The best lesson to learn here is don’t blame other people when your children are disappointed because you built up their hopes on something that isn’t a done deal. The seller clearly wanted to negotiate the contract after the meeting; the OP assumed she knew the terms of that contract.
And starting dramatic threads online are not the best way to recruit a free pony prospect #2.
[QUOTE=arapaloosa_lady;8100065]
The best lesson to learn here is don’t blame other people when your children are disappointed because you built up their hopes on something that isn’t a done deal. The seller clearly wanted to negotiate the contract after the meeting; the OP assumed she knew the terms of that contract.
And starting dramatic threads online are not the best way to recruit a free pony prospect #2.[/QUOTE]
So the pony’s owner and son who continued to tell my children all the way up to right before we were to load the pony into the open trailer that this was their pony and going home with them today did nothing to raise their level of excitement at getting their own pony?
[QUOTE=jenm;8100027]
Unless the OP is leaving out some details, the PO should have been upfront from the beginning that it was not a done deal until they met to make sure the pony was going to be a good fit. The PO also should have been clear that the OP had the option to purchase the tack. Instead she made it a requirement that was not disclosed until the OP jumped through all kinds of hoops to make the trip down. I think it speaks volumes for the OP that she realized the saddle the PO was using was not a good fit for the pony *** or her children and as such did not wish to purchase it.[/QUOTE]
*** in her opinion.
People fit saddles in all sorts of ways. Have you ever seen a pepperoni fit saddle? 3x wider than normal and shimmed to death. All of them. Unless the OP is a professional fitter (and even then), saddle fit for pony is an opinion, not fact.
I doubt we’ll hear from the pony owner too. Why on earth would anyone engage in a thread where they’re being badmouthed (albeit anonymously) by someone they almost gave a beloved pony to? What good could come of it? (and when am I still here??)
OP, good luck finding an appropriate, affordable pony. Maybe put the word out in the local feed store that y’all are looking? Surely something will come along soon!
Well I’ve already stated that I think the owner may have backed out in part because of her second guesses on this deal, and I think she was wrong to tell the children it was their pony… I’ve done a little bit of research because I’m putting off house work 
I think her concerns about the original poster not quite being able to afford the horse stem from the original post looking for a pony. That ad said op was looking for a pony either free/free lease/ or cheap.
To me I would never give or sell a horse to anyone who starts an ad that way. Just because every horse owner knows that the purchase cost is nothing to the upkeep cost, emergency vet bill cost, etc.
Perhaps that was weighing on the owners mind and at last minute she backed out. Albeit, not the correct way.
[QUOTE=jenm;8100027]
There is definitely miscommunication on both parts, but to put 100% of the blame on the OP is just wrong.[/QUOTE]
I don’t see why there has to be any blame placed on anyone.
None of us were privy to everything that went on between the PO and the OP. We have no idea what the fit and quality of the tack was or what the PO asked for it.
IME, FROR has not held up in court, even when carefully written by an attorney. YMMV.
Sounded very much like a free lease to me, but I’m positive I don’t have all the facts.
[QUOTE=alibi_18;8100037]
No one said the PO was lying about thinking the OP wasn’t in a position to afford a pony. [/Quote]
Many of the posts on this thread state the PO backed out because the OP didn’t want to buy her tack, but the OP said the PO said she was backing out because she didn’t think the OP could afford to care for her pony.
(How could someone not be in a position to afford a 20yrs old pony when they already have a horse, have a trailer/pick up, have already paid their stall, agreed to drive 14 hrs to get a pony, offered to buy some of the tack and said the pony would get its own custom well fitted saddle??)
Well they don’t have a trailer. The amount of money they invested in this adventure wouldn’t cover board at many barns for more than a month or two. I have no idea if they can afford to care for a pony, but from the info given, I have no idea if they cannot. My opinion really doesn’t matter. It wasn’t my pony.
The PO never said it was a free lease.
Did you speak to the PO?
Where did you get that?
I got the OP’s opinion of the pony’s low value from the OP. I included the quote.
If the PO really thought her pony had such value, why not selling it?
According to the OP, the PO was more interested in a great home than getting money. I have made that choice myself, so it made sense to me. YMMV.
How is the pony worth a saddle and some tack? That is ridiculous.
You must not be familiar with the pony market. In my area and many others, a pony like this is easily worth a saddle and some tack. Often quite a bit more.
I doubt it was such a great deal
We have no idea if it was a great deal. The OP has declined to share the make or price of any of the tack.
We really know very little, so why not give them both the benefit of the doubt?
I am very curious now as to the price of the saddle and tack.
OP, how much was she asking for the saddle and tack?
As I said upthread, I bought the crappy, mouldy, overpriced hay just so Sterling’s former owners would feel good about letting him go home with me -and looking back on it, I consider it money well spent. And I also put up with the husband’s comments about my religion (I don’t “look” like a typical member of my religion). It wasn’t worth blowing the deal over.
Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do in order to accomplish the mission.
The price of the saddle is intriguing…
Are we talking $100 or $1000?
That could make the difference on which side of the fence I’m sitting on personally
OMG! You did out her! Even i found it. And NOW I understand.
And it seems that PO is following this train wreck.
[QUOTE=PeanutButterPony;8098299]
You are crazy to think that a month of online chatter equals that pony was coming home with you.
You are crazy if you think this won’t turn into a **** storm when the other party sees this. How tacky of you.
They dodged a bullet by keeping the pony.[/QUOTE]
Wow. Judgemental, much? Unless you are one of the parties to this deal, you know JACK about the circumstances. Zip it.
OP, I’d be hacked off, too. If tack purchase was a requirement of the deal, owner should have told you. Tacky in the extreme.
That said, I would not have driven 7 hours and made all the arrangements you did without a signed contract. But I’m a suspicious old bat who trusts no one without something in writing.
OP mentioned back on March 12 on her pony seeking thread in the Giveaway Forum, "I’ve found a Free Lease on a former show pony, " so she did know up front it was a lease situation.
Also OP openly admits on previous threads that she took in a rescued TB that was 300 lbs. underweight, had bad scratches, lice, possibly ulcers, lame, etc. but “was saving her pennies” before she could have the vet out.
My hunch is that OP conveyed to PO that they were tight on money and PO wasn’t comfortable letting the horse go into this situation.
I don’t see how anyone can blame the PO for wanting the best living situation for a faithful old family pony.
I do hope OP can find a nice pony for her kids.
[QUOTE=ben4me;8100177]
OMG! You did out her! Even i found it. And NOW I understand.[/QUOTE]
Jeez, you guys are super sleuths! I would have no idea how to find out who the PO is…
Now I’ve found the other thread. If this pony is truly what the OP was looking for…
-Can be ridden by a SIX YEAR OLD special needs child
-AND his 4 and 2 year old siblings
-Lots of miles
-Former show horse
-Lesson horse
-Still up for jumping some cross rails
That is what EVERYONE is looking for in a first pony and THEN SOME. If the price of the tack was $7,500 or under… it was still a giant steal of a deal. There were 2 of those at my old barn. As soon as they were outgrown there was a LINE of people waiting to snap them up without even blinking at the price. The good-size Farnley medium went for $10,000 even at age 20. The unpapered but also showing and going one (very pretty mare) had people lining up to pay $7,500. This is not only not a valueless horse-- this is a very valued type of horse.
[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;8100214]
Jeez, you guys are super sleuths! I would have no idea how to find out who the PO is…[/QUOTE]
I would never have figured it out… If it wasn’t for someone’s scathing post shaming the original poster that gave step by step instructions
[QUOTE=enjoytheride;8099012]
I’ve heard of a similar scam with horse’s papers. Ohhh, this horse is free but if you want the papers the horse is $1500. Ohhh, this horse is $1000 but if you want the papers it’s another $500. I backed away from a few similar scams when I was horse shopping. Someone who tells you when you show up and they knew ahead of time that papers mattered is probably being dishonest about a bunch of other things.
If the seller wanted to make some money she should’ve sold the pony, not tried to give away a free pony with $10,000 in required tack.
I also fail to see how highlighting what the OP spent on the trip to see the pony is justification for her not deserving a free pony.
I am beginning to wonder if French Fry is the actual pony owner, and she just couldn’t grow a pair of balls at the time to let them know the pony wasn’t a good match.[/QUOTE]
We think alike, especially about French Fry. Methinks her flying monkeys are giving her trouble. 
PO sounds like a nasty piece of work. You don’t offer something for free, encourage the person wanting to take you up on that offer, know that that person is spending money and using time and resources on the promise of your offer, then be evasive about supplying a contract that could have put ALL your doubts and reservations to rest, then decide that the test for getting FREE PONY is buying a bunch of crap person doesn’t need?
Really? :rolleyes:
FWIW, I’m guessing that everyone who was able to figure out who the PO is before the OP edited the identifying details can vouch for the fact that I’m not, in fact, the owner of the pony. Nor do I think my pitiful NYC backyard could be mistaken for an “absolutely stunning” facility within 7 hours of Florida.
If anyone wants to offer me a free horse, however, I promise I will buy any accompanying tack without question and never breathe a word of the transaction to COTH! Contact me via PM. 
[QUOTE=Marla 100;8100212]
OP mentioned back on March 12 on her pony seeking thread in the Giveaway Forum, "I’ve found a Free Lease on a former show pony, " so she did know up front it was a lease situation.
Also OP openly admits on previous threads that she took in a rescued TB that was 300 lbs. underweight, had bad scratches, lice, possibly ulcers, lame, etc. but “was saving her pennies” before she could have the vet out.
My hunch is that OP conveyed to PO that they were tight on money and PO wasn’t comfortable letting the horse go into this situation.
I don’t see how anyone can blame the PO for wanting the best living situation for a faithful old family pony.
I do hope OP can find a nice pony for her kids.[/QUOTE]
That was a different pony located closer to our area. We arranged a time with the owner to go and visit with her first because she was close to us and while there, another child was also looking at her who had arrived first. After both family’s looked at her and how she did with all of our children, we agreed she would be a better fit for the other child and they took her home. The owner let it be my choice as I was the first to contact her and she felt we both did very well. I personally made the decision that the pony would do better with the other child. We continued with our search which included this new pony. This one was offered to us as a gift, free.
Add: Here is the link to the ad I placed in Off Course for those who would like to see if for themselves: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?461826-Thought-I-would-ask-as-I-am-looking
I am no sleuth, but it only took me about 5 minutes to find out too… 
[QUOTE=PeanutButterPony;8099931]
Too late. The pony’s owner is reading this thread.[/QUOTE]
Clearly. Nice to meet you, PO.
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