Tracing new owners of horses- a musing

[shortstuff99]

Does anyone else sometimes find it uncomfortable to read some of the tracing horses posts? I've seen quite a few posts recently where someone has sold a horse and are now trying to trace it, and I think the language used is a bit over the top, such as 'lets get this horse found!'. Is it not a bit strange and scary for current owners? I would not like an old owner to try and rabidly find me in this way and then kind of demanding to be part of their life? Is this not the risk you take with selling a horse? What do other people think?

Note this is only about sold horses, I understand the need for stolen or missing horses.

 

[Fluffypiglet]

I felt a little uncomfortable with the amount of staying in touch my horses last owner wanted. She did visit but I've slowly backed away. He's young, she had him less than 2years and he wasn't right for her so she sent him to sales livery and bought herself a new horse. He's mine and without meaning to be horrible, it's nothing to do with her!! I would probably not respond to a very emotional advert as it would worry me as to what would come out of it. If someone just wants to know an ex horse is ok, that's fine but I think people should tread carefully unless there are actual welfare issues with the new owner and even then I don't think FB emotional posts are the way to go!!

 

[shortstuff99]

I felt a little uncomfortable with the amount of staying in touch my horses last owner wanted. She did visit but I've slowly backed away. He's young, she had him less than 2years and he wasn't right for her so she sent him to sales livery and bought herself a new horse. He's mine and without meaning to be horrible, it's nothing to do with her!! I would probably not respond to a very emotional advert as it would worry me as to what would come out of it. If someone just wants to know an ex horse is ok, that's fine but I think people should tread carefully unless there are actual welfare issues with the new owner and even then I don't think FB emotional posts are the way to go!!

Glad I'm not the only one that feels this way! I think too that unless it's a welfare issue people should be left to get on with their new horses in peace.

 

[paddi22]

Yeah i always find those posts very odd. One of mine's old owner is lovely, we are friends on facebook and she likes the photos of him when they go up. But she would never be intrusive about him or question me on things and I think thats a nice approach on her part

 

[HorseyTee]

I have my horses old owner on facebook and instagram so she is able to see updates of him on there, but that is it, she has nothing else to do with us.
She sold him for a reason.

I can understand old owners wanting to know their old horses are doing ok etc but agree some of the posts searching for horses sold years ago would put me off if I was the new owner as some come across a bit 'nutjob' lol.

 

[milliepops]

I have my horses old owner on facebook and instagram so she is able to see updates of him on there, but that is it, she has nothing else to do with us.
She sold him for a reason.

I can understand old owners wanting to know their old horses are doing ok etc but agree some of the posts searching for horses sold years ago would put me off if I was the new owner as some come across a bit 'nutjob' lol.

agree with this.

I have the old owner of the horse I was gifted on FB, she also likes the updates relating to her but is not intrusive. She gave her to me because she'd given up and turned her away, I said at the time that I might not keep her but I'd do the right thing by the horse. That was all fine.
I sought out the breeder of my new purchase just to ask for any history as I'd bought her from the local sales and knew nothing. She sent a few photos of her as a foal and was a bit sad to learn she'd ended up at the sales but we had a chat and that was the end of that.

If someone from any of my horses' pasts started trying to dig up stuff years and years on I would probably steer well clear!

 

[JulesRules]

I keep Smudge's old owner up to date with the odd email but as I've owned her 7 years they are few and far between these days. Another of her old owners found me when I was advertising her for share a few years back. Apparently she had sold her due to ill health (owners not Smudge's) and thought she was going to a forever home which turned out to be a dealer. She had apparently been searching for her for several years, but really just wanted to know she was okay. She came to see her once and I have her on FB so she will see occasional updates but overall she doesn't bother us.

I bought Rory from his breeder. He was her favourite which is why she hung onto him for so long. I keep her up to date as she clearly misses him and it's only been a few months. As time passes the updates will probably lessen off.

I've never sold a horse, but if I had I would probably like to reassure myself that they were okay. I still visit my old loan horse who is now retired and in his 30s.

 

[Fiona]

I have both my ponies previous owners (plus one's breeder) on FB abd they love seeing updates, but that's it. Occasionally we bump into each other at a show and have a quick chat.

I'd probably be uncomfortable with more than that tbh, unless I asked for advice (which I have a couple of times for the child's pony)

Fiona

 

[honetpot]

I have only sold a few over 40 years and now we have google every 6months or so I do a search, I have only contacted them if they are for sale. Most of the time its good news, those that disappear I worry about. I have got two back, one is an old boy now, he had a lot of owners since I sold him and I think most of them have looked after them its only in the last couple of years he has been passed about.

 

[*Sahara]

It comes off to me a 'nut job' aswell, Nugget's sellers aren't bothered in the slightest about him, honestly think they wanted shot as he was in the way sadly.

I'm friends on fb with Dante's breeders as i contacted them when i purchased him, i wanted to know about his mother and more about their stud. She was thrilled that i had gone to the trouble of finding them and are lovely poeple, she adores updates when they come but never bothers me. We wven have conversations that don't include the horses.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I am fb friends with some we have sold. One is currently in a lovely home as a broodmare which is what she was destined to be. She hated being ridden hence why we sold her. I am not intrusive at all. I saw her pictures on a Welsh group on fb so just commented that it was nice to see her looking so well and producing cracking offspring and that if she ever needed a retirement home then I would happily buy her back. But that's as far as the conversation went. I don't make a point of asking about her as they post plenty of pics of her anyway!

I tag Grays racing owners in pics once in a while if I put any on Twitter just so they know he is still as much of a pleb as he always was! Every so often I put a shout out on the yards fb page when we have a quiet week of racing to see if anyone wants to volunteer an update on their exracers from our yard. We usually have a good uptake and always ask if we can put them in a post on the page. It also keeps the public happy knowing their favourite horse, or one they once won money on, is doing well in life.

But I like the quiet life and I wouldn't like it if people came pestering about horses they had sold years ago!

 

[ester]

I think it depends on scenarios, if it has been a horse they really didn't want to but had to sell due to circumstances I can sort of understand it.

We happily invited Frank's old (teenage) owner to come and visit as they sold on to someone else and he was quickly sold again to us and as they didn't expect or understand the problem I think it it put their minds at rest to know where he had ended up (helped us no end to watch her ride him too), didn't really hear from them after that though I did drop her a facebook message a few years ago to say he was still with us and staying until the end. I'd love to know who had him before that if someone was looking.

One of mum's mares old owners makes contact about once a year and that's fine too (she was also resold to us 8 weeks after someone else bought her).

 

[southerncomfort]

I was harassed for 2 years by my pony's old owner. Even after i blocked them on everything they kept putting notices up on various websites asking for info on the pony. The police had to get involved in the end so I am very wary of keeping in touch with old owners now and never share those sort of posts.

Having said that I have added our new pony's old owners on FB and so far they seem nice and perfectly sane!

 

[Red-1]

I have kept in touch with old owners of those horses whose old owners wanted keeping in touch. I also kept in touch with every horse I sold (since being an adult anyway). The only issue I once had was a horse I had paid 12K for, and the old owner called to inform me that he was now retired and therefore could come and ride her. Er, no, I paid for her so she is mine to ride.

None of them has gone "wrong" as I kept in touch even with the one who wanted to ride. It is bittersweet when you get 'the call' though when one passes. Having said that, they all stayed with their new owners to the end, so at least they were never passed around. I must admit, I rarely sell one, and when I do it is akin to a adoption interview.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I have tried to keep in touch with all my old horses and ponies. I am not intrusive but when selling I have asked if I can have the odd update and these days I ask if I can follow on FB. Plus my phone number is in the passports saying ''if this pony ever needs a home please ring.....".

I have lost touch with one who was sold on after 6 months. I do sometimes google her name as I'd love to know how she is doing. But I would not launch a FB search. It's tempting but I do think it could seem instrusive. I have stayed in touch with all the rest for at least a year though and the new owners do send me pictures and updates randomly every so often which is lovely. I recently got the 10th anniversary photos of a LR/FR shettie I sold a decade ago who is still in the same home and is there for life.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

I am a Facebook friend of the new owner of a young horse that I sold recently and I am thrilled to get her 'updates' but would never interfere. I am also a Facebook Friend of a horse that I bought nearly 10 years ago - she always comments on my posts about the mare. I have also been contacted via this site by the new owner of another horse I sold and I am now friends with another new owner of the same horse - who also tracked me down through this site. It has been a pleasure to watch this horse progress through the ranks, but again, she is no longer my horse, and I wouldn't presume to advise or interfere. Once a horse is sold you need to detach yourself but it is great to get positive updates.

 

[Snowfilly]

I answered a post on preloved from a lady asking if anyone knew what had happened to her pony - who was my horse of a lifetime. Her parents had sold him because in their words 'she needed a proper horse.'

I'd had him put down the year before and was able to tell her how loved and happy he'd been for the last 11 years of his life, and she was happy.

However, she said if he'd been alive, she'd have wanted to buy him back...that horse wouldn't have left me if I'd had to sleep in a tent and work 3 jobs, so it could have been a very awkward situation.

We're in contact with owners of several foals we've bred over the years but aside from liking facebook posts and sometimes having a coffee when we meet at shows, we don't interfere.

 

[shortstuff99]

It's nice to hear these stories 😊. I am still in touch with the breeder of my horse, I'm just uncomfortable with the posts that seem to be angling to get their old horses back.....my horses are now mine and unless the horse is for sale then I don't want to sell them! It seems a bit crazy.

 

[Leo Walker]

I stay in touch with old owners. Its easy now with Facebook. Its only gone wrong one and she was a nutjob so it was never going to end well! The ones I've sold I keep tabs on. I dont interfere but I do love seeing updates about what they are doing and seeing how happy they are in their new homes.

 

[milliepops]

It's nice to hear these stories 😊. I am still in touch with the breeder of my horse, I'm just uncomfortable with the posts that seem to be angling to get their old horses back.....my horses are now mine and unless the horse is for sale then I don't want to sell them! It seems a bit crazy.

yeah one just popped up on my FB, and it read as completely desperate bunny-boiler type stuff. I'd be so wary about getting in touch with someone like that.

 

[shortstuff99]

yeah one just popped up on my FB, and it read as completely desperate bunny-boiler type stuff. I'd be so wary about getting in touch with someone like that.

I think we perhaps saw the same one, I just felt responding to an add like that would just be a massive can of worms!

 

[conniegirl]

I hate the overly emotional ones on facebook or anywhere else.
I see no problem with a "do you know XXXX pony, sold XXXX date, would love to know how he is doing" type posts but not the ones the OP mentions.

I can completely understand it if the horse was stolen, missing, sold whilst on loan (without permission) etc. But if you sold the horse then you have no right to know how it is doing, it is very nice to get updates but they need to be at the new owners discretion.

My horse of a lifetime I did keep in touch with previous owners, friends on facebook etc. but it was never pushy from her and I was happy to do so. IF she had been pushy or demanding i'd have probably cut contact

 

[Quadro]

I keep in touch with the breeders of some of mine, too the point where we are now good friends. Ones I have sold I have 2 of them on FB, one tried to sell me the horse back at a lot more than she had paid for him, to which I obviously said no. The other puts up pics etc, but hasn't done as well with the horse as she had hoped, so the communication has died down a bit.

 

[pixie27]

I have my current horse's previous owners on FB as he was a favourite of theirs. They're fairly local so have been to visit once. They're super supportive and it's nice to know his history and that he's exactly as they said he was (after buying one that totally wasn't). They like the odd update and leave comments, but that's it.

I also had an utter nutjob of an ex-owner too. She let the pony get a few 100kgs overweight, then badmouthed me to people when I muzzled him and stopped hard feed etc (all done with vet's help as he had a lot of weight to lose). She used to come and see him every single week and even broke into the yard one evening when I said she couldn't come as I was busy. She used to interfere with every single decision I made and it got to the point where it felt as if he was only mine on loan, not owned. I eventually sold him (as I said I would - I bought him to get my confidence back), and gave her first refusal - she didn't want him back as she was enjoying her lie-ins, but gave me hell when I sold him. She put prospective buyers off by saying I was lying and caused no end of trouble.

 

[Ddraig_wen]

I keep track of alot of the horses I've worked with but I'd never beg owners for details or anything. I do a random google now and again to see how they're getting on or if they've popped up in sale reports but thats about it.
I have a couple of people on facebook who have horses I've sold or worked with. I'm happy to keep in touch with previous owners but I've had a couple who want constant almost daily updates. These ones I won't deal with. I have my guys previous owners on facebook so they can see updates

 

[Micky]

Oh I don’t know..don’t you ever get a strong out of the blue feeling about your past horses? I’ve sold 3 over the years, hoping they have gone to good homes..one def didn’t but I luckily traced the lovely person who has him now and he is happy, we caught up on his antics and that’s it..the other went to a lovely home too..only one I just recently wondered where she’s ended up and would love to know as she’s wasnt the easiest but deserved a fair chance, I’m a worry wort and hate to think something awful has happened to her..just a simple yes she’s great in a loving home..certainly not to stalk or harass..!

 

[milliepops]

Oh I don’t know..don’t you ever get a strong out of the blue feeling about your past horses? I’ve sold 3 over the years, hoping they have gone to good homes..one def didn’t but I luckily traced the lovely person who has him now and he is happy, we caught up on his antics and that’s it..the other went to a lovely home too..only one I just recently wondered where she’s ended up and would love to know as she’s wasnt the easiest but deserved a fair chance, I’m a worry wort and hate to think something awful has happened to her..just a simple yes she’s great in a loving home..certainly not to stalk or harass..!

I think a simple enquiry is one thing. The gushing OTT posts on FB are quite another.

I sometimes think it's better not to know, as for the most part we aren't in a position to change things. I haven't sold a horse since i was a teenager, I've been fortunate to keep them since then so avoid this issue now. I know my first pony next went to a family with 4 little girls so I expect she ended her days with them. The next ones... I lost touch the day they were loaded from the yard. I wasn't in a position to have any of them back so what good would it have done to know if there wasn't a happy tale? I'm not trying to be snipey, it's a genuine question. I sold them so they were no longer mine to have control over.

 

[DabDab]

Yes, some requests for info do read as decidedly creepy.

I've never enquired after a horse I sold. I do send the odd update to Arty's breeders (who I bought her from), because she was a homebred that was only sold due to a change in circumstances, and a 'home more important than price' type sale.