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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Buying from dealers

14 replies

razzdazz · 08/09/2012 21:56

Hello all
After a few years away from owning my own horse we have moved house and have stables/land and my daughters pony with us along with my friends horses. I am itching to have my own again and wondered if any of you have any experiences of buying from dealers (good or bad) that you would be willing to share with me. I am happy to recieve private messages if you would prefer Grin
Thanks

OP posts:
horseylady · 08/09/2012 23:15

Depends on the dealer!! Some are wonderful, others dodgy!!!

A good dealer should take time and match you to the horse and horse to rider. They will also not just buy anything. They will also take the horse back and exchange for another if a genuine mismatch.

I've always bought privately but have friends who've bought from dealers and been as happy! Just do your research. It can make horse buying easier! Still get the horse vetted though!

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 08/09/2012 23:27

What do you want? And where are you?

Original poster
razzdazz · 09/09/2012 08:41

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I am looking for a horse between 15 and 15.3 that is as safe as can be suggested!! I will be hopefully leading my daughter on her pony from it. Dare I say that I am not the most nerve free rider any more (that old thing about having children) though wouldnt want a total kick a long. Im not in a rush and will take my time looking for sure. Really want it to be easy on the ground as my children all love to be involved.
Not sure if you can mention actual dealers on here but I have had clipclop/safecobs and gavin rielly mentioned to me?????Any thoughts??
Thanks again

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rogersmellyonthetelly · 09/09/2012 10:27

A good dealer is a wonderful thing. You can buy and if it doesn't suit, exchange. But a bad dealer is a nightmare. I knew someone who dealt in horses and she was the vilest person I have ever met. She had a deal with the knacker man and would buy from him for meat prices and sell on at a huge profit. Animals were doped, worked till they were knackered to make them seem docile, they were beaten and abused, most were underfed to keep them quiet,or on bute to keep them sound. She has since been done for animal cruelty, but I can only imagine how many dangerous or unsound animals she managed to sell on to unsuspecting clients.

alwaysGOLD · 09/09/2012 13:32

Dealers like sellers are good and bad! Lol

I ve had some fab horses from dealers, like other posters have said you can exchange if its not the right horse, try as many times as you want and would have horse vetted.

alwaysGOLD · 09/09/2012 13:33

like private sellers i mean

Butkin · 09/09/2012 13:37

Bad dealers round here would get outted by word of mouth. I'm amazed that they last long. Ask around or check references.

We've bought off a great dealer in Leicestershire. Had good trial facilities, kept an eye open until the right horse for us came along etc. It ended up not being any good for us because it got a bit colty with our mare so he took it back for what we'd paid for it.

Also it depends on what you mean by a dealer. To us a dealer is somebody who buys horses - often from Ireland - by the lorry load and moves them on after schooling.

However if you just mean buying from a professional then that is something entirely different. We've mostly bought DD's ponys from professional showing yards because we know they are well schooled and have a reputation to uphold.

Treblesallround · 09/09/2012 15:44

We bought a lovely pony from dealer (Featherbed Stables near Stratford on Avon), and someone else on our yard bought from them. They were really good, and very honest about the pony. We've also bought privately and have been very lucky.

Original poster
razzdazz · 14/09/2012 14:15

Thanks so much for all of your replys. I have been looking at clip clop traders, anyone had any dealings with them???

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minx67 · 16/09/2012 12:16

I can thoroughly recommend Safecobs...they are even on facebook, they have videos every day on there following the horses and goings on....they have over 9,000 followers and fans. Many of them are people that have bought their horses from Lia there and they keep us all updated with their progress after they've taken them home. Hope this helps and good luck ! x
Oh, btw, they are based in Charlwood very near Gatwick, not sure where you are, but they have buyers from all over UK, someone from France bought one last week.

Original poster
razzdazz · 21/09/2012 20:29

minx, how funny you should suggest them.......I actually went there with a friend this week (not for me as they don't have anything that I am keen on at the mo) and I watch the updates daily. Lia was very nice and very straight. My friend is having one of the horses off of her so it will be kept at my house and I shall closely watch its progress Grin

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AllPastYears · 22/09/2012 11:27

Bought my horse from a dealer. On the downside, the dealer hadn't had him long and didn't know much about him - because he was slow and outwardly calm, the dealer said he was bombproof. When I hacked him out (before buying) I found out he was no such thing. Loved him and bought him anyway. Grin

Then again, with a private sale, the owner knows what the horse is like - but may lie about it anyway! After all, why are they selling? Maybe they are in financial difficulties, or maybe the horse is a nutter and want rid!

cowboylover · 26/09/2012 20:33

I remember reading some good things about clip lop on the horse and hound forum but no experience myself

Landy77 · 27/09/2012 12:15

I bought my horse from a rather dodgy dealer 16 years ago but I fell in love with her and the feeling she gave, when I rode was fantastic and she is the most amazing horse. I know what I was buying, we had problems to beginning with, mainly because she wasn't back properly but we have done more together than I could have dreamed off.
So my advise would be look at horse from dealers and private sellers, don't buy unless you are 100% sure as they can both be as bad as each other
Goodluck

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