This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Equine Business and Law » Legal Discussions » Buying, Selling and Leasing »
  Discussion on Any Legal Recourse?
Author Message

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 13, 2001 - 11:26 pm:

In January I bought a 5 yr old Arab gelding - green broke. Upon arrival to test ride and purchase, the horse was blanketed and appeared calm as he was being saddled. The owner commented he was headshy about unbridling - but no problems with bridling him. I rode the horse in the round pen and we (the past owner and her horse) rode in the desert for about 1/2 hour. The horse was very calm and responded to cues. I bought him and brought him home.

The next day, we (my trainer & I) saddled him and as soon as I sat in the saddle, if my trainer hadn't of been holding the lead line, he would have thrown me. Since he was new to our stable, I immediately got off, to give him time to adjust to his new surroundings.

4 days after purchase - I rode him a few minutes in our arena -- he was acting a little squirrely, not responding to cues and since he was still adjusting I didn't want to push him too much, so I put him up.

Day 6, I saddle him up and I am promptly bucked off (not once but twice). I contacted my trainer for advice and to arrange for 30 days of training.

Since this incidence, he has become noticeably worse!! He is extremely head shy - one can't even reach towards his head, and putting his bridle on is a real challenge - we have to completely unbuckle it as we struggle with a tossing head (unbridling is easy). He physically flinches at every attempt of touching him, especially his hindquarters and belly and if caught offguard, will jump 10 feet. It is my opinion, he has been severely beaten. He also stumbles and looses his footing constantly.

We started from scratch with his training - introducing equipment, lounging, then saddling -- he's frightened of everything and resists all equipment. Improvement was made with lounging, but that is it.

After three weeks of ground training, we attempted we to ride -- he was real nervous with the trainer, but she could ride him in the round pen. I was able to ride at a walk and trot for a few minutes. Week 4 of training (6 weeks altogether due to weather) we tried riding him in the arena -- the second time around he freaked and again threw me.

Due to the complete personality change, I'm almost positive this horse was given Ace prior to my purchase. And I'm convinced he is dangerous. I just spoke with the old owner about them taking him back and refunding my money - due to the fact that he is NOT the horse I rode at their place and hasn't been since day two. Of course, they have refused. They bought him from a killer auction and "trained" him for 4 months prior to my buying - so supposedly he has had 5 months of training, yet he is still not rideable. Any chance of winning this in small claims court (in California). And can anyone advise me if there are any way of knowing if a horse has been given Ace - other than he was really calm at the time of purchase, I didn't notice any tell-tell signs of drugs. Thanks in advance

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 14, 2001 - 3:22 pm:

Hi,

Did you have a pre-purchase exam done? My vet will draw blood at the exam and if I should experience a sudden change in attitude after bringing a horse home, I would call the vet and have the blood processed. My vet keeps the blood for about a month. If I don't call, he disposes of it. If you had the blood test done, it may be a leg to stand on in a court of law, i.e. misrepresentation of the horse. I'm not a lawyer, but it would make sense to me. Good luck!

Posted on Friday, Mar 16, 2001 - 10:03 am:

Hello,

We, too, have a horse who, once we got her to our home, was not the same horse as my daughter rode prior to the exchange; refusing to bridle, dangerously head shy, very spooky, kicking, foot stomping, etc..

At first, I, too, suspected she was drugged on the days we visited her at her old home.

We had to go back almost to almost "day-one" approach, as if she were a green broke mare. But now, after almost two months of work, she is finally making progress.

I have concluded that it was the change in location that had her that way.

At our home, she is no longer the head mare as she was at her old home, and for several weeks it was a war with a big Walking Horse who was the lead in our herd. Though still a little tense, they now have that worked out and progress is being made.

My point is, since your horse was recently moved, I'm not sure if 6 weeks is enough time for her to settle down. It's different for each horse. Because of her adjustment problems, we didn't even attempt to work our new horse for the first two weeks.
Just a thought.


Billy
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC