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nikki
Platinum Member
 Wales
4384 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 4:48:41 PM
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God aint they annoying!
I've just spent two weekends over them. I've also been honest with my own situation when i've been intrested in horses.
Why do people come out, knowing full well they haven't the money?
Is it some kind of hobby? If people wanted to see my horses i'd be only too happy to show them off!
Just wanted a whinge!
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pagey |
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JulieBeattie1
Silver Member
Scotland
288 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 5:05:02 PM
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Nikki I know exactly what you mean! Im in the process of selling my coloured warmblood and to be honest part of me thinks it would be easier just to keep her!
I would never dream of going and wasting someone else's time over something I never intended buying in the first place! So why they doing it to me! Nice to know im not the only one!
Annoying I know!
Good luck with yours! |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 5:19:47 PM
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Its a bit like selling houses, if they come at the weekend you can be sure they are just out for a nice drive and to poke around your house with no intention of buying |
   
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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Lila
Gold Member
Netherlands
1097 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 7:29:43 PM
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Sometimes it is the other way around. I have been looking for a Dartmoor pony for my girls a very long time. Than I found one in England, near Andover. So I went there for the weekend and decided to take her. She was quite expensive 3000 pounds so I had to confirm this with my bank when I came home. I intended to pay as soon as posible, but since I did not have my account through the net by then I had to do it manualy. This took a while I had to order these checks first etc. But I was at it the whole time, then this Lady's husband calls me after three days or so and tells me I was not going to get the pony, they sold it to someone else. I was so glad that I did not send the money already, because who knows if I would have gotten it back or not. What P..... me of most of all, sorry for saying so, is that I payed for the ferry and the B&B and dinner etc. and I never got anything back from her for these costs I made. And I was going to take this pony for sure.
Monique |
M. Lankhaar |
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Zoe Tyzack
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4047 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 7:54:24 PM
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Hi
shame they cant get a proper hobby.
It is so annoying and i sympathise with you.
i think the house market is probably worse  |
     
Zoe.x |
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spyros
Bronze Member
England
210 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 8:33:29 PM
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| I can sypathise with you, however from the other side of the fence, I have brought three horses in the last 2 years. As much as I guess buyers mess people around, a lot of sellers are a complete nightmare, I have spent hours searching the country for my horses, to find about 80% of sellers were not honest and complete timewasters I could write a book. Headed “Still Looking due to Timewasters”. I cannot think of anything worse than spending time, money and effort travelling to view a horse who is simply not as described. Thank goodness I am no looking but wish you every success finding the right buyer for your horse. |
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katefox1812
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1612 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 10:50:12 PM
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I truly sympathise, and as a buyer recently I was terrified of wasting sellers' time.
Trouble is, pretty much any time they spent emailing me, sending photos, grooming their horse, preparing it and showing it to me was by definition 'wasted' if I didn't buy it! And with the best of intentions, and certainly not treating my search as a 'hobby', I was bound to disappoint some of them - indeed the majority - by not buying their horses, and therefore effectively 'wasting' their time.
When I found the horse I was looking for, I wrote long, sincere apologetic letters or emails to the sellers of those I did not choose, explaining that while their horses were lovely, I had found my 'dream-horse', and that this was not a matter of quality but of the quirks of personal taste, etc.
I still felt bad, though, about having - albeit inadvertently - 'wasted' their time. I had only gone to look at horses I was truly, genuinely interested in, and only after obtaining as many emailed photos as I could, and finding out as much as I could about the horses - as I did not wish to waste either the sellers' time or my own by travelling to visit unsuitable horses!
But until you actually see a horse in the flesh, it is impossible to know whether you will just 'like' him, or totally fall in love with him, and for me only the latter is enough to make me buy the horse.
I still feel embarrassed at having 'wasted' so much of the sellers' time, though, especially those who came to fetch me from train stations (I can't drive, and could not always get a lift), gave me tea and biscuits, groomed their horses beautifully for me and so on. In some cases, they must have 'wasted' at least half a day over me, more if you count the time spent responding to emailed questions, sending photos, etc.
What could have done differently? What can I do differently in future, should I wish to buy another horse?
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georgiauk
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2605 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 11:03:24 PM
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Kate I don't think it can be done differently, as a buyer you need to be sure 'he/she' is the one for you. I was accused of time wasting for asking for a video!!!
I sometimes wonder if I should have just gone and visited, wasted half a day for them and still not bought a horse. |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 11:08:02 PM
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I know EXACTLY what you mean Kate! When I bought my present mare I also spent an afternoon with a lovely couple and their children who are well known breeders nr Newbury looking at a beautiful mare of theirs. The following day I went to look at the mare that I eventually bought, but I felt absolutely awful to the original sellers because they were so kind to me and spent such a long time showing me their stallion, youngstock and making me cups of tea! 7 years later I still feel guilty because I did not in the end, choose their horse. Whenever I see them at shows I feel awful and they probably don't even remember me! I'm not sure if they viewed me as a 'timewaster' or not. I did of course tell them that I was looking at other horses and rang as soon as I had made a decision, but I STILL feel awful about it. Funnily enough this mare went on to do well in the ridden ring and she probably would have been far more suitable for me!
Jen ~ feverishly looking for the 'guilty' face on the smilie sheet!
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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Tahir
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4572 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 02:27:28 AM
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Katefox, Jen, - don't feel guilty - you were genuine buyers, and if genuine sellers want to sell their horse(s), they would be more than happy to accept your explanation. Personally, I would hate to sell a horse to someone who was unsure or unsuitable, I love to see the "fallen in love head-over-heels" scenario and wouldn't expect anything less.
I have a problem with people who want to buy my horses and I feel they are not committed or suitable for the horse!!! What do you do about that??? Especially when they want to leave a 10% cash deposit, after you have bumped the price up cos your not happy about the future home (have been tempted in the past to say that the said horse has an incurable lameness just to put them off, how awful is that??). Human nature normally takes over and I inform them that the horse has been sold to a "better" home - cash deposit then returned.
Maybe we should all be less polite and tell these people to "go forth", - I have been tempted, many times.
Lila, I think you were very unlucky, Dartmoors are very sought after, someone must have offered them more money. |
Edited by - Tahir on 04 Oct 2006 02:33:37 AM |
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Vygoda
Platinum Member
United Arab Emirates
1627 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 08:22:50 AM
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We never ever take a deposit just because once they have paid it, it is a commitment. And also because you might end up keeping the horse for months without another penny appearing .
If someone asks to give them a week or so to sort the payment out, we (Al Waha), are quite happy to wait. But, if no payment has been received within the stipulated time period, we then contact them to say the horse will be offered to anyone else interested.
Please do do keep a list of any other people interested with their contact details, so you can easily go back to them if the sale falls through.
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 10:22:57 AM
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It is a difficult one, with the best will in the world, once you have been to see the seller's horse and it is not what you expected then by not buying it you are a time waster to that seller!, I have spent hours bathing a horse only to have a phone call saying they cant come, cos they needed to do something else, now that is major time wasting! as they never even saw my horse! but if someone makes the journey yet the horse is not what they wanted when they get there then, that is fair enough , you dont want them to have a horse they dont want do you !  |
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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joanna_piana
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3935 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 10:34:45 AM
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| It is difficult I know if i'm ever looking for another horse I will want to look at more than one and then thoroughly try them, it's very difficult to tell if you click with a horse immediately. It took me a year to bond with Shida really and I had her on loan for six months before I bought her. In the same way I am looking for a loan home for my little section a at the moment and I will thoroughly vet anyone that wants him and make them try him lots of times at home before allowing them a trial period at their own yard and I will want to vet where they are taking him and if I don't like them they wont have him! I think this could be difficult!! |
      
Harthall Rashida RIP, Binley Ishara, Bouchan
Chorleywood, Hertfordshire |
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Nut
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 10:54:16 AM
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| This will always be an issue, like people say some are hobby viewers and just want a nose but others are just very thorough. I viewed louis about 6 times, my husband came once, my mum went came next, then my dressage instructor, the list went on! But I was honest each time and told them when I was going to look at others. As a one horse owner that never sells them I had to make sure I bought the right one as he was going to live with me forever. If i hadnt of bought him they would have thought i was a huge timewaster i'm sure, sadly the ones I didnt buy maybe their owners did think that of me but I only had the money for one and it had to be right |
     www.ndlarabians.webs.com
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gcarrie9
Bronze Member
England
103 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 11:51:39 AM
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We've had it from both sides over the years. I travelled with a friend down to Southampton last year to buy the lovliest "15.2 anglo mare, professionally broken and schooled", in our minds we already had her home! What we actually saw was a 14.3 which tried to buck me into orbit when I asked it to canter a circle and happily dragged it's owner back to the yard several times during the 15 minutes we were here. We had a nice pub lunch on the way home though!
At the moment we have a purebred gelding for sale which we've had from a baby, he's now 8, and the quietest most genial boy you would wish for, and we've had several ladies, obviously out for a jaunt, who have asked the most unbelievable questions, one of which was "if he got loose on the roads, what would he do?". I didn't know the answer to that one I'm afraid and I hope I never do!. |
Carrie |
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Ady
Bronze Member
England
161 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 12:16:20 PM
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It certainly is not nice to have ones time wasted, especially as most horse peoples quality time spent with horses is limited due to work and other duties. But buying a horse should never be taken lightly, and time should be taken over choosing the right one.
To cut a long story short I know of two people who recently have bought horses and did not do this, they came, saw and bought. Both have ended up with horses that have leg problems, one of these can now never be ridden. In both cases the sellers claim no responcerbility and are not willing to refund or compensate. I guess the moral to this story is always get a horse vetted and even try and get a trial period.
The other thing that concerns me as I have been on the receiving end of this one and that is people who advertise their horses on web sites and the various mags and use a photo of a horse which is not actually the one they are selling. Perhaps this is a trade description issue I don’t know? |
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Sheena
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1810 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 12:47:19 PM
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It is difficult isn't it - but I think only because some people find it difficult/awkward just to be honest. I have bought,sold and loaned horses - I have to say though I have been lucky enough never to come across someone who wanted to buy one of mine who I wasn't happy to sell too! Not sure how brave I could be then - although if I was that worried the horse most certainly wouldn't go!
I think that as in everything the majority of people you meet are genuine and tell the truth - you will always have that small percent that aren't/don't. I think some people do this unintentionally as well and maybe don't feel that they should explain their situation.. I also thinks this relates to when people are looking for stallions at stud - you view many, gather all your info but can only choose one in the end.
I have been very lucky with the very few horses I have bought - and met fantastic people because of this. When selling I would rather someone e-mailed me twenty times with questions and we had lengthy phone conversations and popped back with Mum/dad/other half/child/and uncle tom cobbly - if these are all the peoples lives this horse is going to make an impact on. It is not something that can be taken lightly if (as every sellers dream) this person is genuine and looking for a horse for life.
On the flip side I am the sort of person that would also like to go and see or at the very least know where my horses are going before they go, and gather information on the people or place. I also like to to keep in contact for years after and check up on them intermittently to see how they are going.
When it comes to money I have to hold my hand up and say I have before been to see horses not having the money - and doing mental maths while viewing it thinking where can that cash come from! (i'll just send that new car back etc LOL)I've never had to call and say I couldn't the dosh together though - whgich must be hard to do!)
So as annoying as it is - if they wasted your time for a few hours on a weekend and they left with you not particulalry liking them it might be just as well they didn't take your horse with them! |
Alicia
     
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Edited by - Sheena on 04 Oct 2006 1:06:39 PM |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 12:51:12 PM
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Anyone who is genuinely looking to buy is not a time waster; the time wasters are those who have no intention of buying and just want a day out and to see your horses. While I am very happy for anyone to come and see the horses I may have turned away a buyer just so someone can see the horses as I wouldn't want two buyers at the same time but don't mind someone else there just enjoying the horses. I know someone has to really want "that" horse to buy it but the people who are annoying are the ones who mess you around and then don't even have the courtesy to ring you and let you know when they say they will. I don't mind someone telling me that my horse is nice but not the one for them, it is the people who say it is just what they are looking for, love it, will ring you and sort out all the detaiils and then you never hear from them again. I had one of those from France, cost a small fortune in phone calls as she was looking for a few horses and I tried to find others for her to see while she was over here and then rang her about them; never even got a thank you. She was looking for a stallion and left a message about one on my answerphone asking me what I thought of the pedigree, had I seen the horse etc. She talked for ages when I rang her even though I hadn't seen the stallion and at the price she was paying he can't have been anything special.
Kate, you were a genuine buyer and I am sure that while many people might have been disappointed that their colt didn't go to such a super home I am sure they didn't regards you as a time waster. I care very deeply for the horses I breed and hate selling although I sometimes have to but the home is very important and if someone is not sure then I am happy for them not to buy.
barbara
If someone comes a long way I usually give them something to eat and always check if they are vegetarian. |
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nikki
Platinum Member
Wales
4384 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 2:56:37 PM
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Oh i'm not mad about it or anything. I actually enjoyed showing them my horses, and if anything, they couldn't wait to get away!heehee, must of been boring them, they didn't know much about arabs!
Just strikes me as odd, going to see a horse, but not having the money to buy it!
Now don't get me wrong, i've done it, but i've always warned people of my situation, and if they are willing to go along with the plan i've thought up, then great. I have actually only done this once. And all my horses before have been paid straight away.
I have no problems in saying to people that i don't think you're suitable. I done it many times. And i was actually rather rude to one lady who wanted to buy Malika, but she was vile, so i thought she deserved it, and i could tell Malika hated her as well. She was giving her the evil eye!
Another reason why i am still so gutted about Malika, i put her in that home.
I've got to say, i hate selling horses. I find the whole situation to be horrible, stressful, worrying, and to be frank, makes me feel like a traitor!
Does anyone else feel like that when selling horses? |
pagey |
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joanna_piana
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3935 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 3:16:02 PM
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Nikki
I know how you feel, this is the first time i've had to loan/sell a pony and I feel really stressed about it. I'm not sleeping well but at the end of the day what can I do with an 11.2hh pony. He's too good a children's pony to keep with no jockey but I do worry that he will go from pillar to post. I'm sure he knows because as soon as I walk into the field he comes over to me and he never used to do that, he is just the cutest little man imaginable. I had someone interested and i'm sure I put her off cause I listed all his faults which aren't many but the fact that I mentioned it all probably made her think they were much worse! I shall wait and see if she rings back! |
Harthall Rashida RIP, Binley Ishara, Bouchan
Chorleywood, Hertfordshire |
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katefox1812
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1612 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 3:38:52 PM
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Nikki, I've never sold a horse, but I'm sure I would feel the same!
I should have said earlier that none of the sellers I visited has accused me of timewasting! Indeed, most were extremely nice to me when I wrote to tell them I had made my final choice - some have even become friends; we keep in touch and email each other about our horses. I am accusing myself of wasting their time, and feeling guilty about it, although it is very difficult to see how I could have done things differently.
I hope that most of them will see me as a potential future customer - if not directly, then at least by recommending them to friends, etc. So perhaps the time they spent emailing, grooming, showing, tea-making, talking, driving, etc. will not in the long run have been entirely wasted.
A funny thing (I don't know if any other 'buyers' have experienced this?) was that one or two could not seem to accept that I had fallen in love with another horse, and kept phoning me to try to persuade me to come back for another look at their horse! Very nice, sweet, genuine people, but this made me feel frightfully awkward and even more guilt-ridden! |
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pat day
Moderator
United Kingdom
5324 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 4:14:47 PM
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If at all possible, and if folk can afford it,which means to also go without the money initially, would it be best to loan first???
I should have, and signed, to loan my lovely 3 yr old for 3 years!!!! After a month, there was no way I could have let her go back emotion wise on my part. I was allowed to buy her, and shes worth her weight in gold.
Placing horses can be tailored to suit individual situations, it can and does work.
I have four now, and there is never a day passes that I am not grateful for being trusted with them.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~TREASURES AT TEMPLEWOOD~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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parrot
Silver Member
335 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 5:54:40 PM
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| I recently paid a 10% deposit on a horse abroad i was very stupid i trusted the person i was buying from ,i was advised by everyone to go and see the horse first, but i did not have time to go abroad as my brother was very ill in a Hospice,i bought the horse of the internet,it was agreed that i would transfer the outstanding balance before the horse was sent over,however the seller kept changing the terms and increasing the cost,even though the seller had sent me emails - not worth the paper they were sent on,i got very worried and decided to cut my losses,I AM NOW LOOKING ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY FOR A FILLY/MARE TOP RIDEN PROSPECT SUPER LIFELONG HOME |
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katefox1812
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1612 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 6:40:10 PM
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Oh Parrot - poor you! What a beastly thing to happen! You'll probably now see the horse advertised again with 're-advertised due to timewaster' on it! I suppose we learn by our mistakes, but that seems a very harsh lesson for you. Surely you could get your deposit back, if the seller broke their part of the agreement by increasing the price, etc.? But maybe it's not worth the hassle or lawyers' fees. I do hope that you find your ideal horse very soon.
I was extremely lucky to have an experienced and expert advisor to help me in my search - without this help, I would have made countless ghastly mistakes, especially when looking at horses abroad. I would certainly recommend getting help/advice, even if you're just looking in the UK.
On a lighter note, what I would NOT recommend is travelling around looking at horses with my mother! She drove me all over Belgium, bless her, looking at colts - and she fell in love with virtually every horse we saw, including most of the fillies and mares that I wasn't even supposed to be looking at!
We ended up wasting even more of people's time, cos I couldn't drag her away until she'd oooh'd and ahhh'd over every colt, filly, mare or stallion that the poor seller owned! She could never see any faults in any of them - she's the only person I know who can be that barn-blind about other people's horses! |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 10:32:01 PM
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Kate
I would never try to persuade anyone to buy one of my horses; if they haven't "fallen in love" then it is better for the horse and the buyer that they don't become a pertnership. I have had people who have seen my horse and said as it was the first one they had seen they wanted to look around and they have then come back and bought it.
Parrot, what an awful thing to happen; I have that in reverse. I have sold horses on terms and not had the money. Fortunately the horses have had good homes and I still live in hopes!!! I hate selling although if you breed you have to sometimes. I breed for myself and want to keep them all. Alas having lost my job and now having another with a much lower salary I now find I have to sell some to make ends meet but it is still very hard and I feel a real traitor selling my babies. Have you tried threatening them with legal action?
Please let me win the lottery and then I can keep all my babies; I don't breed many so with help and more money it would be possible!
Barbara |
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