Please someone share stories of idiots who enquire about horses

[lastqueenofscotland]

Sadly had to sell my horses recently and finally they both went over the weekend. But the idiot enquiries, my god.

Both of them are ex racehorses, and were advertised super honestly and realistically priced
Had one enquiry from a man looking for a first horse for his 11 year old daughter currently getting lead rein lessons I’m not sure my 17.2hh thug is what you want there.

Someone who came to see one and loved him but didn’t want a full TB

Someone who came to see the 17.2 and said she wanted something no bigger than 16hh

And so many text messages along the lines of “how big can he jump” and asking no other questions

So glad it’s over

Don't worry countrygirl99, that wasn't me - this was a 14,2 welsh part bred - advertised as a 15,2 sports horse - two photos (one as a feral youngster, one a blurry dressage photo with poor lighting, taken from below so the legs looked long and the horse looked a lot taller / less pony than it was!). Yours actually sounds like a lovely sports horse!

I'm also not sure I fancy telling the Irish that their sports horses are all cobs, or they've sneakily imported them!

I had an absolute blinder about 2 months ago. (It's also a very outing story because I shared it widely, so please if you recognise the story or me, don't out my user name!)

I had a yearling with a friend in Nottingham who was working with it, I live in the Vale of Glamorgan and before I went to collect it from my friend, I put the yearling up for sale.

The yearling was quite a desirable prospect, I had enquiries very quickly and so I had to explain to interested parties where it was and why and also when I'd be picking it up with the other horse I had in the same place...

One CF (who initially sounded sensible when I spoke to her) wanted to come and see it. Not a problem.

Then because she couldn't sort out child care, she came up with what she thought was the perfect plan. She wanted me to take it to her house on my way home, so she could see it to decide if she was interested in buying it. She lived in West Sussex.

The route from Nottingham to where I live in Wales is M1, M42, M5, M50, M4. I pointed out that "West Sussex" in nowhere near that route (not that I'd have gone there anyway).

She mentioned it was "a bit of a detour",and that I could stable my horses at hers overnight, she'd pay for a B&B and I could break up my journey a bit. The demands and requests became more ridiculous, including such gems as "You said price negotiable to the right home, I can only afford 50% of the asking price, you'll have to accept it as that's all I can afford and I want the horse".

In the end, I actually had to block her number, although I've kept all the texts and messages for amusement value when I want a good story to tell.

Then there was the one who sent me a random text, didn't even say who she was and said

"I want to enquire on your filly, what's your lowest price, I can get it quickly if the price is good enough"

Some buyers are idiots.

Sold my lovely cob last year, first time I’ve ever sold one. He was only 6 and still green, but was schooling nicely if still a bit unbalanced in the canter, great to hack, and really bold XC.

The first people that came to see him (mum and teenage daughter) said they wanted something to bring on for pony club and riding club competitions, particularly eventing and hunter trials, went on about all the experience they had competing at novice eventing etc etc.

They turned up and watched me ride, said he looked lovely, then mum got on. She walked 3 laps of the school, said he was great, then got off! I was a bit bemused but thought maybe he was really for the daughter...

She went round with reins like washing lines, and the mum asked me why he wasn’t going round with his head down like when I rode I suggested the daughter take up a contact and she looked at me blankly. She then asked him to canter by trotting really fast into a corner, flapping, and shouting canter! Of course he went into full on motorbike mode, she screamed, nearly fell off and he stopped and looked puzzled! It turned out their experience of novice eventing was actually the novice events at their riding school. The weird thing is, they still wanted to buy him! (I said no )

I remember many years ago selling my not novice ride, flea-bitten Arab. She was ridden in a snaffle and didn't really need anything stronger, but was fairly flighty on occasion.

I had everything from "my granddaughter has been having lessons for 6 months" to "What is flea-bitten? Does she have fleas?" and my personal favourite "What does snaffle- mouthed mean?".

Needless to say, I wouldn't even let them view.

In the end I sold her for a bit less money to a woman who clicked with her as soon as she got on, even when she got a bit joggy out in the field. I was happy to take a bit less for her to go to a good home.

I used to pass her on the way to work, in the field (made me a bit sad sometimes) but she was happy and that's what counted.

I'm just going through this now. Selling my 5yo she's absolutely lovely. Only downside is she has a small sarcoid. She's not particularly cheep but all I hear is people saying how they want a genuine, sound horse etc etc. Well come and buy mine then!! People want perfection for 2k and then wonder why everything they go to look at is lame/small etc.

I do sympathise but can see both sides tbh.
I know nothing at all about horses and would sound just as stupid.
My husband teaches a reed instrument, people ask for trumpet lessons, siting well you blow them both.
I don't know the answer, some folk are dumb.
It must be lovely to own horses, three generations of my family were horse dealers. I've only ever ridden a horse once,

My husband teaches a reed instrument, people ask for trumpet lessons, siting well you blow them both

Sniggers.

By that rationale, there's a LOT of other people you could ask too ;)

Years ago, I was buying a pony. Spoke to sellers, all good. Drove 3.5hrs to see her. Turns out she was two hands shorter than advertised... and pregnant with twins

We have just had the come once (aware of and happy with price) loved the horse, came again this time with instructor again both loved the horse then we got "my husband has been googling prices " then offered £1300 under the asking price!

We told her to jog on and best of luck finding the bombproof confidence builder she was looking for at that price..

Time wasting hoof kicker! Arrrrrrrgh!

My best personal experience of buying was driving with my then instructor two hours to see a horse, we were greeted by a lady in diaphanous layers of cheesecloth.

After we had had a good look at him on the ground and asked for him to be tacked up she placed her hand on his head, shut her eyes then announced "he says he does not want to be ridden today and maybe you could come back tomorrow"

We made our excuses and left! driving two hours back down the motorway in silence apart from when of us uttered "Did that actually F**king happen" :-)

@MrsLumsden give it a couple of months and she'll be kicking her husband for his interference!

Buying is a nightmare I have seen two I really like, all pretty ££, one had problem X rays, the other hugely ££ had an injury. Lovely horses but ...

When I was a kid, we went

Oops. Better finish this one. Me, sister and parents went to see a 14.2hh all rounder. It was 13.2hh and an all rounder all right...it was spherical from summer grass. But the owners told us what a fabulous jumper it was and that we’d be getting a bargain as it was coming in off a long period of not being ridden due to no rider. My sister is braver than me, so gets on, whizzes round the paddock a few times and comes off in a patch of nettles. The saddle may have slipped. The owner is an ex-jockey so he gets on and pretty much the same happens to him. I didn’t get on!

My parents eventually bought us a 15hh just broken 3 yr old that dumped its rider at the far end of the field the first and only time we saw her ridden before buying her. Amazingly she turned out fine and stayed with me until she died at 21yrs!