question … timewasters

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ELFSBELLS

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for those of you that have ever been affected by timewasters, ie. the one's that say "brilliant, will get back to you in a couple of days", when you are of the understanding a viewing has gone well, having never heard from said people again have you wver been tempted to thank them for wasting your time by ie. text or e…mail, just pondering over this has so fed up at the mo!!
 
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Having several youngsters for sale, I counted up the number of emails that requested 'further photo's ' and got to 28 !!!!! From this I've had 2 people follow up with a visit.
Considering that I have sold some, and to people who rang and then actually turned up, it does make me wonder.
My favourite excuse for not buying is that 'it's legs aren't long enough for dressage'. This is a youngster that moves for England and really pushes through from behind.

Oh, and don't forget the ones that say they are coming and then forget to let me know that they have changed their mind.
 
I am afraid I have been guilty of this:o I went to see a 15.1hh grey mare in Witham Friary nr Shepton Mallet about 5 weeks ago now that had been advertised on Horsequest. I loved her but needed to check something out, so said I would get back to the girl who was selling her in a few days.

It took me over a week to get the info I needed and by that time I had lost her number and the advert had gone off Horsequest.

I started a thread entited "Any peeps near Witham Friary" in the hope that somebody would know her but that never got any response and so there is one lovely girl with a nice horse wondering why I never got back to her (and probably very peed off as the mare was almost white and she had washed her!)
 
I got so fed up of this I did indeed end up sending 'thank you' emails to a couple of people.
Absolutely loathe people who do this! Just a simple text without reason would do in all honesty.
 
Just standing on the other side of the fence for a bit, i think people use the term 'timewaster' far too loosely. Just because someone views your horse then feels too uncomfortable to get into a difficult conversation with someone they don't know but they don't want the horse - I do not term as a timewaster - that is just selling!
Someone who deliberately uses your horse time and time again or promises a deposit, or begs you take the horse off the market then doesn't come up with the goods, now that I term as a timewaster.

I can't stand to see the term 'readvertised due to timewasters', always outs me off seller.
 
I went to see one, that was lovely but wanted to think about it for a few hours an said I would get to her.

I decided against when I saw the video as looked like a back issue and after being stung before I did twang totals the chance.

I tried calling and calling, but no answer. Later that night I got a snotty email.

I just replied back saying that I tried calling but that you didn't pick, then she repiled saying that she had lost her phone.

How was I supposed know that!
 
Ditto sunny

when buying a horse - a very important expensive purchase i have lots of things to consider and made my decision whenbuying Poppy for my daughter based upon

a gut instinct and feeling for the horse
how my daughter felt
what i saw in her riding and conformation

when viewing horses we were wanting to find the right one and it was hard to walk away - horses are lovely and we wanted a horse but had to kiss the frogs to find the prince - for us

i resent the term timewasters - it is my right to walk away and i would be asking myself if buyers were promising to come back with deposit or be back later - i would ask myself why they coudn't be telling me that my horse wasn't right for them - what am i doing to prevent them being honest

cheers
 
boe said:
for those of you that have ever been affected by timewasters, ie. the one's that say "brilliant, will get back to you in a couple of days", when you are of the understanding a viewing has gone well, having never heard from said people again have you wver been tempted to thank them for wasting your time by ie. text or e…mail, just pondering over this has so fed up at the mo!!
Click to expand...

Why are they time wasters? They have viewed the horse, turned up on time etc. Just because they don't come back and purchase doesn't mean they have wasted your time.

Not everyone is comfortable in saying 'sorry, horse is not for me'.
 
I havent had many time wasters ( only people say oh i come view yard ( x ) at ( x ) time then dont show up.

this guy peeing me off continual emails from him scuse the abrupt comment in the end he has gone to far , Next time he will get the F word and the W*ker word




-----Original Message-----
From: John Tom <john.tom2011@gmail.com>
To: XXXXXXXX <XXXXXXX@AOL.COM>
Sent: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:58
Subject: Share - 15.1hh Grey Gelding

Hello sales how are you doing today i am seriously interested in you


advertise i would like to know maybe you still have it for sale let me know


if it is available for sale wait for your mail John

i have not got a grey gelding for sale
2 i have never had a horse for sale.


-----Original Message-----
From: John Tom <john.tom2011@gmail.com>
To: xxxxx <xxxxx@aol.com>
Sent: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:36
Subject: Re: Share - 15.1hh Grey Gelding

Hello


thanks for the response,Okay


i will like to know the final price of it all,so i make arrangement


for the payment,your urgent reply is needed


regard


John


WHAT PART OF I DON'T HAVE A GREY HORSE FOR SALE DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND !¬!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STOP EMAILING ME


On 8/29/11, XXXXX <XXXXXX@aol.com> wrote:

-----Original Message-----


> From: John Tom <john.tom2011@gmail.com>


> To: XXXXXXX <XXXXXXXXXX@AOL.COM>


> Sent: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:58


> Subject: Share - 15.1hh Grey Gelding


>


James Jerry <st.james.jerry2011@gmail.com> Hide
Add to: To Do, Calendar
To:
name removed <NAME REMOVED@AOL.COM>
CC:
BCC:
Date:
Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:44



MY PONY IS NEVER WILL EVER BE FOR SALE.
ITS FOR HALF LOAN

-----Original Message-----
From: James Jerry <st.james.jerry2011@gmail.com>
To: xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx@AOL.COM>
Sent: Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:44
Subject: For Share - 12hh Dun Mare

Hello sales how are you doing today i am seriously interested in you


advertise i would like to know maybe you still have it for sale let me


know if it is available for sale wait for your mail James


My pony is not for sale idiot


For Share - 12hh Dun Mare

Hello sales how are you doing today i am seriously interested in you
advertise i would like to know maybe you still have it for sale let me
know if it is available for sale wait for your mail James

what part of ITS NOT FOR SALE do you not understand?????



-----Original Message-----
From: James Jerry <st.james.jerry2011@gmail.com>
To: xxxxxxxxxx@aol.com>
Sent: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:59
Subject: Re: For Share - 12hh Dun Mare

Hello


thanks for the response,Okay


i will like to know the final price of it all,so i make arrangement
for the payment,your urgent reply is needed

regard


James

he is doing my damn head in
and this is only a sample of the emails i block him and he does it again with a nother screen name
 
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Sunny08 said:
Just standing on the other side of the fence for a bit, i think people use the term 'timewaster' far too loosely. Just because someone views your horse then feels too uncomfortable to get into a difficult conversation with someone they don't know but they don't want the horse - I do not term as a timewaster - that is just selling!
Click to expand...

I disagree - it is simply common courtesy to let the seller know if you're no longer interested - even an email or a text will do. It is just so frustrating to just be left hanging. It's fine not to want the horse, but the seller has probably spent a considerable amount of time and effort rearranging their schedule and giving up a decent part of their day for the buyer to see the horse - it is plain rude not to give them an answer one way or the other.

In answer to the OP - yes I have been very tempted to do that! Never more so than in the case of the girl who came to view the horse FOUR times over the period of a month - the horse behaved impeccably each time - she brought her instructor with her the first time, and again on the fourth time - and on the fourth occasion the instructor said that the horse was desperately underweight and would need months off to regain condition - was lame, and had a knackered back (despite a recent clean bill from the physio). They then proceeded to make a silly offer on the basis of all these things, and then tried to force me to skive off work the next day so they could have him vetted - and THEN when I bent over backwards to make it happen, complained to me that it was a complete palaver for them, and the owner should just have accepted their offer to begin with.

This is a picture of the horse in question, taken the day before their fourth visit...

305762_577586652657_309600729_2725785_1072448908_n.jpg


I must admit I spent a considerable amount of time planning what to say to the girl about it all - still wish I'd said something!
 
sometimes I feel (please don't bite my head off!) that some sellers are time wasters! with wrongly advertised horses & more often than not they don't update their ads! several times when I've been horse hunting in the past, I've rung about an ad or emailed & got the answer "oh, it's sold!!!" well then..please put sold on your ad or better still remove the damn thing!
(rant over)

sorry! fpm xx
 
Leviathan said:
I havent had many time wasters ( only people say oh i come view yard ( x ) at ( x ) time then dont show up.

this guy peeing me off continual emails from him scuse the abrupt comment in the end he has gone to far , Next time he will get the F word and the W*ker word
Click to expand...

They are scam emails, the grammar is a big give away. Now you have replied they know the email is valid and will keep emailing you. Just delete without reading.
 
Adverts with the term 'no timewasters' put me right off. Selling is time consuming and finding the right home for the horse is worth spending time over, even if it takes several prospective buyers to match horse and rider.

However, I've had dithering buyers who expect me to hold a horse for them while they take their time thinking about it or go off on holiday. This is fine, but don't be surprised if a good horse sells in the meantime. If a deposit is put down, I'd stop other viewings, but otherwise, the first suitable buyer gets the sale.

Sellers can be worse time wasters with balantly false adverts, who seem quite happy for you to travel a fair distance in the desperate hope that you'll be daft enough to buy anything with 4 legs.

I wouldn't send a snotty message to a buyer or seller, no matter how unreasonable they were. Wouldn't want to lower myself to their level of rudeness and the lovely people out there restore my faith in human nature.
 
Several years ago I put an ad up in local feed merchants etc saying rider wanted for small pony.

Had a 14 year old girl phone up, had a chat and arranged for her to come and see / try pony. All went really well, she was a good little rider and I was happy etc. Then, after untacking etc she turned round and said 'oh, I charge £10 per hour'.

Cheeky mare!

Told her no thanks. Why waste my time by coming to see / try the pony without first saying she charges for her services? Could have told her on the phone no and saved a lot of time.
 
OFG said:
Several years ago I put an ad up in local feed merchants etc saying rider wanted for small pony.

Had a 14 year old girl phone up, had a chat and arranged for her to come and see / try pony. All went really well, she was a good little rider and I was happy etc. Then, after untacking etc she turned round and said 'oh, I charge £10 per hour'.

Cheeky mare!

Told her no thanks. Why waste my time by coming to see / try the pony without first saying she charges for her services? Could have told her on the phone no and saved a lot of time.
Click to expand...

LOL, that ace ! Cheeky little madam.
 
I totally agree, I hate seeing 'no timewasters please' in an advert. Do sellers really think that every person who tries out their horse is going to say "he's perfect, he's the one for me" and take him home immediately in the trailer they conveniently happened to bring with them?

I have been to see horses and the owners could be considered to be timewasters and the horses are definitely not what they have described.

It seems so arrogant that people selling horses in particular can think like this - you would certainly not see it in other industries.

However, courtesy should be shown after an owner has taken the time to show you their horse and you should communicate with them either way.
 
Sunny08 said:
Just standing on the other side of the fence for a bit, i think people use the term 'timewaster' far too loosely. Just because someone views your horse then feels too uncomfortable to get into a difficult conversation with someone they don't know but they don't want the horse - I do not term as a timewaster - that is just selling!
Someone who deliberately uses your horse time and time again or promises a deposit, or begs you take the horse off the market then doesn't come up with the goods, now that I term as a timewaster.

I can't stand to see the term 'readvertised due to timewasters', always outs me off seller.
Click to expand...

Totally agree, Sunny!

I am also put off even 'phoning about horses with 'no timewasters' on their ads, to me it says 'if you try you have to buy!' I have also had my time wasted by not entirely honest sellers.

I would not dream of messaging anyone who promised to get back to me but hadn't, partly because it wouldn't make any dfifference as I wouldn't take anything off the market until I had at least some cash in my hand!

In your case, xspiralx, those folks were just trying to get your horse for next to nothing and if I had been you, I'd have told them to eff off, cheeky buggers!
 
I don't really ever sell horses so can't comment as a seller but there are LOADS of time wasting sellers out there it goes like this,
Me does he move staight.?
Seller oh yes he's very straight
Me are you sure ? ( based on long experience ) because I will not buy a horse that does not move straight so it will be wasting every ones time.
Seller ( slightly indignant ) yes he is a straight mover
I drive three hours get there the horse is trotted up and guess what it dishes with both forelegs.
Never sure if sellers don't know or just hope I won't notice.
 
When I go to sell a horse I seem to end up with a load of inexperienced numpties coming to view. People that say things like "I used to have riding lessons." as if that has given them enough experience to handle a practically untouched youngster, and then they throw me dirty looks as the horse spooks and drags them into a hedge.

I've had such gems as "How long do horses live for?", "Does he need shoes?", "Is he broken in?" . All of this for a 9 month old TB gelding. :rolleyes:

And then there are the people who make arrangements to view again and don't show up. I wouldn't mind "I'll call you in a few days" - that normally means "I'm not really interested but just saying this to be polite." in my books but this particular family said they were going to arrange a vetting, bring an experienced friend and probably leave a deposit. ....I go online that night and find the same family have placed an advert looking for a loan horse suitable for a novice. Grrr! :mad:

When buying I try not to waste people's time. I don't have fantastic people skills and feel awkward if I'm not interested so I admit to saying "I'll get back to you." If I see a horse I like I won't dally around, I will often leave a deposit there and then - I always panic that someone else will buy the horse in my absence!
 
I drove 2 hours to try a horse, tried him in the school and didn't like him. The YO (owner wasn't there) asked if I wanted to hack him out, but I just said 'thanks for your time, but I don't think he's quite what I'm looking for'. It would have been timewasting to have hacked him with no intention of buying. I text the owner on the way home, she thanked me and asked for feedback as I was the first person to try him (and he'd been on loan for 6 months so she hadn't ridden him herself recently).

When I bought my latest horse, I tried him on my own one afternoon when OH was at work, so he then came back with me for second viewing. The seller mentioned something about 'next time you come...' but I said I didn't need to and would like to buy him. She had had a joyrider/timewasters and wanted him to go to a TB experienced home (ex racer), so wanted us all to be happy with each other.

I don't see why it's so hard to just say 'no thanks, not for me' rather than promise to call back and not do it!
 
I tend to act before i think and have text people before saying thankyou for wasting my time.
The most recent was a horse up for loan and the loanee messed me around for almost 3 weeks and after this i didnt even get to see the horse! Grrh!
 
No I never feel the need to make any sarcastic replies to anyone who enquires about any of my horses. I have learned that you just never know how or where your reputation will be boosted and although at times you have to kiss a lot of frogs, once you've gained a good reputation it is not worth having your 5 minutes of glee sending a shirty response to someone. I get enquiries all the time, some are long and indepth and some are short (and could be construed as rude). I reply to all of them kindly and informatively. I have had so many sales come through people who know people who have contacted me. I do not chase up people ever. If they want to come and view or they want to contact me they know my details.

A horse is never sold until the money is in the bank and replying to questions from many people is a part of my job which I do quite as a matter of fact rather than having any excitement that this might be the next person to buy a horse from me. Politeness costs you nothing even if you believe the person contacting you has none!
 
Looking at a horse which turns out to be unsuitable for whatever reason, is NOT timewasting. However discussing a buyer's specific requirements over the phone and assuring them that your horse meets those requirements IS, if the horse doesn't meet those requirements.
That's why these days I refuse to travel for more than 30 minutes to look at a horse. Years ago, sister and I were looking for a horse suitable for a novice, large OH. We travelled the length of the M62 corridor (and up and down), looking at a variety of horses which were blatantly not as advertised. In fact they were so obviously unsuitable that we didn't even try them. Who was the timewaster there?
The most recent one was when I started riding again after losing my horse just after I'd broken my ankle. The most important thing for me was that the horse would stand at a mounting block to allow me to both mount and dismount. I explained this to the vendor, who assured me that her perfect horse would do just that. I watched her hop round the field for about 5 minutes trying to get on the horse which would not stand still and she seemed rather surprised when I said that the horse wasn't for me. Again, who was the time waster there?

Mind you, I always tell people there and then, if their horse isn't what I'm looking for.
 
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It works both ways, but having just sold a pony I would define a timewaster as someone who says they really like/want your pony then don't get back to you. If they change their mind why not send a quick text saying so. I had a woman who was on the phone asking questions for over an hour, then came that day and stayed for 21/2 hours, left saying she wanted the pony and would arrange a vetting, then never contacted me again. Thats a timewaster! I have also driven miles to see unsuitable ponies, not as described, where the sellers were also timewasters.
 
Spring Feather said:
No I never feel the need to make any sarcastic replies to anyone who enquires about any of my horses. I have learned that you just never know how or where your reputation will be boosted and although at times you have to kiss a lot of frogs, once you've gained a good reputation it is not worth having your 5 minutes of glee sending a shirty response to someone. I get enquiries all the time, some are long and indepth and some are short (and could be construed as rude). I reply to all of them kindly and informatively. I have had so many sales come through people who know people who have contacted me. I do not chase up people ever. If they want to come and view or they want to contact me they know my details.

A horse is never sold until the money is in the bank and replying to questions from many people is a part of my job which I do quite as a matter of fact rather than having any excitement that this might be the next person to buy a horse from me. Politeness costs you nothing even if you believe the person contacting you has none!
Click to expand...

Totally agree with this. It's how I work too.
 
I was tempted to leave snotty message on a potential buyer's phone just this morning - she arranged to see horse this morning, which as she has been out of work meant I picked her up from Dad's farm, rode her yesterday and Saturday, pulled and washed her mane and tail and organised childcare for my toddler so I would be free to show horse to her. Guess what - she didn't turn up! Or even ring to say she wasn't coming. In fact when I rang to ask if she was still coming (very politely) she hung up on me!!! Still can't believe people can be so rude, what does it cost to send a text message?!
Horse is sold now thank goodness, as I'm sick to death of getting into protracted text message conversations with people who when politely asked to phone if they want to discuss horse then never take it further. JUST RING ME FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!!! :mad: Call me old-fashioned but how can you buy a horse by text message?!!!!!
 
Leviathan:

I'm not sure if you realise, but the emails that you are receiving are a scam.

Ignore, block sender whatever you can! Just don't reply or give any information
 
MissieSFW said:
Horse is sold now thank goodness, as I'm sick to death of getting into protracted text message conversations with people who when politely asked to phone if they want to discuss horse then never take it further. JUST RING ME FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!!! :mad: Call me old-fashioned but how can you buy a horse by text message?!!!!!
Click to expand...

I totally agree, IMO, replying to ads via text is rude.
 
It really bugs me when poeple dont bother to either tell you they are no longer comming or that they dont want the horse. Someone once paid a deposit and said they would collect the horse on the sunday, it was freezing cold (november) i had two then quite young children who i couldnt leave at home, we waited most of the day and she didnt turn up, no message nothing!
 
thanks for all your replies, yes i agree there can be timewasters on both sides, and yes to me some of them are complete timewasters, my horse in question is up for loan to stay at present yard, which is hard enough in itself because the majority want to move him, but why i posted this thread is because of being at the yard for 5 hrs one day for a viewing ( due to me having to be dropped off and picked up due to car issues) this particular person having ridden him, loved him, me going into every possible detail, her saying just what im looking for, promising because i have been messed around to be in touch, then nothing! but i suppose best not to lower my own manners in the same way i guess, i have never not gotten back to somebody about a horse or said there and then if not suitable, i guess i have to expect these things!!
 
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