'Genuine reason for sale'

Why is it that this always makes me suspicious? Looking for a new horse has made me deeply cynical, I must admit. OBC and I saw one yesterday that really wasn't anything like the animal described in the advert! Anyway, I am looking at this horse that is quite local to me and wondering why it's so cheap as it looks lovely. http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/110939509/huge-dressage-potential.html

Doesn't say anything about how it is hacking. Looks as though it is only used in an arena and that would worry me a lot - unless that's all you wanted to do.
 
There's bound to be a problem somewhere. Good horses just don't go for that money round here, I reckon Thames Valley area adds a few £XXXs onto the price of most horses.
 
Sloughs not far, worth a call and chat about....I love a road trip (next time we might take the sat nav)
Ha ha! My written directions were, well, a bit wrong but we got there in the end! I might as well ring them and get some more info....
 
Got to hand it to the owner - she told me the horse is sharp, spooky, won't hack out alone, and no good for xc! So not what I am looking for on any level. But I really respect that kind of honesty, wish more horse sellers were like that.
 
I think that is very good that she was so honest. Saves an awful lot of time and petrol in the long run.
 
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It wouldn't appeal to me, lack of time and currently wasted could mean unfit, or over horsed.
Glad she was honest, but I read what isn't in the advert. If it hacked it would have said so. Its a selling point.
 
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I would say its cheap because of its size as well. 15hh is a strange size for a horse like that, its not a pony but its not a big horse, so its appeal is limited. If it were mine I would advertise it as 14.2 or 15.1....

Everyone I know who has tried to sell a 15hh has struggled... even dealers
 
Wouldn't even waste my time with a phone call at that price. Even over here where stuff can be picked up cheaply. However,
if it was someone I knew through contacts who genuinely wanted to be sure where the horse might end up if they are forced
to sell it on, then it might be worth a look. But if they were genuinely concerned they wouldnt be selling it at money that would
attract dealers in disguise would they?
 
I am very cynical about horse for sale adverts, when I was looking for a horse I went to see quite a few who were not as they had been described at all even despite assurances from phone calls.
I'm very glad the lady who is selling was so honest with you, that does make a very refreshing change and saves everyone concerned an awful lot of time.
 
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I'm increasingly thinking a dealer is the way to go, rather than a private sale. There seem to be some reputable dealers out there, if FB is anything to go by, and at least you have some kind of leverage if things don't work out.
 
Ive always bought through word of mouth, or from people I know pretty much !
 
There's nothing sounding alarm bells for me. Certainly up here, horses are not selling for big bucks. The horse appears to have no proven track record to back up a high price tag. If you like the look of the mare there's no harm investigating further :)
 
I think you have to look at what they don't mention, rather than what they do.

For instance, the horse in the advert, clearly only mentioned an experienced rider and dressage. Therefore indicating that anything else was an issue.

I think if I was looking for a horse now, I would want to see in an advert good to load, shoe, box. Goes first or last hacking and fun rides, hunted and goes front or back. Doesn't kick, buck or rear.

And if you want to do shows, I would expect to see that mentioned too, and not just one or two shows. And to mention what it has done in shows. I wouldnt however expect to pay under £3-4k for it, and wouldn't really look at anything under 6/7 years old. Up to 12 years old, more depending on experience, and then would look at a bit of a sliding scale downwards.

I would be wary of anything 5 years old who has done all of the above, it has probably blown its brains or it is about to hit the kevin years.

Very difficult, buying horses - and you only learn from your own mistakes which I did!

Also, I think you need to understand how often horses are ridden. My own horse is very good indeed during the summer - he is ridden much more, and is turned out 24/7. During the winter he can be an absolute nightmare - he gets extremely low value feed and I will not feed haylage. But he is ridden less because I work full time, and the winter is tricky for us. So that is a question I would definitely ask of any buyer, and would beware of how fit they look during the winter months.

My YO's daughter had a very short pintaloosa on loan. She was guaranteed 2 years, but 8 months into the loan the owner wants to sell it. It is 13.2, YO's daughter is little and is 26. She has worked in yards and ridden show jumpers. Pony is apparantly worth 3k on Pony Clubs DC's reckoning. Actually it isn't. It went to Pontispool ONCE with YO's daugher and was incredibly badly behaved. A child would have no chance of controlling it. But it has been to Pontispool. It hunted ONCE, but has hunted. It has been on ONE fun ride, but has been on Fun Rides.

So I think the quantity of what it has done is a massive indication.
 
I think you have to look at what they don't mention, rather than what they do.

For instance, the horse in the advert, clearly only mentioned an experienced rider and dressage. Therefore indicating that anything else was an issue.

I think if I was looking for a horse now, I would want to see in an advert good to load, shoe, box. Goes first or last hacking and fun rides, hunted and goes front or back. Doesn't kick, buck or rear.

And if you want to do shows, I would expect to see that mentioned too, and not just one or two shows. And to mention what it has done in shows. I wouldnt however expect to pay under £3-4k for it, and wouldn't really look at anything under 6/7 years old. Up to 12 years old, more depending on experience, and then would look at a bit of a sliding scale downwards.

I would be wary of anything 5 years old who has done all of the above, it has probably blown its brains or it is about to hit the kevin years.

Very difficult, buying horses - and you only learn from your own mistakes which I did!

Also, I think you need to understand how often horses are ridden. My own horse is very good indeed during the summer - he is ridden much more, and is turned out 24/7. During the winter he can be an absolute nightmare - he gets extremely low value feed and I will not feed haylage. But he is ridden less because I work full time, and the winter is tricky for us. So that is a question I would definitely ask of any buyer, and would beware of how fit they look during the winter months.

My YO's daughter had a very short pintaloosa on loan. She was guaranteed 2 years, but 8 months into the loan the owner wants to sell it. It is 13.2, YO's daughter is little and is 26. She has worked in yards and ridden show jumpers. Pony is apparantly worth 3k on Pony Clubs DC's reckoning. Actually it isn't. It went to Pontispool ONCE with YO's daugher and was incredibly badly behaved. A child would have no chance of controlling it. But it has been to Pontispool. It hunted ONCE, but has hunted. It has been on ONE fun ride, but has been on Fun Rides.

So I think the quantity of what it has done is a massive indication.

You are quite right SJP1. I was just curious about that horse more than anything. My ad for a horse would read: 'Horse wanted, budget up to £3K, aged between 6-14 and height between 14.3-16hh. Sane and sensible, confident and easy-going (no nervous types), good to hack in company or alone, fine to take to local shows, an all-rounder capable of doing anything (within reason), fine with kids and dogs, no vices, good to shoe, box etc. Not really fussed about breed, sex or colour.' I know it's quite a big ask but I am sure my horse is out there somewhere and I am in no rush! In fact, the longer I wait, the more money I'm able to set aside each month budget-wise.
 
You are quite right SJP1. I was just curious about that horse more than anything. My ad for a horse would read: 'Horse wanted, budget up to £3K, aged between 6-14 and height between 14.3-16hh. Sane and sensible, confident and easy-going (no nervous types), good to hack in company or alone, fine to take to local shows, an all-rounder capable of doing anything (within reason), fine with kids and dogs, no vices, good to shoe, box etc. Not really fussed about breed, sex or colour.' I know it's quite a big ask but I am sure my horse is out there somewhere and I am in no rush! In fact, the longer I wait, the more money I'm able to set aside each month budget-wise.
Well apart from the fact she's 17 and only 14.2 you could be describing Belle, (ok maybe she couldn't do anything but she wasn't that expensive) they are out there Squidsin and your horse will come, the best people I found to talk to about horses when I was looking are RI's and farriers, they often hear of good horses coming up for sale before they even get advertised.
 
It has always struck me how many apparently perfect horses are available out there, for sale due to no fault of their own etc, easy to catch, good for farrier, clippers, good in all paces, perfect mother/daughter share, never put a foot wrong, never bucked, never reared, genuine, good clean jump, lots of potential....blah blah blah. They all sound like cut and paste ads to me. A friend recently was able to have a two week loan of a horse prior to buying - she really liked him but sadly he failed his vetting. I did think though, it's a shame more people aren't willing to allow short loan period, although of course I can also see how difficult this could be from the sellers point of view. I think when my time comes to buy, I will try to get a personal recommendation. The whole thing can be a nightmare it seems.
 
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