Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Mis-sold a pony from a dealer - they are ignoring me

67 replies

bettertimesarecomingnow · 05/12/2021 09:56

I wonder if any wise Mnetters know what to do in this situation.

In October I bought a 13hh 12yo cob for my nine year old daughter. She was advertised as good to do in all ways, safe and sensible.

We went to see her and she did seem great. Had her vetted and no issues so we agreed to to buy her.

At the time the dealer said he had lost her passport and showed me the application for the new one saying it would take a few days to arrive. He would send it on. I haven't bought a horse for years so assumed all was well. No passport has ever arrived for her.

Now the real issue - she is totally unsuitable for a child. My dd cannot lead her, groom her, pic her feet without her kicking, pulling away and running off with her. She is so strong and so fiesty. She will bite or kick when we are in the field. Picking her feet is a no no, or rugging her - anything she does not like she will kick.

My dd and I are so gutted, she can be a lovely pony sometimes and we were so excited to get her. Tacking up sometimes goes ok and we get her out but then she spooks at everything and refuses to budge.

I just don't know what to do. I've been so stupid- I cannot sell her and the dealer says it's not his problem, we tried her and bought her as seen.

What do I do? I told him within the 1st two weeks that she wasn't suitable and got "oh just let her settle and she will be fine."

She is not fine 😢

OP posts:
lastqueenofscotland · 07/12/2021 20:12

I don’t agree with never buying from a dealer. There are some absolutely fantastic ones who really take pride in their work.
There are a handful of dealers who sell virtually all their animals unseen as their reputation completely proceeds them. It’s a case of careful research to who, which in the age of the internet isn’t that hard

saleorbouy · 07/12/2021 20:24

Not a horsey person but surely the dealer is in contravention of the DEFRA rules and guidance on horse requiring a passport for identification and prior to transportation?

Moanranger · 07/12/2021 20:43

saleorbuoy Ha! The very last thing these dodgy dealers worry about is DEFRA regs! There are a well-known handful that are complete crooks & know every trick in the book.

Original poster
bettertimesarecomingnow · 07/12/2021 21:07

@lastqueenofscotland

If they are Scottish I think I know exactly who you are talking about. They are in some sort of trade agreements with one of the worst Irish dealers. These dodgy lot have had endless trading standard and even police cases against them and sadly nothing ever sticks
Would White feature in their name?
OP posts:
EmmaC78 · 07/12/2021 22:48

Sorry you are in this situation OP. I am in Scotland and have heard a few bad reports of this dealer.

mummydoris2006 · 07/12/2021 23:32

A year ago I stupidly bought a 16.2 horse for my then 14 year old daughter from a dealer recommended from the yard owner we were on at the time. He was to take her 14.2 ponybin exchange plus cash. Instead of coming at the agreed time he turned up a couple of hours early, loaded my daughters pony and left the horse behind! All this while the yard owner stood there and didn't didn't let my daughter say goodbye to her pony. Unfortunately I am not horsey at all and when it became glaringly obvious there was something wrong I had no idea we could've returned him. My daughter couldn't get close enough to ride him and when we moved yards we realised he had sarcoids as big as a fist Sad. We got cream from the vets and also changed his feed to an ulcer friendly one on a hunch. A year later he is my daughters lifetime horse, she was jumping 1m 15 on him this weekend , she's placed at dressage shows with him and he is her world. Only you know what's right for your daughter but sometimes a caring and understanding owner and time really does work wonders, good luck

Crazykatie · 08/12/2021 08:45

My Partners eldest daughter runs a DIY livery yard, the biggest problem she has is owners that don’t know how to look after and handle horses, many difficult horses are caused by previous owners ignorance.
Last year one of her own horses was “off” not ill but not right, so she got a horse whisperer to check it out, after “talking” to the horse a list of “complaints” from the horse emerged.
Rather like a fortune teller some were predictable others were factual that could not have been known in advance, so a few changes, several you might term “emotional” the horse was fine.

Original poster
bettertimesarecomingnow · 08/12/2021 08:47

@EmmaC78

Sorry you are in this situation OP. I am in Scotland and have heard a few bad reports of this dealer.
Emma you do mean whitemoss?
OP posts:
Original poster
bettertimesarecomingnow · 08/12/2021 08:49

Love that - horse whisperer. I'll need to see if I can find one if we keep her.

OP posts:
Original poster
bettertimesarecomingnow · 08/12/2021 08:49

Thanks mummydoris that's encouraging

OP posts:
Tinsellittis · 08/12/2021 08:53

@bettertimesarecomingnow

Thanks everyone. I have done some digging today and found she is a bit older than he said (got microchip details)

BUT crucially another lady contacted me to say she got a pony from him in may and has had exactly the same experience, she can't even catch her pony.

She managed to find out it was sold to him weeks before for £700 as a non ridden companion - he sold it to her as a child's pony and they believe it was drugged.

So we have both gone to trading standards and are waiting to see what will happen. She is further on with the process but he also ignored her and said it wasn't his problem.

What a nasty piece of work. She sent me a video of her pony and it's terrified. Very similar to mine, a cob and so I am wondering if he's done the same to me.

I have been an idiot by going to a dealer but I have well and truly learned my lesson. Whatever happens she won't be going back to him, he will sell her on again. I will find a rehab home for her or let her live out her days as a companion.

poor pony 😞

So sorry this has happened, but the pony is fortunate to have a loving family like you.
EmmaC78 · 08/12/2021 10:34

Yes, I do. I remember reading a couple of posts on Facebook about them either the end of last year or the start of last year. They had a few nice horses at the time but on the basis of those posts I added them to my avoid list.

Oblomov21 · 08/12/2021 11:13

Hope you get this sorted OP.

RatherBeRiding · 08/12/2021 12:00

If you're on Facebook - look up Steve Young horsemanship. And see if there are any Natural Horsemanship practitioners near you who may be able to help. The pony has potentially been badly treated and may have untreated health issues that wouldn't necessarily be picked up on a vetting (ulcers springs to mine - one of my ponies was diagnosed with ulcers when his behaviour changed. After successful treatment he is back to being a very happy chappy!).

NH can work wonders with traumatised horses if you find a reputable practitioner.

Original poster
bettertimesarecomingnow · 09/12/2021 10:26

So I have booked a natural horsemanship lady to come in the new year and she's going to figure out her horsenality (?!) and work with us.

Hoping we can save our relationship.

OP posts:
QuestionableMouse · 09/12/2021 11:50

Oh no.

Please, please steer well clear of natural horsemanship. So much of it isn't helpful and a good chunk is (imo) borderline abuse. Imo the horsenality stuff is absolute rubbish too.

lastqueenofscotland · 09/12/2021 12:03

@QuestionableMouse

Oh no.

Please, please steer well clear of natural horsemanship. So much of it isn't helpful and a good chunk is (imo) borderline abuse. Imo the horsenality stuff is absolute rubbish too.

Afraid I agree with this. Most of the principles would be covered by good groundwork techniques, just with added expensive branding.
lastqueenofscotland · 09/12/2021 12:04

And a lot of what isn’t just good groundwork is at best snake oil and at worst really problematic.
Generally I find it popular with people who have horses they are too scared to ride and will always be too scared to ride but want to prove they still have “ a thing”

krustykittens · 09/12/2021 12:27

Hi OP,

I have turned around a couple of rescues and the best thing you can give them is time. I don't know if your daughter would be willing to do this, but stay off the pony for a while, go back to basics with handling, do some fun ground work. Build up a relationship with her on the ground and it will help your daughter's confidence in the saddle. The pony could come round quicker than you think. Make a note of any improvements and if you do see improvements in her behaviour, no matter how small, it shows you are on the right track.

RatherBeRiding · 09/12/2021 12:35

Actually what I meant by NH is groundwork - for bad loaders, rescues that have been mistreated etc. But it is important to know what you're doing and why you're doing what you're doing, which is why I suggested finding a reputable person. The 'horse whispering' thing is, I agree, snake oil, but I've had excellent results with real practitioners who turned around a loading refuser, and seen good results with scared ponies who couldn't be handled.

In the right hands it is absolutely NOT borderline abuse. Parelli is utter rubbish.

RatherBeRiding · 09/12/2021 12:37

Just to add - a lot of people have absolutely no idea what 'groundwork' is so to recommend it to someone who has been mis-sold a possibly abused pony is fine - but OP probably needs someone to explain it to her!

lastqueenofscotland · 09/12/2021 12:56

However I’m not sure i would be trying to bring round a pony that’s been retired and sold as a companion! At this stage I’d just let her chill.

QuestionableMouse · 09/12/2021 13:00

@RatherBeRiding

Actually what I meant by NH is groundwork - for bad loaders, rescues that have been mistreated etc. But it is important to know what you're doing and why you're doing what you're doing, which is why I suggested finding a reputable person. The 'horse whispering' thing is, I agree, snake oil, but I've had excellent results with real practitioners who turned around a loading refuser, and seen good results with scared ponies who couldn't be handled.

In the right hands it is absolutely NOT borderline abuse. Parelli is utter rubbish.

There's so many people who do it incorrectly though and still claim it's helpful. I've seen too many NH "trainers" chasing horses into exhaustion in the name of join up and claiming its the Best Thing Ever.

There are good trainers out there but I'm wary of anything NH branded.

lastqueenofscotland · 09/12/2021 13:25

Yep I agree. I meant a lot of NH has good groundwork principles but a lot is nonsense, and I’d be wary of anyone using horsinality for that exact reason…

Plentyofcod · 09/12/2021 13:58

"Horsenalities" means Parelli - I've just looked and there are no licensed "Parelli Professionals" in Scotland. I'll keep my opinions of Parelli to myself but don't fall into the trap of having some wannabe student come out and make matters worse. Find someone local who is a recommended sympathetic trainer and get them out. I'd suggest avoiding anyone who insists on taking the pony away - you need to see what they do. I know one really great teacher/trainer in Scotland and I don't even know if she's still working - Shuna Shaw from Oban.