - or injured the rider!

The other example was just a comment on the cheek of some riders when viewing horses!
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And it's absolutely my right to choose where I buy and would never try a horse considered so tricky that I had to get on another before it .
But I am not a novice and people usually know that.
 
The wife said:
He is being sold as a potential top class competition animal, suiting an extremely competent amateur or small professional yard, with the words very brave, patient, experienced and sensitive rider needed.
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And yet you call this animal a 'pony'. TBH I wouldn't bother looking at something that was used to being treated in this 'fwuffy bunny-wunny' manner, if I wanted it to live on a professional yard.
 
So I presume the people here saying it's OK have never sold a horse/pony to somebody without the somebody trying them out first?

Just wondering what the procedure is for somebody who watches, decides and prefers to actually ride in their own time, not at the sellers yard.

I can't be the only one who has done that surely?
 
Aarrghimpossiblepony said:
So I presume the people here saying it's OK have never sold a horse/pony to somebody without the somebody trying them out first?

Just wondering what the procedure is for somebody who watches, decides and prefers to actually ride in their own time, not at the sellers yard.

I can't be the only one who has done that surely?
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I would not sell a horse in those circunmtances .
 
Wouldn't bother me in the slightest, and it wouldn't make me think the horse was tricky - more that it was a talented, valuable animal that the person who produced it would rather not see all and sundry clambering aboard and thumping around on.
Having money to buy a horse doesn't automatically bestow upon you the right to ride anything. Whilst viewers may be very experienced, competent riders - there is no way that the seller can possibly know that they are, without seeing them ride. I've seen an awful lot of people who talked the talk, before getting on and riding like complete numpties, I would be cautious about letting just anyone get on a special horse, and wouldn't be at all offended by being asked to ride something else first.
 
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