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fluffpuff

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I sold a horse on Friday and today Sunday she wants to return it as she says it’s lame ….. it wasn’t lame when it left my yard . Buyer stated on Tuesday at viewing she thought it was stiff but proceeded with sale without vetting

Help ??
 
I know this is going to sound odd and possibly critical, for which I'm sorry, but the moment anyone has suggested that a horse I have for sale which they are trying before buying is not quite sound or has an issue, I say a polite goodbye and refuse to sell. It has happened several times over the years. It just seemed to me that anyone who bought with a doubt in their minds was likely to be a problem to me in future.

That's no use to you now but in your shoes, this soon, I would take the horse back and return their money. I have also done that. I sold a horse who was a fabulous jumper. They rang after two days saying he wasn't the jumper I said he was. I gave them back their money and sold him to a girl who went BE Intermediate on him.
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She didn’t sign a receipt and I’ve looked at videos of the horse and it’s def not lame …..
ycbm said:
I know this is going to sound odd and possibly critical, for which I'm sorry, but the moment anyone has suggested that a horse I have for sale which they are trying before buying is not quite sound or has an issue, I say a polite goodbye and refuse to sell. It has happened several times over the years. It just seemed to me that anyone who bought with a doubt in their minds was likely to be a problem to me in future.

That's no use to you now but in your shoes, this soon, I would take the horse back and return their money. I have also done that. I sold a horse who was a fabulous jumper. They rang after two days saying he wasn't the jumper I said he was. I gave them back their money and sold him to a girl who went BE Intermediate on him.
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I know I’m regretting my decision to sell to them now
 
fluffpuff said:
She didn’t sign a receipt and I’ve looked at videos of the horse and it’s def not lame …..

I know I’m regretting my decision to sell to them now
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Buyers can be a total pain. She has absolutely no comeback, if you want to tough it out, she's completely in the wrong. It might just be easier on you to resell him.
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If you are a dealer needing to protect your reputation, have the horse back. If not, it is sold as seen and the purchasers problem.

I had the same happen to me many years ago. Huge, powerful mans hunter who attracted a lot of interest and a bidding war evolved with one purchaser adamant she was having the horse, even though I had suggested the horse was too big for her. She was having none of it and bought the horse for cash. No vet no receipt. All other interested parties wanted to vet the horse which was fine. This horse was sound when it left and had been well tried over a serious hedge. I had a sneaking suspicion the purchaser would be back in contact with as I watched the horse leave.

Sure enough one week later the phone went and the horse was allegedly lame. I declined any further involvement and then spotted the horse for sale in the HH with a name change and reason for sale as over horsed.
 
Legally the horse was sold as seen and they have no leg to stand on. Yes if you can, take the horse back.

But I just wanted to point out that sometimes a person is not really in a position to easily take a horse back. All horses are sold on for a reason. These may be emotional reasons (horse is going because owner is juggling 25 plates and falling apart), financial reasons (horse is no longer affordable) or practical reasons (old owner has given up their space on the livery yard and there is no immediate home for the horse to return to).

Also you can assess the situation re the horse - are they in an unsafe situation now? Or are they with a family who are having 2nd thoughts but will still care for the horse. Maybe the horse really did go lame and they don't ant to deal with that, but if made to accept the responibilities of THEIR new horse, will do so. But are just hoping to avoid vet bills and rehab if they can. Obviously you can't predict the future (but that is the case for any sale) but you can often get a reasonable sense of what people are like from their tone/conduct.

Either way I hope it works out for you and the horse.
 
If she is saying its lame and it wasn't when it left the yard, I would wonder what was wrong, what had they done, and why should I pay to sort it out if there is a problem, and is it resalable? If you take it back they have had a loan at no risk and you may get a large vet bill.
I would want a vets report at the least and if I was being really kind offer them far less than they paid for it, or just tell them to take you to Small Claims. I take the money before they load it and then it now their problem. The last one tried to go through the box window on the way home, climbing on the internal tack locker, which I think are very unsafe.
 
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ycbm said:
I know this is going to sound odd and possibly critical, for which I'm sorry, but the moment anyone has suggested that a horse I have for sale which they are trying before buying is not quite sound or has an issue, I say a polite goodbye and refuse to sell. It has happened several times over the years. It just seemed to me that anyone who bought with a doubt in their minds was likely to be a problem to me in future.

That's no use to you now but in your shoes, this soon, I would take the horse back and return their money. I have also done that. I sold a horse who was a fabulous jumper. They rang after two days saying he wasn't the jumper I said he was. I gave them back their money and sold him to a girl who went BE Intermediate on him.
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I agree - and it goes both ways. I’ve tried horses that, to me, were clearly lame, and I’ve never been one to point it out to the seller. If the seller doesn’t notice then that’s my sign just not to touch it, but it’s not my job to wade in there.
 
Amymay Again said:
So, any update @fluffpuff
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She’s still adamant she wants to return it but now is requesting that I pay for her to get a lameness work up done on it ….. think I’m just going to take the horse back I’ve seen a video and it doesn’t look lame ….. turns out she fell off it yesterday so I think that’s the main reason she wants it away.
 
fluffpuff said:
She’s still adamant she wants to return it but now is requesting that I pay for her to get a lameness work up done on it ….. think I’m just going to take the horse back I’ve seen a video and it doesn’t look lame ….. turns out she fell off it yesterday so I think that’s the main reason she wants it away.
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Sensible decision.
 
fluffpuff said:
She’s still adamant she wants to return it but now is requesting that I pay for her to get a lameness work up done on it ….. think I’m just going to take the horse back I’ve seen a video and it doesn’t look lame ….. turns out she fell off it yesterday so I think that’s the main reason she wants it away.
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'It'?
 
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