Tampered Passport - Buyers Beware.

[Gorgeous 13]

We have recently brought a horse from a dealer only to find out that his passport has been tampered with.
His age has been changed from a 12 year old to a 9 year old thus increasing his value. This was our first purchase (we've had lots of loans & shares) and would hate anyone to be caught out like us. Pay particular attention to the "font" used where it states the year the horse was born, ours was clearly different & also a handwritten 4 had been changed to a 6!
We've also had some health issues since bringing the horse home, I'd really recommend using your own vet if at all possible.
I might be stating the obvious but I hope this post may stop someone else being caught out like us.
Best wishes,
G13.

 

[Sprout]

I am sorry you have had first hand experience of this - you are not alone sadly!

 

[Shay]

Unfortunately this is quite common. Horses born pre passports usually "loose" a few years when being passported and then changed ages later are actually fairly common. I had a welsh Sec A who, if his passport age had been correct, was competing in national scurry classes as a 1 year old. Since I know he was at least 6 or 7 when an accident ended his scurry career I was quite happy to take his passport age (It had not been altered) with a pinch of salt. He died at a passport age of 18 but in reality was late 20's

It may not be the dealers fault - although in fairness I would expect them to have spotted it. Although a friend bought a horse from a pony club DC recently which had an altered passport age. Not the DC's fault - it happened before she bought the horse too. No-one spotted it until the vet did when the horse broke down. You could try reporting it to trading standards. Because you bought from a dealer you have rights under the Sale of Goods Act.

Sorry you got "bit" on your first purchase. It is a minefield I'm afraid. Even the most experienced get caught from time to time - but when you are newer to all of this it really does help to have an experienced friend along.

 

[Gorgeous 13]

Hi Shay,
Thank you for your reply.
We really did try to cover all bases when we went to view the horse, we took our instructor along with us & even she was taken in!
From what I understand the passport wasn't actually issued until July last year, the middle page has been taken out & changed then photocopied & replaced. Basically they have changed 2004 to 2006!
We made the stupid mistake of using a local vet as opposed to our own & he didn't ask to see the passport at all.
Also a couple of days after he arrived he developed a terrible hacking cough, which has been diagnosed as COPD he can't tolerate normal hay, soaking didn't help very much so we have invested in a hay steamer. I did manage to speak to the dealer about this & he said he'd been feeding Haylage which we also tried but it sent him crazy.
The dealer did initially agree to cover the cost of the steamer but that was befor Christmas and now he simply doesn't answer calls, text or e-mails & we haven't received the settlement agreed.
We have lots of other issues but I really don't want this to turn into a rant but it's just so frustrating why can't people be honest we brought him in good faith but he certainly was sold that way.
If there's a next time I certainly won't be so trusting or gullible.
Early days but I'm sure things will improve.
Best wishes,
G13

 

[ester]

If the vetting vet did not check the passport of the horse they were vetting I'd think you have a case against them. At the very least they should be checking age against teeth and that the markings match up!

 

[pixie]

Agree, vet should have at least looked at the passport to make sure it matched the horse they were vetting. Sounds like vet is dodgy.