The things I have learned.....

[HEM]

Oooh SLH that did make me laugh!

Sorry you haven't found the right one yet but sometimes the best things come to those who wait!

 

[skint1]

I'm also looking for a horse as I've had to retire my trusty steed, I wouldn't even mind an older one that required some management, but be upfront about it, so SLH's post has also had me howling. I don't know if I will ever find one but I keep hoping.

 

[Annagain]

Ah you sold him? That makes me happy! He is a lovely pony

Yes - he's absolutely flying - jumping 1.15 courses. The girl who bought him is an incredible little rider - just what he needed. It took a while but we found him the right home in the end!

 

[Annagain]

I'm also looking for a horse as I've had to retire my trusty steed, I wouldn't even mind an older one that required some management, but be upfront about it, so SLH's post has also had me howling. I don't know if I will ever find one but I keep hoping.

What sort of horse are you after? I know of a lovely one that I would have snapped up if he was 5 years younger. He's only 15 so not that old but the next horse I buy will probably be my last so I want one that's going to see me through at least 15 years.

 

[Ddraig_wen]

One odd one I came across was this. Deposit paid and suddenly the seller then started adding things the horse apparently couldn't do. Including hack, travel, compete, stable. So why was he advertised as doing all those things? Then there was the conditions like I would have to borrow his saddle as he wouldn't cope with a different saddle and various other bits. Seller then pulled out. Turns out I was the 3rd person they'd done that to and always the night before the horse was supposed to leave them

Another, I drove 5 hours to see a horse that would fit the bill that apparently had a slight roar. Horse sounded like a steam train but would do as a hack for hubby. Seller wanted to decide between us and another. Seller text while we were driving so didn't reply. This started a stream of messages telling us we obviously didn't want him as we hadn't responded within minutes. Followed by they were sorry they were stressed and did we still want him. When transport was mentioned suddenly the horse didn't load, wasn't allowed any stops on the journey and would have to be a certain make and model of wagon. Followed by a string of progressively strange messages culminating at 2am when they decided that they would be keeping said horse. Horse was readvertised within 2 days.

 

[sportsmansB]

We had a nice lady come to try and event horse. he was at old money 1* level, but easy to ride and a great jumper.
He was a bit of an odd horse though and could be a bit spooky- looking at people or a random barrel in the arena, for example. Nothing untoward just needed a kick to get past it and a pat when he had. Not one bit worried by jumps and good to hack. Just a bit suspicious of stuff.
She was riding well and he was going lovely. Until she decided to take her coat off while on board. None of us really do that so we weren't expecting the thoroughly extreme reaction, though someone probably would have put a hand on him had she given any warning - he must have seen it out of the corner of his eye and thought it was chasing him, que MASSIVE over reaction, bronking, galloping around the school, the more unbalanced she got the worse he got (he wouldn't have been used to that really). Like a pinball off the walls he was. Friend said, genuinely, he's never done that before- and it was true! He didn't even buck when he was fresh, and certainly never took off in the indoor.. but needless to say that sale didn't go through.
He had arrived as a 6yo so obviously hadn't had the same amount of desensitising that we would give the 4yos as far as flopping around and dangling off them is concerned, and I had no idea he had it in him until that poor girl found it...

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Haha, keep them coming...I'm having a much needed giggle at the misfortunes of others...*ahem* I mean..I'm sat here comiserating with my fellow equestrian friends 🙄😳😋

 

[HobleytheTB]

On the other side of the coin, a fellow livery at my yard sadly had to Pts her lovely old boy, and spent several months viewing horses etc. She turned down anything that wasn't 100% sound, had skin issues etc... finally found something she liked, travelled several hours to collect it (wouldn't load for over an hour!), and brought it home. Turned out she decided she would do the vetting AFTER buying it..?!! Never quite understood that one, especially as she admits herself she doesn't have great eye for spotting lameness!! Luckily it all turned out ok, but I'd have thought she'd at least do a 2 stage to check the heart etc, not like it was an unbacked youngster or anything!

 

[Teajack]

Went to see a potential share described as steady, having emphasised I needed a confidence giver. Horse was quiet to handle but in retrospect rather shut down/not there. Owner seemed to have forgotten she was riding first, was I glad I reminded her as I watched the steady ride kick at every leg aid, plant, spin, spook and finally career off broncing. Owner tried and failed to persuade me into the saddle (whereupon I would fall in love with him) then suggested I return when it was less windy (there was a mild to moderate breeze).

 

[alexomahony]

I'm loving this post! It's brilliant!

I've never actually been out looking for a horse, both of mine came to me and I ended up buying one and being gifted the other - neither of which are what I'd actually go looking to buy! (I'm 5'9 and my ponies are 15h Sec D and 14.2 Conine X) Makes me realise how lucky I am to have found my ponies this way rather than the conventional horse hunting methods!

Good luck OP in eventually finding the one you'll fall in love with <3

 

[Caol Ila]

I wasn't looking for a horse when I found mine. I'd kind of talked about it, but not seriously. The horse's sale advert appeared one day on our yard bulletin board. A trainer at the barn (not mine, but she coached our quadrille), in passing, asked if I was still thinking about selling my quarter horse and buying a more dressagey horse. I said, "I don't know, maybe." She said, "Take a look at the Shire-TBX that's just been advertised in the lounge. I've seen her at shows and I think she's really nice."

The horse was local. My mother and figured, it's something to do on a Saturday afternoon, thinking, how often is the first horse you see the one you want to buy anyway, and it's worth seeing what's out there. Well, needless to say, we ended up buying the horse. After the vetting, my vet said that if we didn't take her, he would!

 

[Alibear]

This post has cemented my plan to stick with stud I bought my current horse from when I'm next looking.

 

[spacefaer]

Walking down the passageway of an American barn, we were told to mind out for the first horse in the row as he might nip at us as we went past. Horse grabbed my OH by the shoulder and tried to drag him over the door ...... horse had been "rescued" from the meat man - I think they shouldn't have bothered! Luckily, the one we had gone to see only tried to cow kick us out of the stable......
Been to see plenty that were definitely not the height they were meant to be (all considerably smaller), and definitely not sound either.

 

[Meredith]

Over the years I have seen all these
1. the 15.2 that was 13.2
2. the 15.2 that was 16.2
3. the go any where do anything good as gold that wouldn’t let the vet near it’s mouth or pick it’s feet up
4. I wanted to do low level SJ and easy hunting, the horse was in a broken synthetic dressage saddle and had obviously never jumped a stick
5. Yes it rides out on it’s own BUT turns round at the 4th telegraph pole up the road and comes home
6. Well we haven’t had him shod as we knew we were going to sell him. Horse probably had not seen a farrier in years
6. I really need to sell him because the dealer won’t take him back
7. the pony whose coat looked like it was moving of its own accord because of lice
There are probably others I have forgotten

 

[Widgeon]

Some are honest in their adverts. One I've seen recently:

Now I am the queen of standing still. My quirk is that when someone is on me, I point blank don’t move. I don’t move forwards, I don’t move backwards and I don’t move sideways. It’s really quite an unusual talent, but I am so unflappable that I just don’t move! If someone leads me then I will walk and trot beautifully, and I will walk, trot and canter on the lunge like a dream, but put a rider on me and leave me to it and I can guarantee we’re not going very far. I have been ridden previously, and I have been professionally started and ridden away. I was previously jumping courses and competing in dressage, however I have just lost my love for it. Because of this my owners are selling me as a broodmare or project pony. Apparently I have very nice breeding.

I've seen this too - it is possibly the finest advert for a pony that I've ever read. She is stunning though, if they can find someone who can motivate her to move they'll have a bargain

 

[Littlebear]

Ah its so annoying viewing horses I agree, also hated being the seller even though I was lucky the first 2 I sold went to friends, and the 3rd most recent had 2 people look through word of mouth and both were in love so I had the choice of 2 amazing homes.
One horse I went to view for myself was with a very well known pro dressage rider (I wont name) drove for 3 hours to look, he tacked her up he got on and she just lost her mind within seconds for no reason it was like watching a horse that had never had tack or a rider near it before even though this was advertised as a totally reliable and established dressage horse, he stuck on there for grim death and got through it but I think anyone else would have been launched and seriously injured, low and behold....it had 'never done that before'!!! 6 poxy hours round trip to watch that!

 

[EventingMum]

Where I am we often have to travel a considerable distance to view so I try to carefully read between the lines of adverts and ask lots of questions however it's still easy to get caught out.

I had a road trip with my son looking for a horse for him a few years ago. First horse panicked and bronced when son took up the reins, the seller didn't have a rider so we didn't see anyone ride first. Turned out it had a wolf tooth removed the day before that the seller forgot to mention, then she proudly told us she had got a new dentist to do it as they didn't need to sedate and it only cost her £20, poor horse. Later the same day we were viewing another that was obviously lame so the seller's coach persuaded us to try another one there. She kept putting the jumps up even though I said it wasn't for us as "it was so nice to see someone who could ride jump it as they hadn't tried it over that height before" - like my son was there to school it for free!

More recently, I was on the hunt for a riding school horse, travelled over 4 hours to see one that promptly ditched the rider showing it to us - that was a waste of a lot of diesel and an overnight stay. Then I spotted an advert for another one the was potentially suitable, £5k and we were welcome to try it, only thing was they didn't have a school, we couldn't ride in the field but could hack in the forest and almost as an afterthought said "you'll have to ride bareback as I don't have a saddle anymore" although the advert showed it ridden with a saddle, I declined the offer to try that one!

 

[J_sarahd]

6. Well we haven’t had him shod as we knew we were going to sell him. Horse probably had not seen a farrier in years/QUOTE]

I had something very similar to this with my pony. He’s barefoot and I was told farrier hadn’t touched his feet last time he came out because “all the road work has trimmed his feet down nicely” both the vet at the vetting and my own farrier said he was walking on the insides of his feet as they’d been worn down TOO much. Makes me think whether seller was lying or their farrier is incompetent

 

[LaurenBay]

On the other end of the coin.

When I went to view Ruby the seller got on first and walked and trotted her in a big open space. I then got on and did the same, was beaming from ear to ear. Asked owner to get back on to canter so I could see Ruby wasn't a nutter. Owner got on asked for canter, and Ruby bronced her straight off again. She looked so shocked and said "I swear she has never done that before", I declined to get back on but was gutted as I really really liked her. I ended up buying her after trying her twice more as I couldn't stop thinking about her and I was drawn to her. I got her home and she never did do that again so I am inclined to believe the seller. I had her 8 years and had lots of fun with her

 

[cobgoblin]

I went to look at a cob once at a proper shady dealer's yard... As I realised as soon as we got there.

The cob was actually quite beautiful but covered in ringworm, which at least was being treated.
We went into the most humungous indoor school and the groom rode her.. We'll, I don't know if you've ever seen anyone ride as though they're sitting on shards of glass, but that's exactly what it looked like. After a very short demonstration the horse was brought back. I looked at the bit and found a twisted snaffle, decided to decline trying her.

Unfortunately, OH was not paying much attention and when offered to ride said yes.

I have never seen anyone go round a school so fast, and so many times as he did! It went on for ages, there was no way of stopping this horse.

He still claims he enjoyed it.

.

 

[daffy44]

I was selling a four yr old a few years ago, I advertised the horse as being by a certain stallion, I had someone phone me up, ask if the horse was by the stallion I said in the advert, I said yes, and the caller told me that she hated that stallion and all its offspring and hung up on me!!!

Same horse, I measured him at 16.1hh, so I said he was 16.1 on the advert, lady turned up with a measuring stick, no problem, I brought the horse out, stood it on level concrete, she measured the horse with her stick, said in a very disappointed voice "Oh, hes 16.1, I wanted bigger" and got back in her car and drove off.

Buyers can be just as bad as sellers!

 

[Ceifer]

Went to take a client and their daughter to view a 14.2 family allrounder.
Pulled up to the gate to be greeted by the owner who was on crutches with leg in a cast and missing two front teeth.
We didn’t stay long.

 

[JanetGeorge]

This post has cemented my plan to stick with stud I bought my current horse from when I'm next looking.

I sure would, Alibear. Any responsible breeder LOVES owners of their horses who come back for A N other. You just KNOW what sort that buyer wants, you have a good idea of their abilities - and whether they'l have good help on hand (or be close enough to call on you.) And of course if owners are spread around the country - they are great ambassadors for YOUR horses - and their friends are more likely to travel a long way. I'm probably half way between Scotland and Exmoor - but have happy owners in both places sending their friends up/down to see me.

 

[Ddraig_wen]

I was selling a four yr old a few years ago, I advertised the horse as being by a certain stallion, I had someone phone me up, ask if the horse was by the stallion I said in the advert, I said yes, and the caller told me that she hated that stallion and all its offspring and hung up on me!!!

Same horse, I measured him at 16.1hh, so I said he was 16.1 on the advert, lady turned up with a measuring stick, no problem, I brought the horse out, stood it on level concrete, she measured the horse with her stick, said in a very disappointed voice "Oh, hes 16.1, I wanted bigger" and got back in her car and drove off.

Buyers can be just as bad as sellers!

Buyers can be just as bad definitely ! Advertised a hunting mare, kind but green in the school. One lady turned up, watched me tack up and ride then told me she thought she was looking for a max 15hh gelding *sigh*.
I had someone turn up wanting her for a 12yr old petite son just off a 13.1... um no. I wouldn't have allowed the viewing if she had told me she would be for him. Needless to say I didn't let him ride the 16.2 hunter

 

[Micky]

Oh my I’ve had problems both selling and buying..🙄...selling, as mentioned before, tb never bucked in the years my daughter had him, potential comes to ride him (after my daughters had ridden him in front of her) jumps on and he proceeded to give a couple of humpy bucks, why? Who knows but he sold to a lovely lady, never bucked with her or subsequent and last owner! Same horse..oh he should be fit living out in field, really? Buying, a lovely grey youngster, nicely put together apart from the glaringly large swelling on his fetlock...oh it’s a windgall...and proceeded to ride him in 2 foot of mud as ‘they hadn’t no facilities for me to ride him’..I declined politely! Another mare, dominant in the stable but a sweetie really, as the said mare bare do it’s teeth snd flattened her ears as I approached the stable..! Not forgetting the two that failed to ring me or answer their phones once we’d driven 2 hours to view, later texting saying they’d tried to ring/texted/sorry the horse sold...I’m certainly not looking forward to looking for a new horse when the time comes thats for sure, the prices are astronomical nowadays!

 

[palo1]

Last time I was horse shopping I did see some horrors!! Lots of over-sized/undersized/lame/miserable etc but the two that really did my head in were an appaloosa mare that had apparantly done lots of shows and won loads in hand as a 2 and 3 y/o and was now for sale having just been backed and ridden away. When I turned up to see her I was instructed not to go in the stable with any of the horses at all. I didn't ask why but then witnessed owner quite openly whacking one horse with a bucket. When I viewed the one I was interested in the owner told me proudly that they had backed her last summer themselves and that the mare was fabulous. I didn't really feel this as poor horse didn't want me anywhere near enough to touch her! I asked the owner what they felt the mare would do if they put on some tack now. Total blank look from owner and answer 'Absolutely no idea!!'' I didn't fancy looking at her any further but felt very sad that the horse's owner had such a poor connection and rapport. (Not to mention the bucket whacking thing and probably other things....).

The second one was a 4y/o mare I travelled 200 miles to view having asked questions, seen a video, chatted with owner etc. I got up at stupid o'clock having checked my emails and drove north some distance. When I arrived the owner told me that it was no longer convenient for me to view as her best friend now wanted the blooming horse....!! I had stupidly not taken the details of any other horse in that part of the country so just drove home very frustrated and disappointed. Thankfully I found my super, totally ace rising 4 y/o chap quite locally and the whole transaction was very smooth and stress free. In April this year (9 years after the above experiences) I bought another youngster - direct from a very well respected stud and was deeply thankful that no matter what a youngster might throw at me I wouldn't have to deal with the deluded kinds of sellers I had met previously!!

 

[asmp]

Had one buyer for a pony we were selling - took her for a ride around the farm we were on (I was on foot). She suddenly asked for canter going down a hill. A pheasant flew out of the hedge under the pony's nose, he jumped sideways and she flew out the door. She didn't buy him!

 

[J&S]

I drove over 100 miles to see a NF gelding advertised, he was to be a companion that I could also ride. Owner said he was a bit strong in just a head collar but i thought this might be some thing that could be improved. He was an ill mannered bargey brute to groom and tack up, but i still thought I would give him the benefit of the doubt and ride him. Owner put a young girl on him and he was frankly nappy but I still thought after driving that distance I would try him. he actually went quite well for me, out on the road/track and back past the house, no problem until a bit further down the track we came upon a big horse and a small pony in a field. This flippin' thing tried to climb over the gate to get to them! No way could I get him to leave, eventually owner came to find me and it took FIVE of us to get him away and home! Of course i decided against him and of course she said "it had never happened before"!

 

[Bruce17]

I sure would, Alibear. Any responsible breeder LOVES owners of their horses who come back for A N other. You just KNOW what sort that buyer wants, you have a good idea of their abilities - and whether they'l have good help on hand (or be close enough to call on you.) And of course if owners are spread around the country - they are great ambassadors for YOUR horses - and their friends are more likely to travel a long way. I'm probably half way between Scotland and Exmoor - but have happy owners in both places sending their friends up/down to see me.

Janet do you only have youngsters for sale, or do you have ones more established too? One of yours lives near me and when I'm looking for a new one I'd like an ID but I won't have the experience for a baby.

 

[EventingMum]

My experience best experience was when we were looking for my son's first horse as he was coming off ponies. I answered an ad in H&H for a potential horse and it was none other than Matt Ryan. We flew from Glasgow to Bristol and hired a car, Matt phoned to check we had landed ok and had directions. On arrival he made us welcome and showed us 6 or 7 horses, spending time helping my son adjust to each one. He then drove us to another yard he knew of to see another horse and once we were finished insisted on making us something to eat. At no time was there pressure to buy and he finished saying he wished up the best of luck even if we didn't buy one of his horses!