No fault of their own...

[Little Dolphins]

Sad sale as outgrown... lack of time forces sale... owner at uni.... wasted in present home....
lovely jumper, going well on flat.... three flowing paces.... not mareish....absolutley bombproof.... no vices.....super prospect....gentle giant

etc etc
Minefield of stock phrases which are the ad-speak of today, I guess. It's absolutley true that a novice would have to have access to knowledgeable companions to take along on a buying trip. Excellent replies to my "young cobs" thread, thanks!

Ads in local country newspapers used to say something like: 'Orse for sale, 'e be 15 hands and very good. Which was more or less as useful as all the current wordage!

[cloang]

Coudnt agree more, as a greenie who has ended up owning a little bomb on legs when i thought i had bought a first pony for a 7 year old, i would just say BE CAREFUL:o

[Skib]

Great post. I've been studying Horse and Hound ads for a year or two now - quite funny, if it wasn't so sad.

[nicolaj]

Yep, and don't they just ask such HIGH prices for them as well?:eek:

The fact that people are not honest with a potential owner and sell something not up to the job or totally unsuitable means that these poor horses, through no fault of their own end up being sold on again. Much to the heart break of the person 'caught out'.:(

I was aware of somebody recently selling a horse who they claimed to have done XC, show jumping, dressage and showing. These amounted to, XC a ride round a pay and ride course, 1 clear round jumping and 1 dressage, and best turned out at the local show! Hardly Horse of the Year!

Some of these people have been to the same school as estate agents and car dealers!;)

[cazrider]

Sennie was "been driven", "jumped at Towerlands", "divorce forces sale"

He'd never been driven, doesn't jump, and his owner had never been divorced. Just as well he did have a lovely temperament. I'd love to have seen his face if I'd tried to put him between the shafts of a trap!

[virtuallyhorses]

Its like Real Estate Ads - you have to read between the lines and then go along to have a look with a fairly skeptical outlook. Have a good list of questions on hand - if it says 'jumps 1.0 metre' ask where? Get specific.

Typical ad - "15yr old 17Hh TB eventing prospect, does everything well, great on hacks, good paces needs competant rider to take on to next level, only selling due to over committed $1500"

Alarms - He's 15 now - if he's not made it by now he's not a prospect for anything. If he needs a competant rider then he's no good for beginners or someone who just wants to hack out - why would he only be $1500? This is the sort of ad that seems good on the outside but should ring alarms and if you can see the signs there are usually contradictions in them. Look at the entire ad and not just individual phrases.

[xXSundanceBayXx]

my friends horse was advertised as:

Buzz- 15.2hh dapple grey gelding, aged 20. 100% bombproof, has jumped 4ft. never bucks or rears. has been ridden by my 8 year old daughter and he goes like a dream. good in traffic and to box. he does weave and needs to be sedated to be clipped. £2000 inc saddle.

instead she got a 15.2hh dappled grey 10 year old f***** up gelding who arrived sweaty and scared. he was in the school with her after allowing 5 days settling and he reared at something. After four months of building up his trust doing groundwork she rode him again and he was a teeny bit better and bucked when cantering. she got his back, teeth etc done and they were fine. so they paid loads of money for a horse whisperer. afterwards he was excellent and they were really getting along together. then she and another girl went on a hack together and this girl (a vv good rider on the right horse) rode him and my friend rode the girls horse. Buzz spooked and the girl smacked him hard with her whip and all the work that had been done was wrecked. he has slowly gotten better and has done a lot in the last year, but there are still things he is wary of. (also this horse was not my friends first horse but her second and the lady they bought him off they got their first mare from and she turned out to be perfect so trusted her to be as honest as with the first turns out she wasnt.)

Please make sure that when you buy a horse you know exactly what you are getting and if possible have them on trial for a few weeks on your own yard where your horse will be kept. thats the best way to find out if that horse is for you. :)

[Retty]

I was very lucky I got the exact horse as described, bomb proof cob and yep he is! I have however not been so lucky in the past! Things like 'forward going' which has translated as 'no brakes!', 'lots of character' - 'bites and barges!', 'can be excitable' - 'snorting loon!' :eek:

[GOBBY]

Yes cant a gree enough you really have to read into an advert, however when i sold my last horse, i got annoyed by the stupid questions people asked, i stippulated the horse was suited to a competition home, competant teenager, adult, and got people asking questions such as do you think he might suit my 8 year old daughter shes just learnt to trot, my reply was yes if you want her dead, in the end such people as these got phone put down on them, or another was,dont suppose you want to loan him, my reply was hes in the for sale column, so being fair,and been both sides of the fence, i trulley can see the frustration from both sides, and i have to say i think horse and hound is great, i and friends of mine have bought and sold from here.you can always try and knock people down in price, my last horse that i sold i advertised for £3500 with all stubben tack, and rambo rugs, but becouse i liked the home and what the people were going to do with him, the fact it was a permanant home, i went and asked and found out information on the people, have to add did not like them one bit, but knew my horse would have a great home, i let him go for a lot less.

[pengapenga]

I find reading horse ads an amusing pastime:)

When I saw the add for Frits it was all in Dutch but I have to say they described Frits very well. He is a character (they told me he is not as docile as friesians should be:) ), he loves the ladies (yes this was in the ad, good thing when you are buying a stallion:D )he learns very quickly and that too was a true statement.