Has anyone heard of raffling off nice horses instead of selling? There was a bizarre FB post that has a horse offered at raffle $150 per chance. Claims it is a new innovative way of selling? Maybe I’m just behind the times or is this bizarre?
Sounds like a scam. Raffling horses, houses, cars, etc. has been around forever. There are lots of state laws involved in order to hold a raffle. Personally, I would never raffle a horse – goodness knows where it would go and as a seller, I will only sell to a suitable home.
Nothing innovative here. I see it as a losing deal for everyone, especially the horse.
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It’s not a new way of selling, it’s just that seller. I inquired about a horse she had and got a lot of DMs telling me to steer clear of her. I think she’s having difficulty selling, hence getting creative with the raffle. Did you see she posted a basic vetting report and the horse had effusion in some joints? I’d be really wary of buying a young one with known effusion and no films to explain why. The way I read her raffle terms (poorly written) it doesn’t seem like you get to do your own PPE with films. Without films you have no idea what that effusion is about. I’d be really concerned about navicular issues with that horse. She’s essentially trying to pawn this horse off on someone without them doing a more thorough exam. Not that raffling a horse NEVER happens legitimately (like sometimes there are foal auctions etc.) but that particular seller seems to be bad news and this is how she’s moving horses.
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Thought FB won’t ket anybody sell animals via their site? Maybe it’s a way to sneak in an ad? And we can’t see anything about a vet report since there’s no link. There’s a great deal of stuff you just learn to ignore because some people are just nuts and go their own way. There’s no way to understand their erratic thought process. Just don’t buy from anybody like that, nothing you say to them or about them will change them, save your energy.
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The ad I’m referring to is on groups you have to join so I don’t believe I can post it here (since it’s not a public post)
I will also say that this horse has a somewhat unique show name and the USEF registration under that name doesn’t exactly match what the seller is saying about her. I don’t know which is wrong but it’s weird
The only real raffle I’ve ever seen done in a way that doesn’t seem shady is typically when it’s fundraising oriented - less “buy a horse” and more “buy tickets in the raffle to possibly win the horse which is an AWESOME PRIZE (PS here’s the breeding, pedigree, record, etc) but really you’re doing it to support whatever organization is hosting the raffle” type of a situation.
Straight out trying to sell a horse by raffle seems bizarre.
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I wondered about the legality of it when I saw her post. The only information I’ve found on it suggests permits are available for charitable type organizations but I haven’t seen anything for private individuals. It definitely struck me as odd. I also thought it odd to post that PPE report with no X-rays.
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There’s been a lot of drama with that seller in the past. I have seen other people raffle off horses, too, usually not reputable folks.
In this case the seller previously listed the horse on Facebook under the guise that “Owner has too many horses so this one hasn’t done much since…” however it looks like Seller purchased horse directly in April and used horse in lesson program. The “PPE” looks fishy - Google shows the practice is a small animal practice which provides only emergency services for horses. The wording is bizarre to me, I don’t think I’ve ever had a vet write “palpated wonderfully” or break out flexions by upper limb vs lower limb instead of by joint.
Where I live you cannot hold a raffle even for a charity without getting a permit from the gaming commission and submitting extensive paperwork afterwards with the names and addresses of everyone who bought a ticket. You can still do door prize raffles where people use their entry ticket.
I don’t know how the beer parlors are still able to run their meat draws on a Friday night. (In case you’re wondering that is exactly what it sounds like).
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Even if there were no legal issues, no one who cared about a horse would “raffle it off” to god knows what sort of home. There would be no knowing where it would land.
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Horses sold at raffles are IMHO rejects that’s can’t be sold otherwise…similar to Addis Auction.
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A raffle for a horse came across my feed today. Person who posted said something to the effect of “I’m trying this new raffle way of selling a horse”. Different area of the country from the one discussed above. This was for a cute prospect, good breeding (I think, not an expert on the breed), flashy coloring, tickets were $35 each.
I really, really, really do not like Facebook as a platform for horse sales. I wish they could make it stop.
ETA: I found the post. “Jumping on the bandwagon of having a drawing instead of a regular sale.” Selling 115 chances at $35 each. Will use random.org for the drawing. Will refund money if all chances aren’t sold in two weeks. Winner responsible for picking up and transporting horse.
Unless the law has changed recently, it is illegal to raffle off an animal in Connecticut. Hope authorities catch on to this.
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I noticed the posting is either removed or I was blocked not sure.
I think facebook is just as good of a platform for selling horses as any other free online horse selling place. Just because there are some idiots out there does not mean it is a bad place for doing a sale.
Clearly it is not where you will be selling a high dollar critter.
One of the local horse clubs raffles off a yearling (choice of the horse or a cash value not what you would pay for the horse) every year.
I agree, I got a lovely horse off of FB. The platform doesn’t matter, the person does!
I have also recently seen a raffle. Looks like a good deal for seller and winner but sadly a toss up for the horse. Also, it’s obv against FB terms and I’m pretty sure illegal in RL.
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It’s still up, I just screenshot it
ok I guess I’m blocked which is just as well.
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So I guess you are not talking about theone in a local group. I just checked and that drawing was held Sunday. What a crazy way to buy a horse.
In National Velvet they raffled off The Piebald. And that’s not exactly a new story!
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