Would you let your horse go to its new home without receiving full payment?

No, I wouldn't let a horse go without full payment either. However, you made the agreement and the initial payment was sent and then you changed your mind.

Of course, the buyers are unhappy. They've booked transport, a vet and may have organised livery, made up a stable, bought feed etc, etc. The buyer unsurprisingly said,' Hey, your change of mind has cost me £350'. Its a natural reaction to such disappointment. it doesn't follow that she would subsequently demand payment for losses not incurred.

If these people are really nice and just right for your horse, it's a shame, you may have just lost the sale.
The time to change your mind was before you agreed to the terms, not after.

Hopefully, the people like your horse enough to continue with the purchase, after all, they have been true to their side of the deal so far.

Yes, in hindsight I was very naive and a sharp lesson has been learnt. At the end of the day I have to go with the majority of advice, which is to hang fire, whatever disappointment is caused. I do hope all is not lost as they are lovely people and its a fabulous home but even the nicest of people can prove otherwise and I don't know them from you or the next person. And I was only trying to be nice.
 
Not for that value, no. However i was riding a horse for someone at a few sj clinics and liked it. Wanted it but didnt have all the cash. Explained to owner that id work on getting the money if horse hadnt sold in the mean time. She rang, said she would take staged payments if i took the mare asap. As it was i cleared it in 2 payments but was all done with trust ( im amazed i never had to sign anything!)
 
Now I really think you've had a lucky escape!!!

No chance vets and transporters would charge in full for cancelled arrangements. Ask her for invoices from the vet and transporter - and talk to them yourself about cancellation arrangements before you agree to pay anything.

I think you have had a lucky escape too. I wouldn't do this at the best of times, but the fact that they are being stroppy with you already rings alarm bells. How are bad would they be when the horse is off your yard and in their hands...

Tell them the vetting can be done at yours, so they won't lose money, and offer to transport the horse yourself if need be.

I cancelled a vetting once and the vets didn't charge me a thing.
 
You have done the right thing, OP, these 'nice' people sound tricky to me. Stand your ground, don't be too quick to offer refunds. Vets do not charge for cancelled pre-purchase examinations.
 
no- and who looks for a horse, without having the funds in place first? if they couldn't save 2k without paying for a horse, what makes them think they can have the money saved whilst paykng to keep him?!
 
You've learned but only at the expense of losing some credibility by reneging on your previous offer! Saying something and taking it back - one of the few things I thank the gypsy community for is - "Injun Giving" and it's viewed on a par with welshing on a bet.

I've done much much bigger deals than yours on a handshake and lost money honouring my word when many people won't think it worth the candle.

That said - everyone is absolutely bang on the money - if clients are kicking up a big fuss over coughing up £2,000 three months early ( worst scenario ) I think everyone is correct in having doubts about them - it's less than one month's average salary isn't it? Let them stick some of their living expenses on THEIR credit card and give you YOUR flippin' money!
 
Why on earth would they pay so much before the vetting? it dosnt make sence although I do know a few people inc myself who have taken the horse prior to payment for various reasons mainly owner needing shut asap but its generally considered loan with view to buy and no money initially changing hands and contract should be drawn up
 
No comment on anything else, but I payed for a vetting before hand- as it was a done thing for my practice. The horse I was going to buy, owners took it off the market the day off the vetting! I lost about £400! Luckily the owners payed me back the money & the deposit aswell. So it does happen....
 
I'd say YES ......... If your perpaired to except £1500 for him? Cause I'd bet money on the fact you wouldn't get a penny more after he's left your yard. Iv seen it happen a few times but at least your listening to good advise so hopefully won't lose out like a couple of my friends. 1 of which found out the horse was sold on before being paid for but still not a penny more their way.
 
you probably did the right thing, however, I recently sold a pony, she went away with her passport, no deposit. We agreed 3 pay dates and they honoured them and actually paid early.
She wasnt a cheap pony and I was delighted to get such a super home for her.
I also sold a good colt, the bank transfer didnt go in the day it was meant to (the day he was collected) but the buyers gave me a copy of the paperwork and yep it did go in as promised.
 
i paid in installments for marley owner needed horse gone i only had 800.00 amd agreed that howmuch id pay for him came to pock him up she wanted am extra 200.00 which i was fine with but explained i only had 800.00 so one mont later she came to visit and i gave her the rest. she still comest visit now :-)
 
Not for somebody I didnt know.
If I was the buyer I would be annoyed having made an agreement with you but had I been cheeky enough to come and see your horse without the means to pay for it well then hey ho. I would have had a vetting done before paying anything if it was important to me.
i wouldnt let him go without a vetting report at least
 
I haven't even read beyond the OP and my answer is absolutely,utterly,completely...NO,never,not under any circumstances whatsoever. So what if you have a contract? If they don't honour it,it will be sooo difficult, time consuming,stressful & expensive to either get back the horse or get the balance of the money..(if indeed,you do ever get it back/get full payment.)
The implications of what happens in the intervening period,(especially to the horse),if everything goes t*ts up, are just too potentially complicated to even consider.
Don't do it!!!
 
absolutely not, and the fact that they are now getting funny with you about the vetting and travel really absolutely not. Everyone makes a mistake OP, its the kind of thing I would do (too trusting for my own good) don't feel bad, re-advertise your horse and get a serious buyer if these people are really interested they will find the £2k and why would you go and look at a £3.5k horse when you only had a £1.5k budget? I didn't!!!
 
OP you've had a VERY lucky escape. There were too many potentials for something going wrong - starting with the vetting somewhere else done by a vet you don't know, to the horse being unsuitable or getting injured. You could have ended up with £1500 and nothing else or an injured or ruined horse and no money at all.
 
No I would let my horse off the yard until the full payment has been made.

When I sold my youngster the amount of people asking to pay in instalments etc was unbelievable, if you do not have the money to pay for a horse then either look for one in your price range or wait until you have the funds. When I did sell him the buyer paid a deposit and one months livery as she didnt have a stable until another livery had left a month later. I looked after him and kept in touch with my buyer on a daily basis until she came to collect him and she paid the remaining balance in cash.

You could offer to look after your horse at your yard and they can visit until payment has been made in full, if they were honest, reasonable people they would understand that.
The £1500 they have paid is a deposit, it won't cost them to cancel a vetting and if you really wanted to and you were feeling generous you could knock the cost of the horse box hire off the sale value?

I would also ask them to get a vetting done at your yard, they can choose the vet if they want but you need to be there...what if they took the horse and it fails what happens, they return it or haggle the price?

I can understand they are disappointed as if they have found the horse of their dreams they want him straight away on the other hand if the horse is that perfect for them then they will wait.
 
"No, I wouldn't let a horse go without full payment either. However, you made the agreement and the initial payment was sent and then you changed your mind.

Of course, the buyers are unhappy. They've booked transport, a vet and may have organised livery, made up a stable, bought feed etc, etc. The buyer unsurprisingly said,' Hey, your change of mind has cost me £350'. Its a natural reaction to such disappointment. it doesn't follow that she would subsequently demand payment for losses not incurred.

If these people are really nice and just right for your horse, it's a shame, you may have just lost the sale.
The time to change your mind was before you agreed to the terms, not after.

Hopefully, the people like your horse enough to continue with the purchase, after all, they have been true to their side of the deal so far. "


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ EXACTLY THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
"No, I wouldn't let a horse go without full payment either. However, you made the agreement and the initial payment was sent and then you changed your mind.

Of course, the buyers are unhappy. They've booked transport, a vet and may have organised livery, made up a stable, bought feed etc, etc. The buyer unsurprisingly said,' Hey, your change of mind has cost me £350'. Its a natural reaction to such disappointment. it doesn't follow that she would subsequently demand payment for losses not incurred.

If these people are really nice and just right for your horse, it's a shame, you may have just lost the sale.
The time to change your mind was before you agreed to the terms, not after.

Hopefully, the people like your horse enough to continue with the purchase, after all, they have been true to their side of the deal so far. "


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ EXACTLY THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lots of us, myself included are very naive and gullible. Then we come on here and have our eyes opened. Sorry the buyer feels upset but really? They are asking an awful lot. And if they like the horse that much, they will pay for him before he goes.
 
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