WWYD - Horse missold

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2ponies2much

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I bought a horse at the end of December, to keep my original horse company. The horse was advertised as 3 years old, backed. There was no original advert as the person had replied to my wanted ad.

I saw the horse twice, first time saw her ridden by owner and then returned a week later to ride her myself.

Agreed to buy and she was delivered by owner the next day. When she dropped off the horse she said, oh I couldn't find the passport but I'll have another look and you can pick it up later. Obviously alarm bells started to ring then, and what I should have done was turned round and put her back on the box, but as my horse was pretty desperate for company I didn't have much choice.

Owner still couldn't find the passport, so I just presumed she didn't have one.

Got her checked for a chip by the vet, and took down the number. I have traced the passport back to the issuing organisation, but need to contact the last registered owner who is in a different country to get them to sign the form. It also transpires the horse is a year younger than I was told, so is NOW rising three, not rising four.

Replacement passport will cost £100. The horse was not worth what I paid considering she is a year younger (I would never have bought a broken 2 year old!!).

Do I have any comeback? The seller is a small scale dealer. I don't want to return the horse, but I would like a partial refund really!

Although it was partly my fault so should I chalk it down to experience?
 
You need to get straight on to your local council's Trading Standards department - they are the ones who will pursue and possibly prosecute the dealer for selling a horse without a passport as this is an offence.
 
I would say that you in theory could ask for a part refund but in reality it is more down to you not checking when you had the opportunity, her teeth would have shown her age if checked and you had two chances to look at the passport before purchase it should have been shown to you then and alarms bells would have rung if both times it had been unavailable. The most I would ask for or expect is the cost of the new passport, at least she is already chipped so no cost there.
 
You can get a letter through a solicitor to say you can not contact the past owner and use that to get a replacement passport.

I think the age thing you need to put down to experience.
You could have looked yourself or got a vet to check her over.

You should have looked at the passport on.one or your viewings, to check age and identity of the horse.

Id contact detail and say you want the passport and don't want to be paying for a replacement. but I can't see how you can inforce it now, you should have sorted it on the day, maybe agreed a lower price then to take into account the cost of a replacement.
 
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If you get TS's involved you have to prepare yourself for the dealer to offer you a refund and take the horse back - that would be a suitable solution in the eyes of the authorities.
I guess you didn't get a vetting either or (esp. at that age) they would have spotted the age difference (much easier under 7 years)

What have they said when you discussed it with them? A reduced price would be tricky but the £100 for the passport is pretty reasonable to ask for.
 
Honestly, as much as I think you have been stitched up (and it's a shame), I think this really is a case of buyer beware . . . (I'm assuming) you didn't get pony vetted, and you accepted the pony without a passport.

There are some very good dealers out there, but there are also so many dodgy characters out for a fast buck these days, that I would steer clear.

P
 
I did check her teeth, although they are more reliable when they are younger they can still be out. looked like a late 3 year old to me, but clearly I was wrong!
No I didn't get a vetting.

I did mention the passport at 2nd viewing and she said it was at home and would bring it when dropping her off the next day.

I haven't actually contacted her about it yet, as I wasn't sure what to do about it. I understand it is an offence to sell without a passport, and to transport a horse without one too but I really don't want to get into a position where I could lose the horse as shes lovely!

Yes I understand the cost of replacing a passport is really all I can hope for, although again if I'd have known her age I would never have bought a 2 year that had been broken and she definitely wouldn't have been worth what I'd paid.

In an ideal world what I want is for everyone to know, not for revenge but so that she cant exploit animals like this because its not fair on them.
 
Do you like the horse, if yes, then get a replacement and sadly carry the cost, and to others buyer beware, we only learn by our mistakes, this is what o would do anyway.
 
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