Securing a horse sale is this normal???

[indie999]

Trying to view a horse for sale but same people are coming back for repeated visits whilst I am getting cancelled viewing as the buyer cant make up their mind!! They are on their 4th viewing..

but surely if someone isnt going to leave a deposit and commit the owner should still show potential purchasers etc as they risk losing them..??....

But I am of course keeping looking..so they could lose a buyer...I have heard the horse is nice type etc

Is this normal? i just know when I got my old boy they had 5 other viewings arranged and I handed over the money as I knew he wasnt going to hang around!Glad I did too

 

[LEC]

Sounds like sellers are stupid. More fool them for putting up with it.

 

[galaxy]

maybe there is something about the other sellers which mean they really want them to have the horse? (otherwise I agree it is a bit odd and prob not something I would do!)

 

[Honey08]

I've met a few sellers like that. I find it really strange. For me its first with the money and a good home. I can understand perhaps doing it once.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Look for another horse and let them contact you , but make sure you tell them a five star vetting will done, you may be getting spun a line, there are so many strange posts on here about sales and purchases. unfortunately we never seem to hear what happens in the end.

 

[jhoward]

When i sold my last mare, the people were bying for a 14yr girl, they had gone through a horrid time with a horse mis sold.

at the time i had my sale business going so as much as i wanted the money it was in my intrest to let them view as much as they wanted. even after they had her vetted they still done more with me right down to bathing her, and then had her on a weeks trial.

now dealer or what ever you want to call me, at the time i understood their reasons and wanted to ensure my mare had the best possible home, (horse was over 5k and ment to last kid a life time so i again could understand)

business gone, last month i sold my cob, the people were an older couple who again had had bad experiances with private sellers, they came down to view, but only sat on as cob lost a shoe, they left me with a small deposit and were due back a few days later to ride.
then i agreed with a contract and large deposit in place they could have a weeks trial. as it happens they couldnt belive how good my lad was and trial lasted 4 days.

my point is sometimes people really do care about the horse and who they are selling it to, stick with it and try to understand, as much as the money is a facter it is not the be all and all to some people.

 

[Louby]

Ever the pesimist Id be thinking maybe they are stalling for time for whatever reason. Could be completely wrong but when I viewed a horsebox but wasnt 100% sure, well tbh a bit scared to commit incase I was buying a load of rubbish, they told me someone else was viewing in 2 days time. I decided to ring to view again and they had sold to the 2nd viewer. I know its a bit different to selling a horse but really if they want to sell, you would think they'd let you view if only to push the other buyer into a decision.

 

[Its Not Magic]

When i sold my last mare, the people were bying for a 14yr girl, they had gone through a horrid time with a horse mis sold.

at the time i had my sale business going so as much as i wanted the money it was in my intrest to let them view as much as they wanted. even after they had her vetted they still done more with me right down to bathing her, and then had her on a weeks trial.

now dealer or what ever you want to call me, at the time i understood their reasons and wanted to ensure my mare had the best possible home, (horse was over 5k and ment to last kid a life time so i again could understand)

business gone, last month i sold my cob, the people were an older couple who again had had bad experiances with private sellers, they came down to view, but only sat on as cob lost a shoe, they left me with a small deposit and were due back a few days later to ride.
then i agreed with a contract and large deposit in place they could have a weeks trial. as it happens they couldnt belive how good my lad was and trial lasted 4 days.

my point is sometimes people really do care about the horse and who they are selling it to, stick with it and try to understand, as much as the money is a facter it is not the be all and all to some people.

^^^^Clearly we are singing from the same hymn sheet!

I could not agree more. Home far more important than price, having said that we do not want to give our friends away for nothing because this could then lead to the new owner selling on for a profit and us loosing contact. But I would allow as many viewing's and trial to find the right home. If one has an honest horse then there is no reason not to trial from ones own yard.

Fine you could let others view along side, as long as they know there is another potential buyer whom has first refusal.

 

[Spring Feather]

Oh dear I've done this on many occasions I'm afraid I like my horses and foals a lot and when I decide to sell any of them I really do want them going to the best possible homes so I've held off allowing other people coming to see my horses when I find a potential buyer who seems to tick all of my boxes.

 

[indie999]

I do agree with the posts so it seems half and half

I dont live far away and offered for them to come and see my facilities etc and TBH if they wanted to visit post sale they would be more than welcome etc to keep in touch...

Part of me wishes I could find another horse to buy and say sorry found something else in the meantime(dont I sound sour grapes)

Also I did wonder if the potential buyer has an issue or doubt... that they wanted cleared up, hence so many viewings etc

Thanks for the reponses, I do know a good home is important etc Am a genuine honest buyer so feel a bit miffed!

 

[Spring Feather]

4 viewings is excessive and I wouldn't be too surprised if the "buyer" ends up not buying the horse. But we don't know all the details so maybe there is a reason the seller continues to show the horse to them and holds off allowing others to view. It sounds like neither party are very experienced in selling or buying horses. Although I do hold off on people coming to view any I have for sale, that is usually only initially when email/telephone contact is made. I prefer to short list my buyers before letting anyone come and view. If any of them felt they needed to view 4 times then they would probably end up being the ones I'd hold off allowing to come back!

 

[MissSBird]

When I was looking for a new horse after losing my much loved mare, I went to see one.

I could see that he checked every box and was perfect on paper, but I just couldn't comfortably commit with only one ride. I felt he was quite lazy for my tastes. In hindsight, I can see it was nothing to do wiht that, I simply wasn't ready to buy a new horse yet after the loss of my last one.

The owner agreed to let me come down to see him again, but when I phoned up to arrange this she advised me that they had someone from down south call about him who were so keen on him that they were willing to bring a trailer and not vet!

But, she said to them that I had the right to decline first, and gave me that opportunity for the second ride. Now I was quick about it, and my second ride was only 2 days after my first. There were other factors as well - she liked this pony a lot so wanted to be able to keep in touch with him rather than him go south. She was also a good friend of my instructor, and I think this confirmed that it'd be a good home so she was willing to give him that opportunity.

Had she denied me that, I would have backed off instantly. I won't be pushed into a sale and I do turn and walk at the first sign of it.

I do think four times is excessive. I'd have expected to leave a deposit in order to secure the horse for a week or so.