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Where did all the honest people/horses go?

13K views 71 replies 33 participants last post by  loosie 
#1 ·
Recently I have noticed the quality of people and horses to go down. It all started when my older brother decided to get back into horses. This was a big deal for him and he wanted to take the time into finding the right horse for him. He found a horse that he loved which was a 4 yr old palomino gelding. The only problem was that it was close to spring planting and he would be too busy to spend time with this horse. So he sent it to a trainer to get more hours on him and to work on some reining. 2 weeks before we went to pick him up the trainer called and said they had bad news, his horse cracked some ribs rough housing with other horses. So we picked him up. had several different vets looks at him and finally cleared him for riding. We took our time, doing a bunch of ground work and he seemed just like he normally was. Until we tried to ride him. Ive never seen a horse buck so hard in my life. We called the trainer and she said she had no idea, then later lied to my dad saying the horse was crazy to begin with and my brother never should have bought him. We ended up selling him as a bucking horse.

Then, my father who is 65, decided now that he was retired he wanted to get a good trail horse and live the life on the back of a horse. Went to look at this horse that they swore was bomb proof. He rode it around and decided to go with it, since it was 14 yr old and was a been there done that horse. He brought it home and the first night he rode it he did ok. Tried to take off right when he got on but my dad got him under control. The next night he rode him, my dad got on and the horse bolted and my dad couldn't get him back in control and ended up bailing and going to the ER with a broken nose, and fractured cheek bone and eye socket. While he was gone my brother got on him and he did the same thing, by brother was trying to put him in a circle and the horse wasn't listening and ended up breaking a rein. and he had to bail too. He got back on and the horse immediately started bucking and threw him off and bucked all the way back to the yard.

Sorry about this novel but it is just so frustrating to have this happen to good people. I mean we do our research before we buy but lately it seems like people will do whatever to make a sale instead of taking their time to make a good honest horse.
 
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#2 ·
To be fair, and completely honest, most things of quality are no longer taken seriously. Most things, but not all.

I was looking at saddles not too long ago at a local tack shop and noticed something very disturbing. Most of them were build shoddily by un-dedicated craftsmen. The leather was actually on the verge of ripping off with just a tug on one.

Same goes for horses. There just isn't any dedication towards preserving the best of the best. It's more about money, for some people, than genuine love for the occupation.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I'm so sorry this happened! Are you going to sell the 2nd horse with full disclosure? I hope your dad doesn't try to get back on him.

This is one of my biggest fears when the day comes and I buy a horse. That is why I would like an off farm lease, maybe 30 days if I could. I know sellers hate this and I understand. At the very least, I plan on finding a reputable barn and have a couple of people with me. And even then people get screwed!

You didn't get these horses from traders did you? I know some people have a lot of luck with traders but it's just too risky for me.
All buyers ask is that the horse is what they are paying for and is as described. It's a shame so many people are taken advantage of. It's not just losing money. A buyer can lose their life. I don't know how sellers live with themselves.

I asked my trainer about the word "bombproof" and she never heard of it. I ride English and maybe it's not an English term? I wonder if the word bombproof itself is maybe a sign that a seller is dishonest?

I don't know as much about purchasing horses as I've never owned one yet, but I know from working for a vet and doing rescue, there are certain words backyard breeders will use when selling dogs. And as soon as you see those words, you know it's a backyard breeder who is breeding for bucks and not quality.

Are there any terms that could tip off a buyer that a seller is being less than honest?

Don't mean to hijack your thread. When I buy a horse next year, I want a good trail horse like your dad. I know a lot of people think that trail horses are just dead head and dime a dozen, but IME, a good, solid trail horse is every bit as valuable as any other discipline. It may seem there are lot of good trail horses by ads, but experience says otherwise. Finding a good honest horse that isn't a spooker, bolter, bucker on the trail is actually harder to find than one would think.

I hope your dad isn't turned off to riding. I can totally see a man in his 60's just wanting to hang out and trail ride. He has every right to do that. I hope he's okay and that he finds his perfect horse.
 
#4 ·
for the second horse i would demand my money back! if they don't give it back and take the horse, take them for all they are worth in court!

this is sooo dangerous! if you want advice contact john O'Leary from Horse problems australia web site, he has taken many people to court with similar cases and won. he might be able to give you some advice but i wouldn't take that laying down!

the horse industry has become really dishonest and it's not just where you are, it's everywhere, money money money is all these people care about! and it's not on! stand up for yourselves and demand better! i had a horse that deliberatly double barrelled me in the face, i got rid of him FULL DISCLOSURE and i got an email from some old bitty that was on the council of a club i'm a member of, going off at me saying that i was irresponsible for trying to find a home for a 6yo horse with full disclosure, i guess she would rather me sell him for top dollar saying he is bomb proof.

your dad's first clue should have been that the seller said the horse was bomb proof, i'm sorry but there is no such thing. for your brother i would be looking into the trainer more and the seller and find out who is lying.

i fell for your family, i really do, i have been a victim myself. there are honest people out there, they can be hard to find at times though.

good luck xxx
 
#5 ·
Sorry for your bad experience! People trying to rip-off others are always out there. It was a case 20 years ago, it's a case now, and I'm positive will be a case 20 years from now. Sounds like you were very unlucky.

I'd suggest next time you shop to find a trainer with recommendations and ask if he/she can go with you on horse shopping or help to find a horse (most trainers in my area have no problem with it).
 
#10 ·
Sorry for your bad experience! People trying to rip-off others are always out there. It was a case 20 years ago, it's a case now, and I'm positive will be a case 20 years from now. Sounds like you were very unlucky.
So true.

Horse trader was a bad word long before used car salesman was.
 
#6 ·
In fairness, people have been trying to pawn dodgy horses off on each other since horses have been bought and sold. "Horse-dealer" or "horse-trader" have been euphemisms for skeezy characters with shady business dealings for several centuries now.

I've heard many stories like yours, most frequently from inexperienced horsepeople. The horse-market isn't for the novice. Always best to take an experienced friend or trainer if you're not sure what you're looking at.
 
#7 ·
Another problem is a horse that behaves very well in the first couple of weeks then it hits the fan. That I find is the horse trying to be the boss and I have news for it. Time fixed that one.

Bomb proof, no such thing. All horses will loose the plot given the right conditions. My personal preference is for a younger horse, at least what tricks they pull are new and not years of learned behaviour.

We to have our sharks in the industry and well done those that disclose problems the horse may have. The good horses are there, you may have to go to a breder or well known trainer to find it, and that will equal dollars.

As for trail or what I call trekking horses. My belief is the temperament is important but like a teenager it changes as it ages. (sorry younger readers you can pay me back later) Experence is what the horse is exposed to over time and is ongoing, so Bomb Proof can not be, as each outing presents different conditions which the horse learns to cope with. Some never do.

My avatar Stella was a horse used by a riding school where they went single file and each horse knew its place. When I took her out of what she was comfortable with she lost it, and became a different horse than what I first rode and brought. Her confidence gone. And mine going
A rising 8 year old with some dressage training but to be used for trekking and that is a special horse just as in any other discipline.

I am not steeling this thread but it is a subject most of us have had some misfortune to deal with. For my part Stella is being retrained the first hurdle to get over is to get her to like me again. Mares !!! I jest, she knows who butters the bread, she is just playing hard to get.
 
#8 ·
OP, I'm very sorry you've gotten to see the ugly side of the horse world. Unfortunately there have been shady sellers (and buyers) in the horse world since the existence of the horse market and they will always be out there.

I couldn't count the number of deals gone wrong stories I've heard over the years.
There are still good, honest folks out there though.

As already said, it's always a great idea to take an experienced horse person along when checking out any horse. I've been at this horse thing my whole life (was born into it) and I still take an extra pair of trained eyes anytime I'm looking at a potential buy and depending on the price tag I will also have my farrier ride along and the vet has on occasion as well.
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#11 ·
The trainer didnt seem dishonest, he told you the horse had broke ribs, maybe he didnt take propper care of the horses, and I would never board my horse in a group setting with other horses I dont own. You ever broke a rib ? it hurts for a long long time, and I didnt have anyone on my back.
I also would never buy a horse outright without doing a free lease at my house first. I am honest and not gonna sell a crazy horse. If I have to trust the seller isnt lying to me about the condition of the horse, then they can trust me to send them the money, bring back the horse, or tell em to come get it.
Also, no matter how great the horse is or was, never get on a new purchase without a few days of basic ground work. If nothing else that will give time for any drugs to wear off. Yep had it happen brought home a drugged horse, that was totally insane 2 days later. That was the one I told owner to come get, cause horse wouldnt load, he got snotty with me about gas and I bluffed told him I had a blood sample in the refridgerator I was gonna send to the lab and if It came back with drugs I was gonna take his house. He shut up real quick and left, led me to believe I had guessed right.
 
#13 ·
I somewhat agree with Sahara - I am very, very reluctant to give a horse out on trial. I actually did do it with two seperate horses, and both were bought the horse after the trial. In this circumstance they'd come out a few times to ride and I (vaguely) knew them through people at agistment places, pony club etc, and I liked them a lot, knew where they were keeping the horse and could check up on it. Still, very risky, and I don't do it for all horses or people who come out looking. Buying a horse - I'd love the luxury of trialing every one but that would cut out 95% of the horses because the owners would never consent.

Bombproof is a very common term (in Australia at least) and is commonly used especially to describe children's horses, but also trail horses etc. No one is actually implying they are "bomb-proof" but everyone knows it means very quiet. It is by no means a dodgy term. I'd use it, riding schools use it, pony clubs use it. I wouldn't be remotely put off if someone used this term, in fact it may show that the owner is familiar with "horse lingo".

Bad luck about your horses. It can be very tricky because while there is a distinct possibility the previous owner lied, it also could just be the horse. Some horses don't cope with change well. I've seen a horse practically murderous with a rider when kept with a large herd, but sweet and calm when kept with a limited amount of horses. I've seen horses great in an arena and totally freak out in a new place. Just a few months ago I watched an owner ride and lunge his horse, I got on it and it took off bucking immediately and bolted.

My advice for future horses is go out multiple times to visit the horse. Ride in an arena and in a paddock and try and take them on a little trail. Ensure you are the one to catch and saddle them, get multiple people to ride them.
 
#14 ·
My first Rule of Thumb:

If it has a heart and pumps blood?? It's unpredictable. There is NO SUCH THING as bombproof and people should not even be allowed to use that term.

I have been on a horse since I was two; started going to auctions with my grandpap and breaking them when I was 12.

I am so sorry this happened but it has been going on since the beginning of time. It is a sad testimony that the ethics and integrity of some people has only gotten worse over the years.

I saw this on Inside Edition a few weeks back, so Googled the original story. How disgusting is THIS:evil:

News - INSIDE EDITION Investigates Horse Selling Scam - InsideEdition.com

I thought I saved the actual FBI article on this but, as usual, I can't find anything when I want to:?

My four horses are broke to death - so broke and so gentle that folks have asked if either of the younger ones might be for sale. My kind reply is they are broke to death and bombproof (there's that word) because I keep them that way.

One has bad attitude and would run right over a new horse owner, the other one has big spook factors when he goes out by himself and likes to lip-nip for which he gets continually corrected. How far would these two broke-to-death safe horses last in an environment where nobody has any experience?

There are more problem horses in this world than there aren't. They got that way by being mis-handled either by a well-intending novice owner that has no one to guide them (and I mean physically touching the horse), or someone has either been rough with them or just flat-out abused them.

Then they get sold or given away, someone "re-schools" them for the sole purpose of making money and doesn't care who the horse goes to, so it ends up in the same situation it came from, only with different owners.

No wonder there are so many nut cases horses waiting to stomp the next person that looks at them.

Those horses that are truly truly safe for an inexperienced rider are few and far between and finding someone ethical to help that inexperienced rider can be even more rare.

Shame on the horse traders who prey on these folks. When I've gone to look at a horse the Traders I knew that were trying to sell as a family horse, they would say "oh you don't want that horse, it's got issues" hrmph - imagine that:shock:
 
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#15 ·
Everybody here should be reading/responding to THIS THREAD! It took DH and me years to find replacements for my aging, then dying excellent bomb-proof--and they really were--equine members of our family, well into their 20's. We bought/sold at auction 4 horses and 1 mule that were highly UNDERtrained. I'm not looking to blame any trainers/sellers for these unfinished animals. 2 that I looked at tried to buck me off, 1 succeeded and I thank the Lord that I had the good sense to try him out without stirrups, or else I would have been dragged, and not riding today.
People new to horses TODAY do not understand the amount of hours it really takes to properly train a horse--We are talking about thousands of hours of training. Often really good trainers break in horses well because it is their labor of love for a breed, or other reasons. I don't think these people get back what they give.
They are, and always have been, hacks that don't know what they're doing, and there are re-trainers who can ride a scared horse because they bully him/her, but if you can't/won't/don't know how to bully same horse, the horse won't respect you and won't let you ride him/her.
Bleeding hearts discourage people from appropriately disciplining your horse quickly and correctly. If you do NOT discipline your horse, he/she WILL develop bad and dangerous habits, and even good horses left without training can develop bad and dangerous habits. Think about your assumably good dog who starts nosing at the dinner table, then steals your steak later on when you're not looking. Would you let this behavior continue? No. Would you beat the snot out of him? No, you probably would grab the steak, smack him on the rear with a "no, bad dog!", crate him during dinner for a good month, and use a sharp "no" whenever he comes near the table with food on it. It's the same thing with your horse. He/she is NOT your child, but he/she is the beta to your alpha and is comfortable when you provide leadership and expect good behavior ALL OF THE TIME.
The other aspect to our current "bad horse" dilemma is that the Internet (or computers) and gaming have replaced a lot of time that we all used to spend hanging around the barn and our horses.
It doesn't have to be this way. I have a friend who just sold a 3 yo filly (from a mare that she bought in foal but didn't know) with perfect manners. The whole family gentled her, and breaking her to saddle was a breeze because she had been handled SO MUCH. The fact that she is a Belgian is inconsequential, but it just shows that size is irrelevant to training. **TOTAL sigh**
 
#16 ·
Don't label all horse traders as bad news. We had one friend that was a dyed in the wool horse trader, and would make as much off of a horse as he could...BUT...he never lied about a horse. If he said a horse was good for a beginner, it was the truth - but he never claimed a horse was bomb-proof. Some horses he had were great for adult beginners, but some of those he wouldn't put a child on. A good kid's horse and a good beginner's horse may not be the same thing.

I'm not sure where you are located, but if you or your family are still in the market for a horse, you might want to develop some contacts in your local "horse world." Around here, that would be in the local riding or round up clubs. There are also some trail riding groups in our area. If I were in the market for a riding horse, that's where I would start. At least then you probably wouldn't be purchasing a horse from a total stranger. Even if you didn't know the seller, you would know someone who does, and that tends to keep people a little more honest.
 
#17 ·
Thanks, Dee, I DO have a lot of contacts. You know how it is--NOBODY is gonna sell their really good horses. I probably looked at over 20 horses in the space of 3 years, and I thought I had screened them before going to look. I ended up buying one gelding from a reputable breeder and I got my 5 yo QH from a local rescue. I had a good chance to try him as a 4yo and had them test him before I went home to think about him for several days before I adopted him. I asked them to ride him, pick up his feet, lunge him, and load him in their trailer, in the dark. He showed their great training and his good personaility. He's a great horse and has settled into a very calm 5 yo.
I just think that any novice needs to be VERY CAREFUL. I also think, considering this Depression that we are in, it wouldn't hurt someone who is short on funds to lease out their horse to a riding academy. There is NOTHING like hours under saddle with multiple riders to really season a horse who needs more time under saddle. Bad hands and poor cues really don't hurt the horse. THIS used to be the precursor to "retraining." NOW, retraining is too often trying to make a horse rideable.
I ALWAYS had good rides on my lesson horses, and I owned all of them. DH and I took our horses on lots of riding vacations, and I felt safe letting my preadolescent daughters ride alone bc I KNEW my horses wouldn't rear, buck or run away with them. If I had one horse that MIGHT do such a thing, I rode him on these trips.
 
#18 ·
I don't know, Corporal. Around here, people are selling their really good horses, and only keeping the outstanding ones because they can't afford to feed the all. Sometimes you can get a really nice horse someone is selling just because they want to "upgrade" to a more challenging or exciting horse. People sell their kid's first horses because they are ready for one that is more highly trained or faster. Those horses would be great for a beginner.

Daughter bought a cute little mare a while back. She had ridden the mare several times and just loved her. I had some misgivings, but daughter is an adult and had made up her mind. Horse was great at first, but after a few weeks, she went nutso - absolutely crazy - and no one could do anything with her. Daughter thought it was becuase the mare had previously been in a very abusive situation (true story) but I'm of the opinion that it's just really bad attitude. Either way, she's too much for daughter to handle, and no one can ride her. I wouldn't sell that horse to my worst enemy.

Luckily, we have a neighbor who specializes in rehabbing "bad" horses. He agrees with me that it's bad attitude (vet has already given her a clean bill of health - it's not pain). I have a bet with my daughter that after three days with our neighbor, he'll be riding her around and she'll be just as calm as she can be. I can't wait until he has a spot open up for that little mare!

As for leasing horses out to a riding academy, there aren't many around here - and most of them are unloading horses as fast as they can. Our economy is so bad people can't afford lessons or boarding fees. Almost all of the horses that are run through our local auctions are going to kill buyers - even really good, well broke horses are going for slaughter.
 
#19 ·
I can tell you that the one big piece of advice I got when I bought my first horse over 10 years ago was, "Don't trust anyone in the horse business." If I had a nickle for everyone who told me that, I probably could have paid for my horse !!
Anyway, dishonest people are everywhere....always have been, but there are also honest people everywhere. Sometimes, it's just hard to sift through them. I am so sorry you had a couple of bad experiences with buying horses. I think the bad economy has pushed some of the borderline dishonest people completely to the dishonest side of the fence, but there are still some good people out there who are selling good horses. I also think that a lot of trainers aren't putting all the time into a horse right now because they know they can't get their money's worth back out of them, which puts more untrained horses on the market.
My best advice for buying a horse.....
1. Be patient. There are a lot of good horses out there.
2. Don't buy the first horse you see.
3. Never let emotion make your buying decision.
4. Always make the owner ride the horse first before you do. If the horse is semi-crazy, you will see the hesitation in their eyes.
5. See and ride the horse on multiple occasions - announced and un-announced.
6. Always, always have the horse vet checked before you purchase.
7. If the owner has sold horses in the past, ask for references and contact a previous buyer.

I have been extremely fortunate that both of my horses have turned out to be incredible animals, but I have always taken a lot of time before I buy to make sure what I buy is worth my time.
 
#20 ·
And remember - whatever you do - don't do what I did!

My two most recent acquisitions were purchased sight unseen. I knew absolutely nothing about the horses, other than their owner was moving out of state and couldn't take them with her. She was going to leave them with the property and HOPE someone would take care of them.

The first time I saw the horses was at the seller's property, and I had already paid for them. All I knew was that she claimed they were broke to ride. My daughte rode them both, and they did okay. The little paint (now deceased, but that's another story) didn't have any buck in him, but he also didn't know much. Not broke in my opinion, but he'd had a saddle on him a few times. I could live with that.

The mare (my avatar) was another story all together. She did fine for the daughter, but when the seller climbed aboard, the mare pitched a bucking fit I'd only seen previously in rodeos. Seller flew off of the mare head over hind side. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, but I wondered what I'd gotten myself into. Seller claimed that "only a man could handle that mare."

Picked up the horses on July 11, 2009. Took us over four hours to load that crazy mare - seller was terrified of her, but wouldn't let us take over and get the mare in the trailer - she didn't want the mare "bullied." Huh. Fortunately, the little gelding loaded right up after we finally got the mare in the trailer.

After we got the horses home, the mare turned out to be a pushy, nasty tempered bit**. Took me a couple of months, but we came to an understanding. Now she's a really nice horse - not a kids horse, because she's a bit stubborn and pissy at times, but I don't have any qualms about riding her, and I'm not a very good rider at all. What I am, is a good herd leader, and my little herd does respect me...
 
#21 ·
Dee, You JUST reminded me why I've only owned 3 mares over the years! The one I have now is a gem. I had a 14'0hh QH-type mare a few years ago that had a timer. After about 30 minutes time was up and she wanted you off. I tried schooling her, but I finally sent her to my Amish trainer/farrier thinking I could pay him for the inevitable fight. She spun him so fast that he still says, "she tried to kill me!"
This depression is really making it difficult for both the horses and the owners. Plus, our state (IL) used to have horse slaughter, and unwanted horses were transported there in a day. Now, they all get shipped for several days to who-really-knows-where.
I guess I'm thinking that I should apply my own advice (for finding my place) to finding a new horse. I looked for it for 12 years, and I just kept my radar up. I had specifics:
--real house, not trailer, 3 or more bedrooms
--barn or storage building
--shelter or stalls
--fencing
--not too far from town
I also talked it up, and I found my place bc the daughter-in-law of the sellers told me my (current) property had just gone on the market that day. I contacted my real estate agent, and we saw it the next day, and put a "hold" on it.
I really like CA's advice more and more--to take ANY of these horses back to day one training for respect. HOWEVER, if a new horse bites or strikes I am not sure that a newbie could fix that. =/
 
#22 · (Edited)
I totally understand how a seller wouldn't want to do an off farm lease. But as a buyer, how do we know if the seller is honest? Or even if the seller is being honest, the only way for a buyer to truly know if the horse is going to work is having it at their own house. So maybe the seller is being honest about how the horse behaves at their farm. But that doesn't mean he's going to behave that way at another farm .

I'd never ask for a free lease. I was thinking when the time comes of asking the seller if I put 50% down, if they'd let me do at least a 14 day trial. If the horse isn't working for me, I'd be willing to pay something for the seller's trouble. Even a few hundred bucks. That would be worth it to me to not have a crazy nutjob horse on my property that now I have to sell.

I hope that wouldn't be too insulting for a seller if I asked that.
I don't know, there has to be some happy medium for buyers and sellers.

I feel like the internet has made it a lot harder for shady sellers though and that's a good thing. It's a shame because I'm sure there are good, honest traders out there who are just making a living. But because of the few bad apples, I'd be afraid to purchase from a trader.
 
#23 · (Edited)
"My four horses are broke to death - so broke and so gentle that folks have asked if either of the younger ones might be for sale. My kind reply is they are broke to death and bombproof (there's that word) because I keep them that way."

Can we highlight and underline and then italicize this sentence? Horses are usually very smart and very good at reading people, and most the ones I've had dealings with, and most certainly the ones I've owned, will be perfect angels for someone who they know won't take any grief but will take the p*ss if they know they can get away with it. A horse who appears "bombproof" at his home barn, with his owners he knows and respects, is more than likely to test the boundaries with his new owners, see if he should afford them the same respect. Sure, horse-sellers lie or exaggerate and sell horses with issues as horses without issues, but plenty of horses who are well-trained also behave differently at a new place with new people, especially when those new people are novices.

I would not sell my horse as a "beginner" horse, even though I have given beginners lessons on her and she is a rock-solid schoolmaster under those circumstances. Even if clueless person is on her back, mom is still "in charge" and she knows her job. I maintain her good manners through constant and consistent "dialogue" with her that other people can't even see, it's that subtle.

I have no doubt that if a novice handled her on a regular basis, or worse, were her only handler, she would, after a while, be extremely pushy and difficult and novice owner would be posting here moaning that the allegedly "bombproof" horse they were sold is now taking off with them.

There are horses out there who will take care of beginners, who won't completely take the p*ss but I don't think they're as common as the horse who will push the novice around and try to do what it wants, unless it is being regularly schooled by a more experienced horseperson.

It's the catch-22 of owning your first horse when you're still fairly green. To handle a horse well, you need experience, and to get experience, you need to handle a lot of horses!
 
#44 ·
"My four horses are broke to death - so broke and so gentle that folks have asked if either of the younger ones might be for sale. My kind reply is they are broke to death and bombproof (there's that word) because I keep them that way."
Can we highlight and underline and then italicize this sentence? Horses are usually very smart and very good at reading people, and most the ones I've had dealings with, and most certainly the ones I've owned, will be perfect angels for someone who they know won't take any grief but will take the p*ss if they know they can get away with it. A horse who appears "bombproof" at his home barn, with his owners he knows and respects, is more than likely to test the boundaries with his new owners, see if he should afford them the same respect. Sure, horse-sellers lie or exaggerate and sell horses with issues as horses without issues, but plenty of horses who are well-trained also behave differently at a new place with new people, especially when those new people are novices.




this just recently happend to me....i leased a mare of mine out, who is a been there done that horse, i was told young lady could ride....but my mare is walking all over her, ive never seen her act so stubbern and naughty lol...now i think she was better off just waiting for me to finish my other horse, i just didnt want her sitting not getting attention and excercise she's use to...and she'd always been so easy going with me i never imagined id see her like this...im going to have to get her back..my bad
 
#24 ·
I've seen and heard the advice to visit a potential horse unannounced when horse shopping. That might work okay if the horse is boarded somewhere, but every horse I've looked at in my search so far is kept at the owner's home, and usually at the back of the property, so it's not like you can just drive by on the road and see the horse over the fence. Do people actually do that--just show up to someone's house unannounced? What if they're not there, are there people who will still just get the horse out and take a spin around the yard? I wouldn't even want to show up unannounced when they are home, though I suppose it is a good idea. Hmm...what do people actually DO, not just say to do?
 
#27 ·
I've seen and heard the advice to visit a potential horse unannounced when horse shopping. That might work okay if the horse is boarded somewhere, but every horse I've looked at in my search so far is kept at the owner's home, and usually at the back of the property, so it's not like you can just drive by on the road and see the horse over the fence. Do people actually do that--just show up to someone's house unannounced? What if they're not there, are there people who will still just get the horse out and take a spin around the yard? I wouldn't even want to show up unannounced when they are home, though I suppose it is a good idea. Hmm...what do people actually DO, not just say to do?
I don't show up unannounced necessarily but will when I contact a seller I say "I have a very hectic schedule, will you be home in the afternoon on such and such day?" and then show up a half hour before noon.
 
#25 ·
That would be trespassing, and that's why you are quesy about it. I have not ever gotten on a horse that the owner didn't ride first, and that has helped me. Once a prospective horse's owner went bronco with them aboard and I didn't get hurt. It's like this: there are Soooo many horses out there and many really good ones for sale. If you miss a good one, shrug your shoulders and move on. DON'T fall in love with anything that you see. We here ALL adore our best horses, but I really don't think my best horse is any better than somebody else's best horse, and there is a current horse surplus due to the Depression and other reasons. Dee just posted that there are a lot of possible candidates near her---do you live anywhere close? With digital connections today it really opens up possibilities. =D
 
#26 ·
Wow, so sorry to hear about your experiences. Sometimes people just plain suck. I have seen a few adds for horses I had leased in the past and my jaw dropped when I read the incredibly misleading glowing ads about them. People just want their money and who cares who gets hurt. It's just not right.

If you do decide to try to find another horse, feel free to post any adds you see. Lots of people here a very good at reading between the lines and finding the bull. I actually bought the one horse who's owner did disclose a problem. I figured at least that's honest. Anytime I hear an owner blowing tulips and buttercups up my you know what about how great their horse is, I run the other way. There just is no perfect horse.
 
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#28 ·
When I was looking, I always said that I had a horse to look at before theirs, showed up 30 minutes early or so to make sure the horse wasn't being lunged to death or drugged before my arrival, and told a little white lie that I got done with the previous seller sooner than I expected and was running early.
 
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