To Buy Without A Viewing

[Imsureitsprobablymebut]

Has anyone purchased a horse straight from an advert without going to see it and try it out first ?

I’m sure this is fine with youngsters, but I’ve seen a riding horse I really like but can’t view it for at least 4 weeks, and even then might not be in a position to try it (Im currently lame) so a friend may have to try it for me anyway.

Not ideal I know, but I have had lots of correspondence with the vendor (in writing) and lots of very recent videos, plus I’d arrange a 5 stage vetting.
Or am I being ridiculous 😁

I’ve bought racehorses from the sales but when doing that if I couldn’t get them for £800/1k I’d just walk away, so it wasn’t a disaster if they just added to the lawnmower field I had at the time, and would consider buying from a very good/reputable dealer unseen, I nearly bought a 3 year old unseen from Ireland in lockdown from a producer a lot of people I know have used and trust.

I wouldn’t risk it with a private sale. You’ve not got a leg to stand on if it goes wrong

Also what is your level of experience?
Buying a horse to ride unseen I’d only recommend if you’re pretty competent rider and would be able to deal with something that was quirkier/more forward or whatever than described. I for example would call my mare polite, but she’s far too responsive for someone who’s not a really quiet rider, she’s not nasty but takes you very literally. When I had her to share I had a lot of people doing halt to canter as they kicked 😅. I think she’s easy but she would be far too much horse for someone who can’t use aids very subtly.

Thanks Queen !

Im competent but wouldn’t consider doing this for any other horse, this is a particularly quiet & easy (apparently!).

Surely when buying privately the horse needs to be as described, with any correspondence forming part of the sales contract ? Or is that just theoretically but not in practice 😁

Not unless you can afford to write off the cost of the horse if you aren't compatible or it isn't what you want.
Just cos a seller says the horse is quiet doesn't mean that it is!
I would never recommend anyone buys unseen purely because I don't trust any seller and the biggest part of looking for a horse is riding it to check compatibility.
It is always buyer beware when purchasing horses and seemingly legitimate buyers can mysteriously vanish if there are issues with the horse in its new home.
My advice would be to be patient and wait until you can ride a horse in a pre-purchase assessment.

I really wouldn't. You might be lucky but the odds are you won't be. Facebook is full of sorry tales of people who've bought unseen and had major issues.

When buying privately it’s legally Caveat Emptor which essentially means, your problem.
If you need something quiet, I’d not buy unseen.

How many horses have you owned? If you've been riding for 25 years and have properly worked with horses you'd get a different answer to someone that has had lessons and a share for the last 3 years.

Agree with others. Barring youngsters/ projects the only time I would have done it was with a first ridden for dsd, because they’re like hens teeth. I had a very small window of time, but did have mutual contacts willing to vouch for the pony and owner. As it happened they were more than happy to wait because mutual contacts had vouched for us as a good home, and they wanted to vet any potential owners too.
As for quiet, as others have said that’s up to interpretation. My extremely elderly childhood Shetland could probably be described as quiet nowadays if still ridden, and can and has been handled by the most novice dc. However I strongly suspect he’d still deliberately throw anyone using heavy handed aids. And he does still take a chunk out of anyone handling him if he doesn’t like their attitude. I also know if he hadn’t always had consistent handling he’d soon be running rings round novices. And that’s a Shetland I backed as a small child, rather than anything even remotely second pony like, let alone anything else.

This is all very good advice - I will definitely wait !

💯 wait. I would only ever buy a horse if I’d viewed it in person, too much at stake

During lockdown we bought a pony unseen. Pony was £1200. She was lovely but after a year we had to sell as she just wasn’t suitable for what we needed her for. I have also sold a different pony unseen to someone who was the other side of the country. They asked for FaceTime videos with the pony, wanted to see him being handled and ridden by my children (via FaceTime). They also had calls with the previous owners to get a feel for him. I also got references from them (and did some online research too, to find out more about them). They also FaceTimed their home and where he would be kept. In terms of selling unseen that’s not something I would have set out to do, but the family are wonderful and still keep in touch and he is adored by them all. But would I buy unseen again, no I probably wouldn’t as money is now so much tighter than it was a few years ago and I wouldn’t be able to afford to make a mistake.

Ahh that’s interesting- I think projects are risky anyway so that’s fine, youngsters and unbroken too. But this is a competition horse I’m looking at and easily the most I’ve ever spent on a horse.
I can’t afford for it to make a mistake on it.

Absolutely not. Ever for a start you might not even like riding it!

I did for a project pony for my kids, all worked out great, he's a star but has been a lot greener and more work than expected. My girls have learned kids though so all good. In your case with a trial period only otherwise no way