As difficult as it was to watch
the Watchdog findings I have to say I wasn’t overly surprised. Last year I travelled the country every
weekend searching for a new horse and I can honestly say it was one of the most
stressful experiences of my life. I went
to a number of dealers and private sellers and the dishonesty I found amongst
sellers nearly left me with no faith in the human race!!! Horses were not as described, sellers were blatantly
rude and in one case when I turned up the horse (and owner) didn’t even
exist!!! It got to the stage that when I went to visit a horse, even if the
equine wasn’t suitable, I was happy just to have a conversation with an honest
horsewoman who genuinely cared about the welfare of her equine friend.
However amongst all this doom and
gloom I can assure you there are genuine, lovely sellers out there - so if you
are horse hunting I urge you to stay determined and keep searching. It may take some time and you might see a few
wrong ones on the way (sounds more like my dating history!) but the right one
is out there for you somewhere. In the
end I purchased my horse from a fantastic dealer who I would highly recommend
(feel free to contact me if you are searching and I will happily pass their
details on).
Some of the issues that were
raised through the Watchdog programme could have been avoided through some
simple steps which I would urge you to follow:
·
Make a list of priorities / things you want from
your new steed and questions to ask the seller before viewing the horse.
·
Speak to the seller prior to visiting the horse
and note down all details given. Ask for
videos/ photos before visiting. Ask the
same questions when you view the horse in person and check the answers are the
same as on the phone.
·
Make sure the horse is ridden by the owner/ a
rider before you try it. If it is not
the owner riding ask them why this is the case.
Ask to see the horse doing any activities you plan to do with it- lunged/
jump/ hack/ school etc. Make sure you
view the horse in the stable or field, and being tacked up and led in hand so
you can see how it is to handle.
·
The horse must have a passport and be sure you
see it before you agree to purchase.
·
Take an experienced horse person with you for an
honest second opinion- it is easy to get carried away when you fall in love
with a pretty face.
·
Visit the horse at least twice.
·
Always
get a horse vetted.
·
Make sure you get a written receipt and keep any
advertising/ written info about the horse in case of any problems.
I am sure there are many other
top tips that help with buying horses so if you have any please comment below. Plus I will say when you get your horse home
be kind to your new friend and allow him to settle into his new environment. Don’t be worried if your horse seems a little
unsettled initially- this is totally normal when they face such a big
change. Some people say to ride the
horse straight away, others will leave a horse in its field/ stable for a week
to get used to the new surroundings.
Personally I wouldn’t advise strongly either way, just do whatever works best for you and your
new horse and whatever you feel is the right way forward. To all you horse hunters out there I am sending you a little bit of luck to find your new equine friend and to all those lovely genuine sellers, I thank you for your honesty and care xx
