Trying to find US show record: horse imported from Germany

[libgrrl]

I have ridden a horse like that as a favor for a friend. Friend was in cancer treatment and bought the horse for her mother. He was a gorgeous individual – but came from an auction in “before times” when there was no internet to easily sleuth.

Horse bolted out of the blue. No discernible triggers, just a mad dash with no regard for his personal safety. Thankfully we were in an indoor and I ran him into the wall. Me being a dummy and overly bold, I tried again. Trotting along quietly, then he did the same thing. Just blindly ran. No triggers at all.

I truly believe this is the most dangerous type of “disobedience/evasion/whathaveyou” since it is almost like they stop thinking – or reacting to any sort of barrier. I told friend he was definitely at the auction for a reason. I don’t know what became of him – but he was gone within days. I definitely agree that one shouldn’t mess with these, unless you want a pasture puff. Heartbreaking, I know.

[MHM]

Interesting that the pictures in the ad only show him standing around without a rider on him. Or even any tack.

[2DogsFarm]

OP, I looked at the ad vis the link @vxf111 posted.
Could you Flag the ad & let the site know horse is not as advertised?
Sorry you had to find out the hard way that some sellers lie.
I’ve asked Sellers to ride an unknown horse before I get on. To see how they go U/S or if horse seemed at all sketchy before someone gets on. A lot of Sellers offer to do this.

Hope your injuries heal ASAP & your next purchase goes smoothly.

[RavtoadOH]

He didn’t jump out of the ring, thankfully. I hit the ground and instantly tried to get up but just flopped back down (most likely due to the concussion). My biggest worry is he was still wildly bolting around the ring and I was going to be trampled. But I didn’t hear hoofbeats and was able to get myself up. By then, he was just in the corner of the ring by the owner. I think he did slam into the gate to stop and turn but I can’t confirm since things are a bit fuzzy right at that moment.

I got myself up, dusted off, went over to him and reassured him with a pat, and hand walked him around the ring and did a light lunge to end on a good note. He was still “up” but not wild or uncontrollable during the lunge

[RavtoadOH]

Oh I brought that up on the ad. She sent me a video of him being ridden western, where he was going ok but in a larger curb and clearly uncomfortable in it. Turns out the vid wasn’t the owner, but the horse dealer that sold him to her after he failed to sell at the KY auction he was in

[vxf111]

It’s on FB too, listed with similar info and pictures.

BTW, lesson learned OP-- do not get on a horse unless you’ve seen the owner/owner’s representative ride it first and do the things you will ask it to do. Make them be the test dummies next time.

[RavtoadOH]

I did bring up her riding him first, but she said she had thrown her back out a couple weeks before. Convenient, I know. I did do my due diligence and lunged him well before each ride, he lunged wonderfully each time and very responsive to commands. The first ride I had on this horse was so promising considering he is very out of shape and not used to English tack, I was just completely flabbergasted how terribly the second ride went.

[findeight]

Thats some….creative…grammar in that ad as well. Like from an English as a second language source. Weird. As is the very big name drop I kind of doubt is any more correct then the grammar or the rest of the description.

[RavtoadOH]

I did bring up her ad and how incorrect and poorly worded it was describing him when I sent my lengthy text to her today. I’ve also corrected her multiple times that he is not from Beerbaum as well. But it’s clearly an ad written by someone who knows nothing about SJ or warmbloods that is trying to “hype up” a buyer that there’s really something special. I saw through that from the start which is why I had a lot of communication back and forth prior to seeing him and had updated photos and videos sent. He actually doesn’t look as poorly built in person as in the ads, they’re certainly unflattering on the photos and the descriptions

[RavtoadOH]

I’m sorry you had to go through that experience, it’s an awful feeling!

And agreed on being the worst form of evasion or disobedience. I’d gladly get on a rearer or bucker than deal with that level of bolt again.

[MHM]

@vxf111

do not get on a horse unless you’ve seen the owner/owner’s representative ride it first and do the things you will ask it to do.

That’s always good advice.

[Jarpur]

I interviewed a multiple time World Champion (breed specific) once for a publication. He told me that he personally didn’t get on a supposedly trained horse until he saw the seller ride it. Said if seller was claiming horse could do “X,” then he wanted to see it first.

He was a big, brawny strong man who was perfectly capable, but didn’t believe in relying on someone’s say-so.

[2DogsFarm]

That misinformation could be reported on the Sale site & if I’m not mistaken, on any FB post as well.
Especially the fake claim of coming from Beerbaum.
Shysters need to be called out.

[CBoylen]

I’m a professional. I don’t get on unless I see someone ride it first. I don’t care if the trainer is out of town or the owner is injured or whatever the excuse is. I say up front I need to see it ridden when we come. If they can’t, with notice, find someone in their zip code willing to ride the horse, well, there’s your sign.

[JBCool]

Wow, OP, this is just terrible. I hope you heal as quickly as possible with no long-term injuries, physical or otherwise. I also hope the horse finds peace from his demons without injuring anyone else and the seller gets her comeuppance for lack of empathy and concern for the consequences of her dishonesty.

[Ponyplusaninch]

I hate that this happened to the OP but I’m grateful they shared their story because I hope it reinforces to others what you’ve said @CBoylen. I know so many DIY ammies and/or newer families to equestrian sport who just wouldn’t consider the merit of having someone else associated with the seller ride first to show the horse does what it’s supposed to do.

Jingles for a super speedy recovery, @RavtoadOH!

[RavtoadOH]

Just to note, I’m not an am or new to the equestrian world, I’ve rode to GP level dressage and also up to 1.4m jumpers in the past, along with training and showing professionally. I just took a hiatus from riding for years and have only recently in the last year started back up again and was looking for a project horse to start back into competing again.

The unfortunate thing here is that the same thing would have happened to anyone else in the situation, there was just no stopping this horse when he bolted. The tack malfunction didn’t help with my reins breaking, which is something I’ve never had happen in my 35 years of riding, especially with a very reputable brand.

I do agree I normally have someone associated with the horse ride first if I am trialing for purchase. Because of the number of oddities with this entire situation, that didn’t happen. Because my first ride on him went so well and there were zero signs of what was to come, I didn’t think the second ride this weekend would have gone the way it did.

[Aussie_2020]

After a good first ride no one would expect what happened at the second! That is so scary and I’m very glad you weren’t hurt worse.

I don’t know why so many of you are almost acting like this incident is the OP’s fault by not having the owner ride. This happened on the second trial, how many of you would insist the owner ride if you’ve had a great trial just days before? At what point do you stop asking the owner to ride?

[knic]

Agreed. I would have insisted someone else ride him for the first trial but probably wouldn’t have for the second…

[Ponyplusaninch]

Oh to clarify–I did not mean to imply you were new or inexperienced!

My comment was made because I know for a fact we have a lot of newbies come to the boards and lurk and read. And I have seen first-hand inexperienced folks go and shop for horses with the best of intentions but end up with disastrous results, whether they didn’t do a vet a check, didn’t have someone else ride the horse first and/or see the horse do the thing it was advertised to do, didn’t get a good sales contract–the list goes about how many potential pitfalls there are for trying to find and buy a good horse!

Knowing how many pitfalls can happen, that’s why I’m grateful more experienced horsepeople like you are sharing these stories because people should know the risks/what can go wrong. It’s why there are recommended best practices in place.