WWYD? horse not advertised truthfully?

in your shoes (sorry!) OP I too would be very cross! It's clearly part of the horse's management that should be discussed on the phone when you enquired. I would find it hard to believe that the seller forgot to mention it but that is the kindest interpretation.

Yes, in this case you could have specifically asked about shoeing (and AA's list above) but IMHO a responsible seller will not wait to be asked a specific question before saying something which is relevant to the horse's suitability. My 2 best horses were over 3 hours away from home so I would not limit the travelling time, but you do leave yourself open to expensive and wasteful trips however careful you are. I have been to see more than one horse who turned out to be lame. Always seems to be a miracle that you ever find the right one! Good luck with your search :)
 
My horse wears heart bars behind... he had low heels and a naturally long toe soit was to support the heel and suspensories. He's not crippled... I would have found out the details before getting annoyed I think
 
I would have been suspicious too and peed off Id travelled so far but in defence of the seller, my friends horse has never had a days lameness, never had lami and is in heartbar shoes. We have a meticulous farrier who shoes to suit what the horse needs. Why hes in heartbars Im not sure as in farrier terms but hes definately not got a lameness issue.
 
Why on earth didn't you just ask the seller why it was in heartbars? No need for stomping off in a temper. And if you rode it anyway you couldn't have been all that disturbed.
 
Cortez said:
Why on earth didn't you just ask the seller why it was in heartbars? No need for stomping off in a temper. And if you rode it anyway you couldn't have been all that disturbed.
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^^ This. First ask seller why horse had heartbars on, then you can 'get cross', if it was due to health issues.
 
I'd have been as cross as you. Heart bars are only ever used to address a problem in a horse's feet or way of going. The horse needn't be lame, but it has a weakness or they would not be being used in the first place. I'd have been really cross to have travelled two hours to find a horse with remedial, easily pulled off by a turned out horse, and very expensive, shoes.
 
How is it not truthfully advertised? Did you all about shoeing? No then I think you are being a little unreasonable. You asked if it had ever had lameness, heart bars don't mean it has. That is your prejudice.
If it is that important to you, you should have asked.
 
Yes heart bar shoes address a problem but they are frequently used as a short term measure to counteract poor shoeing and owners who fail to have their horses feet shod regularly. I'd be more worried about a seller who takes off the heart bar shoes when the horse is for sale than one who keeps them on and is prepared to talk about why the horse is wearing them because clearly many people don't understand very much about shoeing.
ycbm said:
I'd have been as cross as you. Heart bars are only ever used to address a problem in a horse's feet or way of going. The horse needn't be lame, but it has a weakness or they would not be being used in the first place. I'd have been really cross to have travelled two hours to find a horse with remedial, easily pulled off by a turned out horse, and very expensive, shoes.
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The Tank said:
No, you don't need to be told prior to viewing.
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I agree with this .
However one of the questions I always always ask is what type of shoes has the horse on and has it ever had any tupe of remedial shoeing .
I have a very long list of questions ! that I have built up over the years.
 
Cortez said:
Why on earth didn't you just ask the seller why it was in heartbars? No need for stomping off in a temper. And if you rode it anyway you couldn't have been all that disturbed.
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This. You can't complain about travelling to see a horse when you don't appear to be commited enough to actually ask the seller a question about the horses management. I've known several horses with no lameness issues with heart bar shoes and it's quite naive of you to instantly assume that this particular one may have soundness issues. Farriers shoe to suit the confirmation of the animals hooves as well as to address any soundness or medical issues. I can't help but feel that you not only wasted your own time by not asking questions but also the sellers time too - especially considering that you actually got on the horse knowing full well it was shod with heart bars.
 
What I would do is chalk it down to experience tbh. Make sure to ask on the phone what shoes it has on and why, although you could not be sure without talking to vet/farrier if the seller is being honest with the 'why'. I don't think h&h will do anything, perhaps your best bet is to speak to the seller and explain why you are not interested in the horse, maybe they don't realise it's a problem.
 
benz said:
What I would do is chalk it down to experience tbh. Make sure to ask on the phone what shoes it has on and why, although you could not be sure without talking to vet/farrier if the seller is being honest with the 'why'. I don't think h&h will do anything, perhaps your best bet is to speak to the seller and explain why you are not interested in the horse, maybe they don't realise it's a problem.
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As a vendor, one has to sell what one has, therefore if horse is sound and never been lame one would wonder why it has eggbars, so alarm bells ring, but you did not ask about special shoeing, next time you will.
 
What I would say having been buying a horse in the last 6 weeks and also currently selling a pony- if you aren't genuinely interested in the horse for whatever reason pre you riding it (not pretty enough/too green/not well schooled enough whatever the reason) please don't waste both your time and the sellers time by riding it. I didn't even ride a few of the horses I viewed as I knew they weren't for me and each buyer was appreciative that I didn't waste their time.
 
Michen said:
What I would say having been buying a horse in the last 6 weeks and also currently selling a pony- if you aren't genuinely interested in the horse for whatever reason pre you riding it (not pretty enough/too green/not well schooled enough whatever the reason) please don't waste both your time and the sellers time by riding it. I didn't even ride a few of the horses I viewed as I knew they weren't for me and each buyer was appreciative that I didn't waste their time.
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This. I've also just purchased a horse and went to see several (One of whom I didn't get on as she was lame - which I embarassingly had to point out to her owner whilst she was riding...) and didn't ride all of them for the same reason that Michen said. It is very misleading for the owner as they will believe that you are actually interested. You will cause far less offence in the long run by politely pointing out that the horse isn't for you and thanking them for their time.
 
Agree with Michen. I also have not ridden horses that I've been to see as I knew straight away they weren't for me. I've always told the owner the reason why and thanked them. In every case they have thanked me for being honest and not wasting their time.
 
It sounds like it has been advertised truthfully, but perhaps not "totally". Definitely a discussion for the phone call. Your job to ask, in my view.
 
I had a horse for 5 years, moved got a new farrier who convinced himself that my horse should be shod his way, I put up with it for 18 months, when he put bars on I found a second opinion who took them off and shod like my old farrier (really upright feet side clips on both fronts and backs. Never did I have a moment's lameness in all that time just had a self opinionated farrier who thought all horses should be shod the same despite me asking over and over for them to be done the way he'd always been done. When I found a new farrier I made sure he was old, so could just be a young farrier too full of theory with not enough experience
 
I was just wondering - if it was recorded on a horse vetting that it was shod with heart bar shoes, wouldn't the insurance company automatically exclude any claims for lameness on those legs, on the basis that being unable to wear normal shoes indicates that there is something not right with the feet? If not, I would expect them to refuse to pay out anyway, if the horse subsequently goes lame, on the basis that the remedial shoes showed that there must have been a pre-existing condition.
 
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