Wish we could have a "buyers" blacklist as well as dealers

O

orton

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I am a horse dealer and really wish for all those that post "do you know etc" we could have a seller beware list.

This week alone I have had one set who came to try a gelding that actually didn't even sound half way intelligent over the phone. I tried over the last week to put them off. Well after thinking maybe I am being a snob (and anyone that knows me knows I am definately not a snob, definately down to earth sort!) Well they came and tried said horse and after 5mins I asked them to get off. Rider bouncing 4ft out of saddle whislt socking horse in teeth. Advised to have riding lessons for quite some timebefore they tried anyon elses horses. They had apparentley already broken some poor horse that they were now having problems with!(I WONDER WHY) In all my time they were one of the most shocking riders, looked like first time ever on a horse.

Now today I have had someone view a very nicely bred youngster, nice people, very knowledgeable etc and they have left a deposit and I am very happy the horse will be going to the right home. This same horse I was made an offer on of considerably less than asking price over the email from a person that had not even viewed the horse. This person over email has now gone balistic and accused me of selling a horse that was no longer my property because they had made an offer and threating to sue for 10K unless I sold it to them for less. These people that threatining to sue for a horse they hadn't viewed, hadn't left any money what so ever now think this horse is their legal property. Absolutely unbelievable, the horse is mine and I can sell it to who the hell I like once money has changed hands all title etc passes to purchaser, not before and not until. You would not truly believe the abusive emails I have received tonight from this person. I have been very polite and told them that there actions are both threatining and abusive and that with regards to police action it will be upon themselves and that when something hasn't been bough and paid for it does not in any shape or form belong to them. So if you have this eventing yard in SURREY offering to buy your youngster please do get in touch and I will PM you the details of my blacklisted prospective buyer so you know to be AWARE.!!!

So next time any of you ask about dealers, just think of all the muppets like I have seen/spoke/emailed with this week alone that will be quick to call a dealer from a pig to a dog that they have been hard done to. I personally always thank god that my horses have never been sold to such muppets. Its a hard job with so many people that think they are the next olympic gold medalist yet can't even hold a set of reins and walk let alone trot, canter or heaven help us jump without removing all of a horses teeth from its head! let alone those that say they wanted the horse a month after it sold and think you are physic and should have known/saved/reserved etc just in case they really did want!!!!!
 
I honestly don't think it's 'buyers' that are the problem here; it's idiots and time wasters.
Not sure how making an offer makes them owners of the horse... I might email M Michaels Beerbaum and make an offer on Shutterfly...
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Hi Orton,
I totally understand what you're saying.
And totally understand your frustration, + wish there was a buyers' blacklist. I'm not a dealer, + have great respect for folk such as yourself, who use their knowledge to match folk with suitable horses. I would buy a horse from the likes of yourself.
I too am totally nauseated by novice riders, who haven't clue, but got plenty of cash, just 'want to win', so they spend loads on buying totally unsuitable horses, usually from private sales, then blame the horse/breaker/trainer/seller when it goes wrong. Then they go on to buy/wreck another nice horse. Seen it so many times, it breaks my heart.

I couldn't do your job, friend, i'd be up for murder within a week!!

Used to work in a riding centre, with 'ambitious' baby riders, who wanted to 'event'. (Against my wishes, but YO encouraged it, + very dodgy dealer involved. ) He + she kept selling these baby riders 4 yr olds, who thankfully went unsound before they got very far. (Very sadly, most were subsequently put down at an early age.)

That gave me a hint of how difficult your job is, as a decent horseman.

I actually think that the word 'dealer' gives the wrong impression - why not try 'horse whisperer'? (Aggh no, it'd get even worse!!)

Changing name of profession will help, + give you credibility you deserve i think, + leave behind any bad insinuations. (While i've had 3 great horses from dealers, all great horses, but 2 dealers 'known dodgy', other from Ireland, so no-one knows........ The one from Ireland is nicest, most honest forward-going straightforward mare i've ever met. Given to me, as English owner couldn't cope with her.......)

You have a very difficult job, friend, you have my support, + wish you well, + only wish that we riders learn to never blame the horse.

(No doubt other forum friends will see things differently, + i've got my flame-protective gear on already!!) BS x
 
Orton, you have my respect, as a professional dealer and my sympathy.

I am a late returner to riding, having spend 25 years in the world of Martial Arts, leaving my OH to do the horsey stuff. In the last two years since I started to ride properly, I have seen more oversized ego's, heard more lies and bullsh*t and had my jaw drop open at the sheer arrogance and dishonesty around the world of horses.

I have had conversations with people who say. 'oh yes, I'm a pretty experienced rider' when on further investigation their sole experience was a couple of hours on some tired old plodder going up a mountain is Spain or Greece etc.

I have seen good horses left for months on end, doing nothing, waiting for the owner to 'start work with them after Christmas / half term/ Easter/ in the summer'.

I have seen instructors sell totally unsuitable horses / pony's to clients and then encourage the poor customer to have even more lessons in order to cope with the unsuitable horse / pony.

In fact, the list seems endless and I really don't envy you having to deal with these idiots / liars.

There is nowt so queer as folk, but some of the ones in the horse world are in a class of their own.
 
Nightmare people. I don't know why dealers seem to get such a bad press. I have bought some wonderful horses from dealers over the years. It must be very difficult for you at times when numpty people turn up.
 
I have to say I have always bought from dealers - infact I bought one from you ( I hope you did not think I was a timewaster - maybe a little bit crazy!!)

ps I still have him and he is wonderful..........
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Tell me about it. I am a breeder rather than a dealer, although I have done a little dealing in the past. There are the buyers who think a well-bred, well-handled, quality Sport horse foal should be less than £500; or that a nice rising 4 year old with the potential to be a great all-rounder, carefully backed, schooled and ridden away should be theirs for £2,000!!

There are those who couldn't ride in a tram with the door shut who think said nice rising4 year old would be a GREAT horse for them because they have had 3 months worth of riding lessons from someone who obviously couldn't teach a cat to drink milk! And one sticks inmymindwho came to see a 16.2 RID THREE times before deciding it was too big!

Sadly, there ARE a LOT of bad/dishonest dealers out there - which makes life very difficult for the GOOD ones.
 
For genuine buyers it is a minefield. I think the internet has in fact made it more difficult, as it is so easy (and cheap!) to plonk a nice picture of a horse and a flowery description to draw unsuspecting buyers in, only to find out said horse is nothing like the advert. I have been a buyer twice in the last 16 months. The first time due to the loss of my horse of 20 years. The second time due to the sale of my privately bought horse who turned out to be nothing like his description, resulting in broken ribs twice and concussion 3 times.
My current horse is from a reputable dealer! And I would go back to her without hesitation and have recommended her to several others (as have other members on here) as she will tell it as it is and won't try to match you with an unsuitable horse. I wanted a horse who you had to work to get going, rather than one you had to work to stop! And boy have I got that horse - my legs are like a weight lifters now!
 
Bought 2 of mine from dealer - paid the asking price too - and had excellent after sales assistance and follow up, all paperwork and so on

It is like any commercial relationship - you screw the seller and you're on your own - work wiht the seller to a win-win and everyone comes out happier in the end.
 
Having been on both sides, I have sold a horse privately but have bought from dealers, I sympathise with OP. The dealers I have used have admittedly come with good reputation but I have found them both helpful and honest. The two horses I bought from dealers both turned out to be as described and both lived out their days with me. When I came to sell a much loved but too small pony the idiots that phoned up and asked the most riduculous questions quite blew me away. Then people didn't turn up, turned up and said pony was too small at 14hh even though they knew the size, pulled its mouth and bounced around sand school, the list goes on, I felt so sorry for the pony at one point I just took her off the market as I couldn't bear the sort of people coming to view. She was sensibly priced at £4,500 but I got offers of £2000 without viewing etc. The horse world have some strange people.
 
You're so right. And I don't think it's only in the horse world to be honest.

Like everyone else, I knew all about how dodgy builders and tradesmen could be etc, and then I shacked up with a self-employed builder ... and very quickly realised there are just as many nightmare customers. Customers who push him to start the job asap, and then announce that he can't be there to work on Tuesday or Thursday, as if he could just go and do another job then, when in fact he can't and therefore loses two days work... Customers who he warns over and over again that their choices aren't the best idea, but who won't listen and then blame him when the inevitable happens... Customers who start adding a million little jobs on and then freak out when the bill has to go up or the job takes longer...

I have a friend trying to sell two very lovely horses at the moment, and can't believe how flakey and unreliable so many buyers are...
 
I too have been on both sides of the fence. Had unsuitable jumped up idiots try a horse that i was selling after i had been totally honest about the level of rider required. got the 'oh yes- i am VERY eperienced with that type' ect ect, only for the so called experienced rider to be so unbalanced and ineffective that they scared themselves half to death whilst careering round the school unable to stop. I do have a bit of sympathy for dealers. They buy in and sell on in a fairly quick turnover time, as is the nature of their business. And i believe that they try to match up horse and rider to the best of their ability. But due to the nature of horses - good for a few weeks till they find thier feet and then see what they can get away with - cue, buyer slagging off dealer for selling unsuitable horse! They are in a no win situation. I wouldnt do their job for all the tea in china.
 
Possibly sounds harsh, but have no sympathy with any who complains about any vendor, when they have chosen not to have the animal vetted. Having been on the bad end of a horse that sailed through vetting, but turned out to have quite a "history", I do understand that vetting is not a catch all.

Just wish we had the "hogwarts sorting hat" to allocate horses. Though it might p*** off those whose ambition exceeds their ability.
 
Couldn't agree more. I've had my new horse for 3 months and got him from a dealer. He is an absolute gentleman. The dealer had got him from someone who had had him a week, after which she concluded he was too much for her as he walked off when she mounted! What sort of people give a horse a WEEK! And why buy an enormous 17.1 warmblood if you are going to be scared of it anyway?
 
Always said I would never buy from a dealer but have now decided after a couple of private purchases (love them dearly but not quite what I thought I had bought!) that I am completely wrong and if ever I am looking to buy again I will go to a reputable dealer.
 

You have my sympathy. When I have had to sell in the past I have struggled with the people who have come to view - I know there are a lot of people who are less than truthful in selling, but I always tried to be really accurate about my horses. Luckily I haven't had to do it a great deal but the last time was an eye opener. I did have a very flashy looking boy who decided that dressage was his forte - he would and could jump at home but was totally unpredictable out competing - his last eventing attempt saw me eliminated (after a clear SJ and very good dressage score) on the XC course. He just stopped, cocked a leg and wouldn't move. One "experienced" rider turned up having only ridden for a year at a riding school when I had been really clear that he not a school master or novice ride. However, I finally sold him by word of mouth to a lovely lady who thought I was either exagerating his faults or hiding worse!. My horse kindly displayed every single trick I had disclosed but she rode him beautifully and bought him! They are still going strong, and he has gone up the dressage scales!
 
I prefer buying from a dealer, as long as it is a reputable one. I was a very novice horse buyer with my teen daughter getting her first horse after having ponies.
 
I don't understand the whole size thing people complain about. There are big 16.2's, and little 16'3s. A 16'3 TB is not as daunting to me as a 16'3 shire.

When I was horse hunting, I went to see, and subsequently decided against horses which I deemed as too big/little. You can't know a horses size until you see it in the flesh, because many people just guess the size, or use unhelpful photos.


Really annoys me when people complain about size. It's MY money, and if I want to find the animal that's perfect for me, then I am entitled to hunt around. I have never wasted time - I once left after 10 minutes because the horse just wasn't right at all.

I have owned 14.2s, and 16'3s. It's how the individual animal holds it's size, not to mention the LW/MW/HW distinctions..
 
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