Sight unseen?

[striderrider]

How many of you have bought a horse sight unseen? Did it work out for you? What are somethings you should ask for/look for? I am looking at a horse that is a bit of a distance away but she sounds super nice and is at a good price and if I can avoid buying the plane ticket then I can afford the shipping. Is it be possible to get a good horse sight unseen?

[horse99]

I think it is possible, and I know people who have done it and been happy, but then there seem to be more horror stories for every happy story. Personally, I would need to see the horse in the flesh as it's a big investment, and if I could not sell it later on I would want to make sure that this is an animal I would not mind keeping for the long term if need be. Temperament is a hard thing to assess unless you see the horse, and watch him be worked.

[peppysan]

I have purchased a few horses over the years sight unseen. Like you, sometimes there is a really good deal and it's far away or a horse is in a bad situation (in which case I am usually helping out and not expecting much anyway) and you have to move quickly.

That being said, I always buy from someone with a good reputation. I do my research. Someone reputable who is selling WANTS you to be happy with the horse because it's so easy for it to come back to bite you later in this industry. In this day and age, buying sight unseen has become easier then ever because of video on the internet. I always request a video of the horse, often I will ask the owner to video tape specific tasks i.e. catching, tacking up, riding, or some other ground work so I can see how the horse responds and I can get an idea of his general mannerism and training.

I think the key to buying sight unseen is do your research, ask a lot of questions, get a lot of photos- RECENT photos, not something from 3 years ago or heck, even 3 months ago. And get lots of video footage. If you still like the horse, then arrange for a 3rd party vet to do a pre-purchase exam. If the horse is very, very cheap, then you may opt not to have this done but just be prepared then.

[alove4horses]

Nope no way. I can only afford to keep one horse and you bet I am going to try it out and try it out again if I can to make sure it's the one for me. I suppose if I was able to have several horses and one quite didn't work i would have several others to ride then it would not be such an issue. Or if I was looking for a young horse and had other horses to ride that would be ok too. But only being able to have the one, there is just too much room to not end up with what you want.

[striderrider]

THANK YOU Peppysan. That is a great idea about getting some video done of specific tasks. I have made a list of things I want to see so hopefully the owner will appease me!

[Wonowon]

Bought a horse in England, no photo, no video, didn't even talk to the owner. A friend told me about a horse she had found and asked if she should make an offer on him for me. I did and the offer was accepted, and I saw the horse for the first time when he arrived here in Dawson Creek. Everything worked out perfectly, in fact, better than perfectly. Suckling grew into one of the most remarkable horses I have had over my lifetime. If you want to see what he looks like, search for "Forest Fellow, Cleveland Bay horse" on YouTube.

Not saying I recommend this, though. That's just my personality. I like surprises.

[SamanthaSky]

Yes it CAN be done but buyer beware...

Bought a horse in England, no photo, no video, didn't even talk to the owner.

Wow that really IS sight unseen. At least your friend saw the horse though and you must have really trusted your friend and she must have really known what you like/want/need in a horse for that to have worked. What made you decide to import a horse from England? Do you breed Cleveland Bay's?

[Marchadors]

I bought two hoses sight unseen other than photos and videos. It worked out well for us, got the exact horses we had expected, but we had a very good written contract that pretty much covered everything. We were in contact with the seller for some time before deciding on the purchases.

I have heard some horror stories though. Google the sellers name. Sometimes that is a great way to see if there is some issues with that seller.

[NewHorseMom]

Wonowon your horse is soooo beautiful!

I would have a hard time buying a horse without seeing it. I would want to ride it, groom it, vet it, etc. person. But, I can see how it can work under the right circumstances.