I have a friend who bought from them. I don’t remember her saying anything odd about the purchase process. She bought her horse as a baby with no training. He has turned out quite nice. He is a black and white paint and not too drafty looking. She hunts him and does tons of trail rides/camping with him, as well as dabbling in clinics thru the riding club we both belong to.
About the import and transportation cost for PMUs–Naeric has had programs in the past to help with those. So given that the horses are both cheap to begin with and subsidized as well, I would rather deal directly with Canada–unless you are looking for an older riding horse that is ready to go immediately.
Yes, to clarify, I wasn’t dissing PMU’s - I was just saying that you could get their “Canadien - Bred Sport Horses” a lot cheaper!
Buyer beware. I wouldn’t let my worst enemy buy a horse at VSH.
I recently had a “sales appointment” at VSH, and it was worth every penny of the $200 it cost me. Prior to the appointment, I exchanged numerous phone calls, texts and emails with the owner (Liz Booth). I had specific needs and desires (fox hunter, in the midwest) all of which she discussed with me in depth prior to the appointment. I carefully read, and tried to follow, the practices outlined on the VSH web-site, where she describes her philosophy and how she’s gone about building her business. On the day of the appointment I arrived to find all of the horses I had listed as possible either caught and tied on the fence line by the main barn, or in the process of being caught. There was one horse there that was NOT on my list - one that she wanted me to try because she had described to her staff riders what I was looking for, and they each recommended that horse - and he ended up being EXACTLY what I was looking for. Bottom-line: Liz Booth spent alot of time with me, discussing my personal situation and desires, BEFORE I committed to a barn appointment. Once I was there, I was given her full attention - and at times there were 3 staff riders standing by to tack up horses, ride them for me to observe, ride out with me on the trails (which allowed me to simulate some of the field conditions I routinely face when hunting - like standing while a group of horses trots/canters off, or returns; riding away from a group, etc.). She was open to anything I wanted to do - and when I wasn’t quite sure, she made suggestions that made sense and helped me view the candidate horses against the criteria I needed to view them against to make an educated decision. My appointment lasted almost 4 hours, and could have gone longer (I was the one who ended it) had I needed more time to make my decision. I don’t know the value anyone else places on their own time - but I think that to have this level of attention, for 4-6 hours is absolutely worth the $200 it cost me - and I would have felt that way even if I had left without finding the horse I was hoping for. Finally - this operation has been up and running for many years. She has a breeding program going, and I was able to view her 3 stallions with their mare bands in the pastures around the property as I hacked out and back. Additionally, I got to go into one of the pastures to see some of this year’s babies. Absolutely the calmest herd of horses I’ve ever seen. The stallion (a young ISH) hung back a bit while the broodmares cued up to greet us. The babies (2 days to 2 weeks) could all be rubbed on, and one stood to have all 4 feet pick up, etc. Add to this that the manure management, mud management, and staff professionalism (I know this was Virginia, but I’ve not heard that many “yes, Sir; yes Ma’am’s” since I retired from the US Army in 2006!) and I think you have the makings of a sound business with proper priorities. I won’t claim that VSH is perfect on the basis of this one visit - and I’m sure there are some negatives to be found - but for me, this was about as good an experience as I could have hoped for, and again - certainly worth the $200.
Amazing how these favorable opinion first time posters appear. Simply amazing.:lol: :lol: :lol:
After almost a year, no less!
If you follow Virginia Sport Horses on FB, you can probably see the gentleman’s recent appointment. I think he’s probably a real person who is more than entitled to share a positive experience.
Of course disastrous experiences are always more entertaining, but it can’t rain all the time.
[QUOTE=ladyj79;8116113]
If you follow Virginia Sport Horses on FB, you can probably see the gentleman’s recent appointment. I think he’s probably a real person who is more than entitled to share a positive experience. [/QUOTE]
Of course, but bumping up a long dead, critical thread as a new poster on a forum is generally (unfortunately for the well intentioned folks who do it) a bad idea, if you’re looking to help. LOL
(I am glad he’s happy with his experience, of course)
I have an acquaintance who bought a young horse from them. She took excellent care of it and had it with excellent trainers. He was a pig and got worse the older he got.
I really don’t think this objection is good- who cares if the “thread” is old.
Since I AM the “first time poster” merrygoround referenced, let me explain the context of my post. In the process of Google-ing Virginia Sport Horses (as I have continued to do even after my appointment) this thread was identified. As I read through it, I simply found many of the comments to be at odds with my personal experience - which was quite recent, in fact last THursday (16 April). I appreciate that my comments may not be especially helpful to the individual who initiated this specific discussion - but I did not think it was fair to have some of the comments go unchalleged, since they were clearly made by folks who had not personally dealt with VSH. I’m not some naïve 20 something – I’m a 50+ year old longtime horseman. Admittedly I am COMPLETELY NEW to English riding, but I guarantee I can hold my own when it comes to working with and partnering with a horse (especially young horses), and I can certainly judge that ability in others - but more importantly, I could not in good conscience, NOT offer my actual experience in answer to opinions and imagined experiences that comprised most of this thread. That post - and this one, might well be all I ever post, as I am generally prepared to keep my opinions about horses to myself - unless I’m asked and feel qualified to comment, which in this case, I am. Finally - if you are a rider, and have not tried fox hunting - you are cheating yourself out of the most fun you’ll ever have (that you can talk about in public)!
