What the hell have I done!

[cariadssogreat]

I have just bought a mare at auction , it was not described properly in the catalogue or by the auctioneer!
To cut a long story short she is wild and in foal and 18!
I knew she was wild, I knew she could be in foal - however she was listed as 4! Trust me she does not look her age.
The auctioneers say the description is the responsibilty of the vendor, hmm I am annoyed. I am an experienced horse person - and doing my equine degree - so although niave I am not lacking in knowledge. I suppose that what I am saying is that I am terribly annoyed that people can be as ruthless as to put these animals to auction - and sending them on to an owner who knows nothing about when the mare is due etc. Looking at her I would say it will be a September/ October foal - JOY! I also had a word with the incredibly annoying RSPCA while I was there because they put a mare through the auction that was clearly due to foal soon and bagged up etc. The RSPCA said that there was no legislation to cover this and that as long as the horse passes the vet on the way in thats fine? Clearly this is not right - heavily in foal mares surely need to go to an experienced home - am I right or wrong?
I guess the long and short of it is that I am angry about how irresponsible some people are to their horses. I am not too worried as I have youngsters - and have had mares to foal before etc, but I am just in limbo on guess work with a wild stressed horse. Yes I have my work cut out. I could just never "whack a horse through auction" like that. Sorry for the winge - I am just really annoyed at how irresponsible some people can be.

 

[allijudd]

F****** *** you are joking...why do people do that?

 

[cariadssogreat]

I am not joking. I like the poor old girl - BUT WHY OH WHY ARE PEOPLE SO IRRESPONSIBLE. Not being funny but if she is a knackered old girl then do the right thing? I dont think this is quite the case as she is not barren. Honesty is all I ever want from people - especially with and for animals. GRRR. No doubt I shall wean the foal , halter break her (hopefully before the foal - but do not want to stress her too much) and then find her a companion home. Oh and she is like a hat rack!

 

[vicijp]

Sorry to put a dampener on things but, even though she may not look her age her teeth will tell the true story.
People 'whack horses through an auction' because there are always people who will buy them.

 

[Rachel_M]

Did you not see the horse before the auction? Does it have a passport?

 

[cariadssogreat]

I am not joking. I like the poor old girl - BUT WHY OH WHY ARE PEOPLE SO IRRESPONSIBLE. Not being funny but if she is a knackered old girl then do the right thing? I dont think this is quite the case as she is not barren. Honesty is all I ever want from people - especially with and for animals. GRRR. No doubt I shall wean the foal , halter break her (hopefully before the foal - but do not want to stress her too much) and then find her a companion home. Oh and she is like a hat rack!

 

[cariadssogreat]

Yes it does have a passport. Don't get me wrong I know I have been niave, too trusting and possibly foolish. All I am saying is why do people lie and why isn't there tougher legislation to prevent animals going through the sales heavily in foal?

 

[Rachel_M]

If the passport says she is four then you may have some sort of comeback but I am unsure of current laws regarding this.



I know what you are trying to say. People who do this must know full well what they are doing and the dangers. Its the horses I feel sorry for. Do the best you can, thats all you can do and hope that the foalie is a little stunner!

 

[The Virgin Dubble]

If she was listed in the catalogue as 4 years old, and her passport say's she's 18 years old, then get in touch with Trading Standards as she was sold under a false description.

 

[LauraBR]

Well, all the nasty stuff aside..... what a lucky girl she is that you bought her! Dread to think who else could have bought her and what might have happened to her.

Very lucky girl and foalie indeed to have you.

 

[cariadssogreat]

Thank you very much for your kind words - all of you, is there anything that we can do to try and get some legislation sorted - as this is so wrong. The auctioneers put the responsibility on to the vendor but the vendor is clearly unscrupulous otherwise they would not be doing this, I think that what happened to me is not uncommon

 

[Helenabbey]

What happened to you is not uncommon That is why if I couldnt get near enough to a pony to check its teeth, or if it wasnt at all babyish in appearance I would not buy it. I agree it is harsh, but that is why ponies and horses are cheaper in sales, nobody wants to make an expensive mistake.

 

[gingsgreyhorse]

Hi. I was there on Thursday too. Very unusual for an older mare who isn't barren to be put through....

I would contact the vendor. Do it politely and ask how old they told the auctioneer the mare was. How do you know the auctioneer hasn't made a mistake and it wasn't a typo in the catalogue? I would ask for some proof that she wasn't missold.

Don't give her a hard time about not being able to judge the pony up close before buying it. At the sales it is just about impossible to inspect any of them up close because they would have only come off the forest in the last few days and hardly any are handled, but that is why they don't go for much money (although thankfully more than they used to!). I think you've been terribly unlucky. Are you a member of the BHS? You could call their legal helpline?

 

[cariadssogreat]

Thanks for your response gingsgreyhorse - how uncanny is that - that you were at the same sales? I spoke to the auctioneers after the auction and they put it down to the vendor. To be honest I am not going to push it as in all honestly I don't want to send the mare back now after all that she has gone through and the fact that it would be unfair. As I have said before I am an experienced horse person and realise that I was foolish perhaps for believing what the auctioneer said? I will keep her as a companion regardless no doubt as she could be a great nanny for my babes.
I really do think something should be done about the legislation for auctioning horses though. My other half is a farmer and I feel that sold as seen for farm livestock is one thing but horses are for a purpose and therefore should be described accuratley, and should not be sold heavily in foal as you cannot guarantee that they are going to a knowledgable home.

 

[KarenX]

Awwww, thats so nice that you are keeping the old girl! Lucky her - she's got herself a nice caring home. I hope she makes a good nanny for your youngsters.

Good luck.

Karen

 

[Puppy]

Sad story, but best of luck with her. xx

 

[PeterNatt]

The issue is that the auctioneers should ensure that their printed details are correct and need in this instance to establish if it was the auctioneers or the venders who supplied the incorrect information so as to avoid this situation occuring again. You would be doing some great good if you formally asked the auctioneers to investigate or if you feel that they are covering up get trading standards involved. At least that way the auctioneers will be more reluctant to accept the word of this particular vendor again. The welfare of the horses come first before the profits made by the auctioneers or vendors.

 

[cariadssogreat]

Thank you PeterNatt, I did question the auctioneers after the sale, however they passed it back as the vendors information. I will probably discuss this with trading standards. Its the first time that I have bought at an auction - and in all honesty nothing is going to change regarding what has happened - but from a welfare point of view I think it should never happen.

 

[Faithkat]

I suspect you bought your mare at Beaulieu Road from your description? To be honest, anything that is sold at Beaulieu Road is very much buyer beware!! Wasn't it obvious that the mare was in-foal particularly if she's as poor as you say!! The checks on the horses are, to say the least, perfunctory. The first one I ever bought came from there, he was 3/4TB 1/4NF, was 4 months old to the day and not weaned!!! As he was quite big I didn't realise how young he was and his age was not advertised . . . he was quite a lot of work initially!

The following is copied from Thursday's catalogue :

8. DESCRIPTION The descriptions in the catalogue are those furnished by the Vendors and the Auctioneers are not
to be held liable for any mis-description, heights and ages are not guaranteed and Purchasers must satisfy
themselves as to these matters. Any claim by purchasers under the Trades Description, Misrepresentation or
Sale of Goods Act must be made directly by the Purchaser against the Vendor. Vendors must notify the
Auctioneers at once of any mis-statements as to their entries otherwise the description as printed in the catalogue
will be deemed correct, furthermore, any verbal statement made by the Vendor and entered on the Auctioneers
Sale Sheet will be deemed binding on the Vendor in so far as any dispute between Vendor and Purchaser may be
actionable at Law.

 

[cariadssogreat]

Thanks for that - and I realise buyer beware etc. I did realise that she was in foal - I was just led to believe that she was 14 yrs younger than she is! Nothing is going to change what has happened and thats fine - I can live with it etc etc etc. I would just like something to be done to stop mis representations to be allowed and to prevent heavily in foal mares going to auction like that. Perfectly happy with the idea of an in foal mare being privately sold to a home that is knowledgeable - but I am certain that some people have made purchases similar to my own but now are in the situation where they have nowhere suitable to house the animal or any knowledge to care for it. I am sure that we are all in agreement that just because they are forest animals doesn't mean they shouldn't be treated with the usual kindness and compassion that we give to our own animals.

 

[Faithkat]

I agree with you about the knowledgeable home concept. I remember some years ago helping a friend deliver a NF yearling purchased at Beaulieu Road. The people who bought it lived in a semi-detached house on a large council estate on the outskirts of Havant - we delivered the pony to their back garden . . . . I was, to say the least, faintly horrified but there's nothing you can do, sadly. They thought a pony would be "fun for the kids", they knew nothing at all about horses, I often wonder where the pony ended up. . . .

 

[Claireg9]

I know i hate sales, i dont go because i would come back with everything because i felt sorry for it! Its so nice that you have decided to keep your mare, who knws after having baby once fattened up and trust is built she might make a happy hack for you or someone you know! And baby might turn out to be a complete superstar!
I read your post and just think what a happy ending! Im sorry if that sounds selfish but i long for someone knowledgeable to purchase every one of those horses there, whether it be a mistake or not so they have the life they deserve.
Well done you i hope it all works out.
x

 

[cariadssogreat]

Thanks forester and claireg9, alot of people are possibly not understanding what I am getting at - maybe my fault for the way I have written it. I just wish we could do something about the legislation so that it ensured they went to at least a slightly horsey home and the animals that are heavily in foal - such as mine who we are guessing will drop in around a month - should not be put through the ring. I have absolutely nothing against private sales of in foal mares though. Also I think there should be something to stop them being mis described as mine was by 14 years!

 

[Faithkat]

Under other circumstances (Tattersalls in Newmarket, for example) I wouldn't have a problem with selling an in-foal mare at a sale but Beaulieu Road is a pretty stresssful place with the ponies being herded about from pen to pen with the very real possibility of being kicked etc and it is NOT the place for a heavily in-foal mare, of any age, to be. Hope your mare has settled and that you get a nice foal - is the mare a Forester?