why is buying horses so stressfull

[racebuddy]

so the second horse hunt search is on , found a lovely on subject to vetting meets all my cirteria that i want , sellers being completely honest and was sent back to original sellers as to green was sold as mother daugter share and had tooth removal and then reared twice but never since ,

been with sellers now and no cocnens , they were honest enough to tell me and most sellers wouldnt tell me so i would be none the wiser , they suspecting it had bit in the mouth to soon after tooth removal hence rear and never done it since , is 6 so is green but showing great potential ,

i bought my current horse at 5 and no experience of eventing and now jump around be tracks ,

had 2 5 stage vettings and passed and i will get another 5 stage vetting done also .

its so stressful and you can potentially go wrong with what ever you buy

gin needed

 

[Wizpop]

Pass the bottle! Totally agree with you. I’m on the lookout again, and after the past 10+ years of ‘eventful’ purchases resulting in disappointment, broken bones ( mine!) and retirements I sometimes wonder why I’m putting myself through it all- yet again!!! I’m considering a reputable dealer this time rather than a private sale. Refreshing to hear that you have had total honesty from the seller though in your case.

Wishing you all the best of luck in your search, and hoping you find your perfect horse.

 

[PSD]

I fully agree. I’m so fed up of horse hunting that in fact I have given up.

It’s not enjoyable at all, sellers are not being truthful, horses aren’t as described and overpriced for what they are. Sellers aren’t even getting back to me half the time! It’s like they don’t want to sell…

 

[racebuddy]

Def I’ve never bought from a dealer but I haven’t heard anything bad about these and they have been honest and upfront re everything and I dodnt think u always get that with a private sale xx

 

[Antw23uk]

Over the last few years I've only had one negative experience and that was an impulse buy during the first lockdown (isnt she pretty and flashy .. with a bit more condition she'll be fabulous ....... put condition on her = lethal!! These dealers know what they are blooming doing!!)

I feel your pain though, a friend is in the same situation and its just not going well. My current horse will likely be my last but i am tempted to get a youngster or two that i can afford and that can sit in a field for a few years, growing for when current horse retires. I'll know what im getting, cant blame anyone else if they are screwed up and can always sell if i do hang up my boots!

 

[Ambers Echo]

I just couldn’t face it. Toby was a sale project so I felt less pressure and went with a dealer. But when I started trawling ads for my next permanent partner I just got so disheartened. I picked up the phone a few times to ring and got a wave of anxiety and anger. It was weird. Anxiety because I was considering spending 3Xmore than I’ve ever spent before and felt hard to justify it for a green 4 yo! And anger at what I perceived was greed on the part of sellers. I was looking at buying horses less nice than Toby for twice his price and doubted the truth of the ads. I looked at dealers and one looked promising so I rang and she said she’d sold the one I liked but was in Ireland at the weekend for a new batch so I could view the following Thursday. Well sorry but you CANNOT know what a horse is like in 4 days. Particularly when they have spent 24+ in transit and could be knackered/shell shocked! And not at all their normal selves. That would be like me selling Lottie the day after tomorrow! She won’t even be sat in till tomorrow at the earliest. Let alone taken XC schooling/ show jumping or whatever else you need to do with a horse to legitimately describe a horse as bold, forward, safe, sane, helps you out jumping etc which is what is claimed. As all her ads also said stuff like ‘1 in a million horse’ ‘4 going in 14’ ‘sort everyone wants and can’t find’ I just thought it’s BS.
And she’s one with a good rep.

Scarlett was the answer to my prayers! Then she failed vet. So in the end I cut out the middle man and bought unseen direct from a respected Irish dealer. Lottie would cost almost double in England if she is as described. Big if I know! But it always is. Whether that works out or not remains to be seen but if not I think I’ll give up till we sell Dolly.

 

[scats]

Honestly, I’m priced out of the market now. Unless something randomly came up or prices drop, once these girls are gone, that’s me done. I shall embrace a new life, I imagine.
I was all for an increase in prices, as in some ways they were too low before, but I refuse to pay ridiculous money for distinctly average animals and I feel that’s where we have gone.

 

[PSD]

I just couldn’t face it. Toby was a sale project so I felt less pressure and went with a dealer. But when I started trawling ads for my next permanent partner I just got so disheartened. I picked up the phone a few times to ring and got a wave of anxiety and anger. It was weird. Anxiety because I was considering spending 3Xmore than I’ve ever spent before and felt hard to justify it for a green 4 yo! And anger at what I perceived was greed on the part of sellers. I was looking at buying horses less nice than Toby for twice his price and doubted the truth of the ads. I looked at dealers and one looked promising so I rang and she said she’d sold the one I liked but was in Ireland at the weekend for a new batch so I could view the following Thursday. Well sorry but you CANNOT know what a horse is like in 4 days. Particularly when they have spent 24+ in transit and could be knackered/shell shocked! And not at all their normal selves. That would be like me selling Lottie the day after tomorrow! She won’t even be sat in till tomorrow at the earliest. Let alone taken XC schooling/ show jumping or whatever else you need to do with a horse to legitimately describe a horse as bold, forward, safe, sane, helps you out jumping etc which is what is claimed. As all her ads also said stuff like ‘1 in a million horse’ ‘4 going in 14’ ‘sort everyone wants and can’t find’ I just thought it’s BS.
And she’s one with a good rep.

Scarlett was the answer to my prayers! Then she failed vet. So in the end I cut out the middle man and bought unseen direct from a respected Irish dealer. Lottie would cost almost double in England if she is as described. Big if I know! But it always is. Whether that works out or not remains to be seen but if not I think I’ll give up till we sell Dolly.

I completely get this anger/anxiety. I had it too, I was so worried about parting with “just” 3k to someone I didn’t know, trusting they were honest and potentially ending up with a crock of a horse. It normally doesn’t bother me because I’m only spending a few hundred so I can afford to lose if I have to sell on. But parting with a few thousand for something I’m not even sure is advertised honestly scares me. I don’t know how people do it with a bigger budget than mine!

 

[Ambers Echo]

I had a good budget. But I felt sick thinking about spending that much tbh. My experiences with Toby were eye opening. He was bought at 5 as a potential eventer for a high but not ridiculous price (6k). But he had lots of physical and psychological issues being rushed very young, presumably to get him ready for sale. I improved him and did a lot with him but sold for what used to be high but is now quite low (5k) as a happy hacker with full disclosure. He was neither bold nor careful enough to safely event and he hated schooling. But he was fabulous out and about and totally bomb proof. He still passed a 5 stage vetting though and I priced him so I could be choosy about where he went. But I see ads for other 4/5 year olds for 10k and think ‘Toby was nicer bred and moved better than you!’ And I realise I can’t tell if they have been rushed etc because I don’t know the horse and frankly nor do the dealers who stick them up for sale within days. So then I went to private ads but people are dishonest, delusional etc. I very nearly bought a gorgeous 11 yo from people I did think were 100% genuine but she was hours and hours away and they wouldn’t sell unseen and work was crazy in the run up to going away so I could not take 2 days off to view.

I am excited about Lottie but very very nervous too.

 

[Ambers Echo]

ETA because he was so young and had a temperament to die for it took a very long time to recognise that his problems were more than just being ‘green’. So buying a more established horse addresses that. But then you rely on honesty. A friend has just bought unbacked which I think is an appealing option too. To then send somewhere very trustworthy with no time pressure on the process.

 

[PSD]

ETA because he was so young and had a temperament to die for it took a very long time to recognise that his problems were more than just being ‘green’. So buying a more established horse addresses that. But then you rely on honesty. A friend has just bought unbacked which I think is an appealing option too. To then send somewhere very trustworthy with no time pressure on the process.

I’ve considered this but then I need to factor in the breaking cost budget wise. It’s hard to decide what to do for the best, I’ve seen a lovely Irish hunter type and the seller will let me have him for my budget however he’s unbacked and straight from Ireland to the field so basically untouched. Which yes, can be w good thing but then can I really commit to that and out the time in? Not really, however right now it’s very appealing.

 

[Wishfilly]

I think buying anything which costs a lot of money is stressful- and there are few things we buy that cost more than horses! I have always found buying cars very stressful, and I'm sure when I'm in a position to buy a house that will be hugely stressful too.

And with a horse there is so much that can go wrong, and of course it's a living animal. If I buy a car and someone drives into it the next day, obviously it would be awful but I can claim on insurance and move on. If I buy a horse and it has a catastrophic field accident the next day...

But yes, it's really tough and worse at the moment because of the time pressure you are put under to decide. And as others have said, so many sellers lie, or are deluded.

I definitely think in the future buying unbacked might be the way to go BUT when I was looking for Blue, I nearly bought a 5yo connie who was lightly backed, but on googling her name found a sales catalogue listing which suggested she would not stand up to proper work, and that could have been the same whether she had been backed or not.

 

[Birker2020]

I'm going to see one on Saturday and this is exactly what I am looking for in terms of height, breed, colour, age. Hoping I don't get pipped at the post in terms of viewings is worrying enough, but then its the viewing and the nerves riding in front of someone.

But if this horse is what I am looking for (and it is on paper) then I would be so chuffed as he is really nice.

It has been a very stressful time horse hunting, I've been looking properly for five or six weeks, I've always bought one within 6 weeks of losing one so this has been nearly nine weeks since losing Bails.

 

[PSD]

I'm going to see one on Saturday and this is exactly what I am looking for in terms of height, breed, colour, age. Hoping I don't get pipped at the post in terms of viewings is worrying enough, but then its the viewing and the nerves riding in front of someone.

But if this horse is what I am looking for (and it is on paper) then I would be so chuffed as he is really nice.

It has been a very stressful time horse hunting, I've been looking properly for five or six weeks, I've always bought one within 6 weeks of losing one so this has been nearly nine weeks since losing Bails.

I really hope it works out for you. It’s the most awful thing I’ve ever done looking for a horse, the ones I’ve bought have always been right horse wrong time but turned out to be amazing and it worked.

Now it’s the right time it’s always the wrong horse!

 

[Wishfilly]

I'm going to see one on Saturday and this is exactly what I am looking for in terms of height, breed, colour, age. Hoping I don't get pipped at the post in terms of viewings is worrying enough, but then its the viewing and the nerves riding in front of someone.

But if this horse is what I am looking for (and it is on paper) then I would be so chuffed as he is really nice.

It has been a very stressful time horse hunting, I've been looking properly for five or six weeks, I've always bought one within 6 weeks of losing one so this has been nearly nine weeks since losing Bails.

Good luck!

 

[Birker2020]

I really hope it works out for you. It’s the most awful thing I’ve ever done looking for a horse, the ones I’ve bought have always been right horse wrong time but turned out to be amazing and it worked.

Now it’s the right time it’s always the wrong horse!

Thank you, it feels like one of those awful game shows where you have to get through to the next round based partly on luck and partly on your skills:

First round making the phone call.
Second round securing a viewing.
If you make it that far Third round is comparatively easy, although somewhat daunting -viewing the horse and riding it.
Fourth round a bit harder in terms of agreeing to buy it subject to vetting and putting a deposit down. For the brave!
Fifth round is where a lot of people will lose the game - the vetting itself.
Sixth round arranging collection/delivery and getting it home.
And of course the Seventh round you could argue is the hardest of all, keeping a horse sound and alive!

 

[ycbm]

The price thing is interesting. In the mid eighties I was paying about the £2000 mark for nice, no special breeing, green young horses. In today's market, which we keep calling crazy, that would be worth £6500, for which I could buy a nice, no special breeding, green young horse.

I'm not sure the market is wrong now, more that it just went wrong some time in the intervening years.
.

 

[Annagain]

I'm going to see one on Saturday and this is exactly what I am looking for in terms of height, breed, colour, age. Hoping I don't get pipped at the post in terms of viewings is worrying enough, but then its the viewing and the nerves riding in front of someone.

But if this horse is what I am looking for (and it is on paper) then I would be so chuffed as he is really nice.

It has been a very stressful time horse hunting, I've been looking properly for five or six weeks, I've always bought one within 6 weeks of losing one so this has been nearly nine weeks since losing Bails.

Good luck. It took me 14 months - although first lockdown took up a good 4-5 months of that.

Having not done it for 15 years and finding Archie fairly easily last time, I thought I'd enjoy it but I hated every single second of it. Ending up in A&E twice was pretty terrible but the second guessing everyone, being suspicious of everything and trying to read between the lines of every advert was the worst part. I'm naturally a trusting person so it really went against my nature and I hated having to do it. Luckily, I only got to the stage of vetting one and he passed so at least I didn't have to cope with a failed vetting.

 

[Birker2020]

Good luck. It took me 14 months - although first lockdown took up a good 4-5 months of that.

Having not done it for 15 years and finding Archie fairly easily last time, I thought I'd enjoy it but I hated every single second of it. Ending up in A&E twice was pretty terrible but the second guessing everyone, being suspicious of everything and trying to read between the lines of every advert was the worst part. I'm naturally a trusting person so it really went against my nature and I hated having to do it. Luckily, I only got to the stage of vetting one and he passed so at least I didn't have to cope with a failed vetting.

Omg A&E twice! What a nightmare. Hope ur ok now? I'm dreading a failed vetting.

 

[Annagain]

Omg A&E twice! What a nightmare. Hope ur ok now? I'm dreading a failed vetting.

Yes thanks. They were both two years ago now. One was a very naughty horse, I lasted about 30 seconds on him - about 20 of which were hanging on and thinking, yes I'm staying on before finally realising I wasn't. The moment I got on him, he wanted me off for some reason. The actual fall wasn't the problem. I tore my hamstring trying to stay on and once it had gone, I had nothing to grip on with. The second was a lovely horse and my fault. I was heading to a jump, got it wrong and thought he was going to stop. He jumped bless him and I wasn't expecting it at all. It was a fairly innocuous fall but the ground was hard, I whacked my head and got concussion. I remember the fall as if it was yesterday but don't know what happened in the 15 minutes afterwards. My friend rode him, thinking I was ok but I have no recollection of seeing her on him. The next thing I know a paramedic turned up!

 

[Asha]

Im so glad im not looking at the minute.
But the flipside of these crazy times is that although I have toyed with the idea of selling my 4yo, ive just been put off with the current market. Id want him to go to someone who would produce and event/enjoy him long term, but i could just imagine he'd be a quick turnaround for someone , and i dont want that. Hes too nice to be moved around. So current plan is get him going again ( hes just had another holiday to grow/level out) . Get a few miles on the clock over winter and if he stays as sensible as hes been so far i will start riding him next year , and then put my ID mare in foal. Plan B is to bring my other mare back into work after shes had her next foal and then put the ID mare in foal. Reckon everyone needs a spare these days or 2

 

[bonnysmum]

The price thing is interesting. In the mid eighties I was paying about the £2000 mark for nice, no special breeing, green young horses. In today's market, which we keep calling crazy, that would be worth £6500, for which I could buy a nice, no special breeding, green young horse.

I'm not sure the market is wrong now, more that it just went wrong some time in the intervening years.
.

I've just bought my Welshie for £4500, which was a grand over my budget AND she came with absolutely nothing so all that needed to be bought too. I think it isn't so much that prices are too high, I think it's the high prices combined with delusional or downright dishonest sellers and too many buyers with more money than sense which puts so much pressure on to make a major decision with no time for proper consideration. I'd equate it much more to buying a house in the cutthroat Scottish property market than I would buying a car, but with far more at stake (normally your house can't kill you).

 

[catembi]

It's so stressful as they all have something wrong with them (physical or mental) and you have such a short time to find out what. The most gorgeous ISH that I bought in April who was going to be a superstar has now been scuppered by PSSM. I am autistic & think quite slowly & get flustered very easily, so find it very hard to make good spur of the moment decisions and that's what you have to do atm as no one is hanging about. I had to get an insurance vetting done on mine post sale as they wouldn't wait for 5 stage.

His replacement is an unbacked 4 yo TB type (I am thinking more TB x) with no recorded breeding. The nice horses just go too quickly and I am too easily flustered to spend big money in a hurry, so I just went for a cheapy on this occasion & didn't vet. I have now sat on him & it's all coming on nicely.

Anyway, what I am trying to say is that there are so many variables & potential pitfalls, and they are living creatures with their own personalities, and a lot of money involved, and no matter how careful you are, whether it works out or not seems to be chiefly down to luck. So it's stressful as it's simply *impossible* to be certain that you will get a good outcome, regardless of the amount you spend or the care you take.

 

[PSD]

It's so stressful as they all have something wrong with them (physical or mental) and you have such a short time to find out what. The most gorgeous ISH that I bought in April who was going to be a superstar has now been scuppered by PSSM. I am autistic & think quite slowly & get flustered very easily, so find it very hard to make good spur of the moment decisions and that's what you have to do atm as no one is hanging about. I had to get an insurance vetting done on mine post sale as they wouldn't wait for 5 stage.

His replacement is an unbacked 4 yo TB type (I am thinking more TB x) with no recorded breeding. The nice horses just go too quickly and I am too easily flustered to spend big money in a hurry, so I just went for a cheapy on this occasion & didn't vet. I have now sat on him & it's all coming on nicely.

Anyway, what I am trying to say is that there are so many variables & potential pitfalls, and they are living creatures with their own personalities, and a lot of money involved, and no matter how careful you are, whether it works out or not seems to be chiefly down to luck. So it's stressful as it's simply *impossible* to be certain that you will get a good outcome, regardless of the amount you spend or the care you take.

You do have to be quick, people are buying unseen to avoid them selling from under them. I have a friend waiting over a week to go back and see a pony and I said I’d be surprised if it was still there in a week if it’s as good as she made out!

 

[lme]

I'm looking for a ridden horse for me for the first time ever. So far mine have been bought unbacked, home bred, or inherited from my children. Its super stressful. And now with the extra hurdle of pre-purchase X-rays, once a horse has passed s 5 stage vetting, it feels as if there's a lot can go wrong if you do find a horse you like.

 

[Baccara]

In the last year, one failed vetting, one visit to A&E, different horse. The one I bought passed the vetting, but the wheels fell off when I got him home.

 

[catembi]

My wheels have fallen off already! I am very strongly suspecting something like shiver or wobblers... Aaaarrggghhh...!! Didn't think I could go wrong with an unbacked 4 yo...! (Now backed & lunged & not v happy about any of it.)

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Oh no! I really hope that it turns out to be a minor and easily fixable issue.

 

[PSD]

My wheels have fallen off already! I am very strongly suspecting something like shiver or wobblers... Aaaarrggghhh...!! Didn't think I could go wrong with an unbacked 4 yo...! (Now backed & lunged & not v happy about any of it.)

Oh no that’s awful! Definitely not what you need

 

[Caol Ila]

My wheels have fallen off already! I am very strongly suspecting something like shiver or wobblers... Aaaarrggghhh...!! Didn't think I could go wrong with an unbacked 4 yo...! (Now backed & lunged & not v happy about any of it.)

Oh no! You deserve some good luck. I hope it's something fixable.