Buying a horse now is like a game where I don’t understand the rules. Advice please?

[regretsivehadaload]

When I bought my last horse he was advertised on Horse & Hound for £2.5k. Welsh’s Sect D 6yo. We paid a bit more to have him with his existing tack and rugs.

Had him for the rest of his life.

Im soon going to be in a position to potentially buy another horse.

Im looking on Facebook but it’s all so cloak and dagger. What does 2 🥕 mean? £2000?

Ive also seen ‘high 4 figures’ and ‘3 figures’ I presume people message to get the price but it’s so off putting.

I hate ‘no time wasters’. It’s a massive purchase - there’s so much to consider. If a buyer turns up and ultimately decides it’s not for them then surely that’s a good thing?

Dealers have been around forever, and auctions etc so I wouldn’t consider this but private buyers seem to be unapproachable.

I dunno. As I said it’s been over 30 years since I last did this.

Any pointers please?

It’s very difficult! I don’t think you’re supposed to sell on Facebook unless on a proper selling site so people use carrots 🥕 and talk about figures instead. I dread having to buy again

@Greentick123is correct. No animal sales on Facebook so carrots 🥕 are replacing money.

No time wasters I think tends to aim more at joy riders, coming for a shot and never to be seen again. Rather than genuine questions.

so in your position, I would start local. look for pony club, horse sale groups for your area. Speak to vets, look at who is selling across your travel distance. Is there a local hunt? Amy equestrian centres? Shops? A good old fashioned card there can work wonders.

I know a yard in Northumberland for example. She takes in for owners and advertises and sells. I think there is as much fear for sellers and nightmare buyers these days as vice versa.

word of mouth always a great place to start.

I ended up putting a wanted post on an eventing page on Facebook as I was fed up trawling and trying to guess horse prices. I stated my budget and what I was after and I had loads of people messaging me with lots of lovely horses.

I hear you. Feels like a minefield for sure. But if you're set against dealers Facebook groups are where a lot of good private horses get advertised these days so stick with it (horse quest is still used too if you haven't been on there). As the PP said, technically people aren't allowed to buy/sell animals through Facebook so hence all the emojis (although obviously it's not fooling anyone), yes carrot means 0/k so £4 🥕 or £4🥕🥕🥕 = £4000, for ⛵ = for sale and looking for a new 🏠 = looking for new home. You'll get used to it. Low 4 figures means £3-4k, mid 4 figures £5-7k and so on. I don't know why people put no time wasters, I agree it's off putting but seems to be de rigeur these days so don't avoid calling if you are a genuine/normal buyer - I get that people don't want joy riders or those annoying buyers who mess you around, e.g. take loads of time arranging a viewing only to turn up, take one look at horse and say 'oh he's too big/small/bay/wrong sex/other factor that was perfectly obvious from the advert' but (a) surely it goes without saying that you don't want that, no-one does (b) those kinds of people are probably not going to be put off by a no time-wasters warning anyway!

I hate to break it to you but the time wasting is just as prevalent on the sellers' side as the buyers', plenty of people out there advertising their horses more or less dishonestly and expecting people to fall for it. One good thing is that in this era of camera phones any genuine private seller will probably have thousands of pics and videos of the horse doing it's job whereas in the old days you used to have to rely on some grainy photos pre-viewing!

This is all amazing advice Thankyou so much!

I would never have guessed about the 🥕 emoji being used as it’s not a selling site.

so many adverts don’t even mention the price so there is a really detailed advert with loads of photos just followed by loads of comments saying ‘hm’ and ‘🥕? Please’

Oh and RE photos - when I bought my boy in 1993 there were no photos! We just called the landline and arranged a visit. Happy days.

First you should get in touch with anyone horsey you know and trust. Instructors, farrier, physio, dentist etc. These people often know horses that may be for sale to a good home that are never advertised.
If not already a member of a riding club, join, volunteer and get to know everyone. Subtly make sure everyone knows you are in the market and can offer the perfect home.
If you have to look at adverts do consider dealers if they come recommended. They have their reputation to consider so the good ones offer better after sales care than most private sellers.
4 figures means £10,000 or more, therefore high 4 means around £90,000 though some use it mean £20,000. The best thing to do is get a phone number, ask when is a good time to talk and sound them out. Have a sensible list of questions that show you are serious and ask about price last.
To begin with you do need to do some window shopping but this doesn’t have to include a physical visit.
If you do visit and like the horse ask if you can go back and try in other ways, i.e. riding in open space, hack in traffic, travel to an arena hire. The reaction will tell you a lot. Then if you want to buy ask for references and finally have a 5 stage vetting. I have bought a couple of horses that failed the vet but I decided I could cope with the issues that were flagged.
Finally good luck and let us know how you get on.

Oh and if travelling a long way ask for specific videos of the horse doing what you will want to be doing, unless you are able to train them yourself. Ask for them to go out and video a specific thing to ensure you get an up to date video. Be suspicious of people who only have old videos as the horse may have had a recent lameness. If you friend them on Facebook or instagram you should expect to see lots of videos and stories. If there is lots then a break it may be a lameness.
God I sound cynical.

No, four figures is under £10k (so high 4 figures would be £8/9k) and 5 figures is £10k and over…

Sorry I was talking about 5 figures and how some say high 5 figures to mean £20,000 and low to mean £10,000.

Thank you. Yes to looking at local clubs and our previous farrier is still around.

YY to 5 stage vetting.

Interesting about dealers. Maybe I should reconsider my stance.

I will be realistic about what I can/cant do.

I have loaned a few tricky characters over the years. Also one whose owner wasn’t honest about a lameness issue. I feel I have done my time with rehab cases but not quite ready to just have a ‘happy hacker’.

Re dealers - they aren't inherently bad, but you do need to do your research.

For example, there is a dealer local to me who has a great reputation, and sells lovely (but very expensive!) cobs.
However, most of them are bought from Ireland, advertised based on what they've been told by their suppliers, and sold on with a substantial price increase before they even make it off the boat.

When I was buying I actually found most private sellers to be far more approachable, open and honest than the dealers I spoke to.

Facebook is full of scammers, I'd be extremely wary of anyone requesting a deposit to view, and always do a reverse image search to see if photos have been stolen.

There are ‘good’ dealers around, as in they’re not telling outright lies about the horse and if things go wrong they will generally take the horse back and refund without quibble. But they’re in the business of making a profit and there will be times when they are economical with the truth. I will be looking for another horse at some point this (maybe next) year and I will take my time and only go for a horse which is already doing the job I want. Even though I’ve got my daughter on hand to school I don’t want to be relying on her for everything so I will almost certainly be looking for something older and under horse myself.

I suppose at least with dealers we all know what their job is? That they aren’t going to pretend they’re selling because of a job loss after 10 years in the family for example

I don’t think I’m confident at any of this yet. Loads of research to do 🙂

Honestly I’d rather buy from a reputable dealer than a private seller.
Most good ones will have a sensible conversion with you about the horse and it’s an easy way to buy.

My experiences with private sellers include
Travelling on a horrible day to see a lovely pony that the seller wasn’t really sure if she did want to sell.

“He’s just not the best of movers” HOPPING LAME.

Someone who was clearly terrified of the poor thing, and thus hadn’t done anything with it, even lead to the field so it was (understandably) wild.

Lots of people who’ve had them since they were 2 and done everything themselves but very badly.

There are plenty of horses in dealers that aren’t the finished article but I think they are better about being objective about it rather than feeling like you’re insulting their family pet

Good luck! I found mine on a breed website which helped and bought the first one I saw 🫠sounds bad but he's a joy!
What worked for me
Ask lots of questions in the phone, avoids wasting time on something unsuitable
Suss out the reason for sale and is it genuine, to avoid dodgy people/ lame horses
Buy unbacked less likely to have lameness or vices (if you don't break you can pay your preferred trainer with savings on purchase price)
Take someone along. I was in two minds about mine but my husband convinced me and he was right!
++ to the 5 star vetting (3 for unbacked I think?) So you know what you're dealing with but it won't help if dodgy seller has filled it full of bute or similar!!

thank you

I remember with our boy we took blood that could then be tested if there was an issue? (There wasn’t) horrible that loading up with Bute is still a potential problem.

I did actually visit a dealer ‘back then’ - a local guy but he didn’t have anything remotely suitable (although he did try and convince me I REALLY wanted a 13hh gypsy cob 😂

I can see how it could work though.

It’s a minefield. It always was but with it all on social media, some dealers turn mean on clients if they don’t buy or try to return. Equally, clients turn on dealers/vendors if the horse isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The carrots thing has been explained. I also think, be aware of some of the “honest” ads where they mention all the horse’s faults . They are sometimes masking the big fault . Beware “has a few quirks” or “selling from field”There’s a few “dodgy dealers” Facebook groups where you can check out the vendor. Definitely don’t buy unseen however many videos! Remember dealers’ riders can make anything look good. Buying a local horse with a good reputation is gold standard - even if they’re a bit older. Finally, I’ve had some decent sorts from rescues, such as Ada Cole and Blue Cross . Good luck! You’ll be broke but happy. It might also be an idea for the current hay crisis to calm down , I know people who are paying £100 for rounds or 10 + for small bales.

What timeline are you looking to? There is a lot to be said for buying a youngster and then getting it professionally backed by someone you trust. That way you know their history & they haven't been razzed about. It is usually more economical, if you can find reasonably priced turnout for a year or 2, to buy a 2-4 year old unbroken. Backing is not as expensive as you might think, if you are confident to bring them on yourself. Just a thought.

Interesting about the faults potentially masking bigger problems.

Ive contacted a local riding school today so it’s all baby steps.

Good question.

I make bad decisions in a rush. I can convince myself I can do anything needed for the right animal <looking a 2 ridiculous rescue dogs>

My husband was asking about costs last night and I was honest and said what I paid 10 years ago for farrier etc but knew everything has gone up.

I need to find the right yard too. We have a few nearby but I’m planning to visit the local tack shops over the weekend and get myself up to date.

so in answer to your question - maybe in the autumn?

I'm another who buys unbacked from a breeder.

You could also consider a loan with view to buy.

yes although (understandably) sellers seem to be reluctant to offer this.

If you have the knowledge and the right setup then buying unbanked from a breeder can work but it’s not a guarantee. We have a rising 4 year old here who’s been with us since he was a scrawny little 18 month old. My daughter’s started him slowly and carefully, he’s got the nicest temperament and so far he’s taken everything in his stride. However, we have the facilities, and she has the experience and knowledge to make it work. Equally I’ve known cases where it’s all gone horribly wrong as people have bitten off far more than they can chew and young horses are horribly accident-prone and some seem to have a death wish. In the OP’s position I think getting something that’s been there, done that and has proved to be capable of doing the job she wants and being a ‘nice person’ would be a more sensible approach.