What do I do!?

[LauraB123]

I had a lovely Tb mare who I had been retraining for a year. She was going beautifully and was doing very well with her basic schooling, and had started jumping courses of about 2ft 6 happily. However I started a new job which was stopping me from being able to ride in the evenings during the winter. So I did my best to work her in the week but tbh she was probably worked a couple of times during the week and both days on the weekend. Obviously this wasn't going to end well after after a few weeks she was realy starting to get a handful and became quite unpredictable and naughty. Totally down to lack of work I know! So i decided enough was enough, I have to work to keep them so when a lady emailed back to one of my adverts saying she would was from a yard called ........ and they specialise in ex racehorses could she help with selling her I went and had a look around her yard. She seemed nice and her yard was tidy and all the horses looked in good condition and well looked after. So I decided it would be best for my mare to go there and get worked properly everyday like she used to and the yard could deal with all the advertising etc! (I hate it!) However 2 months on, she is plodding round the school on her like she has literally just come out of racing "keeping her calm"(She was well capable of this nearly a year ago!) I asked if she has been clipped because I hadn't had chance before she left me and she was getting quite hot when I had been working her. The lady told me that in her opinion she doesn't need clipping. The photo's she has sent me have been taken on a phone, from a distance, with my mare plodding round a field with her nose poking out! I finally found the adverts that she had put up and they are all my pictures that tbh aren't that great and to top it off she's advertising her as suitable for novices. When I sent her to her I said several times what it is the mare is capable of, what work I had been doing with her for a year, and the kind of person I wanted to buy her. I said specifically no novices. She is a very talented mare and would make a lovely rc/pc/eventer. I don't no what to do. I struggle to speak to the woman, she is patronising and winds me up and doesn't listen to a word I say. I've now got no room even to take her back now. I'm so fed up of it I haven't got a clue what to do! Sorry, essay and a half! Lol

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I think in your heart you know you need to move her. Are there any other training yards in the area where you could take her to? It sounds like this woman isn't capable of bringing her on to sell for you.

I've got an ex racehorse, so I can completely appreciate where you're coming from. Mine is amazingly talented, but it's a full time job keeping his head in the right frame of mind to get the good work out of him.

 

[Tickles]

I think you need to find another place to sell her for you.

Unfortunately, depending on what (if any!?!) contract you have with the current place you *might* have to pay for
- livery
- advertising
- schooling
from the place where she as right now becasue they won't be gettig anything from the ev eventual sale.

You obviously really aren't happy about the situation though so I don't think you have a lot of choice.

Only other option that springs to mind is putting her up for full loan to somewhere you can keep an eye?

 

[LauraB123]

I can't really find anywhere around here. I have a contract with her but it says nothing about if she doesn't sell her or what happens if I move her away. If I'm not happy with the service I'm getting as such and theres nothing in the contract can she charge me? I'm not too good with that side of things. Thanks for the advice

 

[Tickles]

Doesn't sound like a very good contract!

Maybe have a look through and post details on here of who is supposed to pay what to who and when? (Are you paying a weekly amount for her to be there? Does she get a fixed fee on sale or a percentage of the price? etc, etc) There are bound to be forum experts who can tell you what is usual...

Also: if you make a new post stating your area I'm sure you'll get suggestions about (good we hope!) sales livery just a *little* bit further away.

 

[LauraB123]

She takes 20% of the price she sells her for. I did try posting that before I let this woman have her. When I got the contract I did think it was a bit basic. Now I know that everything is a bit basic! You live and learn though. I'll try it again and see if i get any suggestions. Thankyou x

 

[Tickles]

In that case if you're denying her the right to make her 20% you should probably offer to pay full livery costs (whatever is usual in your area for the kind of facilities/bedding/food etc, etc). And possibly something for exercising too.

You might get away without covering advertising costs if you point out (tactfully and pre-emptively) that the ads aren't really telling the truth...

On the other hand...
- you want the horse sold and this lady won't get any money unless she does get sold so should be motivated
- other than not clipping (which a TB in light work might not really need) and schooling not being what you'd like if the horse is well cared for it isn't suffering

So, concerns for leaving her there are really
- will she get sold to a home she is too much for and potentially get a bad reputation/come to harm/do someone an injury?
- will your 80% be of a smaller sale price due to the poor schooling or arrive later due to difficulty selling? (tbh if the alternative is paying full livery for the time she has been there you might find you're out of pocket a little anyway)

Difficult one but I think I'd bite the bullet, agree an amount to get the horse out and start again if I was really concerned...

 

[LauraB123]

The thought of her being sold to a "Novice" home like this lady is advertising is what really is worrying me. I've had my fair share of ex racehorses and only one of them I would consider novice, and that is def not this one! I don't want her to end up somewhere horrible because she is sold to a novice who she is then too much for. I especially don't want someone to get hurt being sold a horse that is not for a novice and losing their confidence. I really don't know what I should do. I have posted a new thread asking about different sales livery yards and I'll see if anything comes of that. I know she is being looked after, I can't deny that. But its the working and the adverts. I wouldn't even have minded if she listened to me and took what I was saying on board instead of dismissing it and patronising me. I have known this particular horse for 5years, I exercised her when she was racing and I have owned her for over a year. At the end of the day she is being paid to sell her to the best home. A novice home is not, and I specifically said this before she even got her! I clearly stated to her twice I want her to go to a competitive home doing RC/Pc/Eventing. Thankyou for the advice x