Help! Need Advice

Hello All,

So I am relatively new to the world of horses. I had been taking lessons and decided I wanted to own and board at the facility I was riding at. I had told my lesson instructor the type of horse I was looking for ect. I wanted something that would work for me, trail ride and maybe eventually show. Well she called her trainer and they started looking for horses. They found a five year old paint gelding and brought me to see him.

I was standoffish since he was so young but her trainer assured me that he would not be a problem horse and that they would put 60 days into training before he came home. He was already started. So Yesterday I spoke to my lesson instructor because the horse is suppose to come home this weekend and she started being rude to me saying I haven't been putting enough time ect ect. I explained to her I work full time and she new the circumstances before finding this horse for me. Then I called the trainer and got the same rude tone saying I haven't come up and spent enough time with the horse and I could possibly ruin this great horse...and we argued back and forth. Meanwhile I told her she new my situation that I would not be able to get up to the training facility ofter or at all since it was 2 hours away. She then went on to say she feels he needs another 30 days of training at 600.00 dollars. I told her that was not the agreement and she assured me the horse would be ready to come home after 60 days. I then went on to say I would feel more comfortable finding a trainer down here. She blew up saying any trainer in MA will just ruin him and then I won't be able to sell him. So after all of this I felt really uncomfortable with the situation and felt used. I thought I had done this the right way but apparently just ran over.

This is my first ownership of a horse and unfortantely I am at a crossroad. I decided last night I no longer wanted to board him with my lesson instructor. We did not have a contract signed and I was her only boarder since her barn is at her home. I went and saw a lovely barn with a lot more to offer and explained my situation. The owner has offered to go get my horse as soon as he gets back from NH on Monday. He told me I could use their trainer on site or choose not to. Is this the best decision to just move the horse?

Do you have a written contract with this trainer, concerning how long the horse is supposed to stay with her?

I need more information before I can give you any advice.

So I take it you have paid for this horse and the 2 months of training? I feel like you have the right idea on this one. You've found a barn and lesson facility you are comfortable with, have the horse taken there. Let them evaluate it, along with your riding ability. They aren't going to have anything to lose so they should be honost.

If it turns out the horse is too much then hopefully you can sell it for what you have in it before you get attached. Once you get attached it will be hard to let go.

Stay smart on this one, it sounds like you've got a good head on your shoulder. Don't let them bully you or push you around.

No written contract. I had trusted my lesson instructor and using her trainer. Although after the fact they were both rude and some what shady about brining the horse back down I started to get furious. Things have started to get weird. I never had claimed to know a lot about horses and my lesson instructor knew that from the beginning. I had explained I was through college, had a great job and wanted a horse I could ride/trail ride at night 3-4 times a week. After discussing the situation with my mom who rode for 20 years she said the same thing...let them bring him home and just go pick him up. She told me not to mention I am taking him since she may "not bring him back". The new facility owner also agreed on that decision. I don't owe either of them anything. All said and done I have only invested 2,000.00 into the paint. I spent 1,000 initally on the purchase and the 1000 for two months. They knew my budget from the beginning and my situation inwhich why I am furious. She is telling me I can't trail ride him ect. Also, like my mother said we will just sell him if it is a bad decision and cut our losses at this point. The new facility said get him down here and that if I want they will help me work with him.

I've learned to always get things in writing because horse people are nucking futs, and many are outright liars and scam artists.

Go get your horse ASAP. I don't think I'd trust this 'trainer' farther than I could throw her. Your BO isn't much of a friend either, so nothing lost there when you cut ties.

Good luck.

Yeah that is why mom does not want to even hint at the idea the horse is moving. If she doesn't bring him down Monday she says we will rent a trailer and go pick him up ourselves. So basically I am just keeping my mouth shut and as soon as he gets back in MA he will be picked up and moved. Since I do not have a written contract with the BO there shouldn't be any legal problems. Everything has been paid in full.

I just wanted to update. I called the previous owner from when I purchased the horse in May and she has been trying to get a hold of my trainer and lesson instructor the entire time to make sure the horse was okay. She didn't have my number and she was extremely happy when I called. She told me if I ended up not wanting him when I get him to the new facility she would buy him back. She is furious since she left like 10 voice mails and no one got back to her to tell her how he was doing. We chatted a while and she is going to come up and visit him when we get situated and maybe even trailer her horse up to ride. (we are about the same age). This just makes the situation 10x better now! Can't wait to get away from these people.

My grandpa was a horse trainer and was always telling me "You don't want to get into the horse industry - horse people are crooked". While we have some great horsey-people around us now, we've definitely dealt with MORE THAN our share of nut-jobs and whackos. Be sure you are utd on all of your fees/etc when you go to pull your horse out of the barn. I'm really not sure why anyone would take-on such a huge liability as a horse without having anything in writing (I'm not directing that at the person who started this post, who admits to being a newbie, but the people who are your "instructors" and "trainers" should know better)... but, perhaps that is just what I learned from my late-great grandpa... or law school.

Make sure you have a written contract with your new barn!!!!

Just read your update - YAY!

Thanks for the update Mandie, but I wouldn't breathe a sigh of relief until you have the horse in your possession and at the new barn.