SHOULD HORSE DEALERS BE LISENCED?....OPINIONS PLEASE

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blueberry

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After reading one or two posts on the subject of lisencing horses 'dealers' , i wondered what the general opinion is on this subject.

Personally, i think it can only be a good thing.
I know there are very reputable 'dealers' of horses and there are also not so reputable 'dealers'.

But surely the reputable ones would welcome a governing body, and the not so reputable would at least have to work within guidelines and can be more monitored than they are at the moment.
 
Although it sounds workable, in practice it would simply go underground.
The way dealing works between dealers just isn't licencable I'm afraid.
There is already legislation in place which the Office of Fair Trading operates, and buyers can get help if they buy from a dealer andit all goes wrong.
Whar constitues a dealer anyway? Someone who like us occasionally over the years has bought a horse to rehabilitate sold on for no profit at all, or someone who regularly sells one or two horses?
No it's buyer beware as with cars, and if you are quite frankly stupid enough to go and buy a horse with no vetting or expert advising you, it's your own silly fault.
Horses and ponies aren't cheap and anyone thinking of buying one should take advice and listen to it, then half the problems wouldn't occur.
I wouldn't go and buy a car without an AA check, as I know b** all about cars, so why should anyone expect a horse purchase to be any different?
I do get a bit tired of the constant legislation happening in the UK, it's regulate this, regulate that every other week, and sooner or later we will wake up and realise we live in a dictatorship.
we've decided to look for a bolt hole probably in France (yes, I know they're even worse than us for rules
grin.gif
) but it seems to me the French are quite good at only applying rules that suit them..
 
So I understand I thought Good Dealers had wanted this to happen....Giving a 'Licence to Trade' would be in everyone's interest,for the dealer that sells well described animals and offers excellant sale's service...At least this would discredit the bad dealer,whom could not obtain one! There is several problems to this,firstly I don't think the Goverment would be interested,whom would give out the 'Licence' and control it and watch over it....I do remember that there has been calls for this to happen....and if my memory serves me right it has been the reputable dealers that have tried to put something into place...Maybe the BHS might consider it,given they give 'Status' to Riding Schools!
 
Thats a good question, maybe something similar to an approval from a governing body as riding schools are?

Then 'approved' sellers can use this as a marketing tool to promote buying from approved sellers only.
If done correctly it could squeeze out those sellers who are unapproved if hopefully buyers would cease to give them business. Buyers would surely prefer to buy from an approved dealer than not?
The approval could show that the dealer is working within priciples of good pratice. Which will reflect, good welfare of the horses, adequate faclilities etc, warrantes, suitablity structures, customer service etc.
just some ideas
 
I think they most certainly should be, but then I think anybody who is working with any animals as a business should be subjected to regular checks and licensing. The reality is though that this would cost money to enforce and is open the fraud - how many organisations do you see with the BHS logo on them, but when you check find that they have no approval at all?
 
Perhaps that is the way to go as any specific legislation will be ignored by those it is aimed at. If the BHS were to 'approve' dealers, and make regular checks to follow up that approval, horse buyers could go to approved dealers knowing the animals were fit for purpose. That would put the ball firmly in the buyers court and they would have no reason to complain if they went to non approved dealers. There is of course the problem that horses could be priced out of the 'common man's' budget. At the moment those with little money can go out and find a horse relatively easily, would this be the same under licensing/approval or would the bottom end of the market disappear leaving only high priced approved horses available for those with money enough to buy them. The likes of JG aim their sales at the bottom end market, not the meat trade but those who go to a sale and buy one because they feel sorry for it, those who could afford to keep one (just) but don't have much cash to outlay on the purchase. I know from personal experience that some very good horses end up in that bottom end market if you are lucky enough to find them. I don't really know what the answer is other than some sort of legislation that REALLY protects the animals concerned.
 
Maybe the approved dealers could still sell unwarranted horses which which will fulfill the cheaper end of the market,the warranted ones offering a higher price for some peace of mind.

I wouldnt think that the outlay would greatly increase for the dealer and approved dealers could be advertised/displayed by the governing body.
 
The approved dealers will not work the same as the likes of JG, they will not have the facilities nor the inclination to run the tiny £50 yearlings (many of which end up in good homes, many for meat I suppose). I would like to see the likes of JG put out of business completely but it does worry me that those sort make it possible for some of us to own a horse and can see it becoming a pastime for the elite only. Many of the 'poorer' owners are poor because they put every penny into giving their animals a wonderful life, many cruel owners are wealthy. I know a dealer who works in a similar way to Gray, he buys horses at sales but he runs them on his own vast acres, he feeds them haylage, he gets a vet if they need one and then he runs a sale once a year selling up to 200 of his own animals. The only thin ones you would see are the odd few he had bought in the month or so preceding the sale that hadnt put weight on yet. Most of the animals he sells are pretty wild because they have been running out but they look healthy (lean but not thin), they are all wormed and they all have passports. He buys from the sales from the likes of JG. Perhaps control over indiscriminate breeding plays a part in this but even then I suppose that is what puts the cheaper horses in the sales rooms.
 
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