The extent of lying in adverts... (rant sorry)

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Raych

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I went to see a horse a while ago. Fell in love with it, then by chance found out some quite annoying news about the horses health, not told to me by the owner, but I found out by browsing through a previous advert.
I questioned the owners about it (who had said at the veiwing he had absolutley NO health issues or never has done since they'd had it), and they were reluctant to speak to me about it and told me to talk to their vet as it was only a minor issue. But in contrast, what I found out was not at all 'minor'.

The horse has been readvertised, with a completley different reason for selling (than I was told personally by the owners) and with no mention of the issue.

I'm fed up, I know not every horse advert is completley false, but I don't think anyone is completley honest in an advert. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I just don't know what to believe anymore especially as I have been lied to not only on an advert but in real life too even after me asking about it!
I think I might give up with my horse search soon.
Sorry I am very down at the moment, I find my ideal horse for it to be completley thrown back in my face.

Rant over. :'( :mad::o
 
Raych said:
I went to see a horse a while ago. Fell in love with it, then by chance found out some quite annoying news about the horses health, not told to me by the owner, but I found out by browsing through a previous advert.
I questioned the owners about it (who had said at the veiwing he had absolutley NO health issues or never has done since they'd had it), and they were reluctant to speak to me about it and told me to talk to their vet as it was only a minor issue. But in contrast, what I found out was not at all 'minor'.

The horse has been readvertised, with a completley different reason for selling (than I was told personally by the owners) and with no mention of the issue.

I'm fed up, I know not every horse advert is completley false, but I don't think anyone is completley honest in an advert. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I just don't know what to believe anymore especially as I have been lied to not only on an advert but in real life too even after me asking about it!
I think I might give up with my horse search soon.
Sorry I am very down at the moment, I find my ideal horse for it to be completley thrown back in my face.

Rant over. :'( :mad::o
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Welcome to the horse world:(
 
gutted for you, yes unfortnuately there are those people who lie and those who don't but you as the buyer have no way of knowing which is which, thankfully vettings will hopefully raise any issues as a safe guard!!

What is it you're looking for? Could you look closer to home through a local riding or pony club, word of mouth is the best way to find something with the history known.....
 
What a bummer - I put my horse up for sale friday have had tonnes of enquiries - he is such an angel and everyone seems to think im lying - damn those sellers who lie and make it hard for everyone else!
 
A friend had a horse vetted a few years back and it failed the 1st stage of vetting with a severe heart murmour at rest. She was really upset as the horse was perfect and the owners were really quite nasty to the vet and me as I was there for the vetting. The vetting was not completed as the vet discussed the problems he found with me and I was in agreement that there was no point in spending any more of my friends money on completing the vetting.

The following day the advert re-appeared with a comment that the horse was back up for sale having passed a 5 stage vetting but with time wasting buyers pulling out :( We contacted horsemart to tell them but they were not interested. I did wonder if someone bought the story and purchased the horse without a vetting and ended up with something with a very severe heart murmor!
 
Looking for around a 16hh allrounder. The type everyone wants.
Good in open spaces and not strong are a must, decent jump, good out xc, good hacking alone and in company, so yeah just everything everyone wants.
Sorry for kind of bluntness, I'm a little frustrated :p

I'm so upset, I cried so much when I first found out and wished for it not to be true, but the oddness from the owner kind of proved my doubts were true :cool:
He seemed so perfect, then this had to get in the way. The owners made it clear I was to use their vet if I was to get it vetted, and it definatly wasn't a cheap horse especially one with a severe issue like that.
:cool:
 
I have to say the poetic licence people seem to use is quite shocking tbh :mad:

I have been looking for just over 2 months now and the number of horses I have seen and thought "oh that looks nice - just what I am after" then googled the phone number and found the following:

* Dealer pretending to be private seller
* Horse been for sale over a year
* Horse for sale at twice the price a year ago then with caterax - new ad 6 months later no mention horse is blind in one eye! (no I am not joking)
* Horse too much for - Google search shows rider cometes Foxhunter and above - what sort of ideal 1st jumping horse is it!!
* Horse would make nice showjumper - google ODE results not one jumping round under 3 fences down at BE 90!* Honest Youngster - video cut off on landing from every fence = horse has a bucking bronco on landing after every fence!

Then when you get past that phase you go to view based on phone call

* Horse has small blemish - joint the size of a football
* Ideal schoolmaster - horse bronched every time you ask for canter
* Horse moves straight - in a sideways direction!

I could go on.

It is really frustrating but I have to say there must be upwards of 20 horses I have not even phoned just by what I have found out from googling phone numbers and horses names.

I have always staye away from dealers but unless I can find something by word of mouth I am beginning to think it may be the only was as I am beginning to wonder how you ever know you can trust the person on the other end of the phone.... :(
 
I'm not saying the people you are describing aren't lying b'stards, because plenty of people are, but I just wanted to point out that some websites do allow more room for descriptions than others. In the past I have mentioned "ifs and buts" in some adverts and not others, purely because some have room and some don't. I'd always tell the whole story over the phone though.

I do understand your frustrations though, you really cannot just trust anybody. :( Make sure you try horses really well and don't buy without a vetting using your choice of vet. I hope you find the right one soon. :)
 
I'm quite opposite actually. I've only been to dealers really, this horse was a privatley owned.
I always feel that privatley owned horses are being sold for a reason, genuine or not there is always a reason.
Dealers do it for a living and have a reputation to keep up, and they're always there to go back to if something goes wrong, whereas a private seller can run off into the sunset with no known way of contact if something does go wrong.

I'm not saying I trust every dealer more, I will only go to places which have been thoroughly recommended to me on here. The dealers I have been to have all been very honest, so I am fortunate for that.
In some ways i do trust some dealers more, as you can go back to them to report problems and they cannot get away.
 
Poor you. Must be so annoying. I'm half looking for a first horse at the moment too. The amount of 4/5 year olds i see advertised as school masters and "perfect first horses" is shocking. There are so many ads that just don't add up - I don't even know very much either so I'm probably missing some shocking stuff too.

I'm sure the right one will come along eventually - and it will be worth the wait! Why not try your local riding club to see if anyone has anything available?

Good luck with the search!
 
Totally understand where you're coming from but there are also some very dishonest people out there who are looking to buy - BEWARE!!! - I had a very nice oung eventer I was selling a few years ago mainly because she was capable of going Novice and at my age (50+) that was one stage too far. Some people, who seemed very pleasant came up from Wiltshire (I lived in Warwickshire at the time) - liked her - asked if they could have her on a weeks trial - I stupidly met them half way - passed the horse over and the followed them to Wiltshire to see where she would be stabled (having left my trailer at a friend's half way) - they had her for a week - did various competitions, including winning the odd rosette (she looked really good in the photos). They then had her vetted, having worked her hard for a week, then said she was slightly lame on the flexion - suggested she may be getting navicular - they still wanted her (????) but asked for money off (about 30%of agreed price) obviously thinking I would write it off rather than travelling all the way to Wiltshire to collect her. I dug my heels in and went and collected her - Took her straight to my vets - had her x rayed - retested etc. at even more expense and they said she was absolutely fine - I sold her about two weeks later to a really nice lady from Warwickshire - and she passed a full 5 stage vetting and went on to event for another 10 years -

I probably lost more money by going to collect her, having her xrayed, and re-vetted but, as far as I wasn concerned, it was a matter of principle and there was no way I was going to let her stay with people like that.

I hope they read this and feel just a little bit guilty!! By the way I told the people who did buy her about the experience with the other buyers and showed them the full vets report from my vet before they had their vet over to see the horse. So there are a few of us honest ones out there!!
 
You poor thing, how frustrating :(

When looking for my first horse I thought I'd found the perfect one: a super mare that was very chilled, had done BD and BSJA but the owner wanted to do more than she had scope for so had passed her on to a dealer acquiantance to find her a suitable home. She was a real pleasure in every way and the story seemed to add up. Then came the vetting - on paper she passed with flying colours. But our super, experienced vet said he had a 'bad feeling' and strongly advised us to get the blood samples analysed BEFORE we took her on. She wasn't lame but he said that on the flexion test she seemed to expect it to hurt. Well, we had the bloods analysed and she was buted to the eyeballs.

I was absolutely gutted - we were convinced we would be taking her home, I'd even bought a headcollar and put a bed down in her stable.

Then not long afterwards a horse came up for sale at the small livery yard my loan pony was on. He was a rising 5 year old highly strung warmblood with napping issues, bargy on the ground and very unbalanced and green. The absolute opposite of the experienced all rounder I was looking for. But he urgently needed a home so after a long trial period I bought him, and he slowly turned into my 'once in a lifetime' horse.

So don't give up, the right horse will find you eventually! If I'd bought the first mare, I wouldn't have had my fab boy. As others have said, why not try looking locally through pony clubs, riding clubs, word of mouth etc. Farriers and freelance instructors will know of local horses for sale, and will know some background and history etc. Good luck hun :)
 
It is such a shame the rogue few do ruin it for those sellers who are genuine and just want to find a nice home for thier horses, a lot of the time they don't want to sell but have to.

But when you are parting with what can be a lot of money and trying to find the right horse I feel the only way is to be suspicious and do everything you can to prevent buying a bundle of trouble.

I for one wish there was an easy way of filtering out the honest ones!
 
Steorra said:
Then came the vetting - on paper she passed with flying colours. But our super, experienced vet said he had a 'bad feeling' and strongly advised us to get the blood samples analysed BEFORE we took her on. She wasn't lame but he said that on the flexion test she seemed to expect it to hurt. Well, we had the bloods analysed and she was buted to the eyeballs.
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That is terrible!! I do think when I find one I will have the bloods tested before I part with any money just to be sure.

Poor you but thank goodness for an experienced vet!

And poor horse - makes you wonder where they end up.....
 
sadly you have to take what ppl put in adverts with pinch of salt till you have tried horse and had it vetted but even then its a chance you take when buying BUT not all sellers are out to decieve. my friend was selling her mare - beautiful sweet mare but needed experienced rider and had slight parrot mouth that caused her no problems - as soon as any one phoned she told them straight away about parrot mputh advised they could talk to her vet before coming to see and expalined that she did need a experienced rider for some minor issues which she as very open about - 3 ppl came to try and she finally went to a lovely home where she still is 5 years on so some sellers are good :)
 
It gets me mad..... I've been completely honest about my broodmare that I'm selling and have even turned someone down that wanted to buy her unseen as a riding horse for their daughter! (Just out of a riding school)

The person who contacted me just by word of mouth...... not one phone call from the advertising! :-(
 
I purchased an irish sports horse mare, went to view her but didnt ride as was sold from field, was told she was in full health, with no issues, only for her to arrive lame at my place, I personally think she was drugged up when I went to view her! When I questioned the owner she said, oh yeah just a kick she got from one of the others, nothing much. I then went on the owners facebook and was browsing through previous status's, only to find a status 1 month old saying ''horse still lame :(, cant sell a lame horse!'' , so turns out it was an ongoing thing all along!!!

Its always 50/50 when you go to buy, only thing you can do is ask for references, and go and meet these references to prove they are not just friends of the dealers/owners, etc.

Good luck!
 
Unfortunately, being honest isn't rewarded either. If you're totally honest, people are so used to dishonest sellers that they exaggerate everything you say in their heads so never even bother to phone/come see a perfectly lovely horse/pony!
 
Yes, it's really irritating isn't it. We wasted a whole day and drove from the South of England up to the North (it was about 4 hours each way) to look at a horse which the owner described in the ad as having a slight sweet itch problem. When we got the the poor horse had what I would describe as a very severe sweet itch problem and had a huge amount of scarring from it as well, and a very severe headshyness problem as well as the sweet itch appeared to affect his head and upper neck more than anywhere else. Plus he was advertised as being two years younger than his passport said he was. We'd only gone that far as we were looking for something very specific for my other half and at the time we'd been looking for ages but there didn't seem to be much about but after that experiece we said never again to anything outside our county.
 
I have to say that i have noticed that if a horse doesnt sell some of its bad points are then taken off advert, but not all people lie i sell one on from time to time and i never tell lies about them probably make them sound worse than they are sometimes as tell buyers every little thing, but i would take them back if they didnt get on their new home so its easier to find right home.

I would also keep them all if i could and end up with squillions i think honest sellers will ask you lots of questions as well but there is so many people who lie in fact when i buy a horse i dont really believe anything i am told sad really.

I think people generally have less morals nowadays so dont care about ripping people off and there seems to have been a really lowlife element get in to selling horses.
 
I'm currently looking and after seeing some rather ''unique'' horses I am sticking to dealers that have been recommended.

It fails to amaze me how many private sellers cover things up, or are simply far too emotionally attached to notice that they're little love is a complete tit. Honestly I am so sick of it I don't even want to look for a horse some days
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Raych said:
Looking for around a 16hh allrounder. The type everyone wants.
Good in open spaces and not strong are a must, decent jump, good out xc, good hacking alone and in company, so yeah just everything everyone wants.
Sorry for kind of bluntness, I'm a little frustrated :p

I'm so upset, I cried so much when I first found out and wished for it not to be true, but the oddness from the owner kind of proved my doubts were true :cool:
He seemed so perfect, then this had to get in the way. The owners made it clear I was to use their vet if I was to get it vetted, and it definatly wasn't a cheap horse especially one with a severe issue like that.
:cool:
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sounds like my horse you have described!

i got my horse at the start of the year and she is EXACTLY what was advertised if not better! so dont be disheartened he/she is out there
 
It sucks, my friend found out that her old horse has been sold 5 times, and is now in a riding home who paid £2500 for her ... despite the fact my friend gave her away as a companion (to someone who said she'd have a home for life) because she'd had a catastrophic tendon/ligament injury in a hind leg and wasn't to be ridden anymore. Yet according to the new owner she passed a 5-stage vetting :confused:

How do you advertise a horse that can't be ridden so that someone pays that for it? And then rides it? And who the HELL was the vet?!
 
dibbin said:
It sucks, my friend found out that her old horse has been sold 5 times, and is now in a riding home who paid £2500 for her ... despite the fact my friend gave her away as a companion (to someone who said she'd have a home for life) because she'd had a catastrophic tendon/ligament injury in a hind leg and wasn't to be ridden anymore. Yet according to the new owner she passed a 5-stage vetting :confused:

How do you advertise a horse that can't be ridden so that someone pays that for it? And then rides it? And who the HELL was the vet?!
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This is why it is always better to put to sleep than give away as a companion IMHO.
 
suppose vets are like doctors too, i know one girl had a horse vetted and few months later was diagnosed with ks ! Another vetted had navicular after a month !Makes you wonder whats the point ?When ive lloked at horses they have all been sadly mis- described -and they wernt cheapies ,ended up going to a dealer which i didnt want to do and got my boy( happy ending ) just got another from same dealer dealer was honest both lower price brackets and as described and had neither vetted
 
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