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Who is in the wrong? (Long Story)

3K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  SEAmom 
#1 ·
So some of you know about my horse before I got Gizmo, his name was RJ and he was a five year old Mustang. So to get the question I want to ask I will have to go back to before I got him, making it a long story.

So I started working for RJ's old owner my senior year of high school, riding and working the horses, as well as cleaning out the stalls and everything and learning how to do natural horsemanship training. So I was supposed to go to school of Equine and I really wanted to go but right before I was going to start we found out I didn't have enough and still owed like ten thousand to go. So my parents were going to pay for it, but I didn't want them to be dead broke I felt too guilty so I asked them if I went to school online for something they felt most comfortable with me learning, like business, then could I have a horse again. So they agreed that I could. So I started looking at horse online. I really didn't want to buy one of her horses because they weren't all the way trained and other than working some of her horses a few hours a week I really hadn't ridden for like six years. But she said that I had a "special bond" with RJ and she would sell him to me for a good price, $500. So that was a pretty good price to me. He was all saddle broke and everything just needed a little more training and then someone to get on him. So I didn't think that was too bad, and we did have a good bond.
But I was worried about finishing his training I really didn't know all that much about it and like I said I hadn't really rode steadily for a while. So she said that she would pay for someone to get on him and let me board there for $100 a month so I could use the round pen and other equipment that I didn't have at home. This was all written in the the contract. I would photo copy it to here, but I don't want names or anything to come up. So we continued working on him for a while and I could get my foot in his stirrup and put my weight in it. So we figured he was ready for someone to get on him. Now her daughter is a great rider, but she is too lazy and too good for Mustangs. So she met this girl at a party and this girl said she had "broke" horses before and loved doing it. So she hired her to do it.
OMG can you say awful? Ugh he was so.... good too, but she didn't understand how to hold his head in when she got on him. So she let it out and he spooked and off he went, and boy was he a fast horse. I wanted him to be my barrel racer. And her seat was horrible, it didn't even look like she had ever ridden a horse before. She lasted about two seconds after he bolted. After that she was too scared to get on.
So now he was spooked by this so I had to start all over trying to get my weight on him and such. So then her husband found someone else to ride him. She was a lot better rider than this other girl, but she was so timid. RJ needed sweetness, but he needed a firm hand sometimes because he really liked to play people. So she let him get away with bullying her spinning when she pulled his head in, making it hard for her to get her foot in the stirrup, for some reason she couldn't get her foot in there and he was 14.2 with a western saddle on. So she managed to get on him like once and he bolted again, because she let his head out so she rode around the round pen like four times and he was starting to relax a bit but then he slipped and she rolled off of him and was too scared to get back on.
So then his old owner came up to me and she said she has spend too much money on him to get someone to ride him (she had paid each person fifty) so she didn't know what I wanted to do, but she had to raise my board up to $400 a month. And there was no way I could afford that so I had to take him home. Where I had no round pen and no one was home or had any horse knowledge to even help me. So I had to sell him. So it took me forever to actually get someone interested. And I lost $200 on him, but he went to a good home and its close by so I can still check up on him.
So not long after I sold him, I got a text from his new owner saying that his old owner had talked to her mom and said RJ was a horrible horse that was a danger to everyone and would never be broke and she also told them that he had never had a saddle on him before! I was like WHAT! By the time he left my house I could lay on his back and I could still put my weight in his stirrups on both sides. He lunged like a dream, trailers, good for vet and farrier, he ground drove, he did a crap load of stuff and was wicked desensitized I just didn't have the facilities to finish his training or the experience. I told her it was a total lie.
So I got a nasty email from his old owner saying that she never thought I would sell him and that I was this awful person and I should never own a horse. And he went to a horrible home. Which he did not I personally checked the place out and the woman that bought him is a firefighter and respected person in the community. I was like WTF is going on!
So what do you guys think about the situation? To me she didn't hold her end of the contract. If I had known she wasn't I wouldn't have ever bought RJ even though we did have a bond and I loved him. But it is something that has been bothering me for a while now.
 
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#2 ·
I'm going to say you were in the wrong for not thinking the situation through. Maybe it's just me but giving up schooling for a horse is not wise, buying a horse from a person who sells unfinished horses, which is fine but you knew you were not up for that, is not wise either. Also I have never heard of a former owner paying for a horse's training AFTER they've sold it. I can completely understand this woman not wanting to pay for a horse that is no longer hers. Buying a horse when you cannot afford the board of a horse in training (because I'm sure that's why the board was raised) is not logical either.

I'll also mention, just because someone is a firefighter and has a good reputation in the community does not mean they are a fit home for a large animal such as a horse. I'm sure they are wonderful people but there could be a lack of experience, time, or it could be a situation where the family bought their daughter a horse because the "i want a pony" stage didnt wear off (I know that's how I got my first horse, it's not the worst situation, but it's not ideal either).

I'm truly not trying to sound harsh, but I think you made a few errors in judgement on this situation.
 
#3 ·
I agree with Zeke. I think maybe the previous owner could have gone about some things a different way, but you kind of set yourself up for this outcome. I'm not criticizing, just sharing my opinion. You are definitely not the only one that has done this either. It happens all the time (especially the "mommy, I want a pony" situation). I hope everything works out well:)
 
#4 ·
you kind of set yourself up for this outcome
This is what I agree with. I think that perhaps you could have gotten riding lessons during the time he was in "training". I also think that when she sold you the horse because of the "special bond" then that's a first red flag. Sometimes that's actually true, but when someone tried to sell me a horse that way, I knew that it was not from good intent. Also, your parents agreed for you to sacrifice your future for a horse which was not completely your fault but an error on their part.

Sorry if anything came across too blunt, just my personal opinion.
 
#5 ·
Well it definitely wasn't a "Mommy I want a pony situation". I have had two horses previous to RJ and I was 18 when I bought him. I paid for him with my own money and I am in college for a degree in Business so I did go to school. I just live at my parents house to I had to have permission to have a horse at their house.
And I ONLY agreed to buy him if she helped finish training him. It was in a contract that SHE drafted that she would help finish his training and get someone to ride him for me. And I wasn't stupid and let him just go anyone. I made sure he went to a knowledgeable home where he could have his training finished. His new owner just finished training a rescue mare with severe trust issues.
Oh and it also stated in the contract that my board was supposed to be $100 and she suddenly raised it. I certainly wasn't going to pay $300 more for something that I was paying $100 dollars for, for seven months. Plus I barely make that when I get good hours and when she raised my board my hours at work got cut back almost in half.
 
#12 ·
Oh and it also stated in the contract that my board was supposed to be $100 and she suddenly raised it. I certainly wasn't going to pay $300 more for something that I was paying $100 dollars for, for seven months.
It happens. Board goes up all the time. $100 probably didn't even cover the cost associated with having the horse there. She was trying to be nice and doing you a favor. Likely thinking since you had a place to take him, you would move him home.
 
#6 ·
I didn't say YOU were the "mommy bought me a pony" situation, if you read my post again you will see I said that was a possiblity in RJs NEW owners...I'm glad it does not sound like they are unfit.

I understand you go to school but you make it seem as though you have settled by choosing a business degree because it's cheaper and allows you to also have a horse. That does not seem like the best idea to me. I am in school and have chosen the best possible program, unfortunately that means I can't afford a horse and I have to be grown up enough to accept that.

The contract sounds ridiculous to be honest. Who would put board in a contract? What did the contract say about you wanting to move him? What if her hay prices went up or her electric bill or what-not? It's hard to believe that she would set a fixed board price...let this be a lesson that if something sounds too good to be true, it just might be. Also, why buy a horse that is so untrained and then rely on the previous owner to finish it? If you can't train the horse yourself/can't afford training, you have to find another option rather then relying on other's handouts because eventually that help may run out (like it did for you).
 
#8 ·
I think one of the mistakes made here as there was no dollar value or end result put on the training the seller was going to provide.
I am not sure what the exact wording in the contract was, but she did pay for someone to get on him. Twice. Was it successful? Sounds like it was not. But she did pay for someone to get on him.
I can not logically figure out how one paying $500 for a horse expects any quantity of training to be included.

I am sorry that you bought more horse than you could handle. Glad you found him a good home. I would not loose sleep over what the previous owner says to you.
 
#9 ·
Zeke: Who would put board in a contract? What did the contract say about you wanting to move him? What if her hay prices went up or her electric bill or what-not? It's hard to believe that she would set a fixed board price...let this be a lesson that if something sounds too good to be true, it just might be.

Just a side note, but I thought ALL board was under a contract? My board is. It's like an apartment lease, I have to give 30 days notice to move and my board is set for a year.
Just curious, cuz like I said I thought that was a standard practice. Or are we talking two different things here?
I'm an air head, bear with me pleaaase.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Yes Dusty, board is a contract but the OP is making it sound like it was part of a contract when she bought the horse (previous owner was going to board, and pay for others to finish the horses training for only $100 a month). Things may be a little cloudy since the previous owner was also the BO. Even then, does your board contract say that board will never change? It's been awhile since I've boarded a horse but when I did, if hay prices rose, so did board. New improvements to stalls or the services, board went up. Thats natural. We would of course be notified (and it was never a $300 jump like this situation) of course however. This extra $300 seems merited IMO however because the barn owner was spending time and money on training for this horse.
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#11 ·
My board is contractual. It would be ridiculous not to put board in a contract. That leaves the BO open to change board and any associated conditions on a whim.
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#14 ·
Yes SEAmom and everyone else, board is a conrtact! It should not however be a condition when you purchase your horse. You should not buy a horse from a BO and truly expect them to set your board so low, train your horse then never needy charge more. That's what I meant by contract when I said the one she had was ridiculous.
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#15 ·
I agree with the lessons learned aspect. The fact of the matter is that there was a contract. That becomes legally binding. The barn owner legally wasn't allowed to change the board without writing a new contract unless there was a statement in the original contract saying she could change it under specific conditions. It doesn't matter if the owner thought the horse would leave, it's still a contract. This is the wonderful thing about contracts. It get rid of what people think is right, wrong, fair, or unfair and puts everything on the table.

Based on the OP, the barn owner broke the contract by raising the cost of board - again, unless there was something stating that the board could be adjusted. I don't know what the details were for the training and they should've been clearly spelled out in the contract. There's no way of telling whether that part was broken or not based on the post.

I don't think she's looking for attitude, lessons, lectures, or what she did wrong/right. Legally the barn owner was in the wrong based on what was posted on here. That's it.
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