Where do people look....

[My Pasos]

to purchase a Paso?
What I mean is, if you are new to the breed & are looking for a good "beginner safe" riding partner, who can you "really" trust to tell you the truth?
When I first decided to buy a Paso, I "thought" that I had someone I could trust. Oh how I was mistaken!!! Someone I had known for years, someone whom I trusted to advise me whether I could handle a horse & someone who was willing to put me on a green horse & not even consider the fact that I was not as experienced enough for that horse.
Yes, yes, I also done my research & spoke to farms & even chatted with a few trainers. Of course, everyone has a different oppinion, which I expected.
When you are new tho, it seems like open season for some sellers.

How many actually DO stand behind their horses when they sell them?
As it stands now, there is one person that I have met & has spent some time explaining things to me, that I WOULD whole heartedly trust to tell me the truth. ONE person in 6 years?! How shocking is that?
If I were to go & look at a horse for Mark, I wouldn't trust my judgment as I am still learning & have so much more to learn about this breed.
So tell me, who can you trust?
Do sellers offer a written contract when you purchase a horse from them?
What happens if the horse you purchased for 6,000 turns out to NOT be what they stated? Are you then stuck with that horse & out 6,000?
I am just curious here to where some ethics lie & how many actually stand by what they say.

[Mrs. E.]

Here is what happened to us. We have been with pasos for almost thirty years. Have show, bred so on and so forth. Most of my horses were older and I wanted a trail horse. Not dead, dead broke, but one with some brio and looked good. Went to a breeder, trainer that we had know for year and years. Thought we could trust her. Rode horse, did fine. Put a couple months more in training on him. Ask three times if he had any bad habits. Husband ask if any bad habits. Answer was NO. Got him home and he is a hard core cribber and windsucker. Also he had a complete personallity change. Wanted to flee from everything. E-mailed farm stating he was not working out, he was having fits or something and cribbing bad. Told them I wanted to bring him back and all I got was. "What was she mad about" so on and so forth. When I saw the seller at the show she said she did not know he was a cribber.
This horse is a Nevado son so is nice breeding. But, it has taken 10 more months of training and a lot of work to get the flee factor out of him and he in the meantime has eaten his stall down, fence post, trees and is now using the metal water tank to windsuck on. I still have not ridden him and it has been over two years and with the way he has acted, I am chicken. All though my son rode him with no problem. I just watched all and worked with him through all his problems and don't trust him. And this horse was not a cheap horse so what do I have?

[JennLM]

We hit a few bumpy roads on the way (dishonesty and just leaving out facts to a newbie to Pasos) but I think in the next year it should pay off. *crossing fingers*

When we were first looking, we looked online. Then we were just afraid to make any commitments.

I know exactly what I want and so does Troy so it helps us decide now.

[JimHannah]

Sadly Guys, lots of potential trouble buying a new horse. I work hard on matching horses to riders. I've sold more than a few, and I haven't had a return yet. It starts with a good physical match, and ideally a horse that was bred and trained for your primary use. I give a couple of round pen lessons to any prospective buyers. This helps them understand the horses and cues, etc. It also gives me a good look at the rider. 90% of my clients over-estimate their riding ability.

Look for a horse that you're comfortable being around. Look for a horse that you just love. If you don't love him from the start, I'll guarantee you won't love him when you're $10K upside down in him, and he's just picked the lock on the gate, ran around the neighborhood evading the Animal Contol officers kicked the neighbor's Corolla, and then stepped on your foot after a half hour of playing "I bet you can't halter me". Maybe, just maybe, if you loved him before all this, you could limp home mumbling "If I didn't love you I'd...."

If you can, ride your prospect first in contolled enviorments, increasing in size when you're sure he's control-able in the smaller area. If you have to, go ahead and pay the seller for a lesson or two, or any testing he thinks may be excessive. I'll bet the seller will credit you the extra toward the purchase price if you buy from him. I would.

Listen to what the owner tells you, but let the horse tell you if the seller is telling you the truth.

Equipment can go a long way to keeping you on and in control of a horse. In my experience 80% of wrecks could be avoided by having the correct equipment. If you're interested, just ask, I'll go through all that.

Look for a seller or trainer that cares about your safety first. It just makes good sense for us to be that way. Look at as many horses as you think necessary. Don't get on anything that seems too rank for you, but ride as many as you can. Try to get a taste for what you're looking for. There's a ton of variables in this breed.

This can take a whole book. I think I hit some of the higher points, though.

Jim

[My Pasos]

Sadly Guys, lots of potential trouble buying a new horse. I work hard on matching horses to riders. I've sold more than a few, and I haven't had a return yet. It starts with a good physical match, and ideally a horse that was bred and trained for your primary use. I give a couple of round pen lessons to any prospective buyers. This helps them understand the horses and cues, etc. It also gives me a good look at the rider. 90% of my clients over-estimate their riding ability.

Look for a horse that you're comfortable being around. Look for a horse that you just love. If you don't love him from the start, I'll guarantee you won't love him when you're $10K upside down in him, and he's just picked the lock on the gate, ran around the neighborhood evading the Animal Contol officers kicked the neighbor's Corolla, and then stepped on your foot after a half hour of playing "I bet you can't halter me". Maybe, just maybe, if you loved him before all this, you could limp home mumbling "If I didn't love you I'd...."

If you can, ride your prospect first in contolled enviorments, increasing in size when you're sure he's control-able in the smaller area. If you have to, go ahead and pay the seller for a lesson or two, or any testing he thinks may be excessive. I'll bet the seller will credit you the extra toward the purchase price if you buy from him. I would.

Listen to what the owner tells you, but let the horse tell you if the seller is telling you the truth.

Equipment can go a long way to keeping you on and in control of a horse. In my experience 80% of wrecks could be avoided by having the correct equipment. If you're interested, just ask, I'll go through all that.

Look for a seller or trainer that cares about your safety first. It just makes good sense for us to be that way. Look at as many horses as you think necessary. Don't get on anything that seems too rank for you, but ride as many as you can. Try to get a taste for what you're looking for. There's a ton of variables in this breed.

This can take a whole book. I think I hit some of the higher points, though.

Jim
I understand what your saying.
However, your saying to look for a seller or trainer that "cares" about your saftey. That is incredibly difficult to do, if you are not familar with some of these people as some come in "believing some sellers are "honest".

Mrs. E,
I fully understand what you have been thru. Like is was, your stuck. What can you do? Put more money into him? Try to sell him, knowing how he is?

See, this is a huge dilema. There are alot of people who can talk a "big" talk & can sell snow to a Eskimo making them believe they need it.

[Red Ryder]

Even though I've never sold a horse to anyone in this thread nor on this board [I don't think] I think the greatest injustice a seller can do to the buyer, to the horse, and to themselves is to sell a buyer more horse than they can handle.

I seldom see a horseman, that is as good as they think they are. I listen intently, then put them on the safest, most seasoned horse I own, Ali. I can tell in 5 minutes if they can handle more horse.

I'm not talking about how proper they set in the saddle etc. I'm talking about horsemanship.

How do they walk around a strange horse??
How they move their hands when handling the horse, slow or fast.
Do they pat or rub the horses head
Do they play with the horses muzzle
Are their words to the horse calm, fair, and with firmness.
Do they pay attention the the horses body language.
and the list goes on.

I do my best never to over match horse to the rider. I've turned down good offers because the buyer would not be able to handle the horse. I'd rather loose 1 sale that way, than to be bad mouthed and loose many sales.

[JimHannah]

My Pasos,
You can tell if the seller cares about your safety easily enough. Disregard the talk, and focus on the actions. Does he take the time to show you how to control the horse on the ground. Does he pause to ask if you're OK. Will he let you see him, or maybe help him, saddle the horse and explain the tack, etc.? If your seller is taking the time to work you through trying out the horse, he's got your safety, and probably the horse's, in mind.

It may sound harsh, but just assume whoever you're dealing with is dishonest. Listen, and then disregard what the seller says, and let the horse and the experience tell you what the truth is. Afterwards, see how what the seller said squares with what the experience was. Was he right on the money, half right, dead wrong. Ask Questions, and then some more questions. Turn your BS meter on.

Mrs. E. if your horse is a cribber, he's just like a drug addict. When he cribs regular, he' likely to be a demon. If you can get him to stop cribbing, his attitude may change. If you're not comfortable with the horse, don't get on. If you're dedicated to getting on the horse, work him on the ground, increase your understanding of how this horse behaves, and gradually work your way up to mounting.

As far as being stuck, sometimes we all get stuck with a horse. If you're going to sell him, be honest about the condition of the horse. Don't do to someone else what was done to you. Look for a swap, a lot of trainers will partailly trade for a project horse, especially for one with a nice pedigree. If that doesn't work, maybe you it's time you had a BBQ, with your problem horse as the main course. Stock up on the BBQ sauce, salt and pepper.

Jim

[JimHannah]

Red Ryder,
Amen, Brother.

Jim Hannah

[Pam M]

ummm...guys....this is not a Paso Fino issue. This is a horse-in-general issue. I'm NOT the best rider but my main riding horse would make more experienced riders nervous. It's simply a matter of matching horse to rider and years of experience or level of skill isn't always the best indicator.

Example: One of my boarders (H/J) has a horse that's too much for her. He tosses her every couple of weeks like clockwork. But another one of my boarders can ride this horse through his issues and loves him. Meanwhile, his owner is riding my gelding because she's tired of hitting the ground and her horse is up for sale. Bad horse? No. Just a bad match. It happens. She should move on and find a horse she clicks with but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with her horse. And it's certainly not a matter the previous owner should have to deal with. He's not a bad horse, it's simply a bad match. (By the way, the gelding she rides...he's tossed me at least 20 times!)

Just my opinion but the perfect horse may very well be a lemon with the wrong person. I had a horrible horse once. Sold him and his new owner thinks he's perfect. And my newest horse...the one with "issues"...please! He's as good as they come. And to think I got him "cheap" because of his "problems"!!!!

[GregM]

Horses don't lie. Sellers may lie, papers may lie, your own eyes may lie to you, but the horse will never lie. If you have the money to buy the horse you need to spend enough time to know the horse before you buy him. Time to see his bad habits in action.
That said, some horses like some people more than others. I have a horse who is mine because he likes me enough not to be a stone cold runaway for me like he was for a previous owner. Lucky me.

[cristy]

I give a 30 day no questions asked money back guarentee with every horse I sell. These are MY babies and I do not want them to go to a home that is not a good fit. They are much better back here with me than with an unhappy new owner.

Any breeder worth their salt should be able to stand behind their horses. So far I took one horse back because I sold him as being "green broke" and we found out later he had a back injury (was not disclosed to me when I bought him) and cannot be riden. (I took him back 2 years after the sale)

and one mare, a lady traded her for another mare because she was unable to bond with this one, but she knew exactally what she was when she left here.

Also I recommend asking for refrences, tell them you want to speak with people who have bought horses from them in the last year. More than likely if someone is unhappy the breeder proable will not give you their info but if they cannot come up with any happy clients that should be a red flag.

[My Pasos]

ummm...guys....this is not a Paso Fino issue. This is a horse-in-general issue. I'm NOT the best rider but my main riding horse would make more experienced riders nervous. It's simply a matter of matching horse to rider and years of experience or level of skill isn't always the best indicator.

Example: One of my boarders (H/J) has a horse that's too much for her. He tosses her every couple of weeks like clockwork. But another one of my boarders can ride this horse through his issues and loves him. Meanwhile, his owner is riding my gelding because she's tired of hitting the ground and her horse is up for sale. Bad horse? No. Just a bad match. It happens. She should move on and find a horse she clicks with but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with her horse. And it's certainly not a matter the previous owner should have to deal with. He's not a bad horse, it's simply a bad match. (By the way, the gelding she rides...he's tossed me at least 20 times!)

Just my opinion but the perfect horse may very well be a lemon with the wrong person. I had a horrible horse once. Sold him and his new owner thinks he's perfect. And my newest horse...the one with "issues"...please! He's as good as they come. And to think I got him "cheap" because of his "problems"!!!!

Ummm...Pam...yes it is. These ARE Paso Finos I am talking about. I have delt with "so called" breeders & sellers of this breed.
And they have Flat-Out-Lied about the horse in gerneral. This has nothing to do with the cost, but more with the "liability of the sellers & who one can actually trust.

[Linda Y]

Like Pam said, this IS a 'horse' issue. But I also can see where My Pasos is coming from on this. I have had an incredible number of bad matches in the past 7 years, all Pasos. And these WERE bad matches, not bad horses. They either didn't match me, my needs or my existing herd which gets priority. The one that I was lied to about was the perfect horse for me, but turned out to be unrecoverably lame.
For now, I am giving up looking. My last horse didn't match with my herd, so he has gone on to a new home that just loves him. They keep him with two horses that get along with him and all is well. But since the last 5 horses have either been sold at a loss or given away, I no longer have the money to try again.
Probably the woman that came out to try my last horse...not the one who has him now...thought I lied about him. But he obviously saw something in her he wanted nothing to do with. He acted completely out of character when she saddled him and tried (note I said tried) to ride him. He was so wacky I wouldn't even let her get on!
Like they said, be firm on what you are looking for, don't settle. Try the horse several times in different situations if you can. Get a money back policy. If they won't give you one, walk away.

[Fuego]

Last year I was helping a friend look for a Rocky Mnt horse. I'm not very familiar with the breed, but my friend knew even less.

One thing I would do was ask questions that I already knew the answer to , just didn't let the sellers realize I knew the answers. One breeder was such a blatant liar, it was pitiful. Needless to say, I advised my friend from having any dealings with this breeder, depite the fact that she had some nice looking horses.

By the way , my friend had decided to look into Rocky Mnts because of so many people that tried to sell her Paso Finos as a trail horse that were basically show ring culls that didn't have even the beginnings of a decent trail horse ( not that they were bad horses) But she wanted a safe ready to go trail horse. She was willing to pay for whatever horse she wanted ( and can easily afford it) she just didn't want to pay $5,000.+ and then invest a few more thousand on training to make the horse what she wanted.
I would be very specific about what we were looking for BEFORE makig an appointment at a farm.
Every time, without exception, we'd arrive at the Paso farm to be shown totally unsuitable/ poorly trained horses that were overpriced for what they were and totally unsuitable as a trail horse without extensive training.
It was riding my paso that started her searching for her own paso. It was Paso breeders that made her decide to look at other breeds.

[Hacienda Del Sol]

The problem of dishonest business people is wide-ranging, in every industry, but maybe especially the horse industry. Buying a horse is often times an emotional purchase, and the dishonest horse dealer will play on that. In almost every purchase of a product, people normally don't just act out of impulse as they tend to in animal purchases. I think Jim is correct when he says to have a mindset that the person you're dealing with is dishonest. That's the smart bet, to cast doubt on everything he/she tells you regarding the horse. I've seen this first hand. I had a lady call me looking for a horse to replace the one who had just passed (old). When I spoke to her on the phone she was rather short with me and I could hear that she was annoyed, almost as if she was prompting me to be nasty. That weekend she came down to see horses. I had a couple for her to look at, both geldings. I showed her both, she seemed interested in one. All of her questions we accusatory. She asked me "how do I know this horse is good on trail?" I told her, because we're saddling him and we're going out on trail. On the ride she asked "how do I know this horse is good on single track trails?" I told her, because we're going up in the hills on single track trails. The horse performed well for her and her questions softened a bit, asking things like "how does he do in front of everyone?", how about behind everyone, how about stopping, turning, getting off, etc.? Finally I told her, jump off, walk around the horse, do an Irish Jig around the horse, whatever. You're looking for me to lie about the horse, why? So she finally told me why she had this attitude; going to see trail horses that she wasn't allowed to ride out of the arena, behind offered horses that "may have wobbles, so you'll get a discount", horses that buck and run you over. I was shocked. I suppose I was naive in thinking that breeders and trainers would want to have happy clients and be professional, but it's not always like that.

Personally, as a professional breeder and trainer, well, really just as a businessman, I want to have happy clients that will return to me to buy more of my products and services and recommend me to their friends. The hard version of that is that I want to be able to go skiing at Deer Valley in the winter and have a vacation home in Sweden in the Summer. I have an economic connection in direct relation to the satisfaction of my clients, the more satisfied they are, the more I stand to make. That's the reality. Why there is a pervasive (or so it seems by the posts in this thread) attitude by many breeders and trainers of "get you now and use you until all your orifices are bleeding" is something that's beyond me. It doesn't make economic sense.

I don't advertise much, so most of my clients come to me from either a referral from another client or from seeing us at an exhibition, trail ride, fun show, or open house. I prefer to have a learning client, an educated client, an inquisitive client than one who just purchases impulsively. One's who purchase too quickly tend to come back quickly and truly did not understand so much about the horse they were buying. That is why I tend to slow those kind of purchasers down and prefer that they either first take lessons and then maybe lease for a few months prior to committing to a purchase. In fact, I do not sell horses or take horses in for training unless the client agrees to come down and take lessons, it just makes things better.

I suppose buying a horse is like buying anything: Caveat Emptor. If you feel that the salesman isn't telling the whole story, then work to find it out. There's really no excuse for not doing your footwork.

[ErinC]

you need to know what your looking for and go to the right farms to look.

I wanted trail and endurance I went to an Endurance breeder 8 hours away.
Not to the local show barn 10 min down the road.
you have to research....

the sellers perception on things is differnt than yours, I am sure most are trying to figure out what you mean, and are looking for.


ALL horses change the minute they are sold.
there are so many changes in their lives they cant help it.

from the smallest cues to the biggest.

I once sold a horse, the lady as me if he stood for mounting, YUP he sure does.
but he would NEVER stand still for her.
it took awhile to figure out and some name calling, but the lady was holding the rein on one side so that every time she lifter her foot it pulled the horse over.
the horse thought he was being asked to move.
once we figured it out, dropped the reins, the horse stood fine.
It was a big deal to the buyer, she thought I was blowing smoke, till we figured out the real issue.
no think about that small issue, what about all the changes from the way you hold your reins, your feet , your legs, the amount of energy you do or dont have in your seat.
all this stuff changes the horse.
not to mention just the MOVE itself, it takes time for a horse to change and figure out its new handler.

[Heidi]

ummm...guys....this is not a Paso Fino issue. This is a horse-in-general issue.
Ummm...Pam...yes it is. These ARE Paso Finos I am talking about.
Calm down MyPasos, Pam is not taking issue specifically with you. I read it as Pam is leading into, and describing, a scenario where the horse and rider are just not a good match and/or how the differences in how a person rides affects the horse and its behavior...and that IS a 'horse-in-general' issue.
You have experienced disappointment with sellers within the Paso breed but this does not mean other people have not also experienced it with other horse breeds, too. Pam was describing a common scenario of mismatching horse/rider. The problem is not Paso specific, unfortunately it is widespread across all breeds, because individual horses and riders vary so much between skill and ability.

[Pam M]

Sorry MyPasos, Heidi is correct - I wasn't taking issue with you. My personal experience is that a lot of sellers that experience problems haven't necessarily been lied to but it just really is a bad match. Like Linda's example. I know the person who has her last horse now. It's a 9 y.o. boy who's just nuts about him and thinks he's the perfect horse. But he didn't work out for Linda. And my most recent Paso, who I was told had to be kept by himself because of aggression issues is now in a herd of 4 in only a short time. I wasn't lied to - it just wasn't the right situation for him.

I have a gelding (not a Paso) that I consider to be as close to bombproof as you can get. I turn little kids loose on him all the time. I leased him to a show barn to get some jumping training on him and they returned him after 30 days and said not one of their trainers had been able to ride him because he bucked so bad. He's still the one I put beginners and kids on but he didn't like where he was so he became a "different" horse.

I still don't think Paso Fino sellers are any worse than any other sellers. Bad matches and, unfortunately, some degree of dishonesty is rampant in the horse world in general. As for who you can trust - get references from previous customers. If you hear several people say they've been happy in dealing with someone, that's most likely someone you can trust. I know several people that I would buy from, sight unseen, because I trust their reputation. If I get a horse from them that isn't a good fit, the problem might just be me. And I know some people that I wouldn't accept a free horse from as well.

[CarolU]

the sellers perception on things is differnt than yours, I am sure most are trying to figure out what you mean, and are looking for.



While I do agree there are dishonest sellers who will say anything to sell a horse, I also think the above statement is true in a lot of cases, especially as it relates to our breed. People who have been around a lot of Pasos are used to a high energy horse and are not intimidated by it. People are not used to this ARE afraid of them. What most of us think of as 'beginner safe' scares many beginners...even many who have had lessons on school horses.

I've had several experiences with people who were afraid of Santiago's WALK, just because it's not the plod they are used to. Even having a horse that reacts promptly to leg and rein cues is too much for many new riders. Horses that are FOR beginners really need to be trained to be beginner-safe, which is a whole lot different then 'good' training. I'd go so far as to say my best trained horses are among the least safe for beginners just because they respond so easily and quickly. I keep three horses here just for beginners and lessons. Two I desensitized to legs and everything else and don't put bits on just because beginners have to learn balance before they can be trusted with reins/bits.

On the flip side of the coin, I had two brand new riders here that bored of Trooper very quickly and were cantering laps on Santiago within 20 minutes of their first-ever ride.

Not all beginners are created equally, and even seasoned riders can be over horsed easily if they aren't used to a responsive horse.

[My Pasos]

While I do agree there are dishonest sellers who will say anything to sell a horse, I also think the above statement is true in a lot of cases, especially as it relates to our breed. People who have been around a lot of Pasos are used to a high energy horse and are not intimidated by it. People are not used to this ARE afraid of them. What most of us think of as 'beginner safe' scares many beginners...even many who have had lessons on school horses.

I've had several experiences with people who were afraid of Santiago's WALK, just because it's not the plod they are used to. Even having a horse that reacts promptly to leg and rein cues is too much for many new riders. Horses that are FOR beginners really need to be trained to be beginner-safe, which is a whole lot different then 'good' training. I'd go so far as to say my best trained horses are among the least safe for beginners just because they respond so easily and quickly. I keep three horses here just for beginners and lessons. Two I desensitized to legs and everything else and don't put bits on just because beginners have to learn balance before they can be trusted with reins/bits.

On the flip side of the coin, I had two brand new riders here that bored of Trooper very quickly and were cantering laps on Santiago within 20 minutes of their first-ever ride.

Not all beginners are created equally, and even seasoned riders can be over horsed easily if they aren't used to a responsive horse.

My 2 horses that I have I whole heartedly trust. When I finally got the "right" horse, she was all she was stated as. That person took the time to invite us out to test ride her. Actually we went out twice. Now, she is still one of the best & hasn't changed.

Yes, I am wrong, this is a "general" horse related question. My appologies!!
Luckly, I have someone I can turn to to ask their oppinion about buying a Paso from a breeder, owner or trainers. If I had met this person in the begining, then I wouldn't have my back problems nor would I have to wear a prostetic back brace & be medicated for constant pain.:rolleyes:
My question has been answered.

[andrea]

From a novice buyer.But not a novice rider. This thread was very interesting. We were quarter horse people and I decided to go gaited. I wanted something small and gaited. I found a 1/2 paso that just turned 3 years. We traveled 5 hours to look at her. So i wasn't able to go back a few times to ride her. I was so lucky that I had a honest seller. I do not like to horse shop. This horse was very gaited, very well trained for being so young. I like very affectionate horses. She was not. But I rode her over logs and down the road. She behaved nicely. I bought her and took her home. Our first ride was not good. I took her on a trail ride with my daughter. She was nasty. She even kicked me as I went around her to fix the saddle. She was aiming for my knee and she got it. This was after the ride. It had started to rain pretty hard. I realized I could not let her get away with this so I carefully saddled her back up. Told my daughter to saddle back up and off we went into the rain. We rode another 3 hours. My new horse realized I was not going to take any thing from her. She was not going to scare me away. I unsaddled her and went I walked around the back of her I carred a small bat. She knew what was going on. I could honestly see her watching me and slowly relaxing her leg that she used to kick me. She ws thinkiing about it but did not. Forward a year and many hours together. This is the best horse I have ever owned. And very very effectionate. She thinks she is a person. My point is that a new owner and a new place can bring the worst out in a horse. So you can not always blame the seller.

[Terri]

My point is that a new owner and a new place can bring the worst out in a horse.
That is 100% true!!!! Yes there are dealers in ALL breeds that misrepresent the horse or even lie AND there are buyers that misrepresent their abilities. But often moving a horse to a new place with new people will lead to unexpected results. Erin once told me it takes at least 6 months for a horse and new owner to really get to know each other and settle in. I think she is right.
Forward a year and many hours together. This is the best horse I have ever owned.
I think this can often be the case if the horse was correctly represented in the 1st place and the new owner is willing to work through the "honeymoon" period, where boundaries need to be set and trust established.
It is important for the seller to be honest about the horse and the buyer to be honest (especially with him/herself) about his or her abilities. Sometimes BOTH buyer and seller are misrepresenting and that is a recipe for disaster.

[twopaso]

When I bought my first paso, I was lucky that I had an honest owner and I had a trainer go with me when I did a test ride on my mare. I of course bought the first horse that I tried out. I had one accident with the mare when I first got her, but it was a rookie rider mistake. Thank goodness, no injuries. It has been well over three years now and with many lessons behind me, she has turned out to be a good match for me. I was very lucky that I had some honesty with my purchase. If I ever go purchase another horse, I will ride the horse more than once and in different areas like some of the other posts had suggested.

[Pam M]

I guess I look at things a little differently when I'm buying a horse. I haven't test ridden one in over 20 years and have no desire to do so. I just don't believe I'll really get a good feel from the horse from a test ride. My main concern is to make sure I really, really like the horse itself. I figure everything else can come later just as long as I get the warm fuzzies from seeing the horse. In fact, my last two were committed to sight unseen based on looks alone and I'll probably have them both until the end of their days (or mine!). I also disregard a lot of what I'm told and base everything on the HORSE and the vibes I get from it. Like others have mentioned...horses act differently in different places. But if I don't LIKE the horse and feel good just looking at it, chances are it's not going to work out for me.

[pasolucy]

I have bought horses that I did not bond with and I have sold a horse that has not worked out with the new owner.

When I have a horse for sale I will take the person out for a trail ride, for 2 hours or more. If they have a spouse or friend I usually have a spare horse for them also. They ride the horse in front, behind, leave and come back to the other horses. When they come out to look at the horse I ask if they want me to have the horse ready or would they like to see the horse out in the pasture, be caught, saddled and bridled. They can come back and do more rides, play with the horse, groom the horse do whatever they wish but I have not taken back a horse that I have sold. I have seen and heard to many stories about a horse being ruined and then the seller is blamed for selling a bad horse. The horse that I sold that did not work out, I worked with the new buyer, checked on her later and she says this horse has a home for life, she loves him. He was a great horse but a bad match. I will say that many bad matches could be because the buyer is not telling the truth, it is not always the seller that causes the problem. I try to tell the good and bad about my horses but my honest opinion may not be the same as your opinion. I have bought from someone that I really feel is telling the truth as they see it, we just have a different vision.

[DMD]

You have horse sellers who work really hard at matching their prospective clients and do an excellent job. Most of the time, if you experience such an unfit after taking the horse home, they will usually work with you or try to find another horse to accomodate your interests, hobby or show or whatever.

In my opinion, the horse "traders" are the ones most people come in contact with under the vise of the "knowledgeble" horse person. They are deceitful from day one, but they mask their devilish intentions by a few kind words that the average "lay" person accepts as caring and trustworthy. They could care less about matching a horse and rider and their motto is once off my property, deal is done. They buy and sell horses daily and usually know little to nothing about the horse they are selling, it is nothing but a fast buck to them and much worse a dangerous situation for a prospective buyer.

The paso people/friends on this board once you get to know them, will steer you in the right direction, there are horse traders in every breed, but hopefully friends on this board have given you some good advice.

[ErinC]

When I have a horse for sale I will take the person out for a trail ride, for 2 hours or more.

what if they show up and have misrepresented themselves and they are not good enough riders to go out on a trail ride ?

I had a woman come today that was so timid, but on the phone she sounded like a great horse person.
has her horses at home , just sold her QH. has been riding for years, her daughter even has a horse, they ride together all the time, blah blah blah, and then they get on and do not even know how to hold the reins.
or sit in a saddle?????

[pasolucy]

"what if they show up and have misrepresented themselves and they are not good enough riders to go out on a trail ride ?"

I usually weed those people out by talking on the phone or emails. I did have one lady come out to look at a mare, let her ride in the pasture first and told her that I really did not believe that this was the horse for her. For people that just want to try a Paso I have the old mare here that the 3 year old grandson rides, I beleive that they could ride her even if they do not sit right or hold the reins just as they should.

[lisa l aka marci]

I guess I look at things a little differently when I'm buying a horse. I haven't test ridden one in over 20 years and have no desire to do so. I just don't believe I'll really get a good feel from the horse from a test ride. My main concern is to make sure I really, really like the horse itself. I figure everything else can come later just as long as I get the warm fuzzies from seeing the horse. In fact, my last two were committed to sight unseen based on looks alone and I'll probably have them both until the end of their days (or mine!). I also disregard a lot of what I'm told and base everything on the HORSE and the vibes I get from it. Like others have mentioned...horses act differently in different places. But if I don't LIKE the horse and feel good just looking at it, chances are it's not going to work out for me.

Hmmmm.....I' a little like you Pam....my most recent acquisition (Lunita) - I never rode before I got her - I just went out and saw her, then handled her a bit before deciding to bring her home. I know she has her 'issues' - but I have not really seen any since she has been here.....I have been on her just a few times and plan on doing more this coming year. Myvibe' fro her is that once we get working, she will be a willing, interesting horse to have!