I am currently the victim of a saddle scam. I am still in the midst of it and don’t want to say too much until it is resolved and I either get my saddle or money back. How many of you have also been “taken” and scammed by someone in the horse world? I’d like to hear your stories. No names please. Thanks.
There is an advantage of using a credit card to make payment as if you do not obtain the goods you intended to purchase you can contest the charge and the seller has to prove the transaction is valid to credit card company… you are out nothing.
Well, I bought a saddle that wasn’t as advertised - but once I pulled up the ad and went over the photo with a fine tooth comb I could see the issue - the stirrup leathers had been too long and they had punched holes willy nilly, meaning I had to replace them for over $50 dollars.
It WAS the same saddle though, just photographed a lot better than it looked in person - perhaps an old photo.
My sister bought a saddle off the Internet that was exactly what my niece was looking for at Christmas. She bought it in October and it was under the tree Christmas morning. Turns out, the saddle was not as advertised nor the specs. Same brand, but not the tree, flap, cutback etc. She contacted the seller who had disappeared. No recourse. She spent 2K on a saddle that did not fit the horse or my niece. She had had to pay with a money order. She learned the hard way and suspects that the saddle was probably stolen, after the fact.
Hope you get your saddle or a refund. Scammers are everywhere and it is definitely a buyer beware world.
This is why I do not buy a saddle unless I get to take it home, ride it in, and decide if I want it, and if I do, can hand the seller a check/cash and shake their hand. I would never buy a saddle off the internet…don’t know if anyone follows the “Behind the Bit” blog, but the writer did a number of posts about a saddle she bought off Ebay. It was a long, long battle, and she found out the hard way that the seller is very well protected, but the buyer is not.
[QUOTE=Abbie.S;7635590]
…don’t know if anyone follows the “Behind the Bit” blog, but the writer did a number of posts about a saddle she bought off Ebay. It was a long, long battle, and she found out the hard way that the seller is very well protected, but the buyer is not.[/QUOTE]
The author of the BTB blog was the seller in that instance, not the buyer. And she ended up being put through the ringer by the buyer (and Paypal).
[QUOTE=Frizzle;7635666]
The author of the BTB blog was the seller in that instance, not the buyer. And she ended up being put through the ringer by the buyer (and Paypal).[/QUOTE]
yes, exactly. On ebay the buyer almost always wins.
I hate selling saddles on ebay. People can suck, even with detailed pictures, measurements, etc. I had someone try and do that with a high end bridle I sold too…well, it actually is this other size, can you refund a partial amount so I can sell it to a barn friend.
I told them to ship bridle back & I’d refund their total purchase. Bridle never showed up. This was after they had negotiated the price of the bridle originally too.
I am in the middle of my own issues. I consigned saddles with a well known local horse trainer & person that judges a lot of local horse shows. He hasn’t paid up when the saddles sold on consignment. Not high value saddles but still. I have heard every excuse in the book.
I am looking into doing small claims now, but I am sure I will never be able to show locally again. Oh well, I suppose. I am sorry your dog/health/friend/squirrel, etc is bad, but if you don’t want to be a thief then begin paying people…
I bought a really cool monoflap off E-Bay advertised as a brand name; when it got here, it wasn’t. It was a knock-off that not only wouldn’t fit any of my current horses, it wouldn’t fit any horse I’ve ever KNOWN! :eek:
Plus, the panels were so crooked it would be instant sore back so I never even dared to try it on anyone.
Even though the seller said “No Returns,” I e-mailed her via E-Bay and said, “Look. E-Bay frowns on misrepresenting merchandise, and that’s exactly what you did here. It was listed as a “!” and it is NOT. Now, be a sport and refund my money, I’ll send back the saddle and no questions asked, OK? The alternative is I report you.”
She did it. The saddle was re-listed under it’s right mfr.'s name and sold several weeks later.
Ever notice the number of horse trailer scams on Craig’s List.? Fortunately they are pretty easy to spot.
Scams…Gypsy Vanners come to mind, poorly bred Friesians being sold for top dollar too!
[QUOTE=Dressage Fancy;7635880]
Ever notice the number of horse trailer scams on Craig’s List.? Fortunately they are pretty easy to spot.[/QUOTE]
This… I just started looking around and have already decided that Craig’ s list is a waste of time.
[QUOTE=atr;7636111]
This… I just started looking around and have already decided that Craig’ s list is a waste of time.[/QUOTE]
I sold my trailer on craigslist! Scammers pop up everywhere, as long as you use common sense, you should be fine. When I’m scanning craigslist and see a five-year-old Four-Star Two horse for $2850, I just flag that puppy.
[QUOTE=Frizzle;7635666]
The author of the BTB blog was the seller in that instance, not the buyer. And she ended up being put through the ringer by the buyer (and Paypal).[/QUOTE]
Link please.
How about trainers that make the student feel moving up to 2’9" is something to brag about when they’ve been riding ten years?
Scams in the horse world? No way! I have learned several hard lessons that have cost me plenty. Not knowing a single person having owned or handled horses and jumping into horses as a young adult has had it’s downs. Taking lessons at a barn where I was taught to ride “English” one handed and on a loose rein… Purchasing a saddle privately (via Craigslist) only to get it home and a week later watch mold take it over… Paying over $100 for a barefoot trim by my vet (!!) only to realize later that it should cost $60 max in my area… These are but a few!
Thank goodnes for this forum and the Internet, I continue to learn what’s acceptable and what isn’t. It’s a dirty world out there but I wouldn’t trade my girl for the world! 
[QUOTE=Trakehner;7635935]
Scams…Gypsy Vanners come to mind, poorly bred Friesians being sold for top dollar too![/QUOTE]
I saw a Friesian being sold as a Gypsy on our local craigslist and posted on the local horse facebook groups to watch out for it as a scam and flag it. The ad said the sire was a world champion, the mom won blue ribbons, but no mention of names. Followed by the fact they take credit cards.
I was ripped to shreds. People were defending the ad and stating that I had no way of knowing it was a scam. So I told them that watch, if I e-mailed them they would offer to ship the horse to me for cost of trailering if it was to far for me to travel.
Guess what? That’s what happened. They also wouldn’t give me any of the horse’s names, though I requested the information twice.
I can’t believe how many people replied that they didn’t understand how you could be scammed in horse sales. I had to link to articles explaining how they work.
[QUOTE=trubandloki;7636654]
Link please.[/QUOTE]
http://www.behindthebitblog.com/2013/12/part-iii-ebay-saddle-sellers-beware.html?m=1
I am trying to sell a trailer on Craigs list and the only responses I got were scammers!
to make matters worse, on top of all these scams, e-bay drama, there’s a company retailers can pay to clean up their online reviews. These companies will delete all the negative reviews and replace them with tons of positive reviews. So now our chances of getting good deals, without scammers or good products are getting slimmer and slimmer by the day.
