Unscrupulous Dealers

[lucyloo7]

Just heard today that a six year old boy is in hospital awaiting an operation to repair his shattered arm. This little boy came off a pony that went ballistic. It was sold as a first pony by an unscrupulous dealer. These particular individuals are know locally (and on this forum) for selling unsuitable, dangerous horses but yet they are still in business.

Obviously, I am not going to name names but as a general point what can be done about horse dealers who knowingly sell dangerous horses. Is there an authority they can be reported to.

 

[TS_]

I don't know whether there is an authority that these things can be reported to, and to be honest I doubt anything would be done if they were reported!
But I completely agree with you, I hate how people can sell dangerous or unfit horses and get away with it. It really makes my blood boil. Especially as it's happened to me so I know how it feels.
I hope the boy makes a speedy recovery and doesn't loose his confidence or wanting to ride.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Trading standards is the first port of call - particularly if the pony was newly acquired! They're quite hot on investigating shady dealers! And then the parents should speak to a good equine solicitor - they may have a case against the dealer - at very least they could force him to take it back and refund purchase price.

 

[hoggedmane]

I have recently taken a dealer to court and won for not honouring her warranty. The pony I bought was supposed to be very quiet ( babysitter on legs and saint were two phrases used in the ad). I have found rather differently.
Despite winning my case the dealer has returned the court papers marked gone away and has not picked him up or given me refund or court costs. She is still advertising horses and working out of the same yard. I have spoken to trading standards and am now sending them everything as there are other aspects of the sale that seem wrong . It is very frustrating becasue now to pursue it further I have to pay more court costs. I even have to get a court order to sell the pony. I am going to use this court order to put all her known aliases on the original judgement. Then I can get her to court to swear under oath what she earns - if she doesn't attend she could go to jail. I will use this evidence to go to the tax people as she works in cash. It seems wrong to me that having been awarded a judgement in court she is not now in trouble for not following the orders of that judgement.

I have heard from lots of other people who also had bad experiences of the same dealer including one person who ended up badly injured.

 

[Kenzo]

Don't know how they sleep at night.

The horses just get passed from piller to post and people get injured, dealers end up with a bad rep, honestly don't know how they keep in business, obviously the internet and people that are willing to travel far...as well as the use of drugs.

Its a shame because it gives the trade 'horse dealer' a bad rep, when in fact there is a lot a good dealers out there.