Benchmark Sporthorses?

[endlessclimb]

Maybe, but there are several horse traders in my area whose market is the facebook post “anyone with a horse between X and Y they want to sell?” as they’re making a trailer route up the state. Their business model is the same - good pictures, a riding video, sell the horse as fast as humanly possible. They know as much about the horse as Benchmark does. The goal is quantity and speed.

[Simkie]

@TWilson

The only reason to NOT quote the entire context (not necessarily the entire post, but enough to show the intended meaning) is so that people won’t see the entire context. It’s purposefully disingenuous.

Oh come on. It is not at all. The up arrow takes ANYONE to the full post. I have preserved these at quotes rather than copies for exactly that reason.

Aren’t you the one who denied she said anything like this at all? And now your stand is “well she certainly didn’t mean it the way you think”? Really?

If Jessica wants to position herself as a dealer, great. She can slap a buy it now button on the website and seriously simplify her business. She doesn’t, though. She says those things I quoted above instead. But those things aren’t reflected in this particular sale, are they.

[KellyS]

@TWilson

She doesn’t claim any of these things; trubandloki is exagerrating and being very melodramatic. She does care about the horses and wants her buyers to be happy, but as you said she is not representing buyers and her website is very clear about how she does things. She’s selling OTTBs, and she’s offering buyers one level of evaluation above what they could get if they went directly to the track themselves. She’s selling green horses and she doesn’t have a crystal ball.

Thank you!

There are a few people here that seem intent on using everything this seller does and/or says against her.

I don’t get it. I see a seller who is in a tough business trying to do right by the horses and the people buying them IN HER ROLE as a seller, not a trainer, not a veterinarian, and not as a fortune teller.

What do you get out of tearing her down? I mean, do you want the seller’s business to fail? Where do you think all these OTTBs end up without a Benchmark helping to place them? Are you going to step up and do it more perfectly?

Don’t tell me that it’s to make sure others don’t have a similar experience because the lessons to be learned here don’t require making anyone the bad guy or questioning their ethics and integrity, whether that’s the buyer, seller, veterinarian, or trainer.

[wanderlust]

@blue_heron

I longe or long rein quite often in a similar set up to that seen in the video, although I probably wouldnt allow the outside line over the back, especially if I wanted the horse to stretch into it. Ideally it should be against the hindquarters and around the haunches.

You absolutely do not want the outside line around the haunches in a reactive horse prone to explosive bucking. Or a horse that is new to being long-lined who has not been gradually introduced to the feel. I can tell you how those scenarios go down, and it isn’t pretty.

[TWilson]

@trubandloki

Or, I was asked for specific examples. So that person so nicely posted specific examples. Not a whole post so one had to figure out what the specific examples are. That is the typical response of being asked for a specific example.
But sure, you find fault in it if it makes you feel better.

You didn’t understand my post, so I’ll try to explain again. I specifically said there is no need to quote an entire post, but an honest person will quote enough of a post to provide the full context of the quoted person’s intended meaning. That was not done here, and I will provide you with the following examples:

Simkie quoted this:

@Jleegriffith

I will help rehome horses and have bought horses back.

Here is what was said surrounding that sentence:

@Jleegriffith

Some love us and some hate us. We sell around 200 horses a year. I try to do my best but I will never get every sale right. I will help rehome horses and have bought horses back. Sometimes the program just isn’t a fit and someone else will be a better fit. We often don’t have them long. You will get more info than buying from the track but not as much as buying from a show barn.

Simkie quoted this:

@Jleegriffith

will try to match anyone with the “right” ottb because I believe their is the right one for everyone

But this is what was written (bolding mine):

@Jleegriffith

I will try to match anyone with the “right” ottb because I believe their is the right one for everyone but that takes honesty from both the buyer and seller. If you overstate your abilities when you buy a horse it won’t go well. There are plenty of horses that I think anyone could ride and I make that clear. They are easy even when they get zero direction. There are others we state need a rider with a vast skill set and consistent program. Even then sometimes the program just doesn’t fit and well that is just horses for you. It’s sometimes a frustrating sport.

The seller spent a lot of time writing a long post not just defending herself and her business, but being honest about the fact that she doesn’t get it right every time. Simkie’s quotes did not reflect what was actually posted.

I’m not sure why you are so focused on my feelings and whether or not I’m happy, but rest aassured, I am doing just fine.

[Mounted]

I see. I wouldn’t consider her replies to this thread part of her advertising for her business or how she markets horses to someone shopping, so I don’t view them at all the way I would if they were part of her sales ads, her statements on her website, or in her Facebook marketing. Put another way, if you came across her horses for sale, you would not come across those claims as part of her sales business. I was wondering whether there were examples of her presenting herself to prospective buyers as representing their interests. Thanks for sharing the comments that inform your perception of the situation.

[TWilson]

@Simkie

Oh come on. It is not at all. The up arrow takes ANYONE to the full post. I have preserved these at quotes rather than copies for exactly that reason.

I already explained what I meant.

@Simkie

Aren’t you the one who denied she said anything like this at all? And now your stand is “well she certainly didn’t mean it the way you think”? Really?

I think she made it clear what she meant in her lengthy post, and I also think that meaning was not conveyed in the parts you quoted.

@Simkie

If Jessica wants to position herself as a dealer, great. She can slap a buy it now button on the website and seriously simplify her business. She doesn’t, though. She says those things I quoted above instead. But those things aren’t reflected in this particular sale, are they.

I don’t think it’s up to you how anyone runs her business. If you don’t like her business model, don’t buy a horse from her.

[fivestrideline]

@r.matey

My take on Benchmark is they ‘do right by the horses and the riders’ through providing many comprehensive videos of their interactions with each horse, their opinion about who the horse is suitable for based on extensive OTTB experience, and disclosure of known issues. This doesn’t mean they’re always right, or have crystal balls, and obviously they aren’t extensively investigating each person they’re selling to (and have never seen them claim they do).

Just offering as a take on how you could interpret the marketing without concluding that it’s lying or nefarious.

This was well said!

I find Benchmark to be pretty honest about the horses, but from a certain point of view. She doesn’t keep them long and has some rather strong opinions about certain things (ahem, kissing spine and “holy hind leg”), but it certainly doesn’t come across as dishonest or shady.

[TWilson]

@KellyS

I don’t get it. I see a seller who is in a tough business trying to do right by the horses and the people buying them IN HER ROLE as a seller, not a trainer, not a veterinarian, and not as a fortune teller.

What do you get out of tearing her down? I mean, do you want the seller’s business to fail? Where do you think all these OTTBs end up without a Benchmark helping to place them? Are you going to step up and do it more perfectly?

I don’t get it either. It seems really personal.

[fivestrideline]

Several posters also seem to be letting or intentionally allowing their personal opinions to cloud their reading comprehension skills.

If nothing else, this thread is proof that horses are a crapshoot. I’ve seen buyers and sellers make far more egregious mistakes and come out fine, and some people do everything perfectly and still find themselves up a creek.

[KellyS]

@TWilson

I don’t think it’s up to you how anyone runs her business. If you don’t like her business model, don’t buy a horse from her.

Or do it better yourself.

This whole using bits of Jessica’s post to try and make her look bad is really an unattractive and unprofessional look.

Thank you, TWilson for sharing the full quotes and context.

[Djones]

What’s benchmark to do? Refund the horse’s price? Pay to ship him back? Pay for the surgery?

The buyer elected to buy a tall dark and handsome horse from several states away despite some clearly unhappy-horse videos. She rolled over when the vet said nah to xrays.

At the end of the day: buyer beware.

[endlessclimb]

Not that I’m saying she needs to or even should at this point, but this one would have been a great one to take back to prove kissing spine is just NBD.

[Charlieandme]

Has she said KS isn’t a thing? Or has she said that you don’t ride the X-rays? My understanding is it’s the latter.

[endlessclimb]

She has very often downplayed the reality of kissing spine, and that fact that it can manifest in lameness and behavioral issues. This horse would have been a great one to “prove” her side, if the behavioral stuff was really just that.

But the reality is that in this case you DO ride the xrays, and she assumed (incorrectly) it was strictly a behavioral issue.

[Charlieandme]

Hmmm…I don’t see her statements to be as problematic as you do. She’s upfront about her views and I see them as more of a judge what’s in front of you. And for me, this makes her very honest contrary to Amos’ claim. You may not agree with her thoughts and I know if I ever thought of buying from her (I wouldn’t because I need to pet Dobbin’s nose, ride Dobbin a time or two with my trainer present, and maybe even ask to take Dobbin of a field trip), I would know based on her very public statements regarding KS that I would want back x-rays so I could make an educated decision. And yes, you are correct, this is an instance where the x-rays could have saved Amos quite a bit of heartache (and money) but I really think Amos has only themselves to ask why this didn’t happen (not overriding the vet was Amos’ choice - maybe a rookie mistake but still Amos’ mistake). As I stated in my earlier post, this thread existed BEFORE Amos purchased this horse. Amos clearly knew the forums existed prior to buying from Benchmark as they jumped right on after the purchase to ask for recommendations on what accessories to purchase. I’m just having a really hard time believing Benchmark should be tarred and feathered when she has been very upfront in her views whether you agree with them or not. Anywho, I appreciate the reply especially since I only lurk - for some reason this thread brought me out of my hole.

[Sticky_Situation]

I can’t say I’m surprised the horse’s behavior escalated, if he was being crammed into a frame so soon after being brought home.

Not that I think it is a “behavioral” problem, he’s obviously unsound and those X-rays are not good at all, but I think a lot of green TBs would be … unhappy … with being stuck on very firm contact on a double lunge when they don’t understand what is being asked of them. If you’re trying to take what Jessica said as gospel truth and assume it’s purely behavioral and he’s scared of going forward, shoving him up into an unyielding contact ain’t it. Expecting him to figure that out within a few weeks of coming home, on top of being in pain? No wonder he escalated from a bit of hopping to full-blown explosive. Poor guy.

[Djones]

If her experience has been its NBD, then that’s her experience. She has a bias against thinking it’s BD. That’s like, her opinion, man.

And with that the Big Lebowski has entered the chat.

[blue_heron]

I agree with you. The entire point if my post was that I saw the intent behind the trainer’s choices.

[Amos]

Looking back, nothing about him says professional friendly. He’s in pain. A professional and self proclaimed expert shouldn’t be selling a horse demonstrating this level of pain. Ever. Period.