Re: Buying a horse, previous owners? On going contact.

[Enfys]

When you buy how much contact do you keep with the seller?

I tend to phone or email to let them know that the horse has settled down in the first couple of days if they ask me to, but otherwise I prefer not to have to give a running commentary of what I am doing. I appreciate that people care for their animals and have to sell for many reasons, but if they are concerned over suitability of the home shouldn't that be considered prior to handover of cash? If I sell, it's good to hear about the pony now and again but as far as I am concerned when a horse is sold, it's sold and, for better or worse, not my property anymore.

Just wondering, as I had a rather shirty email last night asking why I hadn't contacted the seller on Day 2 (after I'd let them know how pony was settling in on Day 1) and was it in/ out? rugged? This that and the other and that they'd be visiting shortly!!!!!!!

Hmmmm.

 

[cariadssogreat]

No I dont think that is right. I always call the previous owner to let them know that they have settled - equally if I have sold a horse I appreciate the same - the odd email is always nice but that is it

 

[Weezy]

Ohhh I would be very

too - once the cash has been handed over, thats it, they lose all rights to the animal - yes its nice to keep in touch and I like to keep in touch in case I can help the new owner out with anything initially - but I allow them to contact me, not vice versa!

 

[RunToEarth]

Only keep loose contact with Cal, Oshk's seller, because we lived very close and I need his expertise some days as he knows him very well, infact he gave me a dressage lesson in the summer. But that is usually me (the buyer) calling him, and I have only ever had texts from him when I have told him I was competing, asking me how I had done. Most of our horses have been from dealers, so no problems there, and Bertha we bought from friends in the hunt, so we are still good friends today.
In regards to ponies I have parted with, TBH, if they have gone to a good home, they have gone, and its easier on me if I forget. I sometimes go and watch Speedy compete, and last weekend I visited my old games pony, but emailing on the second day? Perhaps she is extremely attatched, perhaps it was a very hard decision to sell?

 

[Super_Kat]

I bought Missy in May and the sellers asked me if I'd keep in contact, a few weeks ago I emailed them an update with some photos. They replyed and asked me if I'd send them some more photo's once Missy and I are out competing which I'm happy to do. Your sellers sound very rude and cheeky demanding to have a day by day account on how the pony is getting on and saying they'll be visiting shortly, it's not their property anymore!

 

[JessPickle]

We didnt have any contact apart from a month ago I found a little note she wrote in pickle passport about how much she will miss him (I have had pickle over a year)

Allthough an owner from about 7 years ago has traced him and is coming to see him this week ( a 5 hour drive)

(oh and we have checked she is genuine farmkey have confirmed she owned him, and his vaccionation forms have her name on)

 

[Skhosu]

hmph.... I would not let them come until it suited me, I would probably let them come but that's it!
We told my old ponys sellers when he died, thought it common courtesy and it was only 8months and had seen them about.
First pony, no idea who the previous owners were so no problem there.
Now I think about it don't know much about any of my horses old owners (most came through a proffessional yard/friends yard)
I heard from my brill ponys buyers for a few weeks, heard nothing for a while but have seen him occasionally. Meet up with all our old ponies now and again actually!
I think it is very cheeky, asking what you have done with him etc.
Perhaps it was hard to let go, but a polite, hey, just wondering how its going today might be more appropriate!
I always let the buyers make contact although I would love a buyer who emailed me when they had success, like to hear about it!

 

[Mid]

"as I am concerned when a horse is sold, it's sold and, for better or worse, not my property anymore."

I'd email them every now and again, just to let them know that the horse is still in my possession and doing well. I'd send christmas cards too. Not sure if I'd be too keen on visits, though.

Immagine if you ran out of money for some reason or other, or had an accident that prevented you caring for the said horse? Surely you'd still want contact?

 

[1928sky]

That would really annoy me if I had the seller constantly wanting contact. Yes the odd "they've settled in alright" fine but wanting to come and see the pony that is quite out of order. If that is what they wanted to do they should have put it out on loan. Personally I like to buy out of the area so no one can pass judgement or stalk me and my new horse! To be honest if I sold a horse I would never really get over it if I kept going to see it.

 

[gemz666]

i have kept quite good contact i still send photos and videos and she has come to see him a few times

 

[Chex]

I never heard from Chex old owner, but it was a RS. I think once they're sold, thats it, you lose all rights to demand updates and visits.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Oh

mine and libertys owners computers chat throught out the week... Talk on phone for hours.... Send cards like "Get well soon" And im going to vist her!

This keeps me happy that liberty is at the bestest home possible i know if it turned out wise i couldnt just sit back and let it...

[ QUOTE ]
Proterty

[/ QUOTE ] WHAT!!!! PROPERTY!!!

A horse is not property!!

I can understand you just want to get on with your new horse but i get upset if i dont hear how libertys doing. Remember there is most likely a huge link between old owners and your horse. You cant just stop caring and loving somthing like a horse.

I small email ever so often will go a long far im sure.

I think contact with past owners can only be good, after all they know the horse better then you and the more you know the better. I would cling on to them!

 

[the watcher]

I think you are unusual. Once I have bought a horse, it is mine to deal with as I think appropriate, although to be polite I will always confirm that the horse arrived at its new home safely and if we have made real prgress and thy asked to be kept informed, I will let them know what they are up to, for example first time out hunting.

Equally, if I have sold one on, I don't bother the new owners, but as far as I am concerned, once it is gone, it is gone

 

[KateStartin]

If it is sold its sold, should in most circumstances be left to the new owner. Did send xmas card and pic every year to one girl though but she was friends with my aunt who found the pony and rode her not the owner.

 

[_daisy_]

ive kept in touch with 1 of my horses previous owner - became very good friends with her - such good friends thst I bought another horse off her ( a foal), she gave me another (foals mother) and I competed her others for her. Shes moved away so i dont see her that often but we regularly phone/text each other.
Saying that though I sold a mare 3 years ago and i heard from the new owner about 1 wk after i delivered her - not heard from her since even though i triend to ring her.

 

[Happytohack]

When I bought Ella, I phoned the seller to let her know that she had arrived safely and then emailed a week or so later to let her know that she had settled. After a couple of months, I sent some photos and plan to send a xmas card and keep in touch now and then. The seller has always been happy to receive news that Ella is fine and happy, but she has never bothered me and I don't feel under any obligation to keep in touch, but am happy to do so as she is a very genuine person and sold me a lovely horse.

 

[jemima]

I sold a pony to a girl who lives in the next village to my mother. The new owner sends me photos of how he is doing - he's a special boy. I was in touch with the girl I bought our bigger cob from until recently and I guess I'd better mail her again soon she did love him dearly and I know how much it hurt her to sell him. I traced the poeple I bought the smaller cob from recently and sent them a lovely chatty mail with pictures - they wanted us to have him as they'd been told he was only fit for meat and we said we'd try and get him round - so I thought they'd be pleased to hear that he was settled and happy and had turned into a charming and responsible chap. Never heard a dickie bird back.

Ah well - each to his own.

 

[Enfys]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Proterty

[/ QUOTE ] WHAT!!!! PROPERTY!!!

A horse is not property!!
quote]

Sorry, how would you describe something you own then?....... and, you DO own a horse, a dog, a house, anything you pay for. Perhaps property wasn't the correct word but at the time I couldn't think of a suitable alternative.

Everybody feels differently about their horses, when I sell, I prefer them to be out of sight, not out of mind, if they were being ill treated or simply not treated the way I would then I would rather not know about it, or not be able to do anything about it.

I have no problem at all with keeping in contact with people, but I don't need them looking over my shoulder all the time.

 

[eahotson]

I do keep in touch with Jacks new owners and enjoy it. Its lovely to see him enjoying life with them. Would never interfere with the way they keep him though or what they do with him as he is no longer my horse. I have been to see him but mainly because they were looking after my dog when I went on holiday. Try to update Callums old owners occasionally and wouldn't mind them visiting BUT they don't interfer either.

 

[Dogbetty141]

I agree I dont now what I would do in this situation sorry to not be of help but I would certsinly be annoyed. You could just ignore them but I suppose that is rude and they would be knocking on your door. Even Loaning a horse you dont have that much contact with the Owners. I think once she knows that her EX pony is ok she will leave you alone. Most people have no contact with the seller after the purchase day. Unless it is on trail.

 

[Tia]

Aww I'm sorry to hear this Enfys - it really isn't typical of people in Ontario to do this........thankfully! Most of them claim their undying love for the animal however in reality they aren't normally that interested in updates.

You didn't buy the horse from a mad woman in Aurora did you

. The way I managed to finally get rid of my woman was to ignore her emails.....sounds harsh but I have been having emails sent to me every day, often 3 or 4 per day, for months on end and I was almost at the stage of sending the horse back!

Anyway on the good advice of people on here, I took their suggestions of not replying - it worked! She slowly but surely weaned herself off this obsession with the horse and I haven't heard from her for months.

BTW to whomever; a horse is indeed property! It is something which we legally purchase and own. This horse is Enfys' property and it is up to her how she chooses to deal with this situation.

Take it from me Enfys - get shot of her as soon as possible - otherwise she will drag you down and it WILL affect the way you bond with the horse.

 

[Law]

I've got a bit of an odd scenario with my horse's old owners.
The family who owned him were having trouble with him so they got the dealer they bought him off to part ex him for something else - the dealer literally boxed the horse up on a wednesday night and took him to an auction the next day.
I bought him at the auction with his papers/passport, headcollar and nothing else.
A year and a half later the vet was looking at my passport and said he knew the family that had had Darcy before me and he suggested that I went and had them sign the form to allow me to change the ownership to me. Off I trundled a few miles into the sticks and knocked on her door asking if she was Darcy's old owner and they were gobsmacked.
They thought Darce had gone never to be heard of again.

They invited me in, told me all about Darcy when he was with them, his awful history, how the daughter and he didn't get on and how much he hated jumping.
It was really lovely for them to hear how he was getting on 18 months after being sold so I sent them pictures of him at shows and things. I got lovely emails back but haven't written since.

I think that it is unreasonable for the old owners to expect daily updates from you. It's totally unacceptable imo

 

[Lill]

When we bought Alfie June 05 his previous owners kept in touch with us and kept wanting to come and see him which they did a few times but i felt extremely uncomfortable with them coming to see him because when they did they asked if they could possibly have him back but they didn't have any money so they basically wanted us to GIVE him back to them for FREE.

We sold him earlier this year and his new owner B stays in touch with us and lets us know how they are getting on which is really nice to know because he was a troubled horse and i think she is getting on well with Alfie and i'm glad he's gone to her.... BUT the people WE bought him off keep contacting B who WE sold him too (make sense? so previous owners are contacting new owners twice down the line?) which i think is rather out of order. Fair enough ish contact the people who you sold to but not the people they then sell to think that is a bit much!

 

[Doublethyme]

That certainly sounds a bit much OP. As you say, if they didn't think you were a suitable home, then don't sell. The hard reality is when the cash is handed over, the horse is yours and the cash theirs and they lose their right to question you over the horse like that.

I have kept in touch with my mare's owner - just a waffly email updating her on our activities every 12-18 months, but that is mainly because she bred her from a favourite mare who is no longer with them, so I feel that they may appreciate the contact. I rarely get an email from them, so am happy to just waffle away every now and again.

A friend of mine has the opposite problem at the moment. She sold her pony at the beginning of the year and has had a series of pretty much weekly!! phone calls and messages, plus emails since then updating on the mare!! Its nice to know they love her and she is settled and doing well, but is getting a bit stalkerish for my friend now!!!!

 

[emma69]

Oh dear, I wouldn't be all that keen on having them popping in all the time! My fail safe for people like this goes along the lines of "it's not fair on the horse, he needs to get to know his new home, realise he has a place he will be settled and get to know his new equine friends and human family. If you turn up he will get confused and I don't want him to wonder if this is a temporary place for him, this is his new home" That should suffice, if it doesn't say 'maybe you could come and see him compete next summer" or similar.

 

[Enfys]

I am hoping that the distance might prove the biggest deterrent to visits, OH said over 100 miles, or was that kms? Still confused by that. Anyway, a fair haul.

 

[cloppy]

sounds like she wants the money and the horse.

 

[Capriole]

i send the very occaisonal picture to the girl who sold me my horse, as a foal in 1987

i sometimes wonder if she cares any more as its so long ago but i send them anyway

 

[Kelly1982]

when i brought my new horse the owner came to see her a month after purchase, since then i let her know how we are getting on if i bump into her (she is local) but apart from that i dont as i dont think she is really that bothered tbh as she has a new horse now anyway.

As for Trike (the horse i sold to Rambo) i dont keep on at him all the time as Trike is now nothing to do with me but he does keep me updated as to shows etc and it really nice to hear how he is getting on and it makes me happy knowing they are having fun on him etc. I would not however email him asking for constant updates and asking if he is rugged etc as that is none of my business anymore.