My experience with Lombado Sporthorses

[LarkB]

I know this has been posted before, but that thread is two years old, and TLDR, you still shouldn’t import from them.

The short version is that the horse is great. I love him and he was exactly as described, very happy. I sent a rider to try him, I did my own vetting/had my own vet review the rads they had, so tried to do my due diligence with the negative reviews in mind. The fact is, every horse dealer has negative reviews, that cannot be avoided in a scale business – so awareness, and closing the gaps as much as possible. Even so it is a risk. I took the risk, here is my story about that.

Tamara quoted me a price for shipping, which I confirmed with her several times. In our first interaction she knew the horse was going to LA, because I asked for the quote that way. Then she got my actual home address for the vet bill, so she definitely knew his destination. I confirmed after that… same price. In hindsight I should have asked for the contact of the company who would be handling the actual shipping, but I didn’t. Now you will, dear reader, not make that mistake.

So bottom line is, the actual shipping cost, as invoiced and paid directly to the company, was 50% higher than what she quoted to me, which took me from “this horse is well priced” to “now I have paid a little more than I should for the horse in question AND I am out of budget.” Sadly I had already bought him when I got that invoice, so, it was either pay it and live with my mistake or own a horse that lives in Holland.

When I asked the shipping company – which I think is the only one she uses, and she sells most horses to the USA – what was going on, they said they would connect to her. She told them she thought the horse was “going to JFK, so, honest mistake.” Except I have five different points of evidence to show she knew he was going to LAX, so even though the quote was accurate enough for JFK, she knew from the jump it was much more to LAX and, what’s more, she knew before the purchase was completed that I was at the way top of my budget and that I was relying on the accuracy of the accounting to stay there. But, she lied. There is no way around it – she just… lied to close the sale. I have screen shots I am happy to send to anyone interested.

I really, really, REALLY wanted to write a positive review for her. I really did. I gave her an opportunity to reimburse me, and then I gave her another one, telling her I would proceed to tell about my experience either way and that I really wanted it to be a good one. She completely ignored both of these emails, and did not even attempt to make a vague gesture toward making it right. Not an I’m sorry, not some money, not anything.

So. There you have it. Don’t make the mistakes I made. There are other people to buy your horses from.

[Scribbler]

Is the seller American? Many Europeans have no idea how big North America is, or that travel costs within one country would vary so much.

[LarkB]

No, but she has sent many, many, many horses to the USA as it is her main market. I asked her details about it, she provided them. Only the price was wrong. Never once did she say, “I don’t know.”

[Scribbler]

What is the benefit to her mis stating the shipping fee? She doesn’t get revenue from this. Did she do it to make the horse seem more affordable? Did the shipping company give her a wrong estimate originally? I’m not seeing the upside of potential fraud here.

[Bluey]

OP mentioned seller was aware of her tight budget and that buyer would not bought if costs were any higher than quoted.

To keep costs quoted at the top of the budget and not over meant sale was made.
If shipping costs were that much higher, sale would not happen, that was a possible motivation, best I understand this situation.

Was it an honest mistake or a sleigh of hand misquote?
Who knows.

[LarkB]

It’s exactly what Bluey said. We had discussed exactly how tight the budget was. She knew she would lose the sale, or have to come down on her price, if she gave me the correct quote or told me to get it directly from the shipper. I was clear about the total budget, inclusive of the shipping. So if she had revised the quote, I would not have bought him.

[LarkB]

It might have been a honest mistake to start, but there are five separate places over the course of over a month where we discussed where I lived/where he was going, including one where I literally wrote the words, “he is going to LAX.” The shipper told me the price for LA had not been what she told me for “a long time,” and, as she does a brisk business with the USA, she would know that.

If it had been simply a misunderstanding, why not apologize, instead of totally ignoring me? Or sending back some token amount of money?

[Lusoluv]

I imported a horse from Germany a couple months ago. Lombardo Sporthorses was one of the agents I was considering. After reading a lot of negative reviews, I never contacted her. Now I’m really glad! The agent I used was recommended probably by a dozen people. NO negative reviews. Everything was transparent. This was first experience importing a horse and luckily, no regrets! Although the expense sounds painful, I am glad you are happy with your new horse and at least he was represented honestly.

[mvp]

@Scribbler

Is the seller American? Many Europeans have no idea how big North America is, or that travel costs within one country would vary so much.

If someone has the wherewithal to be selling horses to one of the largest, most lucrative markets in the world and, frankly, the perhaps the best-known country in the world, they can figure out these basic facts.

I think it’s kind of lame (and embarrassing at this point) that the US is the tail that wags the global dog. But it certainly is that. I would be more sympathetic to the reverse case where some American horseman doesn’t know what he should about Europe’s geography.

OP, why didn’t you present your proof and fight this such that the seller eats the cost for their honest mistake? Show all the stuff with your LAX destination. Show your invoice for the horse. And demand that they get the horse you paid for from JFK to LAX? It would be clear that they had made a mistake… but who would want turn that into a willful non-delivery of a paid-for horse?

[LarkB]

Thanks for your thoughts!

To be clear, the horse is home and has been for three weeks – he came to LA. I decided to try to settle it between me and her before he shipped, and then when that didn’t work I let it sit until I had him in my possession. To her credit, she kept him for like a month without charging me – in training – after he was purchased (because he was supposed to leave the following week, but because there was this whole kerfuffle about the shipping cost, he missed that flight, and the following week was Thanksgiving so there wasn’t a flight, etc. etc). I tried via the shipping company, who spoke to her because they have a long-standing relationship, I tried by sending her an e-mail with all my evidence, I tried by sending her a follow-up to that after he was here, I tried by posting to Facebook about it (with the screen shots). She has ignored it all, except for untagging herself from the post I made.

I mean, all my communication with her was through messenger and e-mail, so its all in writing, but doesn’t constitute a legal contract (the sales contract was only for the horse, not for the shipping). I am 100% certain this was no misunderstanding – even if you think she just has very poor reading comprehension and somehow dismiss all the points where we talked about LA, California, and even me sending her my address for the vet – she is the one who arranged for the shipping on my behalf, and when I called the shipper to figure out what the details were and told them the name of the horse, they said, “oh, the horse going to LA!”

…So, yeah. I don’t really have a legal recourse – its dishonest and immoral, but not illegal – and though I can and may lodge a consumer complaint against her in Holland, I am hesitant to do that because once it’s done, its permanent in the world… as of now, if she makes this right, I can delete my posts, right? I really, really don’t want to blow up her business, but I also don’t want to be a doormat. I hope that makes some sort of sense.

[Mouse_amp_Bay]

@LarkB

To be clear, the horse is home and has been for three weeks – he came to LA. I decided to try to settle it between me and her before he shipped, and then when that didn’t work I let it sit until I had him in my possession. To her credit, she kept him for like a month without charging me – in training – after he was purchased (because he was supposed to leave the following week, but because there was this whole kerfuffle about the shipping cost, he missed that flight, and the following week was Thanksgiving so there wasn’t a flight, etc. etc). I tried via the shipping company, who spoke to her because they have a long-standing relationship, I tried by sending her an e-mail with all my evidence, I tried by sending her a follow-up to that after he was here, I tried by posting to Facebook about it (with the screen shots). She has ignored it all, except for untagging herself from the post I made.

I mean, all my communication with her was through messenger and e-mail, so its all in writing, but doesn’t constitute a legal contract (the sales contract was only for the horse, not for the shipping). I am 100% certain this was no misunderstanding – even if you think she just has very poor reading comprehension and somehow dismiss all the points where we talked about LA, California, and even me sending her my address for the vet – she is the one who arranged for the shipping on my behalf, and when I called the shipper to figure out what the details were and told them the name of the horse, they said, “ oh, the horse going to LA! ”

…So, yeah. I don’t really have a legal recourse – its dishonest and immoral, but not illegal – and though I can and may lodge a consumer complaint against her in Holland, I am hesitant to do that because once it’s done, its permanent in the world… as of now, if she makes this right, I can delete my posts, right? I really, really don’t want to blow up her business, but I also don’t want to be a doormat. I hope that makes some sort of sense.

LarkB, I’m sorry you’re disappointed but I’ve never heard of a seller arranging shipping. Local or not, the buyer is the one who arranges that, vet/paperwork and payment. Technically, once she cashes the cheque for purchase price, you are on the hook for all costs moving forward (subject to contract specifying otherwise, of course). So it was kind of her to keep him longer due to his misunderstanding, and she would have every right to charge you for board/training unless there was a contract to the contrary.

Next time, get your own quotes and arrange your own shipping! And know that surge pricing is a thing, transportation costs change (have you booked a flight lately !?) and budgeting an extra 10 to 20% for incidentals (whether for at home contractors, vehicle purchases or horse shopping) is wise. Don’t stretch your budget that thin as things always seem to go a bit awry.

[sascha]

@Mouse_amp_Bay

I’ve never heard of a seller arranging shipping.

I have and that was with a NA agent acting on my client’s behalf. The seller arranged shipping once the deal was done. Payment to the seller included the shipping price as well the purchase price for the horse. Agent’s fee was paid separately iirc.

[CanteringCarrot]

There are many sellers that will arrange shipping. You can often pay a seller or agent, and then the horse shows up at your doorstep x amount of days later. I’ve seen many sellers offer the arrangement of transport.

Both times I’ve done it, I’ve arranged all of the transport myself, and it was pretty straight forward.

One of the things I do notice sometimes when people talk about shipping a horse, they’re not including everything. There is airfare, ground transport on both sides, and other fees. Never a bad idea to “round up” either. You also have the conversion from Euro to dollar too. Often, half of it is billed in Euro.

[K_VanOlst]

@LarkB

I really, really don’t want to blow up her business

In the grand scheme of things, I would guess this thread/your other public posts or even filing a complaint in her country will not change her business one iota.

Don’t mistake me for defending her - I’m not. But realistically one dissatisfied customer (or really just another one, you aren’t the first to have issues with Lombardo) isn’t going to change her business model.

[steelerino]

She kept him for a month in full training board and charged you nothing, I’d say you’re square

[SonnysMom]

Ummm…due to her screw up on providing the right pricing. OP is also taking the seller’s word that he was really in full training. Was he really ridden or just lunged or put on a hot walker. No proof.

[steelerino]

Even if he wasn’t in training he still had to eat and have his needs met. That’s not free.

[LarkB]

Sure. Would have been happy to pay for board and training, but it would not have come to $5000, which is the gap in question.

I would have been fine to arrange transport; all her ads say she does this for you, so… I let her do that. Also, this was the second horse I was looking to import. The first one didn’t vet, but they were also arranging the shipping on my behalf. Seems common enough.

[LarkB]

That’s worth $5000 to you?

[LilDunFilly]

@LarkB I saw your post on Facebook. I went “Man, Lombardo Sporthorses sounds familiar. Wasn’t there a discussion on COTH about some subpar dealings with them?”. I’m sorry you had such a poor experience but I’m glad the horse is just as described!

For anyone here who didn’t see that post (which I assume is most people coming across this thread), Lark included emails and other messages where she repeatedly stated that the horse would be going to LAX and/or that she (Lark) lived in California. The quote for shipping was supposed to be the whole cost, stall to stall to get the horse from Holland to CA.