Thoughts please..?

Bri

Bri

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 August 2005
Messages
2,261
Location
Surrey
Visit site
Bit of a tricky situation and not entirely sure what to do..

Have just sold my mare, she's been gone 2 weeks and I've just had a phonecall telling me that she has vices (door kicking, pawing & nodding) and that their vet has told them this is something the horse hasnt just picked up and has been doing for a long time.

While I had her, I never noticed that kind of behaviour from her but the situation was entirely different. She was stabled round the back of a very quiet yard and never really saw anyone whereas now she's at the back of someones house and see's people coming and going all day. Its clearly attention seeking behaviour, and also think it may well be stress caused by being in an entirely new place/routine etc.

The buyer has insinuated that I lied, and that the horse is now worthless and they dont know what to do with her - I kind of get the feeling they were expecting me to say I'd have her back and give them back their money.

Thoughts anyone? Where do I stand legally on this one? The horse had a full vetting before she went and passed.

Thanks very much!
 
These are not vices - merely an indicator of stress.

You have two choices - tell them to take a hike, or have the horse back.
 

Well for a start, a horse is not worthless just because it kicks the door and paws the ground!!

Did you say to them thats its probably something to do with all the change the horse has been through? Its only been two weeks, they really should give her more time.
 
Thanks AmyMay.

The buyer likened it to weaving, because she nods her head up and down, I'm not convinced but she comes across as very knowledgable so who am I to argue.

I'm not really in a situation to have her back unfortunately due to lack of money & time. I hate to think she'll end up being passed from person to person though. I genuinely think she's just finding it hard to settle but I dont know if they're willing to give her the chance too or not..
frown.gif
 
It certainly came across that she was hoping I would give her money back!

I know, it really isnt long at all. So hopefully she'll settle soon and I wont have to worry about it anymore. Kind of get the feeling it may be one thing after another though...
 
That's awful - some people!
mad.gif
I really hate this culture where if a horse arrives and isn't perfectly behaved from the start, it must be the seller at fault etc etc!
mad.gif


I'd try and explain to them, as you have to us, that her situation is different and maybe they should try turning her out more until she settles? FGS two weeks is nothing! I can understand you wanting to make sure she is ok though, so as much as I would be tempted, I wouldn't tell them to **** off just yet!
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I hate to think she'll end up being passed from person to person though

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is why I suggested the either tell them to go forth, or have teh horse back.

Clearly nodding is not a vice.

Why not ring them and find out what the real issues are? How are they managing her? Do they think that this is really not the horse for them??

I think that this sort of situation is always difficult - morally I'd have to have the horse back (for the horses sake) if they are not prepared to let it settle, and are prepared to move it straight on again.

If it's a nice horse, you'll sell it again quickly enough.
 
weaving is a problem because it puts strain on a horses legs with the swaying from side to side, i don't see how nodding her head is going to do any real harm. unless you said she does not kick the door, paw the ground or nod her head then you didn't lie and most horses do that because they want something ie food or turnout so maybe they should look at her routine. for the horses sake try to stay civil so if it really comes to it you'll be able to get the horse back rather than see her end up somewhere horrible but for now i would stick your ground and try to convince them that it is likely to be the stress of moving and she needs more time to settle in. sounds they could be a real pain in the arse though, then again they could have had a bad experience and just be hyper about new horses.
 
Just a few thoughts - how has her routine changed in the new home? When she was with you how long was her turnout each day and how long does she get in the new home? Is she even turned out?

Does she have a companion, can she see other horses that are out while she's in?

Try to talking calmly to the new owners and stress to them that horses take time to settle in new homes and that they can display new behaviour with new owners. Try to establish what her new routine is, how much feed she is getting, how many rugs is she wearing,what her exercise levels are now, have they been feeding her tidbits, and explain to the new owners what her routine was with you. Suggest replicating your routine/regime and gradually change over to theirs.
 
if she's so knowledgeable how come she doesn't know the difference between nodding and weaving?!!!
frown.gif


The horse passed the vetting, if you sold the animal in good faith and answered all her questions honestly, then she has no come back. It's a buyer beware situation.

Tell her to change the horse's routine, and they are not machines!!! All animals react to a change in routine and environment.
smile.gif
 
Also if she is so knowledgeable, how come she has to take a vets advice?? I would act daft and tell them to put her in field if she is unhappy then she cant kick the door. The more you try and talk and explain things to some people the more they pester you. Find its better to act a bit daft and just say "oh bless her, she must be missing me!" or "How strange! She NEVER did anything like that with me!"
 
Thanks for all the advice,

The new owners know exactly what her previous routine was, and apparently she is now out from 6am - 10pm so to be honest I struggle to see how she would have the time to kick and paw and nod. They also mentioned she's leaving her food which is so unlike her so I'm sure it's jsut stress and settling into a new routine. I have tried to explain that to them and they've said they'll see how it goes and they'll be in touch...

Thanks again!
 
Blimey, they are totally over reacting!

My older horse was sold to me as "vice free", however for the first couple of weeks she was SO stressed out, she pawed the ground and kicked the door and box walked! However she settled down and now she is an absolute donkey, you can leave her stable door open while skipping out her stable/getting the tack out of the tack room and she will stand in there like a donkey, she just needed time to settle!

Plus Lacey, my new youngster, was sold as vice free- yet she shakes her head when stressed. However we know she didn't do this at her old home as we saw her stood like a dope in her stable- they just need time to relax into their settings.

Both horse passed 5 stage vettings!

They are being very stupid, I am sure the horse will settle and she will stop these "vices"
crazy.gif
Don't worry
smile.gif
 
QR.

I'd suspect that possibly thats not the whole story - perhaps they aren't getting on with her riding-wise or something else and looking for an excuse to return her.

Personally, I'd give them a refund and take the horse back, because
a) I wouldn't want them selling the horse on to end up god knows where
b) I'd be worried they'd make something else, more serious up to get a refund

Either that or tell them to get lost; but bear in mind what potentially 'could' happen should they decide to take things further and you end up with a non-horsey judge who feels sorry for the poor numpties - wouldn't be the first time someone on here has had that done to them - can't remember who unfortunately but they lost their case when there really shouldn't have been a case to begin with.
frown.gif
 
I'm not really sure whats going on to be honest, they've said other then that she's been really good - but all they seem to be worried about is the money and her resale value. Apparently they dont want to keep her if it continues because they dont want the youngsters copying her behaviour.
crazy.gif


Thanks BQ - hopefully its just the same as your mare and she'll stop soon. Poor girl.

Ziggy - that's really interesting, What happened with the other poster you mentioned? I dont see how they could take me to court over it - isnt it as someone previously mentioned 'buyer beware'? guess it would be my word against the word of the vet who's convinced this is a vice... but I thought it was only trade sales where you had any sort of comeback?
 
They really don't have any come back if you answered all their questions truthfully. Usually, it's only dealers who can be taken to court by buyers I think due to the sale of goods act or something similar.

I bought my horse 5 wks ago and was worried I had made a mistake as he did the whole head nodding, pawing thing. But now he is used to his new routine, it has nearly completely settled down. The only time he nods now is if his stable mate is taken out and he is left in. And I def would not call it a vice! He is fab in every other way so it doesn't bother me. Sounds like they have other problems going on here!

I also once sold a yearling to someone who 2 mths later, claimed she was a crib biter. When I asked why she hadn't mentioned it before she said she didn't know what it was doing til a friend told her! For a start, this yearling had never been a crib biter, and the worrying thing was that this girl had claimed to be very knowledgeable when viewing the pony. When I refused to take her back, she phoned a week later and said the filly had savaged her husband and he'd had to go and have stitches in his back! This was the sweetest, most docile pony ever by the way. I went and collected her that night and asked to see the husbands wound which he declined to show me! Wonder why! The filly is now in a loving home and is a 4yr old. She is fab and her owner loves her to bits. I think the folk had just realised they had taken on too much for their level of experience and decided to invent a story so I'd take her back. Maybe the same kind of thing going on with your horse?

But you are under no obligation to take it back. I only took my filly back because I was worried who they'd sell her to just to get rid! x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top