Tricky ownership situation, any advice???

amymay said:
I wouldn't waste your phone bill.

You have a bill of sale.

Just enjoy your horse.
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100% this. I’d be very surprised if the old owner turned up at your yard given the distance you have quoted. You have said the yard is secure so try not to worry. Has she replied to your OH latest message?
 
Claire.81 said:
I’m going to give the BHS helpline a call on Monday, hopefully they’ll be able to give me some advice as to where I stand.
I don’t want to get attached to him if at the end of the day this woman can come and take him back whenever she feels like it. I understand that she would have been able to do that if I had been loaning him but this is something completely new to me.
As far as everyone else seems to be concerned she’s sold him to me, and I do have a handwritten letter clearly stating she’s sold him, not loaned him, but I do worry that I could end up getting both heartbroken and skint if I don’t do things by the book.
Not to mention the poor horse could end up god knows where......
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I do think you should speak to BHS for legal advice and advice on the best way forward but rest assured that you have done everything by the book; you have a bill of sale, signed by the former owner and an independent witness, in the shape of your YO, to the conversation when your horse was delivered to you.
 
Having had a horrible experience with the former owners of one of my ponies, my advice would be to stop being nice!

Tell her firmly that she sold the horse and the horse is now yours. Don't add her on Facebook but send her an update every now and then if you want to.

In my case I had to get the police to intervene and they issued the former owners with a harassment warning. It was all very unpleasant and the stress made me I'll.
 
I think what has happened is someone has told her a horse competing BD Elementary is worth a heck of a lot more than £300.
I wouldn’t keep in touch with her on FB. Distance yourself from her.
If she bothers you again take legal advice and send her a very formal letter .
 
JanetGeorge said:
Just a warning. I've been through this before. Same sort of story - with illustration. Woman put her mare in foal to my stallion, Lady's Tralee Raj. She was a nice mare - but unpapered and unsound. After a few months her circumstances had changed and she wanted to give her to me - for life! After a bit of toing and froing, I said yes. And ALSO agreed to take her 30 year old pony at the same time as she'd arranged for him to go to a very good sanctuary (with my help) but they couldn't have him for 6 weeks. So they arrived - pony in abysmal condition which ran me up some vet's bills before he went to Equine Market Watch (where he lived happily until he was more than 40.) Dolly foaled, a lovely filly, and was put in foal to Raj again. THEN she decided she wanted her back (she'd found a new bloke with a one acre field.) She said she'd pay my expenses (had no idea what they were.) I tried being nice - and then told her to sod off. So they turned up at my yard and were lucky I wasn't here and staff were out hacking - they tried to EAL her (3 weeks before foaling!!), AND her yearling filly. Luckily the filly told them to sod off too and bolted up my drive to run into staff returning. They got Dolly off the trailer, LOCKED both of them in stables - then I got home. They told me they'd called the police so I told them to wait in the road! Police took 4 hours to arrive - they came back down the drive. I told the police there WOULD be a breach of the peace if she tried to take the horse, so police removed her. THEN she took me to Small Claims Court!! I didn't bother with a lawyer - just prepared well - and Judge laughed her out! Dolly stayed with me and had some more beautiful foals until she was too old and was PTS on the farm at 25yo. Hopefully, YOUR horse's owner will go away - but she MIGHT be a nut job like Dolly's former owner.
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Now that is a froot loop, but I don't think you had a receipt for a 'sale' like the OP?
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I do think you should speak to BHS for legal advice and advice on the best way forward but rest assured that you have done everything by the book; you have a bill of sale, signed by the former owner and an independent witness, in the shape of your YO, to the conversation when your horse was delivered to you.
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^^^^ This. OR find an equine-specialist solicitor and pay up-front for some advice (might be worth it in the long run).

IF you have a Bill of Sale, and a Receipt for the transaction; plus the Passport in your possession (yes??); plus an independent witness, then surely the situation should be ducks-@rse watertight.

However: there is one precaution I would take - and that is to move your horse to somewhere else - it might just need to be a temporary measure, and needn't be a huge distance from where you currently are, but I would be worried if the former owner knows where he is........... and my understanding is that she does at the moment??

Seek legal advice, sit tight - and move your horse as soon as you can - would be my advice.
 
In my opinion I wouldn't be inviting the woman down to visit the horse, whole story seems farfetched/whacko, and best to just cut ties. However, if you feel that you must maintain contact, the odd text/picture being sent is fine.
 
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