I have certainly seen beginners and re-riders and juniors come home with completely unsuitable horses that either take a huge commitment in lessons and training, or are given away when things go sour.
A nervous beginner rider that feels shaky on every horse, even a bomb proof one, often can’t tell if the horse is broke or not, well schooled or not, dangerous or not. All horses are a bit scary and out of control to them.
I would not pony some one on a sales horse unless it is being sold as a lead line pony. There is no rule that says everyone who goes to see a horse needs to ride or gets to ride. Lots of experienced buyers decline to ride if the horse is clearly not as advertised. Likewise the seller can decline to let the prospective buyer ride if it’s a clear mismatch.
I would be careful about promising a ride in the initial contact.
I would say, come see him and if it seems like a good match, you can watch me ride and then do a trial ride. Oh and do you have a helmet and riding boots?
Honestly, unguided beginners do make a lot of mistakes buying horses and certainly there are many sellers that let those mistakes happen.
