Would you confess to "social media stalking" a seller?

[Polygon]

I've contacted the seller of a pony as he sounds like he might suit my daughter. She's been very helpful and sent me lots of photos and videos and we've arranged to go and try him at the weekend. But I did some Googling (the pony has a very distinctive name) and her 13 year old daughter has an Instagram account and YouTube channel about her ponies. There are videos on there of him looking great and jumping really nicely but also a couple of videos from a few months ago of him leaping/bucking (Spanish riding school stylee - almost a half rear and then a leap forward). She jokes about his "crazy dance moves" a lot. He's 12.2 but my daughter is only 9 and this would be her first forward going pony as her current pony is very laid back. He's 2.5 hrs away so not exactly a short trip. I'm thinking he won't suit after all but would you tell the seller why you've been put off? It's all in the public domain but I do feel a bit sneaky. She's clearly sent me only the best videos, as you'd expect. But I don't really want a 5 hour trip to see an unsuitable pony just to be polite

 

[emilylou]

Just cancel. You don’t need to say why. Better than wasting everyone’s time.
If you need a reason just say you’ve found something closer to home.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yes, I would let her know why you now have cold feet about going and ask her why the pony does this when advertised as suitable for child, as all was looking very positive till you checked the internet for further information and on seeing the clips it looks like pony is really not now suitable for your child
She might get daughter to remove the 'interesting' clips so future purchasers won't know, but that's not your problem. Mother might not even know about the uploaded clips, nor about daughter not having locked privacy on her accounts.

I have a social media stalking gold award badge at present as looking for a friend, its amazing what you can turn up.

 

[WelshD]

I always stalk Facebook profiles when buying or selling anything big let alone a pony.
The one I see all the time is a child's paragon of virtue pony being sold but the seller has another advert up looking for exactly the same type of pony!

In your case I would still personally look as some kids think its fun to wind up ponies and think they look good if the pony is seen to be tricky - and thats before you get people tanking them up with feed or uncompatible husbandary.

I bought one of my ponies with a disclosed behaviour issue but on a completely different regime he is very good - the seller did nothing wrong its just a different regime suits him far better.

 

[TPO]

I wouldn't say anything, mainly because her first move would be to remove the evidence and leaves future buyers without that advantage.

Kids will be kids and its probably harmless fun for an older or more advanced kid but might not make the pony suitable for a younger or more novice child.

The pony night be A ok and response to whatever rider he has. If you do actually like the money and "tricks taught by a 12yr old" arent too serious then I would still go and view.

When I was that age I had a pretty bomb proof wee welsh but I could stir her up and get up to all sorts of nonsense as we tackled an imaginary badminton/battle/race/exploration or just amusing myself in the fields with whatever dangerous scrap I laid my hands on to make obstacles ?

 

[dorsetladette]

Yep I'd cancel and tell them I'd googled the ponies name and XYZ came up so you have decided the pony isn't suitable.

If it was closer I would be tempted to go and view the pony and have a face to face chat with her about the videos you have seen online. After all someone would have been filming the daughter riding and 9 times out of 10 I was my daughters photographer/videographer along with everything else. Her body language and she answered would be very telling. It could have been something as simple as trying a different bit or piece of tack on the pony which they objected too. but its still a worry when your putting a child on there.

 

[honetpot]

Well done. The art of buying is working out why someone is selling, which can often be different from the reason they give you. I always google, names, phones numbers, show results etc, and I also do it on the rare occasion I sell. When its for sale 5 hours drive away, its not like your likely they are known in your area.
When my children were getting to big for their ponies they were told specifically not to wizz them up, or teach them tricks, because the next child would not have their competence.

 

[IrishMilo]

If you're selling a horse I feel like it's a given that most buyers are going to try find out everything and anything they can before buying, especially now everything is so visible online.

 

[ihatework]

A bit of internet stalking is most sensible.

As for telling the seller outright, no I wouldn’t for the reasons thatTPO said, the videos will be taken down and other buyers may not get the insight you have.

It can be quite easy for a confident child to wind a pony up to show off. I might give the sellers second chance and say ‘my child is nervous has the pony ever done XYZ’ and if they lie through their teeth then run in the opposite direction.

 

[Polygon]

Thank you all. Yes I also always Google/Facebook search people's names/phone numbers and pony names. And I try to find any show results too. As I explained to my husband yesterday, I'm checking for FB posts about their lame/naughty pony etc (from before they were selling). It can be very revealing. I'm disappointed as I really liked the look of this boy. If he was closer I might go and try him anyway but he's long way away. Also I found on the seller's FB page that she was advertising him for sale last summer and again last autumn. Why didn't he sell if he's so good? He's not expensive.

 

[AFB]

I wouldn't say anything, mainly because her first move would be to remove the evidence and leaves future buyers without that advantage.

This.

 

[SusieT]

yeah sounds like you're better not going - I cant thing of many ponies i'd want for a first 'proper' pony for a child that I would buy knowing it was trained or had a tendancy to rear/buck. trained is nearly worse as pony will do it automatically. I'd probably bluff he a bit and say you just wanted to check a few more things- does he buck or rear or has he ever?? and see what she says. then I'd cancel.

 

[Polygon]

Good advice, thanks. I hate buying ponies but I also have the option of a local pony who is more expensive but looks nice (and is 10 rather than 15) and they'd let her go on trial which I always think is the best idea. The last two ponies we bought we had on trial and it worked out really well. I think I'll cancel this one. Will probably be labelled a timewaster but really, it's not ME being the timewaster is it?

 

[wren123]

Just say your sorted locally.

 

[Arzada]

It's all in the public domain but I do feel a bit sneaky.

It's essential advisable research

 

[MiniMilton]

I'd be inclined to try and catch them out. Ask them straight out has the pony has ever bucked/reared, if they say yes I'd just say he's probably not suitable and cancel the viewing not mentioning the videos. BUT if they say no I'd say oh that's interesting, there are videos online of your daughter riding a very similar pony bucking/rearing and hear them squirm. I personally hate liars especially when it is putting kids at risk.

Airs above the ground should definitely be mentioned when selling kids ponies!

 

[Chinchilla]

Just say you found something closer in the interim; the fact that it's been for sale for a while at a low price doesn't bode well (particularly with the market the way it is at the moment).

 

[kathantoinette]

Oh yes, one for sale in our area a while back, looked back through FB profile of owner, to read posts about what a beast it was to clip, needed full sedation to even clip its legs out. Bypassed that one!

 

[Lady Jane]

Stalking in these circumstances is fine. If you have found a local pony you can have on trial even if it is a bit more money sounds a better option anyway. Good luck

 

[Jayzee]

Always advisable to do some background research. For children's ponies I think you have to follow gut feel and if you think there is a niggling doubt then I wouldn't view.

I don't think its time wasting if you cancel in advance (a couple of days)- just say you have found something locally. I think it would be time wasting to go and view having already decided that the pony isn't suitable.

 

[Polygon]

Thanks everyone. I will cancel this viewing and instead we are going to see the local pony, who the owner has said we can have on trial for the summer holidays. That seems like a great way forward to me, we can take her to rallies and lessons and get our instructor's thoughts on whether she is right for us.

 

[Muddywellies]

I would politely cancel (distance being a plausible excuse) but wouldn't mention the videos you have found. As soon as you mention them the seller will remove them, meaning others in your situation (who have also done the same research) won't be aware and may buy an unsuitable pony.

 

[Aperchristmas]

If the pony were local I would view and mention the videos to the seller's face so you get an immediate and unpreprared reaction. As the pony isn't local, I think you're taking the right course of action. I'd be tempted to mention the videos but agree that it's best that other potential buyers can find them...

I hope the local pony is a gem!