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‘How is he going to understand me, I don’t speak Dutch?’ — and other bizarre questions asked when selling a horse


  • When we asked you what the strangest questions you had been asked when selling your horse, we were inundated with replies — from the lady who wanted a horse to match her wedding dress, to the buyer who was after a discount because of a winter coat

    1. “Can we buy it for £1,000 less because it has a winter coat?” — Rachel Stock

    2. “‘Is it ready to go out affiliated jumping?’ asked of an 11.1hh beginners’ lead rein pony who had been a lady of leisure for the previous two years. Unless they were planning on buying her a trampoline they were on a hiding to nothing.” — Joanna Broughton

    3. “‘How is he going to understand me, I don’t speak Dutch?’. I answered ‘not to worry, neither does he’…” — Astrid Bolton

    4. “I was selling a cream mare once and the lady brought a photo of her wedding dress to see if the mare would match her wedding dress (champagne coloured!)” — Christina Mulqueen

    5. “Is the grey faster than the bay because he wears shoes?” — Cheryl Cundall

    6. “What does it eat?” — Julia Chaplin

    7. “I was selling a set of showjumps, and a woman rang and asked if they would fit in her car” — Linda Jenkins

    8. “‘But I wanted a spotty one’. Then why have you come to try my chestnut gelding for sale, advertised with pictures?!” — Abi Hitchcock

    9. “When I was looking to buy a few years ago, I became very confused with the for sale ads I was seeing online in Ireland. People were asking for £1000s for horses advertised as 16.2 ISH. I could not understand why people would ask for so much money when they couldn’t be bothered to put a measuring stick to their horses rather than just rounding their height off. To my complete embarrassment I asked just that question when prospecting and was bluntly told ISH meant an Irish Sports Horse for sale… I bought a cob in the end!” — Elaine Lynch

    Continued below…


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    10. “While advertising a yearling for sale I was asked ‘Is it broken in?’,  ‘Is she spooky to ride?’ and ‘Would she be suitable for my nine-year-old?'” — Daisy Dukes

    11. “Selling a £10,000 horse lorry I was asked  ‘Would you take £1,000 cash?’  Me: ‘Did you miss off a zero?’ Lady: ‘No, but it’s for cash’!” — Emily Wilton

    12. “Would you keep him for three weeks so we can try him after our holiday?” — Charlotte Knight

    13. “While looking for sharers, the ad stated ‘she’s a plod who loves hacking’. I was asked: ‘How high does she jump? Has she done dressage? Can I take her to PC camp?’ Answers: logs, no and absolutely no.”

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