Write off horses - wwyd

Gingerwitch

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My mate brought one of his previous horses back as a light hack - horse was on a bute a day and had had 12 months box rest - he paid a £1 back for him.

Horse has been brought back into work on a slowly slowly basis and is now competing at Affiliated Elementary - and doing very well - current owner - whom bred him - has owned him for just over 2 years and has worked night and day to get him right, and has spent a fortune on his rehab.

The previous owner has now got in touch and is giving him hell-saying he is a money grabbing so and so and it is cruel to the horse to work at this level - she is threatning to take him to court - but I am not quite sure what for - she has today rocked up to the yard and demanded that he hands the horse back over or pays her an additional £5k as she was "done".....??
 
Did you friend get a receipt? Had a similar case when my sister bought a (unwanted) foal for small sum, but luckily she had given a cheque, so she had a record when the previous owners appeared 3 years later saying they wanted the horse back they had loaned to her!

As for your case - what can the old owners do except bluster and threaten? Take no notice and hopefully they will give up. He left their care 2 years ago, they have no case.
 
Unless there was an agreement that he would only ever use the horse as a light hack, then she doesn't have a leg to stand on. She sold property for £1 and it's up to the new owner what they choose to do with it.
 
Tell her to go away and if she turns up again the police will be called. Maybe there is 'another' side to this story you arent aware of so maybe stay clear of getting involved!
 
Well, he bought her fair and square, thank god he did the one pound thing!

I take it she wanted to sell the horse as it wasn't up to the job due to soundness and now she realises its not a write off after all, tough luck lady!
 
Unless there was an agreement that he would only ever use the horse as a light hack, then she doesn't have a leg to stand on. She sold property for £1 and it's up to the new owner what they choose to do with it.

But would that be valid if the horse has cleary recovered from said injury ?
 
Well, he bought her fair and square, thank god he did the one pound thing!

I take it she wanted to sell the horse as it wasn't up to the job due to soundness and now she realises its not a write off after all, tough luck lady!

Thats it exactly she has a bit of a reputation in this area - she has broken 6 horses in the last 10 years - she just knackers them x country without getting them fit - they all seam to do their suspensory's
 
I'm not a lawyer... but... I guess it would depend on the wording of the agreement. Is there an agreement in writing?

If it states that the horse is never to be used as more than a light hack (with no reference to the injury) then she might have a case. The fact that £1 had changed hands means that yes there was a sale, but the court might bear in mind that it is a nominal sum and so take the condition of sale seriously.

If it states SOLD AS a light hack then it refers to the horse at the time of purchase, so if the horse goes on to do more, it is the decision of the new owner.

But as I said - I'm not a lawyer - might be wrong on any of this.
 
I don't think on selling a horse a document saying horse must only do x,y,z has any legal bearing anyway, I might be wrong. Sounds like our grapes to me!
 
Sold is sold, there is no enforcable contract that you can write to limit what a horse can/ can't do once you've sold it ! (hence why people who really want to control a horses future should loan)

Your friend bought in good faith and made the sale contract binding by giving £1 - if he has a receipt a court would take 5 mins to find in his favour, if he doesn't it might be more he said/ she said - but as above a bill for rehab and livery should make her back down a little
 
Did he get a receipt of sale for the £1 purchase? If so, they no longer have any rights as far as I know.

If in doubt, call BHS helpline. You need to be a gold member but it is well worth it.

Sounds like a silly case of sour grapes to me! X
 
yes - he paid a quid for the horse, and 1250 for tack, rugs, and a box of bute !

She came sniffing last year when he was working at novice..... since the horse has moved up to elementary she has become a bit of a stalker... and today has just about topped it off.

She was going to have the horse pts - and I was on the same yard so phoned his breader - a good friend of mine - he and the rest is history.
 
Tell your friend to politely inform her that if she carries on causing a scene with him he'll be forced to get the police involved given her harisment.

Extreme sour grapes!
 
is horse still on bute to stay comfortable?
If so then horse technically isn't sound.

Also if so isn't bute banned in BD?

If not then previous owner obviously feels stupid they let a horse go that has made a full recovery.
If your friend has proof of sale tell other person to go.
or invite them in to see horse and prove how well its doing.
 
Horse has been totlally off bute for just over 16 months - my friend has really put the work into this horse - as he felt so guilty in selling him, he has had physio, laser treatment been swimming, he even moved him to a yard with a super size horse walker so he could do 4 lots of 5 mins in the early days.
 
He deserves the success he is having with the horse, putting all the effort in that she would not, he has no fear of her taking it any further, as long as the £1 changed hands it is a done deal. Even if the horse was paid out for LOU there is no reason it could not go on and have a useful life, her loss and she is just jealous.
 
I think it was guilt that made him try everything he could - when he sold the horse he was head over heels in love in a rather distuctive relationship - and he knew he had done the wrong thing the day the horse left the yard - squished into a horse trailer that was so small the 17hh horse had his tail over the back of the trailer ramp ! - I remember him phoning me a few days latter begging me to speak to the girl to buy him back and she just put the phone down on me and him..... then when he went lame less than 8 months after she owned him, then she suddenly became my best pal.

She was under investigation from the insurance company as she had claimed LOU on so many horses - and tbh I think the insurance co refused to pay out on this one - which is why she took the quid.
 
While I agree with everyone who says he deserves the horse, I do believe it is possible to have a legally binding condition as part of a sale.

I'm talking purely about a legal agreement, which is nothing to do with the sentiment of having bred the horse, or effort in getting it right again. If there was an agreement not to use the horse for more than hacking, he has broken it.
 
Unlucky!!! old owner is trying it on no legal leg to stand on at all :p

she would be laughed out of court :rolleyes:

If you buy a horse then you buy a horse wether you take it to top level or sent it for meat its your horse.... ;)

TOUGH lol :D

Well done your friend :D
 
I don't think she has a leg to stand on.
But the owner must seek specialist help ASAP .
And then ( hopefully ) call her bluff.
 
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