So, where SHOULD you buy horses from?

[JessyLou32]

So those of you who have good amazing safe sane horses, where did you find them?!

I'm also questioning whether to buy at all, or just continue to share and loan.

[Moby68]

owners getting divorced? That old line, lol. Dealers have been using that since time immemorial. It's a minefield out there :/

[Auntmaud]

I don't allow mine out on trial at all either. You don't know what the trialer is like, what they will do to the horse, how they will ride it or keep it.

Buying a horse is partly a leap of faith. If you can't make that leap, don't buy one.

[lovebeansontoast]

Re trial. I agree with everything you both said, but from a buyer's perspective it is definitely worth asking. As I said, I got one. I agreed to pay full price for the horse though and paid a non refundable deposit. So you could argue I paid a hundred or so for the trial period. I thought it was worth it.

[Moby68]

Good call lovebeansontoast ... and by paying a non refundable deposit you showed you were a serious buyer and not playing at it. Buying a horse is a massive commitment of time, money, energy and not one to be taken lightly.

[Mirage]

I always ask for a trial now for the dds ponies.I'm happy to leave a deposit or go back to the owners yard as many times as it takes,to do everything that we'd expect to do on a pony if they don't want it to leave their premises.We have our current loan pony on a 3 month trial,the owner suggested it as she wants a good fit for her pony.I made sure she visited me at home and where the ponies are currently kept and where I normally keep them and signed a contract.I also supplied 3 references.

[Floralnomad]

I think people who are happy to let their equines out on loan are more likely to agree to a trial , I wouldn't let one out on loan either . I'm in no way saying its wrong its just not right for me .

[Littlebigbum]

Vicar have you found out what sort of price Mysafecobs are because POA always puts me of

[Booboostoo]

I don't know about Mysafecobs, but a family friend/confidence giver/happy hack can go for anything between 4k and 6k. Dealers will know the value of what they have so it's unlikely that you'll get a bargain from them. If the horse is indeed as described they are worth their weight in gold as they are the kind of horse many people want. If you trawl through the private ads you may well find a better deal, but you would need a bit of luck to find a family that are wanting to sell the perfect horse in the first place, and have failed to notice the market value in the second place.

[frostyfingers]

I'd always want a trial period for a child's pony, and unless it was a hugely expensive show pony type would be surprised not to get one. With dhorse I was offered as many visits to the yard as I wanted (fortunately it was only 1 hr away) and over a space of a month I made several trips and rode him about 4 times - hacking, schooling, jumping, galloping - which worked really well. It was a private buyer and they were happy for me to take as long as I wanted - from first sight to him being with me was around 6 weeks. We are still in touch (they offered to have him with them for rehab when his kissing spine was diagnosed, and they also offered me a loan horse to hunt) and they have been nothing but kind and helpful. I know that's unusual, but it has been very reassuring.

I don't think there's any harm in asking about a trial period, but don't be surprised if it's refused.

[WillowKnicks]

I was extremely lucky with my horse, as wasn't even looking but had always wanted my own, when a friend said she knew the perfect horse for me, as someone she had been on a previous yard with & (had known the horse for years) was selling due to ill health. She was really only interested in finding the right home & because it was a health issue, she sold tack, grooming equipment, rugs the lot...what I paid for horse & all the stuff wouldn't have even covered the saddle TBH!

I got her on a month's trial, she spent first 2 weeks on my friends yard, so I rode out with her & then came home with me for remaining 2 weeks & she is an absolute dream..but if I'd have based my opinions on the first couple of times I rode her, I wouldn't have bought her! I will never, ever sell her she is my lifetime horse & we'll retire together

DD's 1st pony we bought off the local riding school on a week's trial. He was a bit tricky & cheeky at first but eventually settled down & is a little star!

DD's 2nd pony we bought privately & has been ill pretty much from the beginning but his previous owner has taken him back to hers to recuperate, as they know him far better than us & what he was like previously, so obviously really genuine sellers that want the best for the pony.

[ThatVikRinA22]

no little - im bracing myself though! ill find out nearer the time.

[willyoulistentome]

I bought my girl, aged 3, unbacked but well handled, from a good friend who had bred her from her own huge warmblood mare and a very famous eventing stallion. I did all the backing, which was really easy as she was so well handled previously. Did loads with her over the years. Perfect horse for me. She's almost 20 now. I love here to bits and will never sell, even if it bankrupts me (which is it might do!!) We just happy hack now.

[fortheloveofahorse]

OMG-Just typed my first EVER post.not liable in ANY way-no relation to any dealer the dealer that i used has been long closed by Trading Standards ,just my story-just come on and its been deleted !! What kind of forum is this ????????? Freedom to express andopinion-im off to delete my account :(

[fortheloveofahorse]

Hello,i am a newbie here.
Hope this wont be deleted this time ???? Nothing damming in here ??? is there ???

We bought a horse from a dealer(who has been long since closed down by Trading Standards)he was the last horse to leave the yard before they closed down the whole operation-to cut a very long story short we believed we were buying the sane and sensible horse we viewed over a long weekend spent trying him-how wrong we were.

I class myself as a sensible,experienced horsewoman-i have worked with horses all my life-breaking in youngsters,grooming for hunters and showjumpers and handling stallions.

We had him 5 stage vetted,from a vet many miles from the dealers yard-one i chose myself.

I soon realised the sane and sensible front that i saw had been his way of coping with the awful experiences of his past-he was actually shut down and emotionally in pieces-once he came home and was out of that environment the real issues surfaced.

The livery yard staff refused to handle him,so i moved him to a DIY yard where i could be his sole carer.My daughter didn't ride him for 8 months-i took him right back to basics,gaining his trust on the ground before i got back on board.


He has been the biggest challenge i have ever had-everyone told me i was irresponsible for thinking of keeping him,the fact that he was to be my daughters horse filled people with fear-that he was downright dangerous,and that i should realise my own limitations and think about doing the kindest thing.


The dealer had thrown away his passport which if i could have talked to previous owners in that first couple of weeks would have given me so much understanding as to why he behaved the way he did,she had given him a new passport-with no history,buy Mommy was on the case !! and after a lot of phoning and faxing,emailing and tracking back i found out he had passed through 6 homes in 7 weeks the summer we bought him,no wonder the poor little man couldnt trust anyone.Everyone told me the same story,he wasn't a horse you could trust-"i think he has a screw loose"..."God don't let your daughter get on him will you?"-"you arnt thinking of keeping him are you" ?


They we very wrong-we never gave up on the little man a Piebald Irish Cox ISH(who at a full up 15.3 is not so little any more!)we are 7 years on now from the day we brought him home-and he and my daughter have built an incredible bond over the years-it still makes me well up to see the two of them working together-and i can say hand on my heart he is the most trustworthy animal and has never gives me any cause for concern,he loves his girl and his girl loves him :)

Despite my experience,not all dealers are bad-i have known many,many people over the years who have bought from dealers and have found really lovely horses-like any business there are good and bad.

fortheloveofahorse

[Pixel]

Yeah I noticed that had gone again, no idea why as it all seemed ok last night when I went to bed.

[Moby68]

Ah lovely loveofahorse :) what a great story x

[saintmerryweather]

what a lovely story, im so glad he finally found somewhere he was safe with people who believd in him.

Msc horses i see priced anywhere up to 5k, highest i ever saw was 5250

[BehindLockNumberNine]

fortheloveofahorse what a fantastic story

[Littlebigbum]

So glad he found you for

[Mirage]

What a lovely story fortheloveofahorse

[ThatVikRinA22]

awwwww! he obviously needed you forthelove and im glad for him that you found him.

how lovely.

[lastsaloonNelson]

Is it me or is the 'Dealers' thread gone as well now?? If so what on earth happened there then??

[lastsaloonNelson]

Did MNHQ give an explanation of the reason?? Better be a good one as without it I think it smacks of 'bending under peer-pressure'!! As you say it seems ok to compare other products/companies etc. why not horse dealers,thought we were being ultra careful not to offend anyone as it was . I know,I shall go and ask

[Lovesswimming]

I asked last time lastsaloon the reply was pretty much along the lines if they don't have time to prove it is not as accused and the law is changing s