So very cross..........Buying a horse or not!

[jules9203]

This is a rant. I arranged to see a horse today and took my trainer along with me. We turned up and I rode the horse and really liked him. Said to sellers that we liked him but I needed to discuss with OH (as its his money!). When I got off the horse the next person to try in got on board. I got home and spoke with OH and then rang the sellers (max 1 hr later) Said I wanted him and arranged to pay cash and pick him up on the weekend, everyone seemed happy. An hour later I got a text saying someone had turned up with the cash and they had sold him. I am soooo mad. If someone said to me that they wanted my horse I wouldn't have anyone else come and try it let alone sell it. Is it me or am I being unreasonable. Plus my trainer wasted her time too. Arrrrgh.

 

[Luci07]

While I can understand you are annoyed, the vendor would have been nuts to turn down a firm cash offer...I am assuming you didn't leave a deposit as you wanted to talk it through with your OH? I take the view that if a sale is being rushed and out of my comfort zone (I.e no second viewing or agreeing to a vetting) then it isn't meant to be...

 

[FfionWinnie]

I'm afraid if you hadn't left a deposit then it's first come. I think they might have phoned to tell you the situation / ask for a deposit but if it's a dealer then I'm afraid it's all fair in love and war.

 

[Goldenstar]

The fastest birds get the best worms .
It's always the way .

 

[rowan666]

I can appreciate how annoyed you must be but if you didn't put a holding deposit down upon viewing then the seller really isn't at fault

 

[WelshD]

I have to agree with the others - there will be plenty of sellers that have politely held out for the first viewer and turned down the next person only to find out they end up with no sale at all!

 

[VikingSong]

I too agree with the other posters. You don't mention anything about leaving a deposit or arranging a vetting. If another person viewed the horse and offered to buy it, while you were discussing buying the horse with your OH, then I'm afraid that's fair. The vendor doesn't know if you will be back to buy the horse, so why would they refuse to sell to a buyer who's offering to pay for it then and now? I do think the person who did buy the horse is nuts to have bought it without having it vetted first. The vendor probably should have contacted you to let you know the horse had been sold though, so I can understand your annoyance there.

 

[be positive]

The people that bought him were probably there when you phoned or almost so too late to stop them, the seller should have told you rather than doing a deal with you that was not fair but I don't blame them for taking a quick cash sale.

I think the fact that you went home to discuss with your OH was rather off putting to the seller and it is why you missed out this time, you should have had that discussion before going to view so if you like the horse you can have a chat to your trainer and make a decision on the spot.

That said when I am selling I try to space out viewings so this situation is avoided, it is unfair to rush people, means they do sometimes decide to buy then get cold feet and I always encourage vettings as they cover me as well as the buyer if something goes wrong after the purchase.

 

[Cortez]

Money talks I'm afraid. If you wanted him, you should have left a deposit.

 

[Equi]

Sellers have to sell - if there is a person with cash in hand ready to go, they would be silly not to take it. Sorry you lost out OP but thats how it goes sometimes.

 

[Hoof_Prints]

Unless there is a deposit, the horse is still for sale. When I sell horses I make sure they know this. I have had people agree to a sale and then change their mind, so they would be mad not to accept the offer. At least you know for next time

 

[Cobbytype]

Well you may have dodged a bullet. Personally I wouldn't be happy about trying a horse in circumstances where others are trying on the same day and wouldn't be happy for a dealer to line up two prospective purchasers to try one after the other.

 

[SO1]

I can understand why you were annoyed.

However a cash buyer with no vetting who will take the horse immediately is going to be difficult for the owner to turn down, anything could happen in the next week, you could change your mind, the horse could get injured.

 

[Cortez]

Well you may have dodged a bullet. Personally I wouldn't be happy about trying a horse in circumstances where others are trying on the same day and wouldn't be happy for a dealer to line up two prospective purchasers to try one after the other.

Why not?

 

[Cobbytype]

Why not?

It could give a completely inaccurate reflection on the horse's temperament and suitability. The third person riding that horse may feel that they have themselves a safe/sensible rc horse and be in for a bit of a surprise when they get it home and discover what it's like when ridden 'fresh'.

 

[cobgoblin]

That's why you take a cash deposit.

 

[Cortez]

It could give a completely inaccurate reflection on the horse's temperament and suitability. The third person riding that horse may feel that they have themselves a safe/sensible rc horse and be in for a bit of a surprise when they get it home and discover what it's like when ridden 'fresh'.

Since you have no idea what sort of work the horse may or may not be in when you are trying it I'd consider that to be entirely irrelevant. A horse in a competition or professional yard will probably be much harder work than in a "hobby" setup anyway, something that should be under consideration when looking at a prospective purchase.

 

[AdorableAlice]

It could give a completely inaccurate reflection on the horse's temperament and suitability. The third person riding that horse may feel that they have themselves a safe/sensible rc horse and be in for a bit of a surprise when they get it home and discover what it's like when ridden 'fresh'.

It is a tough game buying horses.

I did exactly the same thing as the op describes a few years ago. A big powerful hunter that attracted a lot of interest over the weekend of viewings, no one offered a deposit at the viewings but the phone never stopped in the evening with offers. Four people agreed to buy at the full price subject to vet, the fifth was so keen to have the horse she panicked and wanted him without going to the vet, I knocked a bit off and he left the yard the next day, sold as seen for cash.

 

[stormox]

first with the money gets the horse- your OH couldv said no...... A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush

 

[rachk89]

It does suck unfortunately buying a horse. I called about a fair few that sounded great only to find they had been sold. Not the same but it's a let down still. We almost had the same as you with my horse but we were kind of in competition for him against my mum's friend haha. It was my dad that took the decision to put a deposit down before vetting and then we bought him after that went well. Thankfully my mum's friend had decided he was too big for her daughter so no hard feelings and I have let her ride him since. She got a much more suitable horse anyway who is capable of doing all PC stuff without spooking at birds or his own shadow.

 

[YorksG]

OP can you imagine the post on here from the seller, if she had turned down the cash offer and your OH had said the horse was too expensive? It is always the best idea to know what your budget is prior to trying a horse.

 

[Cobbytype]

It is a tough game buying horses.

I did exactly the same thing as the op describes a few years ago. A big powerful hunter that attracted a lot of interest over the weekend of viewings, no one offered a deposit at the viewings but the phone never stopped in the evening with offers. Four people agreed to buy at the full price subject to vet, the fifth was so keen to have the horse she panicked and wanted him without going to the vet, I knocked a bit off and he left the yard the next day, sold as seen for cash.

Not half as tough as selling I suspect - I'd be too wrapped up in ensuring the horse's best interests where met in finding him/her a suitable home.

 

[smellsofhorse]

Although annoying for you.
The sellers did nothing wrong.
You didnt leave a deposit. so the sellers didnt have to hold him for you.
They sold to the first person with the money.
You left no deposit so could easily have changed your mind, normally after leaving a deposit the seller stops viewing and if buyer pulls out them they loose money.

Not the way i would sell, but when taking the emotion out the sellers are doing the best thing, selling as quick as they can.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

The way I read the OPs post was that she had called back within an hour after talking to her OH and arranged the sale and when she would be collecting him??
This would indicate that the seller was happy with this and didn't ask for a deposit??

 

[JulesRules]

The way I read the OPs post was that she had called back within an hour after talking to her OH and arranged the sale and when she would be collecting him??
This would indicate that the seller was happy with this and didn't ask for a deposit??

I agree with this. While I understand the seller had to take a cash sale, when you called to say you wanted him why did they not say "fine, but I have someone coming in an hour so I need a non refundable deposit before then"

OP could then have arranged a quick bank transfer.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I agree with this. While I understand the seller had to take a cash sale, when you called to say you wanted him why did they not say "fine, but I have someone coming in an hour so I need a non refundable deposit before then"

OP could then have arranged a quick bank transfer.

Perhaps the seller preferred the other buyer for the horse.

If you want to make sure something is yours, you leave a deposit, whatever the seller says or doesn't say.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Not half as tough as selling I suspect - I'd be too wrapped up in ensuring the horse's best interests where met in finding him/her a suitable home.

Exactly!! I've sold about 10 in the last 6 months - from yearlings to an 11 yo. It's been very hard work except with 1 - a lovely 5yo Class 1 mare. Buyer turned up with an hour's notice, a trailer, and cash. (and the whole amount.) But I've had one who buyers have pi**ed about with for MORE than 6 months - last time she was vetted, vet wasn't happy with her ridden work. It was just aftyer my tacktheft and the only saddle we had that NEARLY fitted wasn't good enough. Buyer was still keen and I paid for the vet to e-examine when he came to do another horse. She was fine - and he was happy. Buyer wanted to come back and try her again - fine - or would be if she'd ever bothered to do it.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Would it not be a "verbal contract" though?
Personally I would be pretty pi$$ed off if I was the OP!!!!

 

[luckyoldme]

The way I read the OPs post was that she had called back within an hour after talking to her OH and arranged the sale and when she would be collecting him??
This would indicate that the seller was happy with this and didn't ask for a deposit??

thats how read it, i think at that point the seller should have said that she had other people viewing and needed a deposit to secure.

 

[eggs]

Some years ago I was buying a horse for my husband. Found one we liked - via a friend of a friend - put down a deposit, got a vetting done which threw up quite a few issues so negotiated a price reduction. About half an hour before I was due to leave to collect him I got a call from the friend to say that their friend had got a better offer from some-one else and had sold the horse to them. At least I did get the deposit back.