The letter can be found at:
www.chronofhorse.com/letters.html
August 30
Linking horse sales and used car sales is very astute BUT TELL ME WHY NEWBIES WHO RESEARCH ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR CAR FOR MONTHS END UP WITH THE WORST HORSE PEOPLE IN TOWN???
The only reason these crooks stay in business is the constant inflow of ignorant new owners who could have saved months of grief and money by simply asking a few questions of other local owners. While all trainers have a disgruntled ex customer or two, a few questions will quickly reveal those folks who are consistently sub par and should be avoided.
So, while I do agree with many of the points in the letter, it is up to the owner to select a trainer with these in mind instead of complaining about them later. Also up to the owner to move if they feel cheated or used.
Whoever said deal with a professional who really is a professional and conducts the business that way was right.
The Horse World. 2 people, 3 opinions. That’s the way it is.
isn’t it unregulated? It’s not like “professionals” have to pass any standards or anything to teach, or to sell, like realtors would. Am I missing something-who would regulate, and how? Maybe it’s something that needs to happen, I don’t know.
The gene pool could use a little chlorine.
No, you don’t owe that trainer anything, and who is it, btw? I’d like to know.
And lesson learned: you could’ve borrowed a scanner and sent your own photo to the no-cost website. Had you sold your horse through that website, then the trainer would have an argument, but as a result of your flyer? No way.
OK…how do you all feel about this scenario…
A former track rider (FTR) knows a trainer who is constantly being approached by others to find homes for their ex-racers. The trainer used to work with one person who is no longer around, so calls the FTR to see if she wants to try to place the horses.
FTR will have to pay board on the horses, and doesn’t really have the money to do it all (if they stay long) nor the time to really ride them. She approaches another barn mate (ABM) to go in with her. These two will look at and select horses recommended by the trainer, the trainer will bring them to their farm (about 1.5+ hours away) and take them back if they prove unworkable. These two will ride the horses, feed them, do their feet, polish them up and generally get them ready to become riding horses, not racers. They will advertise the horses, handle all inquiries and show them to all prospective buyers, as the track owners do NOT want anyone contacting them.
The horses will generally be sold to the trainer/FTR/ABM for $750 - $1750. The group wants to offer them for sale as riding horses for generally $2000 - $3500, obo. The difference in their buying price and selling price they will use to cover the board costs and if there’s a profit, split it.
Does that sound like a fair situation? Would you expect them to disclose the profit, if any, they would make on the horse (there are no commissions or other costs included here - just a straight purchase price)? Would you feel they were doing a service by finding, feeding and checking out these horses, or ripping you off?
I ask because a barn friend of mine has been asked to be part of a situation like this, and I told her I’d see how people felt about it. To me, the reselling group is indeed doing all the work and I’m ok with the pricing, but what do you think?
AM, I was asking myself the same question. It’s not so easy to get educated about the horse business. Unfortunately, experience is usually the teacher.
SillyHorse
~ Even on a fast machine, an infinite loop takes a while to run.
This is how people new to the horse “game” can educate themselves, instead of having sorry experience be their only teacher. And as more people become aware and thinking horse owners, fewer unsrupulous professionals will be able to take advantage of them.
There can be an entire section devoted to the kinds of horror stories we’ve read on this thread, and another devoted to stories of people being treated with fairness and professionalism.
SillyHorse
~ Even on a fast machine, an infinite loop takes a while to run.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tle:
While I agree with all the Dos and Don’ts that were mentioned, I have to wonder why someone would ALLOW themselves to be so in the dark as to their animals that any of those would happen?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Because we TRUSTED the trainer.
We thought this person who taught riding lessons was trustworthy. The barn owner trusted her, too, and made the suggestion to go through her. In our case she was caught. How? Because the barn owner followed up by asking me if we went to look at the horse. I said no, 4K is too high; barn owner said nothing to me but went home and called the owner herself and found out the truth, fired the trainer, and told me and the owner what had happened. In the meantime another person bought the horse and that match ended up being a great one.
When we ended up buying our horse, as I said before, the new trainer sat down with us and we talked everything out up front. However, having learned my lesson, I also talked price directly with the seller and of course I will ALWAYS do this. We ended up buying this horse and the seller’s price was exactly what the trainer represented. But it was trusting someone we thought we knew, someone we thought valued us, that could’ve led to us being burnt.
Horses are worth whatever someone will pay for them. Since for most of us, horses are a personal love, we just don’t look at it like a business deal like buying a car, but of course that is foolish - it’s not a business deal for us but it is for those we are dealing with so we have to get into a business mentality.
Is FT entitled to anything? The client didn’t leave on good terms - snuck out - on an extended “trail ride”…
Walking on water is my specialty, making wine out of it is an art. 
Barnie, you snap up the bargain. That is why you are the professional after all. You can market this horse for more than its current owner can.
But this illustrates what I’ve always said and no one at my barn quite believes. I will NEVER pay more than 5000 for a horse and it would have to be pretty special for me to pay that. Because I can find these backyard horses and track rejects, never made it to the track, too many horses, etc. owners. I actually know people who think you can’t find ANY prospect for less than 20,000. And others that think if the horse walks out of the stall without falling over it’s worth 10,000. Because that’s what their trainer has led them to believe. 
I think the books that are available to newcomers don’t really lay it on the line as far as how easily one can be taken advantage of in the horse world. A book that actually contains horror stories would really drive home the lessons. And the inclusion of stories that are examples of true ethical, professional behavior would help people know the “right” things to look for in a pro, as well as the warning signs that indicate the “wrong” things.
SillyHorse
~ Even on a fast machine, an infinite loop takes a while to run.
I know this won’t be popular, but because our industry is so UNregulated,there isn’t a “standard” commission except in general practice. Frankly, I’ve had lots of big name professionals tell me they always get 20% and it’s no secret to their customers…all out in the open. It is basically what the market will bear. This is really what I was getting at with my 3K horse scenerio.Unless someone has asked me to evaluate said horse for price, if I know the horse is worth 10K, the seller wants 3K, why can’t I represent it as a 10K horse if it is? 
It would be nice to see major horse publications tackle this topic - especially the issue of commissions and what’s legal and what’s ethical!
Beezer: not feeling picked upon a bit 
, but I must say I have also been the seller…not just the pro. If I want 10K for my horse and I can’t get it done by myself, I turn to someone with better/more contacts than I have.If they can sell my horse and get me the 10K that I COULDN"T get by myself, I say have at it! What they make on top of what I said I wanted is their business and their ultimate responsibility.I think it is greedy of the owner(even if it is me) to think they deserve more money just because someone else can sell it for more.If I could have sold it myself, I would have. And when we start talking about the value of horses we are REALLY opening a can of worms…talk about subjective. The same horse that I may think is worth 10K, someone else may be estatic to have at 20K.I’m not sure ya’ll can convince me that there is something intrinsically bad about a sale in such a case. The person that makes the commission is the one that is responsible for proving the “worth” of said horse.I think it is a lot like finding an undervalued asset in any business. That is how smart people make money…why should the horse business be held up to a different measure? I think people get so defensive because of the emotional aspect of horses themselves.
Dear All,
How do you think an E-Mag would do that just addressed concerns of horse owners…not care, etc but a place to read and contribute either articles or thoughts about the pitfalls of ownerdom?
Won’t let it go, will I? 
