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 Expert
Posts: 2097
 
Location: Deep South | Just interested in hearing others opinions and what they would do.
I sold a 3yo filly almost 2 years ago. She wasn't started in a particular discipline yet, but was gorgeous, sweet as pie, and had a really great handle (riding around, loping circles, sliding stops while bridleless).
I receive a FB message from a lady who has owned her for 2 weeks and she's scared to death of her. This lady bought her from the folks I sold her to and got my name from them. Tells me how this mare has really been put through the ringer, is in poor health, passed from trainer to trainer, is acting like a fool, super skittish on the ground, finds out from a couple of the previous trainers that she's flipped over several times. What she was told when she bought the mare was that she has had a few months of barrel training but has been turned out in the pasture for a year because we have too many to ride.
So she definitely feels like she was lied to at the time of sale and now she just wants to get rid of her. She's too scared of her and wants to get something else. She offered her to me first, I said no, I'm in the middle of a land purchase, I can't right now. Plus, I felt that her price was way too high for the condition the horse was in and the issues she was describing.
I have since seen her ad and she has dropped the price significantly. I really am in the middle of purchasing our new land, we close this Friday. I feel like this horse is going to need a good bit of money put into her to bring her back, money we should be putting into land improvements. BUT... my heart breaks for her. Knowing what she was and seeing her now. Knowing how poorly she must have been treated to get to this point. Wanting to save her from someone who will buy her just because she's "pretty" and not have the resources to fix her.
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 Veteran
Posts: 110
| I'd buy her back in a heartbeat, but on a second thought, maybe that's why my bank account is suffering. If you can afford it, I say go for it, especially if she's as nice as you say she is. Good luck. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
  
Location: sunny california | would the gal let you lease with option to buy at fixed price. basically like a trial. that way you can see just what you are dealing with before paying any money. and if you don't buy, the gal would at lease know a little more about the horse and what is a realistic future for her |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Who says you have to fix her this year?
You can buy her back, see where she is at, then when you are more settled, if she needs the money put into her, then do it when you can.
Or perhaps the lady is open to a trade if you have one that is more suited to what she wants. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Just offer her a x amount of money, tell her your not in the market for another horse but if shes willing to sell her for x amount then I would just buy her. |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | Southtxponygirl - 2016-08-01 3:03 PM Just offer her a x amount of money, tell her your not in the market for another horse but if shes willing to sell her for x amount then I would just buy her.
This ^^^. That is exactly what I would do. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | Herbie - 2016-08-01 3:48 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-08-01 3:03 PM Just offer her a x amount of money, tell her your not in the market for another horse but if shes willing to sell her for x amount then I would just buy her. This ^^^. That is exactly what I would do.
Edited by Gator Bug 2016-08-01 5:42 PM
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | agree go get her |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Go buy her. Turn her out, make some land improvements, restart her in the spring from the ground up just like she was a baby again - send her off if you need to. |
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Veteran
Posts: 103
| OhMax - 2016-08-01 8:31 PM
Go buy her. Turn her out, make some land improvements, restart her in the spring from the ground up just like she was a baby again - send her off if you need to.
THIS ^^^^^^^^
Go get her. |
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 Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | If she's only owned her two weeks and already dropped the price significantly, I'd be scared that YOU aren't getting the whole story. Be careful and don't expect to buy back the horse you sold. |
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Member
Posts: 49
| I bought back a horse I had sold 1 1/2 years ago, she was well broke. However, I sold her to a guy who was buying her for his wife who had no experience with horses and didn't know how to ride. To make a long story short, I regretted it. Don't expect this horse to ever be the same as it was when you owned it. It doesn't take long for some people to ruin a horse. Even with a lot of time and work on your part, the horse won't be like before. Sounds like the horse has behavioral/mental problems now, and you never know if the horse had any physical injuries that don't show up right away, but could be a problem. I personally will never buy any horse that I've sold back again. It is sad though, we all hope our horses go to good homes. |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | Take some advice from an old lady with lots of broken/healed/broken bones that bother me all the time now. Once a horse has learned to flip, they never unlearn it. Put the wrong pressure on them, and they can and will seriously hurt or kill you. I was told this by more than one very good, accomplished trainers, but I had to learn it the hard way. Even though it breaks your heart, let her go. It's not worth your life or a serious injury. Some just can't get over the mental trauma that someone has subjected them to and unfortunately, most of the time, it's the good ones they ruin. :'(
Edited by dianeguinn 2016-08-02 8:18 AM
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Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | CanCan - 2016-08-02 4:05 AM If she's only owned her two weeks and already dropped the price significantly, I'd be scared that YOU aren't getting the whole story. Be careful and don't expect to buy back the horse you sold.
I have no doubt that I would not be buying back the same horse. I don't know that I would ever get her back to the horse she was 2 years ago. I feel as though the current owner is telling me the truth though, and that's what scares me. The flipping over part scares me. But I don't know what situation she was put in that caused that behavior. If it was random or under extreme duress?
Of course no so called "trainer" is going to admit to causing a horse to flip over, their side of the story will always be she's crazy. So if I decide to go get her that will definitely be a risk. |
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Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | dianeguinn - 2016-08-02 8:17 AM
Take some advice from an old lady with lots of broken/healed/broken bones that bother me all the time now. Once a horse has learned to flip, they never unlearn it. Put the wrong pressure on them, and they can and will seriously hurt or kill you. I was told this by more than one very good, accomplished trainers, but I had to learn it the hard way. Even though it breaks your heart, let her go. It's not worth your life or a serious injury. Some just can't get over the mental trauma that someone has subjected them to and unfortunately, most of the time, it's the good ones they ruin. :'(
We must have been typing at the same time. THIS is exactly what is holding me back. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| BamaCanChaser - 2016-08-02 8:33 AM
dianeguinn - 2016-08-02 8:17 AM
Take some advice from an old lady with lots of broken/healed/broken bones that bother me all the time now. Once a horse has learned to flip, they never unlearn it. Put the wrong pressure on them, and they can and will seriously hurt or kill you. I was told this by more than one very good, accomplished trainers, but I had to learn it the hard way. Even though it breaks your heart, let her go. It's not worth your life or a serious injury. Some just can't get over the mental trauma that someone has subjected them to and unfortunately, most of the time, it's the good ones they ruin. :'(
We must have been typing at the same time. THIS is exactly what is holding me back.
I would buy her back if I could get her for a very low price, but I wouldn't expect anything out of her and only if I could afford a pasture ornament, for the exact reasons dianeguinn gave. Bless her heart, what a bad break she got and you too. This is the reason I own horses but am not in the selling business. It's too heart breaking sometimes. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | dianeguinn - 2016-08-02 7:17 AM Take some advice from an old lady with lots of broken/healed/broken bones that bother me all the time now. Once a horse has learned to flip, they never unlearn it. Put the wrong pressure on them, and they can and will seriously hurt or kill you. I was told this by more than one very good, accomplished trainers, but I had to learn it the hard way. Even though it breaks your heart, let her go. It's not worth your life or a serious injury. Some just can't get over the mental trauma that someone has subjected them to and unfortunately, most of the time, it's the good ones they ruin. :'(
TOTALLY AGREE! I had one that started flipping as a baby as a response to anything he didn't agree with. I was leery, but had him broke anyway. Rode him for four years with no problem. Until one day I took him to a new place, he panicked and flipped on me. That was the only chance he got, he went to the sale barn as a loose horse. |
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Member
Posts: 35
| Could she make a good broodmare? If she really was that nice and you'll have the space and money, I would buy her back, turn her out for six months, then send her to a good trainer for 30 days. A good trainer should be able to tell you if they think that she'll get to be solid again after 30 days or if they think she'll always have too many issues to be a safe riding horse. But it sounds like you know she was nice and what she was capable of before someone royally screwed her over so if she can't come back to being a riding horse again I'd breed her. I'd consider it the same as a career ending injury. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| teebluesage - 2016-08-02 8:45 AM I bought back a horse I had sold 1 1/2 years ago, she was well broke. However, I sold her to a guy who was buying her for his wife who had no experience with horses and didn't know how to ride. To make a long story short, I regretted it. Don't expect this horse to ever be the same as it was when you owned it. It doesn't take long for some people to ruin a horse. Even with a lot of time and work on your part, the horse won't be like before. Sounds like the horse has behavioral/mental problems now, and you never know if the horse had any physical injuries that don't show up right away, but could be a problem. I personally will never buy any horse that I've sold back again. It is sad though, we all hope our horses go to good homes.
RUN the other way ditto on this and more |
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Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | Just an update.
I considered everyone's replies and decided to make an offer. My husband and I were only comfortable offering her value as just a broodmare.
However, the seller already had a deposit from another buyer. We talked for a while. She is being sold with full disclosure to someone she feels is very knowledgeable and can provide what this mare needs. She told me she turned down several offers from people she knew were not a good fit for the sake of the horse.
I'm hoping the best for her and have peace knowing that at least I tried. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| I love my horses and I take good care of them but there is no way that I would buy one back for sentimental reasons especially because the horse had had a rough life. |
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 Heeler Hoarder
Posts: 2067
| dianeguinn - 2016-08-02 8:17 AM
Take some advice from an old lady with lots of broken/healed/broken bones that bother me all the time now. Once a horse has learned to flip, they never unlearn it. Put the wrong pressure on them, and they can and will seriously hurt or kill you. I was told this by more than one very good, accomplished trainers, but I had to learn it the hard way. Even though it breaks your heart, let her go. It's not worth your life or a serious injury. Some just can't get over the mental trauma that someone has subjected them to and unfortunately, most of the time, it's the good ones they ruin. :'(
I agree with this ^^^ no way if she has flipped would I buy her back unless I loved her enough to let her be a pasture ornament and who knows if she was injured that is making the issues she may be a pasture pet anyways :( sad when such things happen |
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Buying back a horse you sold 2yrs ago?