Should i offer to pay for arena hire to view a horse?

[fetlock]

A long time since I bought or sold a horse but as long as there was a field to see the horse being ridden in and then for me to ride the horse on that’s all I would want.

Even if an arena was available, I’d (also) want to ride or see the horse in a field anyway.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

When we were looking for my daughter’s new horse one of the ones we looked at was based with an eventer but the owner of the yard wouldn’t let anyone else on the property (it was in between Covid lockdowns). The horse’s owner arranged to hire an arena but then asked - via the rider - for £20. For context the horse’s asking price was well into 5 figures and the owner was a multimillionaire - the rider was really embarrassed. I said I wasn’t paying to try out a horse just because they were unable to offer a home trial and the owner decided not to charge us after all!

 

[SOS]

I tried a horse last weekend at a hired arena as everywhere was frozen. The seller suggested the arena. The seller had nine other horses there that afternoon and was doing daily trips to that indoor whilst it was frozen (professional yard). I offered to pay something and they said absolutely not.

I have tried lots of horses at hired arenas and XC courses, always been the seller offering and I have offered to pay but no one ever took it. I think all the horses, bar one, I went on to atleast vet if not buy. Certainly never felt bad about not paying after offering and being a serious buyer.

One I did not buy but I did insist on paying the XC hire as I got there and the horse was much smaller than expected and instantly knew it wasn’t for me, I told the seller and they were fine about it and said they’d use the opportunity to school the horse anyway. I felt very guilty they had taken time to bring it over despite not being the one that had been over generous with the height (around 15.2hh instead of the 16.1/2hh advertised) so left cash for her.

So I would offer but my norm has been people rarely accept.

 

[bella0987]

If they dont have the facilites then they should be paying. But if they have arena but ur going to an arena hire anyways you should offer to pay

 

[BronsonNutter]

No one ever offered to pay me for arena hire when I tried to sell my old boy. But to be honest it never crossed my mind to offer when I tried one before at an alternative arena, but maybe that's because I bought her...

My reason for arena hire, despite having loads of fields, hacking, XC jumps etc at home, was it was mid summer so the ground was rock solid (not ideal for jumping) and I had no idea whether the people coming to try said horse were capable of riding. He wasn't ridiculous, but was a 6 year old ex-racer and I didn't fancy having to catch him in 20 acres if someone just toppled off. Plus they'd get to see him loading etc. If they wanted him I was perfectly happy for them to either hack him about by the arena hire or come for a second viewing at home to hack (and go XC!)

 

[canteron]

So if I was in the sellers shoes I wouldn’t accept the money (unless you were clearly joyriding) but if you didn’t offer, I would assume you were mean spirited, so you would have to be pretty perfect in other areas for me to consider you suitable as an owner. It is a 2 way thing!

 

[SO1]

I think sellers have a better chance of selling a ridden horse if they have the facilities for someone to ride the horse safely in walk, trot and canter and if the horse is being marketed as being able to jump, viewers will want to see that as well. That doesn't not have to be a school.

I would not offer to pay for arena hire unless I asked for that instead of what the sellers could offer at their place.

 

[Red-1]

If I have sold from here, I have a small arena with 2 jumps. If someone wanted to do more than this and hack, they are welcome to hire the nearby BS arena. I have been upfront that I am happy to facilitate this, but it would be their arena hire to pay for.

If I had no facilities then I would sell from sales livery or offer to hire an arena myself, and pay.

If someone wanted to come a second time though, I would expect them to pay.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I'd expect the seller to organise suitable viewing facilities. If the horse is advertised as experienced in arena work then this would include hiring the arena if there isn't one at the yard

 

[Bluewaves]

I wouldn’t pay to try a horse. If I was asked to pay I’d look elsewhere.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Back a long while ago when I was a teenager I sold a horse. The potential purchasers wanted to see him out hunting in their own country. They paid the day's cap, we transported the horse to the meet and I had a free day out with a different pack. They bought the horse.