charmaine
Well-Known Member
Mr. McAteer is probably reading all these posts and thoroughly enjoying it. He probably believes it vindicates what he has done so well done everyone who thinks the poor people who bought the horses were at fault.
WATCHDOG AT 7PM
- Thread starter charmaine
- Start date
Happy Horse
Well-Known Member
It seems the issue is with his failure to honour his seven day refund policy. The difference between a horse and a tv is that how the horse is handled by the new owner will be reflected in the behaviour over time - a tv either works or doesn't.
Yes, if a dealer knowingly sells a horse that is dangerous then he should be strung up but a horse developing problems a month after purchase has not necessarily been sold with those issues - they can be learned or developed due to bad handling by the new owner. Vetting prior to purchase greatly reduces the likelihood of it ever reaching this stage.
Yes, if a dealer knowingly sells a horse that is dangerous then he should be strung up but a horse developing problems a month after purchase has not necessarily been sold with those issues - they can be learned or developed due to bad handling by the new owner. Vetting prior to purchase greatly reduces the likelihood of it ever reaching this stage.
Happy Horse
Well-Known Member
I don't see anyone who has vindicated him - I have seen lots of people pointing out that the purchasers could have done a lot more to avoid being caught out.
Stella
Well-Known Member
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I was advised to by my then instructor. I protested and said, "I hardly know anything, its too soon" and she told me it was the only way to really learn to ride, "you can only learn a little bit on a school horse". I trusted her. You won't be suprised to learn that she then rode the horse 'for me'!
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What a terrible person she was.
[/ QUOTE ] There are a lot of them about
Maybe she was passing her time with that untl she could afford to be a dodgy dealer
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I was advised to by my then instructor. I protested and said, "I hardly know anything, its too soon" and she told me it was the only way to really learn to ride, "you can only learn a little bit on a school horse". I trusted her. You won't be suprised to learn that she then rode the horse 'for me'!
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[/ QUOTE ] There are a lot of them about
charmaine
Well-Known Member
I have already admitted that I could have done more and made mistakes as I am sure many others have done, it doesn't excuse Mr. McAteer for his behaviour, and believe me you don't know the half of it.
301184
Well-Known Member
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I don't see anyone who has vindicated him - I have seen lots of people pointing out that the purchasers could have done a lot more to avoid being caught out.
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Exactly!!
I don't see anyone who has vindicated him - I have seen lots of people pointing out that the purchasers could have done a lot more to avoid being caught out.
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Exactly!!
jennystreek
Well-Known Member
I didnt see the programme, but have to say that I do think that a few people here on this post are being victimised for being novices......and have to say well done for fighting your corner!! I can see what you are saying about the vetting, ie they should be picking up on the physical points, not always necessarily the temperament - i suppose it will partly depend on the vet and the level of vetting you have done. Dont get me wrong, i have bought a mare recently and had a 5 stage done, with the vet acessing her suitability for Novice/Intermediate eventing, but not sure if i would necessarily rely on a vets opinion for temperament?? At the end of the day not all vets would come from a horsey background and are qualified for their expertise in medicine, not animal temperaments, although some may be able to look at both. What i would use them for is to tell me if the horse has a slight lameness or injury etc.
Trouble with these boards is that people take things the wrong way at times, and as it is all text it is difficult to interpret peoples views at times so things are taken out of context. But give the "novices" a break and criticise the dealer that is obviously taking advantage of people that are perhaps less knowledgeable than you!!
Trouble with these boards is that people take things the wrong way at times, and as it is all text it is difficult to interpret peoples views at times so things are taken out of context. But give the "novices" a break and criticise the dealer that is obviously taking advantage of people that are perhaps less knowledgeable than you!!
voltaire
Well-Known Member
(bit of a generic reply to the whole thread).
I saw the programme on Watchdog and myself and the OH did ask each other why these people had not had the horses vetted. However if the horse is not as advertised (ie it was advertised as a novice ride and it most certainly wasn't) then I think the person selling the horse should be shot! Advertising directly to novices is basically taking advantage of the people with the least amount of knowledge or horse experience. And I don't like the attitude of "buyer beware". I think it is the responsibility of the seller to answer all questions truthfully and to the best of their knowledge. I'm not suggesting that they volunteer all the horses faults, but if asked a question then it should be answered accurately. Especially when it comes to how appropriate the horse would be a for a novice. C'mon, we've all seen people on horses and wondered how they managed to stay on with a seat that looked like it was made of concrete! If you give them anything fizzy or nappy or something that bucks or rears they stand no chance at all!
If this guy did as I understood Watchdog claimed (i.e. he sold horses he knew to be not a novice ride to novices) then he really should be strung up. Vetting or no vetting the horse was not as advertised or claimed!
I saw the programme on Watchdog and myself and the OH did ask each other why these people had not had the horses vetted. However if the horse is not as advertised (ie it was advertised as a novice ride and it most certainly wasn't) then I think the person selling the horse should be shot! Advertising directly to novices is basically taking advantage of the people with the least amount of knowledge or horse experience. And I don't like the attitude of "buyer beware". I think it is the responsibility of the seller to answer all questions truthfully and to the best of their knowledge. I'm not suggesting that they volunteer all the horses faults, but if asked a question then it should be answered accurately. Especially when it comes to how appropriate the horse would be a for a novice. C'mon, we've all seen people on horses and wondered how they managed to stay on with a seat that looked like it was made of concrete! If you give them anything fizzy or nappy or something that bucks or rears they stand no chance at all!
If this guy did as I understood Watchdog claimed (i.e. he sold horses he knew to be not a novice ride to novices) then he really should be strung up. Vetting or no vetting the horse was not as advertised or claimed!
PaddyMonty
Well-Known Member
Steady peeps steady.
Let me quote a famous president, I believe he said "we dont know what we dont know"
This is the problem the novice has. They dont realise how little they know so can easily be duped. Not their fault.
And as for taking on the local expert. We have all seen them, talk the talk, walk the walk but frankly dont know one end of a horse form the other. To a novice who has just mastered walk, trot, canter and is going out on nice staedy hacks then the person who is flying round a 2'6 course of jumps is an expert.
18 months ago I went with a pupil to a dealers to look at a horse. Some others were also looking at the same time.
Dealer said to us, "I'm just going to leave you to get on with it, do what you want with the horse as you obviously know what you're doing. I've got to sort these other people out."
My reply was "why dont they bring an instructor when looking for a horse" Her reply pointing to this woman wobbling about looking like it was the first time she had sat on a horse - "That is their instructor"
What chance do novices really have?
With years of experience behind you it is easy to see the obvious but that comes from years of making mistakes.
How many of us have had instructors in the past then look back a few years later ands think....'God, they new diddly squat'
And as a final point...I have been around horses for 42 years now and guess what? I still get it wrong sometimes when I buy a horse.
Dealers like the one on the program should be put out of business permenantly.
Let me quote a famous president, I believe he said "we dont know what we dont know"
This is the problem the novice has. They dont realise how little they know so can easily be duped. Not their fault.
And as for taking on the local expert. We have all seen them, talk the talk, walk the walk but frankly dont know one end of a horse form the other. To a novice who has just mastered walk, trot, canter and is going out on nice staedy hacks then the person who is flying round a 2'6 course of jumps is an expert.
18 months ago I went with a pupil to a dealers to look at a horse. Some others were also looking at the same time.
Dealer said to us, "I'm just going to leave you to get on with it, do what you want with the horse as you obviously know what you're doing. I've got to sort these other people out."
My reply was "why dont they bring an instructor when looking for a horse" Her reply pointing to this woman wobbling about looking like it was the first time she had sat on a horse - "That is their instructor"
What chance do novices really have?
With years of experience behind you it is easy to see the obvious but that comes from years of making mistakes.
How many of us have had instructors in the past then look back a few years later ands think....'God, they new diddly squat'
And as a final point...I have been around horses for 42 years now and guess what? I still get it wrong sometimes when I buy a horse.
Dealers like the one on the program should be put out of business permenantly.
jennystreek
Well-Known Member
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And as for taking on the local expert. We have all seen them, talk the talk, walk the walk but frankly dont know one end of a horse form the other. To a novice who has just mastered walk, trot, canter and is going out on nice staedy hacks then the person who is flying round a 2'6 course of jumps is an expert.
sorry but this is so true, and have a look in H&H a few weeks back on the stable stereotype (on the letters page) - sums this up beautifully!!
And as for taking on the local expert. We have all seen them, talk the talk, walk the walk but frankly dont know one end of a horse form the other. To a novice who has just mastered walk, trot, canter and is going out on nice staedy hacks then the person who is flying round a 2'6 course of jumps is an expert.
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
I am experienced and would never buy a horse without vetting it. We have had them fail for stupid things I could never have picked up before. Also I would never buy a car without getting it checked over by someone who knows what they are talking about as I know nothing about them and would never take someones word for it.
If you cannot tell the difference between a sick and healthy horse when buying it what will happen when it is genuinely ill? I find it worrying that so many novices buy without really knowing what they are going into as they can afford to. I think there should be much more stable management courses avaliable for novices as horses are such a wonderful thing and experience can be developed.
If you cannot tell the difference between a sick and healthy horse when buying it what will happen when it is genuinely ill? I find it worrying that so many novices buy without really knowing what they are going into as they can afford to. I think there should be much more stable management courses avaliable for novices as horses are such a wonderful thing and experience can be developed.
Bossanova
Well-Known Member
I agree completely- that ill horse last night, surely anyone who has ever studied a horse before should recognize that was not a well young horse?!!
Bertie_Boo
Well-Known Member
The following comes from a member of another horse forum who actually keeps her horse on the same livery yard as one of the horses mentioned on the programme.
"In the case of Maloney, he was vetted within days, failed hands down, man refused to take him back.
The problem is that the Beeb edited out a whole lot of pretty important stuff - the vettings and other things were explained, but cut from the final piece. And of course people will pick up on that, and say, well, why didn't they do this, etc?"
"In the case of Maloney, he was vetted within days, failed hands down, man refused to take him back.
The problem is that the Beeb edited out a whole lot of pretty important stuff - the vettings and other things were explained, but cut from the final piece. And of course people will pick up on that, and say, well, why didn't they do this, etc?"
spaniel
Well-Known Member
But if thats the case why was the vetting done days later....surely the vetting should be done BEFORE you hand over the money for the horse
????
severnmiles
Well-Known Member
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But if thats the case why was the vetting done days later....surely the vetting should be done BEFORE you hand over the money for the horse
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Exaclty. I'm sorry but if you vet it after you part with the money then the deal is done! There is the saying....'Buyer beware'.
But if thats the case why was the vetting done days later....surely the vetting should be done BEFORE you hand over the money for the horse
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Exaclty. I'm sorry but if you vet it after you part with the money then the deal is done! There is the saying....'Buyer beware'.