foreclosing on an agreement

[fber]

Please help. I've let my lovely horse go, on an arrangement with a someone who I thought was a very nice girl who was helping me with him. She wanted to loan him, but I didn't want to loan as I could envisage problems, so I said she could have him for a very good price since it was her. The horses market value at the moment is 3.5k, 4k on a good day. I agreed with her £1,700. She couldn't afford this amount all at once so I aggreed a few instalments of £400.

Anyways.. she's basically messed me about with the money to the extent that I no longer want her to have my super horse at such a bargain price. She's cocked on every instalment and I've come to the conclusion that she wasn't the person I thought she was and I'd really rather refund her the money that she's paid (just £400 in 3 months) and have my boy back.

I suppose what I want to know is, is this immoral/illegal? Has anyone done anything like this before? Does anyone know where I might stand legally. I'm sure if I told her I was foreclosing, she'd soon find the dosh, but it's gone beyond that, I want him back. My circumstances have changed and I want him back. Am I entitled to get him back?

Thanks in advance for advice on this icky situation :(

I would imagine it depends if you've anything on paper, and if so what that says. If it's all verbal then you could probably do what you want, but it's likely to get messy. Personally it's worth a try in as polite and non confrontational way as you can manage and see what her reaction is.

Legally, it's tricky and it's difficult to get any authority involved. My friend loaned her horse and the loanee refused to return him - The police removed my friend from her property as they said she was trespassing despite the fact the woman had her horse (And this was an agreed loan period after which the horse was to return to my friend).

It's more difficult since money has changed hands - If she can prove she paid you but you can't prove the agreed price then you're going to have even more problems.

Your best bet is trying to get her to agree to the refund really.