Timewasters!!!

LaurenBay

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I cannot believe the ammount of timewasters there are! my YO has a lovely 4 YO 13hh Welsh C for sale. Despite only being 4, he is a very senible little pony (I've ridden him and had my 11YO cousin, whos a begginer, riding him) he really is a star, but clearly not a been there done that type, because he is only 4.

Had a woman and child come up, they fell in love with him. The child was walking, trotting, cantering and jumping him with no issues. They played around with him on the ground and couldn't stop saying how nice he was and how he could possibly be the one. They even arranged a 2nd viewing so they could see him on the roads (his fab on the roads too)

Then YO gets a text to say, they were really sorry, but they don't think he is right as his only young :confused: why the hell would you go to see a 4YO if you don't want a young Horse!! :mad:

It really is a shame, my YO was gutted and like I said despite being only 4, he acts much more like a 14YO!
 

tinap

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I had one of those the other week :( loved him to bits - he was perfect, then said next day they would pass as he can sometimes (once In a blue moon) be a plank on the roads - which they knew before they came & they didn't even try him out hacking. Wasn't impressed
 

Imogen_

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Maybe someone advised them not to... After all, I've came across people with some lovely 4yo's who still manage to go through the 'throwing the towel in' stage at 5/6ish.

I also know a lady who got very angry when a potential buyer was concerned the horse was a bit young. She promised them to come and see the youngster out competing as he has never put a foot wrong... So the potential buyers did, and left during the warm up. She fell off twice and went home before jumping a course.

I can only imagine they didn't think it through with regards to age. In defence of your YO though... Some youngsters do keep an old head on their shoulders with no issues at all. I guess it can be as much of a risk for a child as taking on an experienced and older pony. Surprises are often lurking regardless of age :p
 

Syrah

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People are entitled to change their minds :confused:

It always puzzles me when people selling horses take it so personally. If the person had organised a vetting, paid a deposit and simply changed their minds without a good reason, then yes, that's time wasting. But all they did was come and view, make a 2nd viewing but changed their minds.
 

Goldenstar

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They weren't necessarily time wasters look at it from there side you see an ad you like the pony but it's a bit younger than you wanted but you like the look of him so you ring the owner who says how calm and kind he is so you decide to view
The pony behaves well and on viewing you like him so you go away to think it over and decide on balance although you like him you are not comfortable with his age and decide against him.
That's not time wasting most horses you view will have something you think is less than ideal so you view the horse and decide that you can or can't live with the things you don't like and on balance whether it ticks enough boxes to buy.
IMO time wasteing is booking viewing and not turning up or agreeing to buy and changing your mind , or turning up to view horses described as not for novices when you can barely do rising trot, or viewing saying how much you like the pony and never ringing back to let the seller know one way or another.
Not everyone who views a pony who behaves beauifully will buy it that's just the way it is.
 

LaurenBay

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Yes people are entitled to change their minds. It wouldn't have been so bad if she had said on the day "actually his just a little young and I'm worried he will change" etc. But to say "he is the best we have tried out" "**** loves him and I do to" "I have another to see, but I think your Pony is the one" "your pony is the one for ****" then its not really fair, yes they can still change their minds. But wasn't fair that she said all this and then sent a text without even coming to see him again. Their only excuse was that he was young, they knew this before they came.
 

Imogen_

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Why worry about a horse going to an unsure home though? If I was selling a horse and someone seemed so unsure, I'd say it was for the best!

One thing that puts me off buying horses too is the
"Re-advertised due to timewasters"

...But it is a buyers’ market, it's the buyer having to part with money and buy something from what they can only see on the day and take word for the horse.
 

Goldenstar

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Oh and they didn't turn up for the first veiwing as it was raining.

No pony shows its self well in the pouring rain .
The YO is trying to sell the pony to do that people have to try him some will like and decide against it not time wasting why should the buyer tell the seller at the time it's their right to take time if they want to to think things though quietly in their own time they where right 4yo that are very easy can be completly different at five and six .
The only way to avoid that would be only to view things that where perfect in everyway on paper not so good for sellers I have often bought horses who where younger older bigger or smaller than what I wanted which I viewed because they ticked some of my boxes in August I was looking for a 16hh warmblood and ended up buying a 16.3 TB far younger than I wanted that seller would have lost that sale if I only viewed things that ticked every box.
 

Goldenstar

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Imogen_;10688059 One thing that puts me off buying horses too is the "Re-advertised due to timewasters" ...But it is a buyers’ market said:
to me that always means failed the vet , much better put readvertised though no fault of his own or nothing it's a hard market at the moment horses don't sell so easily.
 

Imogen_

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I was looking for another Welsh Cob... Came back with an ex racehorse who now lives out all year round haha!

It's one of those things you have to take light heartedly. I have a few friends selling horses atm and they don't seem to click that phone call after phone call.... Sometimes the most eager of buyers don't even contact back.

I've definitely had my heart set on horses in the past, to then turn up and everything change within seconds. Often ending quite distressing for the buyer, not just the owner.

Buying and selling is hard from both parts.
 

Cortez

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They obviously went away and thought it through, and changed their minds, which is their right to do. Sometimes a bit of mature reflection is needed to really cement ideas and reach sensible conclusions. Not timewasters, just customers.
 

Black_Horse_White

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Seems like the other one they were going to see was better suited. Not sure they can be classed as timewasters. I was branded that once too, just because I didn't buy the horse I went to view.
 

Equilibrium Ireland

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Why are buyers timewasters if they didn't buy? So what they liked the pony. Maybe they had bigger plans for the year and thought it much nicer to get something older that could handle a heavier work load. I'm sure the pony did tick all boxes and is super ride, but would it be fair to any 4 yo to start showing, jumping, eventing, or whatever as an older horse would? No of course not he's a baby. So while he may be good they may in fact just want something the can do more on.

There's more to the age thing than quiet under saddle. Can you imagine if they were out competing regularly on said pony. They'd be ripped 6 ways silly on here because, dontcha know he's just a baby!

Terri
 

Parker79

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to me that always means failed the vet , much better put readvertised though no fault of his own or nothing it's a hard market at the moment horses don't sell so easily.

Agreed^^ totally hate that. When I bought my boy the guy had been actually been messed about...for months...but didn't make a bid deal about it...if he had have put this on the advert I wouldn't have phoned!
 

Vanha12

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At least they contacted you to tell you! Not only have we had plenty of time-wasters (i.e. ommitted to tell me that, despite pony advertised as 'not a novice ride' and very forward going', daughter had never jumped or galloped), most of them have not had the good manners to contact me to say they were no longer interested. I have also had many occasions where people have asked for masses of information via email but then not had the courtesy to say 'thanks but no thanks'. I have no problem with people changing their minds or trying out ponies - it's a huge decision and shouldn't be taken lightly but PLEASE - how much does it cost to just text and let the seller know your decision!!!
 

Sparkles

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I can relate!

Welcome to change their minds....but after things like 6 weeks of coming back to ride repeatedly or a current classic trend atm 'No sorry, we weren't looking for a *insert type/age/height here* anyway but thought we'd pop over and give him a ride anyway'.

Or the classic not having anywhere near enough money [I'm talking less than half the advertising price max budget], yet still wasting time trying it.


Back home a few years back there used be a family reknown for being timewasters just going out trying ponies. Story was she'd outgrown the riding school ponies....truth was they didn't want to carry on paying lessons! Had over 6 months of 'trying' new ponies daily/weekly, with said daughter getting a good 2 hours each viewing riding giving everything a go. ;) Never got her own pony, despite trying ones which were perfect.
 
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sleepykitten

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I've just sold a horse and had genuine people come and see him, who he just wasn't right for, I wouldn't class them as timewasters, I had people come and see him who never got back in touch to let me know one way or the other - they are annoying, then I had a couple who made an offer, got him vetted which he passed, then change their minds at the last minute, I classed them as timewasters as I was very upset as I truly thought he had found a perfect home.

He has now gone to a fab new home with someone who loves him warts and all, and has stayed fairly local too, but I would say that the market is very tough at the moment, as another poster has said, its a buyers market, but I'm sure the pony will find the right home :)
 

cocoplops

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Look at it this way; THEY came to your yard, did YO go to the yard just to meet them or did she have horses to see too?

when I sold pony a while back I arranged viewings for times I'd be at the yard. A few people "went away to think" and one Even got lost on the way to the bank to get a deposit never to be seen again!

I simply think, they came to my yard,I didn't pull the advert and I was on the yard anyway, if anything, they've wastes their time :)
 

LaurenBay

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She has other Horses to do to. But the first time she had too cancel plans, for them to pull out half hour before the viewing because it was spitting. And I'm not saying shes a timewaster for changing her mind (I understand there looking for the right pony for the child) but it wasn't fair to say "his the one" if they had doubts. They were singing his praise! It wouldv'e been fairer not to say anything if they had doubts.
 

Imogen_

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She has other Horses to do to. But the first time she had too cancel plans, for them to pull out half hour before the viewing because it was spitting. And I'm not saying shes a timewaster for changing her mind (I understand there looking for the right pony for the child) but it wasn't fair to say "his the one" if they had doubts. They were singing his praise! It wouldv'e been fairer not to say anything if they had doubts.

I see what you mean, but I too have been guilty of making out to the seller their horse is 'the one' before I've even sat on them.
I remember one horse I was excited to see. Got there and had to ride in a tiny field on a slant, the horse was in poor condition compared to pictures... Headcollar was frozen onto face with lots of bald patches, horse had not been sat on... No one to show it so I had to get on first and as much as the horse didn't put a foot wrong... I just didn't feel right about it.
So when I got back and had to ring and explain, I felt really bad for getting so ahead of myself in the first place.

I can't see how anyone could go and 'try' horses for fun though with regards to another comment. I hate trying horses, just constant upset and let down, or hard to find something you can actually see yourself keeping.
 

pedilia

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I never understand the time wasting thing ( not your case in particular OP, just generally)
Horses are an awful lot of money and surely if people aren't sure, then it's best all round if they don't buy?!?!

As for not ringing/texting to say their not interested after a viewing, surely if you don't hear you can just safely assume their not interested!
 

FionaM12

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They obviously went away and thought it through, and changed their minds, which is their right to do. Sometimes a bit of mature reflection is needed to really cement ideas and reach sensible conclusions. Not timewasters, just customers.

Agree with this. Also there may be other reasons beside the pony's age. They're not obliged to tell the seller everything about their private conversations and circumstances. They viewed him twice but are not interested and contacted to say so. Seems perfectly reasonable to me.
 

FionaM12

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but it wasn't fair to say "his the one" if they had doubts. They were singing his praise! It wouldv'e been fairer not to say anything if they had doubts.

Fair in what way? The person who said that presumably believed it at the time, but changed their mind (or was overruled by the rest of the family!) on reflection. They could even have realised their finances didn't strtech. Who knows?

It's the nature of buying and selling really.
 

maisie06

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I wouldn't worry. The right home will come along soon. I am selling one of mine soon, the only thing I insist on is people coming when I have the time!! I have learnt not to put myself out for hours of my day,I tell them when I will be at the yard and if they are interested enough they will come!

The only thing about my boy is that he is not very good looking and that will be explained on the phone before hand! If they decide they don't want him that's fine by me, I'm in no hurry to move him on!
 

Sandy20

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I am that so called time waster. It cost me alot of money and upset also. Maybe if people were honest in the first place there wouldnt be so many so called time wasters.

This post is in reference to the post by sleepy kitten above.
 
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