# Daft things told when viewing a horse..................



## daughter's groom (21 November 2013)

What is the daftest thing you have been told about a horse you have viewed? I remember a girl telling me her (rather nice ) little pony was two thirds Arab! Still trying to work it out!


----------



## babymare (21 November 2013)

Sadly it was "the meat man will have her"  but happily meat man didnt get her . But already decided was having her so  "hello" stupid comment that knocked price down a little


----------



## CobsGalore (21 November 2013)

That a horse was 14.2 when clearly it was 13hh!!


----------



## Blythe Spirit (21 November 2013)

That the saddle had to touch the mares withers because she was so fat it would slip otherwise and if i didnt agree she would get her friend a saddle fitter to come and tell me so! Hu?


----------



## mirage (21 November 2013)

'She doesn't like men',this about the pony who will get as close to my husband as she can.


----------



## MiniMilton (21 November 2013)

That a 14.2 half dead scrawny grey pony was in fact a 15.2 push button beautifully schooled blue roan that would go to the top in small hunter classes.


----------



## Froddy (21 November 2013)

When questioning the rather dodgy trot the horse displayed was told horses find trotting difficult............... errrrr ok!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## LittleGinger (21 November 2013)

"I'll just let him do a couple more laps of free schooling so you can see how beautifully he moves" - said as horse motorbiked flat out around the arena, having ripped the leadrope from the seller's hands.


----------



## noodle_ (21 November 2013)

"we havent broken it in properly....but have a go if you like?"


----------



## Regandal (21 November 2013)

LittleGinger said:



			"I'll just let him do a couple more laps of free schooling so you can see how beautifully he moves" - said as horse motorbiked flat out around the arena, having ripped the leadrope from the seller's hands.
		
Click to expand...

You have to give them points for improvisation!


----------



## ladyt25 (21 November 2013)

Hmm, well I think the daftest (and sadly quite common) is the "He/She's never done that before" as said horse proceeds to show you it's 'talent' for rearing vertical/broncing etc etc....!!


----------



## Pearlsasinger (21 November 2013)

'Her sire could give the impression that he dished, too, but he didn't it was because he had one white leg.  If you put bandages on, you could see he didn't dish, it was just an optical illusion'. 
This gem was uttered as we walked BEHIND the 3 yr old and could see her off-fore come out to the side on every stride.


----------



## sandi_84 (21 November 2013)

ladyt25 said:



			Hmm, well I think the daftest (and sadly quite common) is the "He/She's never done that before" as said horse proceeds to show you it's 'talent' for rearing vertical/broncing etc etc....!! 

Click to expand...

On the day my sharer came to view (obviously after me telling her how well behaved he was easy to catch etc etc) my lad he decided for the one and only time in nearly 2 years of owning him that he didn't want to be caught and made me chase him around a bit first then pulled back from the tie up area breaking the baler twine not once but twice! I was gobsmacked and kept apologizing saying "I'm so sorry! He's never done that before!" he's  really never done it before or since either, I'm sure he was doing it just out of contrariness the little ratbag


----------



## stencilface (21 November 2013)

ladyt25 said:



			Hmm, well I think the daftest (and sadly quite common) is the "He/She's never done that before" as said horse proceeds to show you it's 'talent' for rearing vertical/broncing etc etc....!! 

Click to expand...

You're just bitter because when I tried it it didn't throw me off, although it was terrifying to ride


----------



## dogatemysalad (21 November 2013)

'She's beautifully schooled, her lateral work is coming on nicely'

Oh FFS, it can't walk a straight line yet.


----------



## hnmisty (21 November 2013)

To me: "he's got a very soft mouth, snaffle mouthed, you barely need to touch the reins, you can control him through your seat" 

To her son, as someone puts up a jump for me: "Charlie, go fetch the kimblewick"


----------



## LittleGinger (21 November 2013)

LittleGinger said:



			"I'll just let him do a couple more laps of free schooling so you can see how beautifully he moves" - said as horse motorbiked flat out around the arena, having ripped the leadrope from the seller's hands.
		
Click to expand...




Regandal said:



			You have to give them points for improvisation!

Click to expand...


I think she should have given me points for catching him when she couldn't/didn't dare!


----------



## risky business (21 November 2013)

hnmisty said:



			To me: "he's got a very soft mouth, snaffle mouthed, you barely need to touch the reins, you can control him through your seat" 

To her son, as someone puts up a jump for me: "Charlie, go fetch the kimblewick"
		
Click to expand...

Lol the last line made me laugh!


----------



## ladyt25 (21 November 2013)

Stencilface said:



			You're just bitter because when I tried it it didn't throw me off, although it was terrifying to ride 

Click to expand...

Hmm yes - that was one that the guy never actually used that line as he knew damn well what thet horse could do!!


----------



## Kikke (21 November 2013)

When mare would not move over to let me pass that she had not done any lateral work yet so didn't understand


----------



## Spit That Out (22 November 2013)

Went to see a horse that was at the bottom of the field, the owner said " it's ok he comes to call"" and then proceeded to shout "oi, **** head" 

In fairness the horse did come cantering up the field but it didn't fill me with confidence!!


----------



## el_Snowflakes (22 November 2013)

Regandal said:



			You have to give them points for improvisation!

Click to expand...

Haha thought this too!


----------



## ponypolisher (22 November 2013)

Spit That Out said:



			Went to see a horse that was at the bottom of the field, the owner said " it's ok he comes to call"" and then proceeded to shout "oi, **** head" 

In fairness the horse did come cantering up the field but it didn't fill me with confidence!!
		
Click to expand...

Lol brilliant - maybe it was a term of endearment...?


----------



## bex1984 (22 November 2013)

Seller : "I'll just tack her up, then I'll fetch the Shetland, then you can ride her" 

Me: "erm... Shetland? "

Seller: "oh yeah - she won't go anywhere without it. It's really annoying. I'll just lead it alongside you while you ride. "

Funnily enough the seller hadn't mentioned the Shetland when she was telling me on the phone that the pony was completely uncomplicated and ideal for a nervous rider to hack alone.


----------



## Goldenstar (22 November 2013)

He likes to get hold of the top of the door a bit ( crib bitter )


----------



## leflynn (22 November 2013)

She's really well schooled - translates to won't canter even on a hack and has only ever seen poles on the ground (when asked if it had ever jumped).  Mare was advertised as a good potential hunter....


----------



## Exploding Chestnuts (22 November 2013)

Went to see a 5 year old arab described as "will give her all",  when I turned up [oap] they were very reluctant to let me ride, the daughter rode her first and then I got on, the mare was totally green, must have been backed about three weeks!
Another vendor told me the only conformation fault was her gaskins.......... her what!


----------



## GlamourPuss86 (22 November 2013)

I went to try a lovely looking (from pictures) horse last yr. 17.2 ex national hunt, not brilliant pictures and sells weren't terrible knowledgeable, apparently he'd only hacked recently.

We got there to find a hat rack 15.2 at most with 'lovely unusual leg markings' Erm no, he's been pin fired. A hock 3 times the size it should be from a kick 2 weeks ago who crossed his back legs to the point I was amazed he didn't fall over!

Such a shame as he had a lovely manner but no way was he suitable.


----------



## EventingMum (22 November 2013)

"She burps after eating" - the horse was clearly windsucking. What was even more concerning was that said horse was vetted for novice clients of mine and the vet wrote on the certificate "seen to burp on occasions".


----------



## GlamourPuss86 (22 November 2013)

MrsD123 said:



			Another vendor told me the only conformation fault was her gaskins.......... her what!
		
Click to expand...

The large muscle in the hind legs


----------



## Cheshire Chestnut (22 November 2013)

''She stands like a show horse"

Nope, she just has lamintis. Nice thought/cover up though....


----------



## dianchi (22 November 2013)

I think the best one I ever heard was when we bought my first pony, mum had read PONY magazine and although the first one we saw I wanted, no we had to try at least one other.
So went and tried a chestnut mare 14hh, in the biggest Pelham ever with no curb chain. As I was riding it round I just kept saying "I want the other one", mum made me ride it though. Jumping it was out of control, point and hope for the best-at 13 I wasn't scared but still wanted the other one!

As we walk back to the yard Owner says to my mum "she is a cracking lil rider", mum says thanks! Owner "of the 12 children that has come to try her she is the first one that has stayed on!"

Needless to say I got the one I wanted all along


----------



## HeresHoping (22 November 2013)

A supposedly reputable 'dealer' said to me, when the horse I'd viewed failed the vet...twice...having given it the benefit of the doubt the first time, "Just buy it anyway, it's a bargain at £2k.  No horse for £2k is ever going to be sound."


----------



## webble (22 November 2013)

EventingMum said:



			"She burps after eating" - the horse was clearly windsucking. What was even more concerning was that said horse was vetted for novice clients of mine and *the vet wrote on the certificate "seen to burp on occasions*".
		
Click to expand...

What!!!!


----------



## Nannon (22 November 2013)

Trying an ex racer, she dishes but it won't affect her in the show ring... Ok... Windsucks but we've stopped it in the stable by putting electric tape around the walls... Ok... Then when I offered her 400 quid, no I'll take her to the local horse sales and get more than that, ok help yourself then!
As well as the multiple "he's never done that before!" When trying horses before lol.


----------



## Optimissteeq (22 November 2013)

'He's usually easy to catch' - said as we watched the horse disappear having shot out of the stable and was heading across the yard at speed.... Upon catching the horse I noticed that it had some rather dubious stitching on it's hock so I asked how it had happened. The reply was 'oh yes, he cut himself this morning so I stitched it up with some plaiting thread - did you want to ride him now? Only you'll have to go on the grass verge next to the dual carriageway, we don't have a school or field to ride him in!'


----------



## Saneta (22 November 2013)

What a great idea for a thread.  Some of the replies have really made me chuckle, others, well...


----------



## Zero00000 (22 November 2013)

In defence of the 'he/she has never done that before'

My TB is a total honest jump, never refuse or knocked a jump in her life, someone came to look at her to loan, and first thing she did was refuse a jump *palm face*

Second occasion, same mare, is generally a big on her toes due to being a TB but never nasty in any way shape or form, I was walking her around the school to lunge (had baby 2 weeks before so couldn't ride her, last minute viewing so no rider available) talking about her to the young girl her, being totally honest, she can be a handful, she's speedy, but never reared, occasionally throws a buck or small bronc after jumping, teen was not phased  in the slightest, so what does my mare do? Rears up puts her legs over my shoulders, knocks me to the floor and treads on my arm, all by standers where stood with chins on the floor, she can be a cow but never done anything like that, needless to say she got a bloody good telling off for this, I had a good few bruises, and still have a dent in my arm 5 years later, she is 16.2 so quite a lump, lol, I asked girl if she wanted to carry on, she did and turned out to be one of the best loans I ever had, and my girl made a bleedin' good rider of her (she was good anyway but the quirks helped lol)

So the 'never done that before' can sometimes be genuine'

Also half loans come to see her, I let her get her in from the field, said tie her up we will groom her, she picked up a stirrup tread and said can I use this, I was very polite and explained what it was, she tacked her up, rode her for a few minute, and I made my excuses after she had gone why she couldn't loan her!!


----------



## nix123 (22 November 2013)

Spit That Out said:



			Went to see a horse that was at the bottom of the field, the owner said " it's ok he comes to call"" and then proceeded to shout "oi, **** head" 

In fairness the horse did come cantering up the field but it didn't fill me with confidence!!
		
Click to expand...

Love it!  I need to show my oh this ....see darling its a good thing when i call you this


----------



## fattylumpkin (22 November 2013)

"Everyone has to look down at the ground, he's too intimidated if we all look at him!"

Said after the horse slipped its bridle while the owner was very badly attempting to tack it up, then went on a rampage.  He somehow managed to buck off his saddle while the owner ran about after him with her eyes pinned to the floor insisting we all do the same.  Eventually we cornered him in a paddock and I ended up putting him back in his stable when it was obvious the owner was too scared to go near him!


----------



## MiniMilton (22 November 2013)

Hereshoping said:



			A supposedly reputable 'dealer' said to me, when the horse I'd viewed failed the vet...twice...having given it the benefit of the doubt the first time, "Just buy it anyway, it's a bargain at £2k.  No horse for £2k is ever going to be sound."
		
Click to expand...

That sounds familiar, when I told a dealer that my budget was 2k they said only factory horses go for 2k. Um what factory do you go to?


----------



## Exploding Chestnuts (22 November 2013)

GlamourPuss86 said:



			The large muscle in the hind legs
		
Click to expand...

yes,  I know what the gaskins are lol, have you ever heard of that as being a "fault"


----------



## MagicMelon (22 November 2013)

I remember going to see a horse years ago, was told it was green and at 5, that was fine. When I arrived (having driven 3 hours), the lady said "my grooms not in today and I don't ride anymore so you'll just have to get straight on", never what you want to hear especially when greeted by a nervous looking horse on a very cold January day... The owner then lunged it for god knows how long (alarm bells did ring) but hey ho I'd driven 3 hours so I got on anyway. It was cold backed, but having at that point never sat on a cold backed horse I didn't know that's what it was, owner said it was "just because its a cold day and horse hasn't been ridden for a few days"! Had a pretty awkward, not very nice ride but it didn't chuck me off so I bought him as he seemed to sweet.  Horse proved to DEFINATELY be cold backed when I got him home (which owner confirmed to me when I spoke to her years later!) and he did explode and bronc me off on several occassions. But after about 2 years he stopped doing it thankfully and is the best horse I've ever had!

I also went to see a pure Andalusian a few years back - it was kept in someones back garden (great start!) and the mother and 18yr old daughter proceeded to be extremely honest about the horse - that it was "keen" out hacking which meant it "bolted down the road the other day" and it needed a big fence to keep it in as they pointed to a destroyed deer fenced paddock!  Honestly, the list went on and it was really very horrifying that they were totally serious and that they didn't think any of what they were saying was out of the norm, they just thought that's what horses did!  She couldn't ride it, the horse had no idea how to go forward or even how to turn - it was so sad. I offered them £500 for it purely out of pity but they refused saying they wanted £4,500... uh huh...


----------



## HeresHoping (22 November 2013)

minimilton said:



			That sounds familiar, when I told a dealer that my budget was 2k they said only factory horses go for 2k. Um what factory do you go to?
		
Click to expand...

My budget wasn't £2k, though, it was £3.5k.  It was just that this little horse had done nothing but had good breeding and was advertised at £2k.  I wasn't sure I was more furious with the dealer for assuming my budget was £2k and therefore I should just accept a lame horse because I wasn't going to find a sound one, or the fact that I'd just spent the best part of £500 getting the horse vetted twice and she was having a go at me because the horse had failed.


----------



## Exploding Chestnuts (22 November 2013)

Cheshire Chestnut said:



			''She stands like a show horse"

Nope, she just has lamintis. Nice thought/cover up though....
		
Click to expand...

LOL


----------



## Holly B (22 November 2013)

hnmisty said:



			To me: "he's got a very soft mouth, snaffle mouthed, you barely need to touch the reins, you can control him through your seat" 

To her son, as someone puts up a jump for me: "Charlie, go fetch the kimblewick"
		
Click to expand...

Haha, that reminds me of an ad I saw the other day for a horse that was never strong, snaffle mouth... yet its main pic was a head shot, another photo was of it being ridden at high speed around an arena, and in both photos it's wearing a dutch gag on the second ring


----------



## Goldenstar (22 November 2013)

MrsD123 said:



			Went to see a 5 year old arab described as "will give her all",  when I turned up [oap] they were very reluctant to let me ride, the daughter rode her first and then I got on, the mare was totally green, must have been backed about three weeks!
Another vendor told me the only conformation fault was her gaskins.......... her what!
		
Click to expand...

Gaskins, the old word for what we call the second thigh.
Weak underdeveloped gaskins indicate a horse who does not push from behind .
We where taught to look for this when assessing horse.


----------



## Maesfen (22 November 2013)

One of the best I heard - and the reply too!

Person selling a run of the mill pony with tack; the viewer asked what was their best price which was told with the emphasiss on the tack was included too.

Reply - sure, you must rate your tack very highly then


----------



## Nudibranch (22 November 2013)

Horse is lame in trot, won't take a contact AT ALL and seems sore in the back... the reply? "Yes, he's never worked in an outline, he just can't, I'll get the back man again, he comes every 6 months, he's very good. It's a very good saddle you know, you could have that with him for an extra £500."

Erm....


----------



## splashnutti1 (22 November 2013)

This horse turned 10 last week errrrrr more like 30 lol ....


----------



## Goldenstar (22 November 2013)

The oldest and probally the best ........ It's never done THAT before .


----------



## splashnutti1 (22 November 2013)

The best one was my recent horse, i pointed out he had a splint, her reply was he will grow out of it ...what?


----------



## splashnutti1 (22 November 2013)

Goldenstar said:



			The oldest and probally the best ........ It's never done THAT before .
		
Click to expand...

lol i had a horse for sale she was fab horse, a good freind came to view, rider got on and she reared vertical! had NEVER done it before haha, fortunately friend believed me, brought the horses and she has never done it since, very bizarre haha


----------



## simplyhunting (22 November 2013)

^ worst thing was I was selling my lovely little tb filly, quiet as they come and excellent to do, even had novices hacking her out easily. Had someone come try her and sent them out down the lane- only to have them come back on foot saying they couldn't get her past a car?! This was a filly who lead everything past the 'scary stuff' and would happily pass several combine harvesters without batting an eyelid! The phase 'she's never done that before' summed it up! How I felt such a fool saying it though!!


----------



## chorro (22 November 2013)

My friend was selling a cracking school master dressage pony that made even me look good :-D
A girl came to try him she claimed to ride for the junior British dressage team. 
She couldn't get him out of a walk


----------



## mirage (22 November 2013)

Someone came to see our little loan section A,and my daughter got on,cantered and jumped him,no problem.The viewer got on and I could tell by the look on the pony's face that he was going to do something.The little monkey went over a jump,promptly stopped and dropped a shoulder and dumped the poor kid.He then did it again.We had had him 7 months and ridden him almost every day and he had never done that before.I felt awful for the poor kid and I bet his mum thought I was lying.

We went to see a first pony,owners daughter got on,walked and trotted him,the dad was shouting instructions,yelled at her to canter him,girl asked for canter,pony bucked her off.The dad started yelling at her saying he'd only bucked because she hadn't asked for canter correctly! I'd have thought a first pony would be more forgiving of mistakes.My girls rode him and we couldn't get him out of walk,even with me running alongside.I heard that they eventually gave the pony away as no one would buy it.


----------



## Cowpony (22 November 2013)

I was looking for a sane allrounder/RC type and the dealer said they were a dressage yard so didn't do much jumping, but the horse would jump a cross-pole, was very calm, safe, non-spooky etc. As I drove into the yard the horse was spooking at something in the next field, spooked at the watertrough as they took him into the arena, spooked at just about everything around the arena.  The dealer asked the rider if she could take the horse up into canter and the rider said "weeellll, I can try....." He lurched into the most unbalanced canter I've ever seen and promptly fell into trot again.  They put some poles on the ground as a preparation for jumping and it was clear he'd never seen a pole in his life.  He spooked at the wings as he went between them and the dealer said "I won't ask him to jump if you don't mind, but you can see how fast he's learning"!  I declined to ride that one.
Another time a seller of a "diamond", safe horse rode the horse down the field and he reared - twice!  She assured me the horse had never done that before and all the horses were unsettled because a foal had been born in the field the night before.  The horse then did a very dirty stop at a jump which the owner assured me they used to jump regularly. Didn't ride that one either.


----------



## Nessa4 (22 November 2013)

When I bought my lad (then a yearling) the seller (who is actually a friend of mine!) said "he should make full-up 15.2"  he did........ about two months later - he currently hovers round15.3/16hands and is still only 2 and a half!!!  oh well, I've got another year to save up for a decent mounting block!


----------



## ticker (22 November 2013)

3 hour drive to view a cracking schoolmistress ISH, had spoke to them over the phone the day before we set off to confirm details and off we went

 arrived at dealers , presented with a 16yr old TB gelding, told him there must be a mistake and got told 
" Oh we sold her last week, this ones cheaper though " ... erm no thank you ! disgruntled OH drove us both the 3 hour trip home again. I could have murdered the dealer.


----------



## chorro (22 November 2013)

Should have sent him a bill for your time and fuel Ticker :-D


----------



## fattylumpkin (22 November 2013)

I'd have thrown a blue fit at that Ticker! :O


----------



## ticker (22 November 2013)

chorro said:



			Should have sent him a bill for your time and fuel Ticker :-D
		
Click to expand...

 Thankfully we used OH's farm vehicle truck so petrol costs wasn't an issue was a wasted journey though, poor OH had to deal with a miserable me all the way home.



fattylumpkin said:



			I'd have thrown a blue fit at that Ticker! :O
		
Click to expand...

I was very angry at the time, looking back if he was that dishonest buying probably wouldn't of gone well from him.


----------



## Arizahn (22 November 2013)

Buyer: And how is she with the farrier, I see she is currently barefoot, what sort of trimming routine does she have?

Seller: Oh sure the roads wear them down nicely, never shoe a pony!

Buyer: Has she her jabs?

Seller: Oh we haven't had her long, I don't think she's ever needed them done!

The pony in question had been advertised by them for almost seven months, and was going for around £1500, no tack, no rugs (ah sure you don't need to rug a pony!), not even a headcollar. And seller was scared of her...


----------



## Sologirl (22 November 2013)

"He's patent safety, suitable for a nervous/novice, the type everyone wants, hence why he's a bit more expensive"

Riiiiight......


----------



## Cortez (22 November 2013)

To be scrupulously fair, many horses which are routinely ridden by only one person can react very badly when a new rider gets on..........


----------



## ticker (22 November 2013)

Cortez said:



			To be scrupulously fair, many horses which are routinely ridden by only one person can react very badly when a new rider gets on..........
		
Click to expand...

A very good point !


----------



## cptrayes (22 November 2013)

'She's been out on loan and the loaner has spoiled her schooling, she's not usually like this' 

 Of the only horse I've ever been to see that I refused to get on through fear. A clearly unhinged ex racer TB mare.



'I didn't tell you  He was a windsucker in case you didn't come and see him'

Of a horse who windsucked so badly he would rip his waterer off the wall. Too right I wouldn't have gone to see him!


----------



## Sologirl (22 November 2013)

Cortez said:



			To be scrupulously fair, many horses which are routinely ridden by only one person can react very badly when a new rider gets on..........
		
Click to expand...

Agreed - but these horses should not be described as being totally safe for anyone, surely?


----------



## cptrayes (22 November 2013)

'Its  never caused him any problem'

Of a FOUR year old with a massively bowed tendon.


----------



## Cortez (22 November 2013)

Sologirl said:



			Agreed - but these horses should not be described as being totally safe for anyone, surely?
		
Click to expand...

Ah, but you won't know that yourself until the "new" person gets on, will you? When I used to sell horses (a long time ago), I made sure several people had ridden it before I put it on the market, just to be confident it was used to a different rider. You would be surprised at what your "perfect" youngster thinks of "different rider", even if completely competent.........


----------



## Regandal (22 November 2013)

Cortez said:



			To be scrupulously fair, many horses which are routinely ridden by only one person can react very badly when a new rider gets on..........
		
Click to expand...

When my friend bought her TB, the seller, who had bred her,  was honest.  "She's bucked off everyone who's came to see her.  If you can stay on, we'll knock something off the price"  She did stay on, and she did buy the horse.  She never bucked again.


----------



## Arizahn (22 November 2013)

Regandal said:



			When my friend bought her TB, the seller, who had bred her,  was honest.  "She's bucked off everyone who's came to see her.  If you can stay on, we'll knock something off the price"  She did stay on, and she did buy the horse.  She never bucked again.
		
Click to expand...

That's actually lovely


----------



## Exploding Chestnuts (22 November 2013)

Yes, knowing my boy needed a quiet yet confident rider, I had him schooled by my BHSII instructor [she rode, I paid]  as no such riders were available [yes ty BHS riding schools].

So had some came along who he allowed to sit on them, some could not canter!

Then an AI [lapsed] came along.......... got on......... straight away he had "ears back" and she kept kicking, and he kept being "a madam", she said, "he won't accept the bit!
I went up to him and blew hard in to his ear , then asked her to circle round me in a 10 metre circle, cue "accepting the bit"!!!
So then her friend [and purchaser] got on him [told me she was experienced but apparently wanted something forward going to do endurance ]. She did struggle to mount him, but the three off us got her on top and I walked way............. cue the biggest double wellie in the world, fortunately both horse and I were completely taken by surprise so nothing much happened.
As he was perfectly happy to carry anybody round the arena using voice commands we got him going [rider said, no need to canter!!]
They "bought" him but he refused to go in their trailer!
I did have some others who came and tried him, none of the three could ride, tho number 2 thot she could! He just ignored her and kind of wandered round in an sort of oblong. She thot he was fabulous!
By the time number 3 got on he just decided he was too tired, so would only walk.! but as the girl had only been on a horse twice before she was quite happy. 
They felt he would suit them if they "bonded" for three months before they rode him.
They wanted to buy him.... he has such a sweet nature!!!


----------



## kerrieberry2 (22 November 2013)

not when I viewed her but after I'd had her a few months (bought her locally)  a girl from her old yard moved to my yard and told me that she was really bad to clip that she used to have to stand there with her arms wrapped around my mares legs whilst they clipped her!   needless to say I was so worried when the lady came to clip her!  my mare didn't bat an eyelid!  now I clip her myself, with no one else around and she loves it so much that she starts grooming the stable door or whatever she is tied next too!  she even groomed my arm at the weekend!!


----------



## Exploding Chestnuts (22 November 2013)

Regandal said:



			When my friend bought her TB, the seller, who had bred her,  was honest.  "She's bucked off everyone who's came to see her.  If you can stay on, we'll knock something off the price"  She did stay on, and she did buy the horse.  She never bucked again.
		
Click to expand...

way to go


----------



## sandi_84 (22 November 2013)

kerrieberry2 said:



			a girl from her old yard moved to my yard and told me that she was really bad to clip that she used to have to stand there with her arms wrapped around my mares legs whilst they clipped her!
		
Click to expand...

:eek3: God forbid she ever actually did that to a horse that was nervous of anything! Just an accident in the making! :eek3:

Glad it turned out your mare is fine to clip though  Some people tell the stupidest of lies :rolleyes3:


----------



## Happytohack (22 November 2013)

At well know horse fair.
Possible buyer of pony "is that pony backed"
Seller ties up pony & calls over young lad & instructs him to get on pony.  Once pony has stopped thrashing about, seller turns to buyer and says "well it is now".


----------



## Sologirl (22 November 2013)

Regandal said:



			When my friend bought her TB, the seller, who had bred her,  was honest.  "She's bucked off everyone who's came to see her.  If you can stay on, we'll knock something off the price"  She did stay on, and she did buy the horse.  She never bucked again.
		
Click to expand...

Beautifully honest!!


----------



## Ginger Bear (22 November 2013)

'The pony looks & moves like a trotter, has he got trotter in him?'

'I believe he's done everything in his time!' 

(What like trot??) hahaha 

The previous owner then wanted me to buy a huge 17.5' saddle that she had on him which was clearly massive, when I said I didn't want him as it didn't for him.. She said 'but it was made for him?' .... (What a 17.5' thorowgood gp was made for him? Hahaha & I can just about squeeze a 16.5' on his short pony back.


----------



## Exploding Chestnuts (22 November 2013)

Funny I had that, young girl was Junior Champion when they lived in London, unfortunately, she seemed unable to go in to a fence at the trot, it had to be hell for leather, and as my boy was only starting, he made a huge leap, so in spite of my protests the fence went up 2 feet, obviously it all went to pieces........
I was still giving them the benefit of the doubt and let them look after him for a few days while I went down south. But did take him out for a hack early morning before putting him back in stable [10.00 am], he was sound as a pound, had never ever been lame.
Two hours later got a text, your horse is lame , he is in his stable.
No idea how they managed it, and obviously as he was no use they just walked away. Apparently  they even had to pay an instructor [where was it mentioned they could use my horse for lessons?]
A month later they also walked away with my haynet when they left the yard.


----------



## Happytohack (22 November 2013)

Drove 200 miles to see a supposed saint of a happy hacker.  Turned up to find horse loose wandering on the yard.  Seller says he won't tie up. I ask if we can see him in a stable then.  Horse proceeds to do wall of death round stable.  Eventually seller manages to get fire breathing, sweat soaked horse tacked up.  After being dragged from stable, she asks my OH for a leg up as horse will not stand to be mounted & can only be mounted by leg up from off side.  After several attempts seller managed to get on board.  Horse proceeded to nap for England & eventually seller managed to get him to trot out of yard - it was obvious he was lame!  Advertised as suitable for nervous novice or disabled rider!!!!!    Oh well - we stopped for a nice lunch on our way home.


----------



## Exploding Chestnuts (22 November 2013)

Unreal, I have worked in a dealers yard, but only did the riding, most were OK, some were downright dangerous, but I suppose they all had to be sold. At that time I just used to jump off any I consider dangerous, somehow it did not bother me!


----------



## Paint Me Proud (22 November 2013)

went to see a lovely Fjord gelding, turned up at house at time expected only to find owners still in the front room in their pyjamas, they answered the door and said 'Oh, hang on, just head around the back we'll meet you there.' 
Then.....said Fjord, who was advertised as 14.2 but was more like 13h) came hobbling lame in from the field, when we questioned the lameness they said 'he's never been lame before, he must have stepped on a stone' Yeah right!
Seller still offered for us to ride the poor lame horse and sent his wife for the tack. Wife then came back and said 'sorry but the tack has gone mouldy' WTF!
Needless to say we didnt purchase the horse (sad thought as he was lovely)


----------



## Ginger Bear (22 November 2013)

Paint Me Proud said:



			went to see a lovely Fjord gelding, turned up at house at time expected only to find owners still in the front room in their pyjamas, they answered the door and said 'Oh, hang on, just head around the back we'll meet you there.' 
Then.....said Fjord, who was advertised as 14.2 but was more like 13h) came hobbling lame in from the field, when we questioned the lameness they said 'he's never been lame before, he must have stepped on a stone' Yeah right!
Seller still offered for us to ride the poor lame horse and sent his wife for the tack. Wife then came back and said 'sorry but the tack has gone mouldy' WTF!
Needless to say we didnt purchase the horse (sad thought as he was lovely)
		
Click to expand...

OMG!!!! Enough said..


----------



## JinglebellJessi & MistletoeMagic (22 November 2013)

ticker said:



			3 hour drive to view a cracking schoolmistress ISH, had spoke to them over the phone the day before we set off to confirm details and off we went

 arrived at dealers , presented with a 16yr old TB gelding, told him there must be a mistake and got told 
" Oh we sold her last week, this ones cheaper though " ... erm no thank you ! disgruntled OH drove us both the 3 hour trip home again. I could have murdered the dealer.
		
Click to expand...

I went to view a 2 yr old chestnut tb filly, got to the address given (urban area street) and called the seller to be told to pull into a pub carpark, where out of the back of a trailer came a 6 month old black and white cob colt. My foolish friend bought it aswell!


----------



## prince ebony (22 November 2013)

A few years ago I went to view a grey arab gelding which had an asking price of 3.5K. The pics in the ad looked great and he seemed to tick the boxes. Thankfully I didn't have to travel too far! When we arrived at said "allotment" in the middle od a council estate we found the horse in a makeshift stable.  He was rugged and had only 3 shoes on overgrown feet.  When they took the rug off he was tucked up and looked poor. The horse trotted up lame and they said that was his way of going and he is an arab! Yes I know arabs, I had one on loan at the time. They basically made excuses for his condition and feet but basically they'd bought a new horse and he was neglected.  I walked away but I hope he found a nice home.


----------



## daughter's groom (22 November 2013)

Cowpony said:



			I was looking for a sane allrounder/RC type and the dealer said they were a dressage yard so didn't do much jumping, but the horse would jump a cross-pole, was very calm, safe, non-spooky etc. As I drove into the yard the horse was spooking at something in the next field, spooked at the watertrough as they took him into the arena, spooked at just about everything around the arena.  The dealer asked the rider if she could take the horse up into canter and the rider said "weeellll, I can try....." He lurched into the most unbalanced canter I've ever seen and promptly fell into trot again.  They put some poles on the ground as a preparation for jumping and it was clear he'd never seen a pole in his life.  He spooked at the wings as he went between them and the dealer said "I won't ask him to jump if you don't mind, but you can see how fast he's learning"!  I declined to ride that one.
Another time a seller of a "diamond", safe horse rode the horse down the field and he reared - twice!  She assured me the horse had never done that before and all the horses were unsettled because a foal had been born in the field the night before.  The horse then did a very dirty stop at a jump which the owner assured me they used to jump regularly. Didn't ride that one either.
		
Click to expand...

Loved reading the postings on this thread. Thanks everyone for your contirbutions anf keep them coming please.
Cowpony:- I was half paying attention when I started reading your thread and when I saw "allrounder/RC" for some reason I registered RC- Roman Catholic. The images that sprang to mind were pretty peculiar!
As for the excuse, "it's never happened before", that has happened to me. Someone came to try our honest to goodness gelding who would rather jump the wings than refuse and couldn't get him near a jump. Despite her protestations of having ridden for a top showjumping family, she patently could not ride. Told her she wasn't what we were looking for!


----------



## Cowpony (22 November 2013)

daughter's groom said:



			Loved reading the postings on this thread. Thanks everyone for your contirbutions anf keep them coming please.
Cowpony:- I was half paying attention when I started reading your thread and when I saw "allrounder/RC" for some reason I registered RC- Roman Catholic. The images that sprang to mind were pretty peculiar!
As for the excuse, "it's never happened before", that has happened to me. Someone came to try our honest to goodness gelding who would rather jump the wings than refuse and couldn't get him near a jump. Despite her protestations of having ridden for a top showjumping family, she patently could not ride. Told her she wasn't what we were looking for!
		
Click to expand...

Lol! Yes I insist that all the horses I ride are RC!


----------



## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (22 November 2013)

Went to see a nice cob in, shall we say, a rather "dubious" looking yard.

It was nice in every other respect, but unfortunately on trot-up it was noticeably lame. 

Excuse given was "oh you don't want to worry miss - he had a new set of shoes the day before yesterday and is just wearing them in"!!!!

Um, yeah, right.


----------



## Fools Motto (22 November 2013)

I went with a friend to view a chestnut, suitable to go Novice and beyond eventing. He was a 17h 6yr, who had done a few unaffilliated competitions. 
Firstly, pulled up at the yard, and they were waiting for us. She came over and said almost straight off, that she was 'so sorry, due to the fireworks last night, the horse has lost his hair and isn't himself'.  Saw said chestnut horse, just been clipped by staff!! (Honestly, owner thought he was hairless due to fright! - took a while to convince her what clipping was).  He was nice enough, but wasn't right for friend.


----------



## Paint Me Proud (22 November 2013)

Ginger Bear said:



			OMG!!!! Enough said..
		
Click to expand...

There were more gems from this viewing that I could have shared, the whole thing was so surreal!


----------



## finngle (22 November 2013)

While viewing a rising 6yo bred to show jump with horrendous cow hocks "we've let her grow in to herself and started her slowly, the hocks will completely correct with some work" :|


----------



## Sologirl (22 November 2013)

Viewed a mare with a very obvious sarcoid on her upper eyelid - sellers words "What are you on about? It's just a bump, show me a horse that's absolutely perfect"...Didn't buy that one!!


----------



## ridefast (22 November 2013)

Fools Motto said:



			I went with a friend to view a chestnut, suitable to go Novice and beyond eventing. He was a 17h 6yr, who had done a few unaffilliated competitions. 
Firstly, pulled up at the yard, and they were waiting for us. She came over and said almost straight off, that she was 'so sorry, due to the fireworks last night, the horse has lost his hair and isn't himself'.  Saw said chestnut horse, just been clipped by staff!! (Honestly, owner thought he was hairless due to fright! - took a while to convince her what clipping was).  He was nice enough, but wasn't right for friend.
		
Click to expand...

HAHA! That's brilliant!


----------



## Ginger Bear (22 November 2013)

ridefast said:



			HAHA! That's brilliant!
		
Click to expand...

That is mental!,


----------



## chorro (22 November 2013)

I love the hairless horse :-D


----------



## chorro (22 November 2013)

I once had a livery run up to me wailing that her horse was dead. Went to check and found him flat out snoring.  Told his owner he was sleeping only to be told don't be silly horses don't sleep :-D


----------



## Echo24 (22 November 2013)

Showed up to view a 14hh pony that was barely 12.2! And also went to view a pony who had competed at all the pony club stuff, was sent a lovely photo of a pony jumping, turned up to see a fat, hairy beast that they hadn't ridden for a few months as son has a new pony (said photos were also two years old!) and son proceeded to jump on the pony, canter it and throw it at some jumps! Poor thing!


----------



## Grinchmass (22 November 2013)

Not buying but was going to view some horses to ride and help with, 17hh something and another 16hh.

Anyway proceed to ride the 17hh, the owner proceeds to pass me a long schooling whip, as he can be a bit lazy etc, horse being a little nappy and naughty, not really listening to me, so light tap on the bum with the schooling whip, said giant then turns into rodeo horse, bronching like a good-un, after holding on for dear life and realising that he wanted me off I decided off was better than on and let go falling out the side door. Fell on my feet (don't ever fall on your feet if you can help it!!)

Owner then goes with the usual, "he's never done that before." to "oh it might be the whip, he's only ever had a short whip before." not convinced it was the whip, think the horse needed schooling professionally, either way I almost shoved the whip where the sun doesn't shine. Especially when she mentioned trying the other. 

Drove home, got out of car, took boots off and foot was already black and I could barely stand, after an a&e trip it turns out I damaged/tore tendons.

Let's just say lesson learnt. 


And to the dealer who said you can't get a sound horse for 2k.  I bought my mare for half that, she's sound, a school mistress and I can put young children on her and know they'll be perfectly safe, whilst doing some stressage or jumping on her myself. To be fair though, she was never formally advertised and I knew her owner, she just wanted a good home.


----------



## JustMeThen (23 November 2013)

'She's never bucked' - no, of course she hasn't.
'She's got a recent five-stage vetting, don't bother getting her vetted' - I did and after she failed at the first hurdle, the seller mysteriously never answered her phone...

We also once had a seller come to look at a 16hh, private sale, and ask, before she'd even seen it, 'have you got a 15.2hh?' Er, no.


----------



## TandD (23 November 2013)

Travel 3 hours to view horse....

Yard staff said 'oh that owner moved all his horses to a new yard yesterday, we don't know where he's gone'

I know it doesn't fulfil the thread title as I didn't view the horse! But still couldn't believe it


----------



## windand rain (23 November 2013)

Daftest thing as a buyer was having a mare on loan with a view to buy went to hack her out she stood bolt upright phoned the seller and asked about it to be told we only take her where she wants to go so try going the other way.
As a seller the best one was someone wanting a 13hh worker my pony was 13.1 the buyer phoned me every day for several weeks asking me to measure her again and couldnt I make her under 13hh eventually I gave up and told her short of chopping her off at the fetlocks she was 13.1 and likely to stay that way She thought I was being funny


----------



## katastrophykat (23 November 2013)

From a sellers side- I had some loopy ones when selling a TB ex P2P mare- advert said that she was suitable for hacking/hunting/general all rounder but retired from P2P after two runs as she was useless. I had a lady that rang 7 times or more, begging for it as a first horse for her 12 year old, been at riding school for a year, just learned to canter and wants something to love and cuddle- I refused to give her my address and eventually looked up some more suitable adverts for her and sent them on. 

Next buyer wanted to hunt, so he came over straight from work, swooped his trousers for track suit bottoms in the car, and rode her in track suit/shirt/tie combo. He sent her vaguely in the direction of a jump and sat like a sack of potatoes. The mare petered out, and by the time she got to the fence she wasn't even in a jog. When she stopped, he flew over her head and straight over the jump, and took her bridle with him. I have no idea whatsoever where his impulsion came from! We decided that he wasn't right for her, but he called on numerous occasions after to see if I would go and give him 'lessons'  

The girl that bought her did so to hack all summer and hunt all winter- perfect, says I. Off she went, all was fine. Until I had a call to say that she was running over hurdles at Newcastle racecourse. Advertised as too slow to P2P and the new owner had got together with her old trainer and decided to have another go. Apparently blew the poor mares brains in training, sold her on cheap as a broodmare. I felt bad for choosing the wrong person for her. 

However, as a buyer, I went about 140 miles to see a gelding with a view to a part ex for said TB mare. Took the mare up for a trial with the geldings owner, and once we'd settled her in, asked where he was- poor thing was stood out in sideways rain shivering from head to toe. Owner had no rugs, so got one of my own off the box and warmed him through. Asked for his tack, she produced a snaffle bridle and saddle. Tacked up, was slightly concerned when three people had to stand with him for me to get on, walked around the yard a couple of times and headed into the school. No more than two feet in, he dropped his bum and bolted. Sheer, blind panic- poor boy. I stayed on the first couple of times that he cannoned off the arena fence, came off the third time. Owner then steps forward and says 'but I have been riding him in a gag since he ran away with me the third time'... 

And only last year I went about 40 miles to see a suspiciously cheap BS reg gelding, asked all the right questions on the phone- no warning lights. Drove down and the first thing they said was 'oh, by the way, he rears a bit, sometimes, but only ever this high' (gesticulating somewhere near their knees). That's fine- I've had rearers, and nappy horses in the past, as has my friend who I was looking for. Managed to sort most of them so we said we'd have a look. I questioned the saddle as it didn't look to fit him at all- was assured it had been checked etc. owner did basics in walk/trot in indoor, he was nappy but mainly ok. My friend got on- he was more nappy and had a couple of half-rears. She managed a canter circle then decided that he didn't feel quite right and asked me to hop on. My arse was no sooner in the saddle before he was vertical. We didn't even manage a forward step before he started a rear/reverse/rear cycle, and all I could do was to link arms under his neck an attempt to turn/ride out of it when he landed as I physically could not convince myself to bail. It took about 30 seconds for him to reverse to the outside fence of the arena where his parked his backside against the fence and went right up to point of balance and hung me over the fence. I honestly thought we were going over. As soon as his feet touched deck I vaulted off. Small crowd of liveries looked mildly surprised and owner advised 'but he's fine outside- you can hack him all day long, would you like to try him over some XC fences?' Absolutely not.


----------



## Gloi (23 November 2013)

I went to see a 4yo 13.2 pony that I was thinking of getting as a summer project. The owner told me 'He was bred to be a racehorse but was ill as a foal so didn't grow very big.' Yeah, sure.


----------



## lisa_dundee (23 November 2013)

I was selling a D broodmare, she hadn't been ridden for 3 years but when I weaned her foal I jumped on and she was as good as gold, I loaned her WVTB to a 16 year old girl on our yard and she had her about 3 month and then she hit financial issues. The mare was responsive and light but forward going, bombproof to hack out but quite timid in the stable and didn't really like men, shed had a bad home somewhere along the line, anyway I had her advertised for months but no one came so I took her home and put her back out to live out, another 3 month later I got a call from a woman who was interested in the mare for her husband, I explained she didn't like men, the response was "oh most horses that don't like men love Keith, we want to come and look", I explained she was advertised AS A BROODMARE as she hadn't been ridden for 3 months and it clearly said in the ad not a novice ride, the response was "oh no we are experienced and Keith is a very confident rider". So they came the next day, I tacked the mare up and got straight on and she schooled beautifully, when it was Keith's turn to get on, I asked how long he had been riding... 3 MONTHS!! He hadn't cantered yet and he was still getting his rising trot, I immediately said if you lose your balance on this mare she will panic and she will be off like a shot, he insisted he wanted to get on... Yes Keith was confident alright! He mounted and walked her on, and I knew instantly this was a bad idea, he walked around for 5 mins and the mare did relax and then he asked for trot, the mare bounced in to trot as he asked too hard and it was a bit hair raising to start with but then he seemed to compose himself and it looked ok until he lost his balance and the mare got faster and faster and then Proceeded to do the wall of death around the school and he fell out the side door, to be fair on the mare she didn't throw him off but with his legs clamped round her sides she did what his aids were telling her to, I ran over and said I'm sorry I don't think she's suitable to which his reply was "no I love her, we just need lessons, it was my fault not hers, she's definitely the horse for me", I was gob smacked. He insisted he get back on and end on a good note, so he got back on and I led him round for twenty minutes until the mare relaxed again. I have no idea why but I did sell her to him, I told him to get to know her in the stable and not ride her until she trusted him and only with an experienced instructor for the first couple of months, I delivered her the next day and he had bought her new everything, she had the biggest bed ever and unbelievably 3 months later HE WAS SENDING ME PICS OF HIM JUMPING HER! They hack out everywhere, he has taken her to loads of inhand shows and I couldn't have found her a better home, she looks fantastic and he loves her to bits. I've no idea what made me sell her to him but I just had a gut feeling she would be much loved with him and he would have the patience and the confidence to succeed with her.


----------



## caramel (23 November 2013)

I was told my horse was 15.3... He's 17.1!! bit of a height difference.


----------



## doriangrey (23 November 2013)

About 13 years ago was looking for a Connemara colt, specifically to show.  Anyway I'd done the research and was ringing round and one sounded pretty good on the phone, good breeding lines. I remember asking if it had blue eyes because it was advertised as cream and blue-eyed creams were not recognised for showing by the CPBS.  Was told specifically no.  So after a trek on Irish roads I'm faced with ..... a blue-eyed cream!  Lovely pony (as a lot of them are) but of no use whatsoever to me.  What a waste of a journey.


----------



## nix123 (23 November 2013)

Went to see a 14.2hh 14yr schoolmistress for my daughter. What i actually saw was a 13hh 114yrs swayback mare. When questioned the seller i got told. "I see what you mean but no, it is a 14.2hh its not a sway back its just had its dinner so with its belly full and high withers it just looks like that." To top it all it was a cob!!


----------



## blood_magik (23 November 2013)

went to see a bay gelding in Ireland last summer and the owner assured me it was out competing at 1.20m regularly so my instructor got on it to see if he thought it was suitable. 
flatwork was fine so we put up a small upright (about 80cm).
It refused.

Instructor represents his country show jumping so the fact that the horse stopped with him set off alarm bells.


----------



## charli_ (23 November 2013)

Just a month back was looking for a new one, went to see 'Stunning 14.2 arab mare, who was being wasted in field and was "a bit on the chubby side"'

Got there and was presented with a 16hh tb who was probably the scruffiness horse I've ever seen. Poor girl, looked as though had been living out for months. The Mare was clearly in foal, she literally must have been about 6 months along!  

Was looking gobsmacked and the seller clearly noticed as she said 'yes she is stunning isn't she, look at how she holds her tail, that's the arab, I love that' horse was having a poo. Needless to say I didn't buy that one. Poor girl.


----------



## claracanter (23 November 2013)

I watched a very spooky horse being ridden just in walk around the arena. I went to get my hat out the car and when I got back they said I couldn't ride because of a problem with their insurance.They then said lots of people by horses over the stable door and I had better hurry up and make a decision because the next people coming to view would definitely by him.


----------



## MagicMelon (23 November 2013)

charli_ said:



			Poor girl, looked as though had been living out for months.
		
Click to expand...

Why poor girl for living out for months?!  I'd say that's a good thing!


----------



## FinnishLapphund (23 November 2013)

charli_ said:



			Poor girl, looked as though had been living out for months.
		
Click to expand...




MagicMelon said:



			Why poor girl for living out for months?!  I'd say that's a good thing!
		
Click to expand...

I thought it was the combination with what you didn't quote, that made it a bad thing in this case. Ideally I think a mare clearly in foal, should look as if she is well prepared to support both herself and the foal. Looking like the scruffiest horse you've ever seen, would make me worry about both the mare and foal's health.


----------



## MadBlackLab (23 November 2013)

lisa_dundee said:



			I was selling a D broodmare, she hadn't been ridden for 3 years but when I weaned her foal I jumped on and she was as good as gold, I loaned her WVTB to a 16 year old girl on our yard and she had her about 3 month and then she hit financial issues. The mare was responsive and light but forward going, bombproof to hack out but quite timid in the stable and didn't really like men, shed had a bad home somewhere along the line, anyway I had her advertised for months but no one came so I took her home and put her back out to live out, another 3 month later I got a call from a woman who was interested in the mare for her husband, I explained she didn't like men, the response was "oh most horses that don't like men love Keith, we want to come and look", I explained she was advertised AS A BROODMARE as she hadn't been ridden for 3 months and it clearly said in the ad not a novice ride, the response was "oh no we are experienced and Keith is a very confident rider". So they came the next day, I tacked the mare up and got straight on and she schooled beautifully, when it was Keith's turn to get on, I asked how long he had been riding... 3 MONTHS!! He hadn't cantered yet and he was still getting his rising trot, I immediately said if you lose your balance on this mare she will panic and she will be off like a shot, he insisted he wanted to get on... Yes Keith was confident alright! He mounted and walked her on, and I knew instantly this was a bad idea, he walked around for 5 mins and the mare did relax and then he asked for trot, the mare bounced in to trot as he asked too hard and it was a bit hair raising to start with but then he seemed to compose himself and it looked ok until he lost his balance and the mare got faster and faster and then Proceeded to do the wall of death around the school and he fell out the side door, to be fair on the mare she didn't throw him off but with his legs clamped round her sides she did what his aids were telling her to, I ran over and said I'm sorry I don't think she's suitable to which his reply was "no I love her, we just need lessons, it was my fault not hers, she's definitely the horse for me", I was gob smacked. He insisted he get back on and end on a good note, so he got back on and I led him round for twenty minutes until the mare relaxed again. I have no idea why but I did sell her to him, I told him to get to know her in the stable and not ride her until she trusted him and only with an experienced instructor for the first couple of months, I delivered her the next day and he had bought her new everything, she had the biggest bed ever and unbelievably 3 months later HE WAS SENDING ME PICS OF HIM JUMPING HER! They hack out everywhere, he has taken her to loads of inhand shows and I couldn't have found her a better home, she looks fantastic and he loves her to bits. I've no idea what made me sell her to him but I just had a gut feeling she would be much loved with him and he would have the patience and the confidence to succeed with her.
		
Click to expand...

Lovely story


----------



## LeannePip (23 November 2013)

lisa_dundee said:



			I was selling a D broodmare, she hadn't been ridden for 3 years but when I weaned her foal I jumped on and she was as good as gold, I loaned her WVTB to a 16 year old girl on our yard and she had her about 3 month and then she hit financial issues. The mare was responsive and light but forward going, bombproof to hack out but quite timid in the stable and didn't really like men, shed had a bad home somewhere along the line, anyway I had her advertised for months but no one came so I took her home and put her back out to live out, another 3 month later I got a call from a woman who was interested in the mare for her husband, I explained she didn't like men, the response was "oh most horses that don't like men love Keith, we want to come and look", I explained she was advertised AS A BROODMARE as she hadn't been ridden for 3 months and it clearly said in the ad not a novice ride, the response was "oh no we are experienced and Keith is a very confident rider". So they came the next day, I tacked the mare up and got straight on and she schooled beautifully, when it was Keith's turn to get on, I asked how long he had been riding... 3 MONTHS!! He hadn't cantered yet and he was still getting his rising trot, I immediately said if you lose your balance on this mare she will panic and she will be off like a shot, he insisted he wanted to get on... Yes Keith was confident alright! He mounted and walked her on, and I knew instantly this was a bad idea, he walked around for 5 mins and the mare did relax and then he asked for trot, the mare bounced in to trot as he asked too hard and it was a bit hair raising to start with but then he seemed to compose himself and it looked ok until he lost his balance and the mare got faster and faster and then Proceeded to do the wall of death around the school and he fell out the side door, to be fair on the mare she didn't throw him off but with his legs clamped round her sides she did what his aids were telling her to, I ran over and said I'm sorry I don't think she's suitable to which his reply was "no I love her, we just need lessons, it was my fault not hers, she's definitely the horse for me", I was gob smacked. He insisted he get back on and end on a good note, so he got back on and I led him round for twenty minutes until the mare relaxed again. I have no idea why but I did sell her to him, I told him to get to know her in the stable and not ride her until she trusted him and only with an experienced instructor for the first couple of months, I delivered her the next day and he had bought her new everything, she had the biggest bed ever and unbelievably 3 months later HE WAS SENDING ME PICS OF HIM JUMPING HER! They hack out everywhere, he has taken her to loads of inhand shows and I couldn't have found her a better home, she looks fantastic and he loves her to bits. I've no idea what made me sell her to him but I just had a gut feeling she would be much loved with him and he would have the patience and the confidence to succeed with her.
		
Click to expand...


That is such a lovely story


----------



## TandD (23 November 2013)

MadBlackLab said:



			Lovely story
		
Click to expand...

I thought this to.....sounds like the mare landed on her feet with her new home!


----------



## mynutmeg (23 November 2013)

ladyt25 said:



			Hmm, well I think the daftest (and sadly quite common) is the "He/She's never done that before" as said horse proceeds to show you it's 'talent' for rearing vertical/broncing etc etc....!! 

Click to expand...

To be fair this can be accurate - when we were loaning my sister's tb out he had a slight muppet attack involving bouncing and generally being a numpty which he had never done before - he then behaved beutifully when the girl hacked him out



Spit That Out said:



			Went to see a horse that was at the bottom of the field, the owner said " it's ok he comes to call"" and then proceeded to shout "oi, **** head" 

In fairness the horse did come cantering up the field but it didn't fill me with confidence!!
		
Click to expand...

love this



lisa_dundee said:



			I was selling a D broodmare, she hadn't been ridden for 3 years but when I weaned her foal I jumped on and she was as good as gold, I loaned her WVTB to a 16 year old girl on our yard and she had her about 3 month and then she hit financial issues. The mare was responsive and light but forward going, bombproof to hack out but quite timid in the stable and didn't really like men, shed had a bad home somewhere along the line, anyway I had her advertised for months but no one came so I took her home and put her back out to live out, another 3 month later I got a call from a woman who was interested in the mare for her husband, I explained she didn't like men, the response was "oh most horses that don't like men love Keith, we want to come and look", I explained she was advertised AS A BROODMARE as she hadn't been ridden for 3 months and it clearly said in the ad not a novice ride, the response was "oh no we are experienced and Keith is a very confident rider". So they came the next day, I tacked the mare up and got straight on and she schooled beautifully, when it was Keith's turn to get on, I asked how long he had been riding... 3 MONTHS!! He hadn't cantered yet and he was still getting his rising trot, I immediately said if you lose your balance on this mare she will panic and she will be off like a shot, he insisted he wanted to get on... Yes Keith was confident alright! He mounted and walked her on, and I knew instantly this was a bad idea, he walked around for 5 mins and the mare did relax and then he asked for trot, the mare bounced in to trot as he asked too hard and it was a bit hair raising to start with but then he seemed to compose himself and it looked ok until he lost his balance and the mare got faster and faster and then Proceeded to do the wall of death around the school and he fell out the side door, to be fair on the mare she didn't throw him off but with his legs clamped round her sides she did what his aids were telling her to, I ran over and said I'm sorry I don't think she's suitable to which his reply was "no I love her, *we just need lessons, it was my fault not hers, she's definitely the horse for me*", I was gob smacked. He insisted he get back on and end on a good note, so he got back on and I led him round for twenty minutes until the mare relaxed again. I have no idea why but I did sell her to him, I told him to get to know her in the stable and not ride her until she trusted him and only with an experienced instructor for the first couple of months, I delivered her the next day and he had bought her new everything, she had the biggest bed ever and unbelievably 3 months later HE WAS SENDING ME PICS OF HIM JUMPING HER! They hack out everywhere, he has taken her to loads of inhand shows and I couldn't have found her a better home, she looks fantastic and he loves her to bits. I've no idea what made me sell her to him but I just had a gut feeling she would be much loved with him and he would have the patience and the confidence to succeed with her.
		
Click to expand...

This is the bit that is why it worked - he understood that they needed lessons and it was his fault not hers!!


----------



## charli_ (23 November 2013)

MagicMelon said:



			Why poor girl for living out for months?!  I'd say that's a good thing!
		
Click to expand...

I agree that living out is good - but I mean as if she hadn't had any attention - however my friend's cousin did buy her in the end - a told that she is healthy and so is baby. So not to worry, she is doing great


----------



## charli_ (23 November 2013)

FinnishLapphund said:



			I thought it was the combination with what you didn't quote, that made it a bad thing in this case. Ideally I think a mare clearly in foal, should look as if she is well prepared to support both herself and the foal. Looking like the scruffiest horse you've ever seen, would make me worry about both the mare and foal's health.
		
Click to expand...

Sorry, didn't mention this part, kind of viral! Mare was bought by my friend's cousin, haven't been to see her but have had pics - mare and baby are healthier than ever


----------



## rascal (23 November 2013)

I was once told a horse was quiet, it took two goes round the school to slow it down though! Needless to say I passed on that one.


----------



## dibbin (23 November 2013)

'He's never done that before' - horse was a total pig: on the lunge, with his usual rider on him, and when I got on. Bucking, napping and refusing to go in any direction he was asked! Gave him the benefit of the doubt and went for a second viewing a few days later ... it took half an hour to catch him and he was so bad on the lunge I didn't even get on him.

My most disappointing viewing was driving for an hour in horrible weather to see a Sec D x TB who was advertised as 15.2hh and looked nice and solid in the photos. I got there and he was a little slip of a thing who might have just been 15hh in shoes on his tiptoes! I watched him ridden then got on, I literally sat on him for 5 mins then had to get off because I felt ridiculously big on him. Such a waste of my time and the seller's. He was a lovely little thing too, if only he'd been bigger.


----------



## alainax (23 November 2013)

To be fair to the " he has never done that before" point.. I have witnessed this!

I rode a lovely appaloosa for his owner, I loved the very bones of him, pity he wasn't just a hand taller. 

Anywho... A lovely lady came out to try him, I had rode him around the arena, he was a wee star. I got off, she put her foot in the stirrup and before her leg had even got over the saddle she was on the deck! Have no idea what happened! I got back on and rode him no bother... she went to try him again, and wham! she was on the floor again!  Poor lady really liked him, but understandably had to pass. I guess the horse just hadn't "chosen" her!


----------



## lisa_dundee (23 November 2013)

That's exactly what I thought Mynutmeg, if he could have that sort of understanding that it was a people fault and not a horse fault and he was so keen to learn, those are the people that succeed the most, that mare really did get the best home ever, I knew if falling off her at full bolt didn't put him off then he was going to have the determination to build a relationship with her x


----------



## ZondaR (23 November 2013)

chorro said:



			I once had a livery run up to me wailing that her horse was dead. Went to check and found him flat out snoring.  Told his owner he was sleeping only to be told don't be silly horses don't sleep :-D
		
Click to expand...

First time I saw a horse lying on the ground snoring I thought he was having some kind of seizure.  It gave me the fright of my life!


----------



## MadBlackLab (23 November 2013)

ZondaR said:



			First time I saw a horse lying on the ground snoring I thought he was having some kind of seizure.  It gave me the fright of my life!
		
Click to expand...

I've worked on many yards where horses are flat out having a good snore. some even showing teeth like they are smiling lol


----------



## Tayto (23 November 2013)

ladyt25 said:



			Hmm, well I think the daftest (and sadly quite common) is the "He/She's never done that before" as said horse proceeds to show you it's 'talent' for rearing vertical/broncing etc etc....!! 

Click to expand...

This^^^^^ happened to me - horse is suitable for nervous novice type and has never bucked, bolted etc 10 mins later it bolted down a hill with me and ditched me at the bottom! Owner comes over and says "hmmm he's never done that before"


----------



## Equestriangirl123 (24 November 2013)

Went to a dealer looking for a safe all rounder , travelled miles as online it said she had a selection that would be suitable for me .

Told her what I wanted ( safe ride in every way - good allrounder) and she put me on a mare that was very green , hadn't done any schooling , struggled over a fence ( although she claimed it poped 1m easy) and didn't know how to canter ! Out on the road was very forward going and didn't like you asking it to slow up by half halting it just got faster and grabbed the bit.  As having lost my confidence with my previous horse taking off with me ( as I told her ) I did not feel this horse was right for me . 


I then told her I wanted something a bit more steady that had been there done a bit ... I was told I needed one of her quiet gypsy cobs and that ' NO OTHER BREED IS SUITABLE AS THEY ARE NOT SAFE ENOUGH'

Currently these gypsy cobs were breaking down the fence , clambering into the school and galloping and bucking around . Her staff then went to catch these horses and they ran off bucking and kicking out at them !!!

Mum and I then decided it was time to leave this yard, we made a quick excuse , leapt into the car and off we went . 

I have now bought a lovely ID x , very similar to the horse we tried at first at her yard . And yes he is 100% in every way and I have my confidence back !!


----------



## JustMeThen (24 November 2013)

Just seen one advertised as 'genuinely unbroken' - as opposed to what?!


----------



## Gloi (24 November 2013)

eleanor79 said:



			Just seen one advertised as 'genuinely unbroken' - as opposed to what?!
		
Click to expand...

As opposed to 'Tried to break in, mess made of it and it dumped anyone who tried to get on so we're keeping quiet about that and selling as unbroken when actually it's a horse that's been screwed up'


----------



## p87 (24 November 2013)

Mine is something funny someone said to me when viewing a horse I was selling. 

It was a windy day and the other horses were calling from the other field on the mare for sale, she was already quite hyped up so I was apprehensive, but only because I had no idea of this woman's abilities. After I rode round the field and showed the mare off a bit the woman got on and I just repeated again "I'm not making excuses, but with the windy weather and the herd shouting on her she is a little over excited and may throw in a few bucks as charge about a bit..."

The woman was half way through replying "that's fine, I like seeing horses when they are wound up and hyper as it gives me a better overall impression of them"

...When the mare took off at a 180 degree spin up the field, chucked in a few excited bucks, had a wee spook at a log and came careering back towards us again.

Thank god the woman was more than competent and found the whole thing hilarious!  After I'd got over the shock and embarrassment we had a good laugh about it, it was so perfectly times how she was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly shot up the field!


----------



## JustMeThen (25 November 2013)

Gloi said:



			As opposed to 'Tried to break in, mess made of it and it dumped anyone who tried to get on so we're keeping quiet about that and selling as unbroken when actually it's a horse that's been screwed up'
		
Click to expand...

Silly me


----------



## MileAMinute (25 November 2013)

Went to view a horse with a friend.

Told he was a hardy native, and didn't wear rugs. Horse's shoulders were covered in obvious rug rubs....


----------



## mudmonkey17 (25 November 2013)

Went to view a horse for another girl. Rode horse to see what i thought of it as she liked it. Horse was lame, owner insisted she was just jumping the puddles in the school


----------



## flirtygerty (26 November 2013)

Not daft just brutally honest in my case, went to view a trotter x, arrived to see him being led down the lane having ditched his rider, the old gent held him in a stable and when I offered to shut the stable door, the old gent said "No the ****** will be out in no time", four years on, my barn is like Fort Knox to stop this lad escaping, but what a horse, he's my lottery win, a total character, odd sense of humour, a bully with the others, as described and I wouldn't change him for the world


----------



## webble (26 November 2013)

MileAMinute said:



			Went to view a horse with a friend.

Told he was a hardy native, and didn't wear rugs. Horse's shoulders were covered in obvious rug rubs....
		
Click to expand...

Same woman also said she was selling the horse for a family member but after a bit of digging turned out to be a dealer!!


----------



## RLS (26 November 2013)

Went to view horse with a friend. It was advertised as suitable for novice rider (friend hadn't ridden for many years at that point). We arrived a little early. Horse was already tacked up, waiting aoutside stable. Owner told me "I've got a sore elbow so can't ride today". 
Oh dear, thinks me. Anyway, we'd driven an hour to get there, so I gave it a try. Walk & trot was quite nice, canter - uh, no. Tried to buck me off! When I got off, owner says "oh, you seem to get on really well with him". Uh well, thanks, but no thanks!


----------



## rara007 (26 November 2013)

We went to see an ugly spotted cob (supposed to be a WB) who they couldn't trot up in hand as they seemed to have no clue how to?! And under saddle it had 'forgotten' how to trot. It was 5 or 6, should know how to do a 2 beat trot!


----------



## Lippyx (26 November 2013)

When I went with a friend to view a horse for her, I remember when I asked how the horse jumped, the seller (wanna-be professional dealer) said the horse "paces her self really well, when approaching jump". OK, I thought, we will see what she means.

When watching her jump the horse, what the horse actually done was literally canter on the spot as you face the jump, and then the last 2 strides would launch herself at the jump. Not what I would call "pacing herself"???


----------

