Sold fom underneath me!!

[CC123]

I posted last night asking for success stories for vettings.
The horse I viewed yesterday has been sold today after the seller told me that I had priority and she would hold off on any other viewers until I gave her an answer. I messaged her last night saying that I was considering a vetting, to which I had no reply. I then messaged again this afternoon asking when she would be avalaible for a vetting to which she came back with the horse, an Irish TB in Kent area, has been sold pending the vetting with a cash deposit, all while she told me that I had priority.
So angry, especially as she was such a lovely mare and would've fit in perfectly. Please learn from my mistakes.

Now back to the drawing board after my last horse died in December and have had nothing to ride privately in the meantime. If anyone is in Essex area and has anything for sale, even if its a bit outisde, please let me know

 

[nutjob]

I've had one where the vetting had been booked for more than a week and then 9pm the night before the vetting I was told they were selling to someone else as they didn't want the horse xray'd. Buying a horse atm is a miserable experience. I see quite a lot for sale in that area, which is too far away for me, so hopefully you will get lucky soon.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If you neither offered a deposit nor arranged a vetting, you can't really complain.
While looking for an RDA horse, I must admit that i was livid when one was sold between the date I had arranged to view and the re-arranged (by the vendor) date but I was most cross because he didn't let me know. I had to chase him. Horse was sold unseen. I told him I could only assume that he was frightened of a vetting.

 

[ycbm]

You may have had a lucky escape. It would be interesting to know what she would have said if you had told her up front you wanted a vetting. I'm suspicious you had "priority" until you told her you were thinking of a vetting, when suddenly she goes quiet and then later the horse is already sold.

Seller is in Kent? Have you checked her out, it's a notorious area for a dodgy dealing ring?
.

 

[CC123]

If you neither offered a deposit nor arranged a vetting, you can't really complain.
While looking for an RDA horse, I must admit that i was livid when one was sold between the date I had arranged to view and the re-arranged (by the vendor) date but I was most cross because he didn't let me know. I had to chase him. Horse was sold unseen. I told him I could only assume that he was frightened of a vetting.

I was arranging the vetting today with the seller as my vets are only open on weekdays, and I registered interest in a vetting last night, before the next viewing.

 

[CC123]

You may have had a lucky escape. It would be interesting to know what she would have said if you had told her up front you wanted a vetting. I'm suspicious you had "priority" until you told her you were thinking of a vetting, when suddenly she goes quiet and then later the horse is already sold.

Seller is in Kent? Have you checked her out, it's a notorious area for a dodgy dealing ring?
.

Well I had told her from the very start that I would want a vetting so I have no clue.
I did search her name on dodgy dealers etc and nothing came up- its a private seller

 

[ycbm]

I was arranging the vetting today with the seller as my vets are only open on weekdays, and I registered interest in a vetting last night, before the next viewing.

Well I had told her from the very start that I would want a vetting so I have no clue.
I did search her name on dodgy dealers etc and nothing came up- its a private seller

I can't understand how both these posts can be true, sorry. I still think you may have had a lucky escape, but next time you need to leave a deposit of the seller will take one (not all will).
.

 

[bonny]

Well I had told her from the very start that I would want a vetting so I have no clue.
I did search her name on dodgy dealers etc and nothing came up- its a private seller

I think your story shows why you can’t dither if it’s a popular kind of horse because someone else will turn up who can make an instant decision.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I’m sorry this happened to you I would have paid a deposit last night personally, subject to vetting. I always pay the deposit the same day of the viewing. I’ve heard of these things happening before. Hopefully your perfect horse is out there waiting for you

 

[CC123]

Yes definitely should've left a deposit- just thought I'd be able to trust the seller which wasn't true.

 

[conniegirl]

If you like a horse then you need to put a deposit on it.
If its a nice type they sell easily and buyers will go for the easiest most straightforward offer if the money is equal.
The easiest and most straight forward is unseen with no vetting

 

[SilverLinings]

I'm sorry you missed out OP, that sounds very frustrating for you. It would have been good manners for the seller to tell you that she was still letting other people view the horse.

I thought though that deposits were pretty standard nowadays (with some exceptions), with sellers only holding the horse after viewing if the buyer pays one, and accepts that it will not be refunded if the buyer pulls out unless it is due to a failed vetting.

 

[CC123]

I can't understand how both these posts can be true, sorry. I still think you may have had a lucky escape, but next time you need to leave a deposit of the seller will take one (not all will).
.

Yeah, defo will offer a deposit next time, just thought I could count on her word- the naivety of being a new buyer.
I'm sorry if the posts have been confusing- I told her last night that I would like a vetting, I messaged her today asking for her avaliability so that I could call the vets first thing in the morning when the vets are open

 

[asmp]

Yeah, defo will offer a deposit next time, just thought I could count on her word- the naivety of being a new buyer.
I'm sorry if the posts have been confusing- I told her last night that I would like a vetting, I messaged her today asking for her avaliability so that I could call the vets first thing in the morning when the vets are open

Just make sure you can use your own vet before you leave a deposit. An RDA group I know lost their deposit on a horse in
Essex when the seller said they had to use the seller’s vet (big red flag)

 

[piglet2001]

I posted last night asking for success stories for vettings.
The horse I viewed yesterday has been sold today after the seller told me that I had priority and she would hold off on any other viewers until I gave her an answer. I messaged her last night saying that I was considering a vetting, to which I had no reply. I then messaged again this afternoon asking when she would be avalaible for a vetting to which she came back with the horse, an Irish TB in Kent area, has been sold pending the vetting with a cash deposit, all while she told me that I had priority.
So angry, especially as she was such a lovely mare and would've fit in perfectly. Please learn from my mistakes.

Now back to the drawing board after my last horse died in December and have had nothing to ride privately in the meantime. If anyone is in Essex area and has anything for sale, even if its a bit outisde, please let me know

Your post sounds like you were being a bit indecisive and thinking about it overnight. Apologies if I have got that wrong. If I sell the horse is on the market until a vetting is booked and a deposit received. For all the seller knew you may have changed your mind and she may have missed a deal elsewhere.

I’m not criticising you thinking it through, it is a big decision and I’m not saying what she did was right but I can see why she has done it.

Sadly the days of gentleman’s agreements are dying out as all to often purchasers are looking for the impossible, vets are cautious and insurance company’s so risk averse or you get joyriders.

 

[silv]

Annoying as it is you cannot really blame her, she may well have been messed around in the past, not for one minute I am suggesting you were messing her around by the way. You really need to go to view a horse with the thought that if you like enough to want a vetting then you need to be prepared to leave a deposit.
I am speaking from experience, I once stupidly did the same as you and missed out on a lovely horse that I had travelled 6 hours to view.
Good luck with your search.

 

[Boughtabay]

I was arranging same day transport for a horse I thought I’d secured only to find it had been picked up that morning very odd - I’d even have offered a bit more to have it if they’d asked I think sometimes people just want to get rid down the path of least resistance

 

[dougpeg]

Based on previous experience I won't hold a horse again without a deposit. Selling is as hard as buying

 

[gallopingby]

I agree as above. It would be nice to think that people who come to try a horse or say they are going to and then don’t turn up were as up front as they expect the seller to be. I once held a horse for a month for a friend of a friend only for them to decide 24 hours before coming that they’d got half way and decided it was too far! Fortunately he sold soon after and fairly quickly to someone who paid a deposit on the grounds that he’d had a clean vetting. The vetting was done annd paid for by someone else who had messed around for several days before deciding not to proceed only to decide 10 days later that they should have bought him. Both homes would have been fine but l don’t think buyers realise that selling unless it’s you’re job is as stressful as buying with much more scope to be messed around.

 

[Lois Lame]

I also feel that you dithered a little, OP, or at least sounded to the seller that you were dithering.

I messaged her last night saying that I was considering a vetting...

This would have come across as indecisive

Good luck in your search and I hope the next horse is even better.

 

[CC123]

I think either way the viewing would've gone ahead whether I had said I'm booking the vetting on Monday or if I had said I'm considering.
A bit of a shame, but it's been 4 months of looking, whats another hahaha. It's a lesson for next time

 

[FlyingCircus]

I once drove a 6+ hr round trip to see a horse. Liked it, said I'd leave a deposit and vet ASAP. Seller was cool with that, didn't want a deposit though...then completely ghosted me I have no clue why, as she still seems to own the mare. I'd have been less annoyed if she said she'd changed her mind, rather than just ignoring my calls.

16.2 ISH Irish buckskin 5yr old in the Leicestershire area...

 

[Lois Lame]

I once drove a 6+ hr round trip to see a horse. Liked it, said I'd leave a deposit and vet ASAP. Seller was cool with that, didn't want a deposit though...then completely ghosted me I have no clue why, as she still seems to own the mare. I'd have been less annoyed if she said she'd changed her mind, rather than just ignoring my calls.

16.2 ISH Irish buckskin 5yr old in the Leicestershire area...

Would have been a lot nicer for sure, had she let you know that she had changed her mind, if that's what she did. Maybe she was embarrassed about it.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Sounds as fishy as a dead mackerel to me: you mention the dreaded word "vetting" and then suddenly the horse is no longer available, or "sold".

Very convenient.

Think you've had a narrow escape there TBH. But sorry that you were disappointed. It sucks.

 

[Annagain]

How far outside Essex? I know of a nice TB ex-racer for sale but he's about as far from Essex as you can get - in Carmarthenshire!

 

[eggs]

Some years ago I was buying a horse for my novice husband. We saw a few and then found one that he liked and more importantly felt safe on. Said we would take her and had her vetted which picked up quite a few things so we agreed on a reduced price. Half an hour before I was due to leave to collect her I got a phone call to say that they had sold her to some-one else who had offered more money (a well known dodgy dealer who would bute her up and quickly sell her on).

 

[honetpot]

Its always the first person with the cash, if they want it vetted they have seven days, I do not take deposits because if I decide I do not want to sell to them for any reason there is no contract, apart it's the first person with the cash. If you have it vetted usually the agreement is subject to vetting, so the sale is not agreed in full untill then.
I sold a pony yesterday, and it was cash on collection with no vetting, pony never been advertised, word of mouth, experienced home, which TBH is a big factor. Not a cheap pony but fairly priced.
Not wanting to have it vetted is not always a negative, I think out of the ones I have sold only one failed the vetting, which I thought it would, flexion test, and they still bought it, it just saves the tyre kicking.

You also get people who are all keen, and then they disappear, and I always allow for that when someone says they are interested, because a lot is just hot air.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I’ve always paid a deposit before I leave site if I want the horse.

 

[sport horse]

Many years ago I left a deposit for a horse I viewed on the saturday and said I would arrange vetting on Monday morning. Was somewhat surprised that viewings were still taking place on Sunday and indeed when I asked someone to ring on the Monday they were offered a viewing too. To cap it all no vet within miles would go near the yard. I lost the deposit when I pulled out of the sale but it was money well lost and I have had good value in warning other people off said dodgy dealer! Amusing thing was when said dodgy dealer did not recognise me and tried to buy a home bred horse from me at a show. Asked for price. I was so tempted to say x plus my lost depostit from years back but I did resist!!

 

[maya2008]

Leave a deposit if you want a horse kept for you to vet. They may still offer other people viewings in case the vet finds something you don’t like but other people might take a chance on. No deposit, no holding horse.