Returning a horse not fit for purpose

[Goldenstar]

I agree to a point. However, in this instance it would appear that the horse has been misrepresented. And as the owner has rights there's no reason not to exercise them.

Exactly OP definatly should seek to return the horse and recover her money.
Whether the court ( if it gets that far ) decides there was misrepresentation is another matter my experiance of courts is that it depends how it goes on the day.
hopefully it won't come to that .

 

[showpony]

Did you tell the trekking centre that you wanted the horse for hacking out alone???
If I was really keen on the horse I would take them up on offer of taking him back for some re-schooling with them agreeing to take the horse back if still no improvement.

TBH OP - Most horses that would come from such an environment would not be used to hacking out without company - its not to say that it isn't fixable... buy will take some work to build his confidence... but you have to decide IF you want to put the work in.

If things don't work out suggest you take your instructor with you or someone very experienced to view ... Make sure you tack up yourself , see the horse being caught, ride it in the arena, field, road alone & with company... Basically test it for everything you would want to do.

Best of luck.

 

[dogatemysalad]

I agree to a point. However, in this instance it would appear that the horse has been misrepresented. And as the owner has rights there's no reason not to exercise them.

If the advert says 100% to hack out alone and the rider saw this done in its previous home, then fair enough, but the OP doesn't mention this. We don't really know what either party said, we only know what the OP was hoping to have.

Some good horses find moving home and owner really stressful, it doesn't mean the seller lied. The last horse I bought, I asked the seller to ride it out alone. I watched from a hill and saw it trot out quite happily in driving sleet and along a busy road.
Even then, on getting it home, I was prepared for the horse not coping and it was a pleasant surprise to find it quite happy to face whatever I threw at it.

If the OP stressed that the horse must hack out alone when she purchased it and didn't see it doing that, then, I'd agree with her POV. I suppose only the OP knows what the horse is like, but for £900, unless it was semi retired, the price does have some bearing on what could be reasonably expected.

 

[eahotson]

I think 500 pounds is very little for a sound, not too old/young genuine beginners/nervous ride.I bought a welsh cob who is a genuine novices ride, hacks out alone etc. and I paid 4.800 for him.He has been worth every penny actually.

 

[ridefast]

I'm afraid you are experiencing a very common result of buying A. a trekking horse, which very likely IS 100% easy and quiet in that environment, but not when asked to perform a totally alien set of behaviours, and B. a Haflinger, which tend to be bargy, opinionated so-and-so's unless handled, fed and worked in a businesslike way. Rather than trying to return the horse, which may very well not be possible, why don't you get some experienced, professional help and learn how to manage the horse? It is possible: she is not a monster, just needs proper handling and management. See it as a challenge and a learning opportunity and you might just end up with a wonderful little horse that you can be proud of.

I was just thinking this

 

[ridefast]

Sounds like the horse needs taking completely back to basics and re-educating. I've heard a lot of bad press about haflingers, I expect the real problem is they are clever, pretty, and strong, which would lead to novices buying them as cute youngsters and not having the experience to teach them good manners. Seen it happen with cute fluffy cobs aswell. OP, I would stop giving her carrots if I were you. Carrots are very high in sugar so probably the mag-ox is making no difference if being fed with carrots. (And yes, it does make a difference even with only 1 or 2) If you can find someone who knows how to teach groundwork that would be a good investment, you don't necessarily need someone every week. Forget about riding for now, keep it simple, work on one thing at a time such as getting her to move forwards in hand and stand in hand. You don't sound like a complete beginner, so this could be the challenge that takes you out of the novice category? Also, if she's bad to be shod, make life easy and don't have her shod.

 

[Baileybones]

I know you've got plenty going on trying to negotiate her return but in the mean time it might be worth reconsidering the magnesium supplement. This only works as a calmer if they're actually deficient and I know the old owner used to use it and rated it but circumstances may have altered.
I only say this as tried it on one of my spooky mares and it sent her unhinged!! I knew within days that she was getting worse, even dangerous and stopped it but as this mare is new to you and your yard etc it may be that its aggravating her behaviour without you realising.

Good luck x

 

[JLD]

would also second stopping mag oxide - sent my boy a bit loopy too although maybe I just had high hopes of it working so it felt worse. didnt help any way. i would prob take up the offer of them having her back to school though if they wont take her back and you dont want the problems of managing her - I too would struggle in your position and while not a 'beginner' lose confidence very quickly if I am scared so wouldnt judge you at all on this one.

 

[wakijaki]

Well good luck! Doubt it's going to be as easy as you think to win your case but heyho. I would hardly class what your pony is doing as dangerous though. It's a pony ... heck it's a Haflinger! They're reknowed for being like this as they are working ponies, not patty ponies and most really aren't suitable for beginners like you. I suspect, if you go back down the route of buying another horse you may well have just as many problems unfortunately as horses (and particularly ponies) are usually very quick indeed at sussing out their handlers. And a final thing, to buy a TRUE beginner horse, you might want to up your budget considerably, £900 isn't the going rate for a perfect first horse.

I am not a beginner - always had ponies as a child and did 2 years of equine studies as a teenager - riding everyday, having lessons and doing jumping and cross country. We also did lots of work experience at various yards including racing, hunting and stud yards. As I said i have had a break but since coming back ended up as a yard manager for free to friends who had several ponies which i would exercise on a daily basis and also a 17.2 tb x id that i would hack out daily also.
yes this is my first pony that i have bought but the seller was made aware of the fact that i did a lot when i was younger and this would be my first for a long time. She assured me it would be an easy pony - i also told her i wanted the pony for my friend to ride out on and lead her daughter on her pony - again she said she would be suitable. I also mentioned i would like for my friends children to ride her sometimes and again she pointed out that she was riden by children and complete beginnners and people who had never sat on a horse before.
No im not an expert and i wasnt expecting everything to be hunky dory but i was expecting to get a horse i could handle without it almost killing me and ride without being a danger to myself and others while out on the road.

 

[wakijaki]

Good heavens. If this is true, then selling a horse could be a nightmare. This isn't aimed at you, but any buyer can ruin a horse and send it back without any recourse.
I can't quite believe its as straight forward as that.

Not for private sellers - i wouldnt have a leg to stand on there but as she sold the horse in the course of business then it does apply. Im pretty sure the bhs legal team knows what its talking about. She also told me within the 6 months i wouldnt have to prove the horse was behaving in such a manner - it would be the sellers job to prove it wasn't .

 

[wakijaki]

I had no idea that Haflinger's were renowned for being difficult and I've been around horses all my life.

I also can't see why the OP should have any problems with a horse that is bought out of the 'right' environment.

The OP hasn't ended up with the horse she thought she'd purchased. Plain and simple. And she has a right to send it back.

So how about stopping with the condescension? I think we're all well aware by now that absolutely nothing phases you, and there is no situation that you've not been in and come out of the other side successfully. Unfortunately not everyone can be quite so lucky or experienced.

Thank you - i also had no idea they were so bad as breed as all i saw first was the positives about them being very versatile .
Another point to make is the seller sold recently another haflinger that had the excat same issues as mine and she ended up having to take it back - surely she would of thought the same might happen again and make sure that any buyer was suitable for the horse if she didnt want it to end up coming back?

 

[wakijaki]

Playing devils advocate, what if the seller didn't actually know about the not hacking alone? It's a trekking centre, it's not unreasonable that they'd have never tried to take the mare out on her own. That's not misrepresentation, it's lack of knowledge. Unless the buyer specifically asked "does this horse hack safely alone", I don't think there's a huge amount of comeback to be had.
Yes i did ask this and she assured me that she would go alone - that she had hacked her out herself alone and also tha she was ridden regularly by a 10 year old girl on the trekking trails alone .

Also, there is a certain amount of buyer beware in any purchase of this type.
Buyer beware only applies to private sellers - as she sold in course of business the sale of goods act 1979 applies.

And finally, and this is by the by but it may have some bearing in terms of the buyers expectations, £900 is the budget for a project horse, whether it's a youngster to bring on or an older horse that needs retraining. Even in this market.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Thank you - i also had no idea they were so bad as breed as all i saw first was the positives about them being very versatile .
Another point to make is the seller sold recently another haflinger that had the excat same issues as mine and she ended up having to take it back - surely she would of thought the same might happen again and make sure that any buyer was suitable for the horse if she didnt want it to end up coming back?

They're not bad as a breed :-((((
And they are extremely versatile! But one of unknown breeding who's in a trekking centre and for sale for £900 is
Unlikely to be one of the ones that's had the firm and fair handling they like most strong and clever cobs require every day.

To give an indication, my GB girl with great bloodlines and temperament cost £2500 as an unbroken 3 yo. I could have bought loads already broken for £1k but also that they wouldn't have the background you need with any sparky cob eg Haflingers or welsh Ds.

Don't diss the breed, the quality properly treated end is truly magical.

 

[Spring Feather]

I am not a beginner - always had ponies as a child and did 2 years of equine studies as a teenager - riding everyday, having lessons and doing jumping and cross country. We also did lots of work experience at various yards including racing, hunting and stud yards. As I said i have had a break but since coming back ended up as a yard manager for free to friends who had several ponies which i would exercise on a daily basis and also a 17.2 tb x id that i would hack out daily also.
yes this is my first pony that i have bought but the seller was made aware of the fact that i did a lot when i was younger and this would be my first for a long time. She assured me it would be an easy pony - i also told her i wanted the pony for my friend to ride out on and lead her daughter on her pony - again she said she would be suitable. I also mentioned i would like for my friends children to ride her sometimes and again she pointed out that she was riden by children and complete beginnners and people who had never sat on a horse before.
No im not an expert and i wasnt expecting everything to be hunky dory but i was expecting to get a horse i could handle without it almost killing me and ride without being a danger to myself and others while out on the road.

I think, once you've sorted this situation out with the pony you have at present, and if you're planning to get another, it would be a good idea to do all the things on the next pony that you will want to do once you get it home. So if you want to make sure it does ride out alone, then make sure either you, or the seller rides it out alone and you either drive up the road and wait to watch them riding alone, or stand somewhere that you can view it. Another tip if you are buy again from a trekking centre is to ask to take the pony upfront and see how it rides at the head of the ride. Also take it away from the other horses and see if you get any argument or upset from the horse.

I owned a trail riding outfit for years so I know what these horses are like. They're working horses who do what they do perfectly but once you take them out of their usual working environment some of them just do not know how to react. When I closed my trail riding business I rehabbed all of the horses I planned to sell so that they became used to being private horses again and they were all super by the time I started rehoming them; most went to people who knew them, who had ridden them here and most of the riders were beginner/novice riders and these were their first horses. It just takes a bit of time to get them used to a different way of life.

I would again advise upping your budget if you want to find a TRUE beginner/novice ride horse/pony which is exactly what you need as you mention children riding. Unfortunately often these type of little goldmines don't see the open market and are sold quietly and privately. Once in a while there's a little diamond in the rough that can be purchased for peanuts but they're few and far between. Do you have an experienced buyer friend (that you could bribe with lunch) into pony-hunting with you?

 

[Spot_On]

I haven't read all replies.

Is sending her to be re-schooled with a more experienced rider an option for you? Or having a trainer come to you to ride?

One of mine was a massive pain in the bum to hack alone, borderline dangerous as had spent years following other horses. I managed to get help from a trainer and, while didn't manage to 100% cure the issue, it helped 98% and boosted my confidence in dealing with the situation when the napping/broncing started to make a re-appearance.

 

[PollyP99]

They're not bad as a breed :-((((
And they are extremely versatile! But one of unknown breeding who's in a trekking centre and for sale for £900 is
Unlikely to be one of the ones that's had the firm and fair handling they like most strong and clever cobs require every day.

To give an indication, my GB girl with great bloodlines and temperament cost £2500 as an unbroken 3 yo. I could have bought loads already broken for £1k but also that they wouldn't have the background you need with any sparky cob eg Haflingers or welsh Ds.

Don't diss the breed, the quality properly treated end is truly magical.

Second this about the breed, we had one stay with us over summer and it was the sweetest horse to ride and handle. Looked like a cuddly bear and acted like one too, my non horsey OH loved him - not a bolshy bone in his (large) body.

Sorry to hear of your issues op, it is sad for the pony too, hope it doesn't continue to be bounced around.

 

[wakijaki]

If the advert says 100% to hack out alone and the rider saw this done in its previous home, then fair enough, but the OP doesn't mention this. We don't really know what either party said, we only know what the OP was hoping to have.


Some good horses find moving home and owner really stressful, it doesn't mean the seller lied. The last horse I bought, I asked the seller to ride it out alone. I watched from a hill and saw it trot out quite happily in driving sleet and along a busy road.
Even then, on getting it home, I was prepared for the horse not coping and it was a pleasant surprise to find it quite happy to face whatever I threw at it.

If the OP stressed that the horse must hack out alone when she purchased it and didn't see it doing that, then, I'd agree with her POV. I suppose only the OP knows what the horse is like, but for £900, unless it was semi retired, the price does have some bearing on what could be reasonably expected.

yes was prepared for her taking a while to settle in - however its been 6 or 7 weeks now and its not as if im expecting her to be perfect but if i can't even lead her without her barging me over then what chance do i have in the saddle?
Im not saying its all the sellers fault at all - but there were problems with her there that they obvioulsy couldn't cope with or else why have bought her from over 250 miles away and then left her turned out for 6 - 8 months not earning her keep? Should also mention that i am her 4th home in 4 years so im not the first person to not be able to cope with her and the seller must of been aware of previous problems and also that she had experince with the other haffy of it not coping in new home and being returned as dangerous and unuseable - she must have half expected or even in passing wondered if this one would do the same?

 

[wakijaki]

They're not bad as a breed :-((((
And they are extremely versatile! But one of unknown breeding who's in a trekking centre and for sale for £900 is
Unlikely to be one of the ones that's had the firm and fair handling they like most strong and clever cobs require every day.

To give an indication, my GB girl with great bloodlines and temperament cost £2500 as an unbroken 3 yo. I could have bought loads already broken for £1k but also that they wouldn't have the background you need with any sparky cob eg Haflingers or welsh Ds.

Don't diss the breed, the quality properly treated end is truly magical.

nope certainitly dont mean to diss the breed as you say but i meant that after joining a few haffy pages and speaking to other people about thiers - there does seem to be a stereotype - rightly or wrongly that they are fab ponies but not for novices, first owners, need firm experienced handling ect. Have also spoken to a few people who have had many if not all or more of the problems with their haffys although most said that once you have them cracked they truely give you thier heart and will do anything for you.
I have seen lots of haffys up for sale from £800 - £1500 and she was orgininally advertised at £1500 months ago

 

[wakijaki]

I rehabbed all of the horses I planned to sell so that they became used to being private horses again and they were all super by the time I started rehoming them; most went to people who knew them, who had ridden them here and most of the riders were beginner/novice riders and these were their first horses. It just takes a bit of time to get them used to a different way of life.

Do you have an experienced buyer friend (that you could bribe with lunch) into pony-hunting with you?

yes thanks for the advice - i have certainitly learned from my mistake in that respect and i made many of the standard veiwing and buying mistakes that people make....it wont be one i make again but if nothing else - asking for help with hacking out with local people has helped me make new horsey friends so i now have a good back up - saying this they are too busy to have time to give the pony what she needs now as she needs a lot of time spent on her - but for a couple of hours pony hunting i have lots of experinced volunteers - which is great as i dont drive!
I think you did the right thing by rehabbing your horses so they had the best start in their new home - i think the problem here is she has been passed about so much and quickly sold on each time, was in a private home - not suitable due to bucking in the school - sold to trekking center as happy hacker and then used for a few months and turned out. So not only is she being asked to come back in to work after a long break - she is also alone and somewhere new.
Im not blaming the pony - its not her fault. But i think the seller couldnt wait to get rid of her quick enough and didnt care about what would happen afterwards or if she would be getting a suitable home to deal with her problems.

 

[wakijaki]

I haven't read all replies.

Is sending her to be re-schooled with a more experienced rider an option for you? Or having a trainer come to you to ride?

One of mine was a massive pain in the bum to hack alone, borderline dangerous as had spent years following other horses. I managed to get help from a trainer and, while didn't manage to 100% cure the issue, it helped 98% and boosted my confidence in dealing with the situation when the napping/broncing started to make a re-appearance.

yes sending her to be reschooled is not an option - most places charge upwards of £80 a week and theres just no way i can afford that unless i dont pay my bills or put food on the table.
I could get a freelance riding instructor come out maybe but that still wouldnt help with the problems i have just getting her tacked up - she has now started barging and kicking badly when i try to saddle her and its impossible to safely lead her just out of the field to be tied up ready.

 

[wakijaki]

Second this about the breed, we had one stay with us over summer and it was the sweetest horse to ride and handle. Looked like a cuddly bear and acted like one too, my non horsey OH loved him - not a bolshy bone in his (large) body.

Sorry to hear of your issues op, it is sad for the pony too, hope it doesn't continue to be bounced around.

i know - totally understand this and that is why i have stuck with it for 6 weeks even though every single day has been a battle with herand if i had had her on a weeks trial she would of gone back but i thought she needed more time, then everyone said get her checked out for pain so i aranged all that. So now im just left with - thats just the way she is

 

[wakijaki]

Did you tell the trekking centre that you wanted the horse for hacking out alone???
If I was really keen on the horse I would take them up on offer of taking him back for some re-schooling with them agreeing to take the horse back if still no improvement.

TBH OP - Most horses that would come from such an environment would not be used to hacking out without company - its not to say that it isn't fixable... buy will take some work to build his confidence... but you have to decide IF you want to put the work in.

If things don't work out suggest you take your instructor with you or someone very experienced to view ... Make sure you tack up yourself , see the horse being caught, ride it in the arena, field, road alone & with company... Basically test it for everything you would want to do.

Best of luck.

thank you

 

[showpony]

Did you not ask about her past prior to purchase?
am really sorry if this sounds blunt but am feeling sorry for the horse right now. I don't think you have mentioned one positive thing about her the whole thread.... You obviously haven't clicked ..... But horse seems far from a monster, just needs some confidence building...

 

[wakijaki]

Playing devils advocate, what if the seller didn't actually know about the not hacking alone? It's a trekking centre, it's not unreasonable that they'd have never tried to take the mare out on her own. That's not misrepresentation, it's lack of knowledge. Unless the buyer specifically asked "does this horse hack safely alone", I don't think there's a huge amount of comeback to be had.
Yes i did ask this and she assured me that she would go alone - that she had hacked her out herself alone and also tha she was ridden regularly by a 10 year old girl on the trekking trails alone .

Also, there is a certain amount of buyer beware in any purchase of this type.
Buyer beware only applies to private sellers - as she sold in course of business the sale of goods act 1979 applies.

And finally, and this is by the by but it may have some bearing in terms of the buyers expectations, £900 is the budget for a project horse, whether it's a youngster to bring on or an older horse that needs retraining. Even in this market.

Yes i asked and asked again 'does she hack alone' and was told yes and yes again. She reassured me that she had personally hacked her out alone on the roads and that she was fequently taken up the mountains trails alone with a 10 year old girl - this would be the same girl that inboxed me after i bought her and said she was good for her but bucked her friend off twice in one day

also as i said - i was offered 2 project horses free of charge before i bought my 'quiet riding mare' and there are always plenty of free to good home projects around - there is also a rescue place where they do some work with project horses and then loan them out to suitable horses so if it was a 'project ' horse i was after - i wouldn't off paid any money for one.
No i accept that £900 isn't alot - but in the current market i have seen very similar horses going for the same or less money but the problem i had was transport whereas the trekking center couldnt wait to deliver her to me. I spent hours and hours trawling through horse for sale sites so i know that you can get a decent horse for that amount of money - i just ended up falling for the wrong one.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Just wanted to add 6-7 weeks isn't that long for a horse to settle, some can take upwards of 6 months to a year to really settle in to a new environment. Especially as with your mare it's not just a new home but a new way of life to adjust to.

I've had my new boy about 7 weeks now and whilst he's not quite as bolshy/spooky as he was when he arrived but we've still got a long way to go and he's definitely still a more extreme version of the horse I went to view and consequently bought.

I also don't understand the relevance of the other haffy's situation. Why should the seller have assumed that your mare would be returned just because this other buyer had issues with their new horse?

If I were you I would go back to basics with her and start establishing some boundaries as it sounds like she's taking the p with you at the moment. Even if you do intend to take legal action against the seller I suspect it'll be a long, drawn-out process so it would be good if you could get to a stage of at least handling her without fearing injury (maybe with the help of an instructor) as it doesn't sound like you're in a position to pay someone to look after her until you are able to send her back.

I really do wish you the best of luck whatever you decide to do as it must be awful having a horse you can't seem to bond with.

ETA - I'm still dubious as to whether you can get a "decent" first horse/confidence giver/bombproof happy hack for £900. I know when I was personally looking for a confidence giver all the ones I found were around the £3k - £4k mark as horses like that are worth their weight in gold, though perhaps our definitions of "decent" horses differ.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Have been on the phone to bhs this morning and they said that as the seller would be classed as a dealer as she has other horses up for sale in the course of her business then I'm protected under sale of goods act 1979 and within my rights to reject the horse and seek a refund within 2 years... For the first 6 months I don't have to prove the bad behaviour myself.
She recommended that I contact the seller by registered post and formally reject the horse and in the meantime to say I will take reasonable care of its day to day needs and give the seller 7 to 14 days to collect and give back my money. Other than that I can take her to small claims court and also ask back for any expense I have incurred since day one.
So this Is what I am going to do.
I'm fully aware that horses change in different environments and that she isn't a robot but I also would never have bought the horse if I thought she would be so dangerous to handle.
I was offered project horses free so there's no way I would of spent £900 on a project.

That sounds like your best course of action. The horse should never have been sold to you.
Good luck, OP, let us know how you get on.

 

[wakijaki]

Did you not ask about her past prior to purchase?
am really sorry if this sounds blunt but am feeling sorry for the horse right now. I don't think you have mentioned one positive thing about her the whole thread.... You obviously haven't clicked ..... But horse seems far from a monster, just needs some confidence building...

yes i did ask about her past and the seller told me she bought her from a woman who wanted something more forward going to share with her son. She never mentioned anything about her having had so many homes in such a short space of time or the fact that the woman didnt feel safe putting her children on her because she bucked.
I am not trying to paint the horse as a monster - i am saying that i am not experienced enough now or confident enough to deal with problems like kicking, barging, pushing me over. napping, bucking, spinning bolting and i would never of bought a horse with any of these problems. I was promised a quiet mare that was safe and easy to ride.
I also know that if she is doing all these things then she is unhappy and doesn't feel safe and settled with me and its also not fair on her.
Also as i have also said - its not just me - i have had professional people in to help me make sure there was no pain related issues in and every single person has had a massive battle with her. It took two farriers to shoe her as i couldnt hold her. One is in his fifties and well renowned for being an excellent farrier - he really struggled with her even though i was also told she was good to shoe.
The back specialist - a 'Corley Animal Spinal Therapist' also in her fifties has been around horses since she was a toddler and her father is a well respected equine behaviourist author - also struggled with her. She refused to go near her hind legs as she kicked out so violently. She said she needed sending away for 6 - 8 weeks for training as all she wanted to do was pick a fight with everyone. same with the dentist and same with everyone who has tried to handle her.
As for postive things - she always comes straight over to me and she doesn't bite. Oh and she looks so pretty - that is about it on that side of things as in everyway she is difficult to handle.

 

[wakijaki]

if the seller wont take her back or it goes to court and i lose then i will see if the rescue center will take her on as at least then i know she will get the care and training that she needs and they will be very picky about who they rehome to.
At the moment i think i am at least entitled to try to recoup my money from her as she isnt what was promised and if i am to get another one then i need that money back. Its not as if im moaning because they said she had a nice canter and its too bouncy - these are real issues and they are dangerous ones as you just dont know what she is going to do next. How much worse is it going to get unless i throw x amount of money on this that and the other just to try to get her to be the pony i was told she was? What if even after all that she is still the same as she just isnt happy with me?
I know all horses are instinct driven but i managed just fine to hack out alone on a 17.2 tb x id while leading another pony down roads and down to the beach without endangering myself or others.

 

[wakijaki]

Just wanted to add 6-7 weeks isn't that long for a horse to settle, some can take upwards of 6 months to a year to really settle in to a new environment. Especially as with your mare it's not just a new home but a new way of life to adjust to.

I've had my new boy about 7 weeks now and whilst he's not quite as bolshy/spooky as he was when he arrived but we've still got a long way to go and he's definitely still a more extreme version of the horse I went to view and consequently bought.

I also don't understand the relevance of the other haffy's situation. Why should the seller have assumed that your mare would be returned just because this other buyer had issues with their new horse?

If I were you I would go back to basics with her and start establishing some boundaries as it sounds like she's taking the p with you at the moment. Even if you do intend to take legal action against the seller I suspect it'll be a long, drawn-out process so it would be good if you could get to a stage of at least handling her without fearing injury (maybe with the help of an instructor) as it doesn't sound like you're in a position to pay someone to look after her until you are able to send her back.

I really do wish you the best of luck whatever you decide to do as it must be awful having a horse you can't seem to bond with.

ETA - I'm still dubious as to whether you can get a "decent" first horse/confidence giver/bombproof happy hack for £900. I know when I was personally looking for a confidence giver all the ones I found were around the £3k - £4k mark as horses like that are worth their weight in gold, though perhaps our definitions of "decent" horses differ.

yep i understand she may take longer to settle than others - especially if she has been passed about so much - however if i could see any improvement then it wouldnt be such an issue - its spiralling out of control as the more i handle her and she hurts me the more nervous i get- which in turn she picks up on.
the bhs legal advice was to formally reject the horse giving the seller 7 - 14 days to come and pay back the money and collect her. In the meantime I would obvioulsy check her everyday and see to her basic needs - ie food and water and that she is in good health.
Im not saying the other haflingers case is relevant and prehaps i didnt word it properly but she has had this happen before - same situation, same problems and she took the horse back. So i don't see why is so ready to say i am making these problems up - she has already been there and done this with the last one she sold.
As for going back to basics with her - this isn't an option as as soon as she gets out of the grazing field she switches - almost like when you bring a stallion out to a mare. The back lady said lead her out for walks so she gets used to the area and it would build up the confidence of both of us and build a bond - well she almost kills me just trying to get her out the field let alone trying to lead her down the road when she is pushing and barging and stopping and bucking. If someone gets hurt then that would be my fault
Also - i work, i have a family and children - if something happened to me because i took that risk it just doesn't bare thinking about. Yes i know being around horses always incurrs some risk - but you normally get something out of it too - rather than brusies and torn muscles.

 

[wakijaki]

That sounds like your best course of action. The horse should never have been sold to you.
Good luck, OP, let us know how you get on.

thank you