Why are people so rude???????????

charlimouse

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I'm selling one of my horses as I am moving jobs, and will not have time for 3 horses after new year. The mare I am selling has won 2 BE90's this season, and has various other placings, she is 8 and I am asking £7000. I had a man ring me up as he was interested in her for his niece moving off ponies. Upon hearing her competition name he berated me for not changing the name as he didn't like it (is is a bit weird, but i'm not paying over £100 to change a name!). He wanted to know exactly how much my horse had won. ie a saddle cloth, leather headcollar etc. Then told me there was no way I could expect to get £7000 for her as she hadn't won alot monetary wise, (well it's not my fault it is prizes in kind at the events she has won, and been placed at!) He then asked for every trainer I had ever trained with, so he could "check up on me". He never once asked about the horse's temprament, or what she is like to hack, as apparently "that doesn't matter as far as price is concerned, don't you know that you can only ask as much as the horse has won!!!!!" I was pretty stunned by this point. I'm upset to have to be selling my horse, and it was not a decision taken lightly, so to be berated by someone inquiring about her made me pretty upset. I fully understand the need to be a bit canny when it come to buying horses, but to be so rude, and keep telling me I am wrong about my own horse was unbelievable. I am BHS registered instructor, and I have evented to Intermediate level, so feel I have a reasonable amount of knowledge, but he was telling me I had no knowledge of the horse industry if I thought I could get anywhere near that price. I then told him I wasn't happy to sell my horse to him. I think his niece may be waiting for a long time for a horse if he treats every vendor this way.
Sorry for the rant, but this put the lid on a very stressful day for me yesterday, as my mare (who is now in foal) that I rescued from the meat man 5 yrs ago, and took to 1* very nearly died of acute colic yesterday morning, she has pulled through so far, and is looking brighter now, but was very touch and go for a time. So that really phone call really didn't help. I know the man didn't know the situation I was in yesterday, but there is no excuse to ever be that rude to anyone. My faith in the equestrian community is rather dented, I really hope someone can restore it, or I may take my mare off the market (although I know deep down I really have no option but to sell).
Sorry this has got so long, just had to get it off my chest! Cadbury Caramel cake bites for all of you who have managed to get to the end of this "feeling sorry for myself" rant!!!
 
I would have told him that he is not the sort of owner I want for my horse and hung up. You do not have to carry on conversations with people you don't want to anymore than you have to sell your horse to them. I am sure the right person is waiting somewhere for your horse.
 
I have just sold my horse - luckily to a girl in my village so she's not going far!! All the phone calls I received were lovely except one woman who grilled me flat out for about 20 minutes, she asked me my opinion about if I thought my horse was suitable for what she wanted - I said no, she then continued to grill me for another 20 minutes and then finished 'I think I'll leave it'. I understand people have to ask questions but I felt thoroughly worn out after - but pleased because she didn't sound very nice anyway!! LOL
 
Magicgirl is right, don't sell your lovely mare to dumkofs like him as she would only go to home that would break her heart and ruin her and it's never their fault!!!!
 
Problem with some people these days is they think you are sat there waiting for them, the dimwit probable thought he was being clever didnt realise he was just being a pr@tt ! Hope mare with colic pulls through ok and you find a nice home for the one you have for sale.
 
What an idiot! As advertised, it states what level she has competed at. If he had looked it up on the BE website, he would have seen all that you could have won! The fact your mare was placed this year and won 2 classes... hello - potential for future winnings!!! and she is only 8, that's no age at all!! pffffft! What a gimp! Sounds to me like your horse was too good for him anyway! xx
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The horse world is so odd - it is terribly judgmental and bitchy. Im a peaceful kind of person who hates conflict or cliques and I don't compete anymore as I find the whole scene so unfriendly - Im way too sensitive - but there is plenty of room for a little more friendliness and decency in the sport.
Sounds like this man was a very nasty piece of work. I sold a rather fab young showjumper once and I was assessing the purchaser every little bit as much as they were assessing the horse (and me). If someone tried the horse like they were trying a motorbike they never got a look in. Some would come with someone else to do the warming up and flatwork and then only get on to jump. They'd jump off and walk away without out a single pat. I ended up selling him for 4 grand less than the highest offer I received because the lady was so kind and a true horsewoman. She asked intelligent questions and handled him with just the right firm/gentle manner that the boisterous youngster needed. She had me when she scratched his head and said "do you want to come and be a brat on my yard for a change?" He's now Grade A and the two are partner for life.
Bottom line is - you're right - people are rude and there seem to be more of them in the horse world but thankfully there are a few good apples knocking around x
 
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I would have told him that he is not the sort of owner I want for my horse and hung up. You do not have to carry on conversations with people you don't want to anymore than you have to sell your horse to them. I am sure the right person is waiting somewhere for your horse.

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Perfectly put, i agree with this
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what a horrid man
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i had all the loonies ringing me when i sold the grey in my siggy...as someone above said...i felt literally worn out everytime i'd spoken to someone
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i got better at spotting them early on after a while and cutting them off with a "i don't think my horse would be suitable for you"...fingers crossed you get a nice buyer soon
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I had a similar one once.
we were selling a mare who was strong and had a buck in her. we stated this in the advert. Someone rang and said has she hunted? I said no, she hasn't, and re stated about how strong she was and about the buck.
The mare had evented to Pre Novice and had been placed.
Anyway this person insisted on coming that day to view her. My son rode her first and she went very well. The person got on her, went straight into canter, got carted a little around the school, yanked the mare to a stop, got off, threw the reins on the floor and just walked off, saying "this horse will never hunt!"
we were gobsmacked as we had never said she would hunt and had specifically said she had never hunted.
It was lucky we were in a school or the mare could have run off or anything.
We did find a lovely home for her in the end.
It just made us realise how rude and stupid some people are.
 
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