Buyer Beware – Buying a horse unseen

Buying a horse unseen

Why buy a horse unseen:

• You are purchasing at a distance e.g Europe and Ireland which makes it more difficult to travel, particularly when you need to see more than one horse.
• A friend or trainer has recommended the horse or pony to you.
• You have viwed the horse or pony online.

The problems you may face

• You do not have a sales contract or purchase agreement.
• The horse doesn’t match it’s passport, it is not fit for purpose and/or has an existing injury or medical issue.
• The seller disputes there is an issue and refuses to take the horse back.
• The costs incurred whilst the dispute is resolved e.g. legal fees, vets fees, livery or stabling costs.

How to minimise the risk

• Always research the person you are buying from. Check websites, forums, dodgy dealer sites and social media platforms.
• Prior to purchase, check the seller’s sale contract and ensure that you are happy with the terms and conditions.
• Get the horse independently vetted prior to purchase and ensure there is a blood test.
  • A 5 stage vetting is limited to what the vet sees, hears and feels upon examination.
  • The vetting ought to reveal patent defects such as lameness but latent defects such as non-symptomatic OCD (Osteochondritis dissecans) are only revealed through x ray and/or an ultrasound scan.
  • A vetting does not assess behaviour and is a snapshot of the horse’s health on that day.
• Ask to see a copy of the horse’s passport, veterinary history and competition records (if applicable).
• If you can, speak to any previous owners.
• If you can’t travel to see the horse, arrange for an independent appraisal e.g. vet or trainer?
• If the seller is unhappy for you, or a representative, to view the horse, then this should sound alarm bells.
• Can you use technology to view a live feed of the horse? If you can, then ask questions to get a better feel for the horse but remember this is only a snap shot.
• Can the seller provide recent video evidence of its behaviour such as rugging up, loading, clipping, farrier, at competition, hacking out?
• Request written statements about the horse’s behaviour. These might include novice ride, hacks out alone or in company.
• Keep copies of adverts and any correspondence including emails, texts and social media posts.
• If the seller is the owner of the horse, you need to know whether they are a dealer, a professional or a private individual, as this impacts the law governing them. You also need to know whether the dealer or professional is selling on behalf of someone else. Again, this may impact the legal options available to you.

Some unscrupulous dealers are trying to avoid the protection given under the Consumer Rights Act by misrepresenting themselves or hiding behind another third party. So, buyer beware!

Contact Us

If you are involved in a horse dispute then you can call Michael Bower on 0300 303 2865.