>>>> People just need to do their homework, take their time. I would spend as much time with a horse as possible before buying one. The more time you are able to spend, the more likely you will be able to figure out if you are compatable. , I agree. Most people look at the terms of sale/trial from either the buyer's perspective or from the seller's perspective, but very few people look at the terms from the horse's perspective. I don't sell many horses, and I never intend to sell a lot of them, but I've never let people take horses off my property for trials. When I've sold the few horses that I've sold, I've encouraged the buyers to come visit the horses many times, and spend some time getting to know the horse. One woman came here probably a dozen times over 3-4 weeks, and that was fine. She rode the horse many times, she had her two daughters, 11 and 19, both excellent riders, ride the horse on two occasions. Sometimes she came alone and she and I trail rode, and she rode a few different horses here, to get a feel for the breed. By the time she decided to buy, she was pretty confident she'd made the right decision. I'd encourage any buyers to have a pre-purchase exam done with a vet, other than my vet. so there can be no doubt who the vet is working for. It's very stressful to a horse to be moved. The horses that make a move with a buddy (or buddies) seem less stressed by the process - but most people only buy one horse at a time, and certainly usually only one horse from a single seller. It's not merely the possible loss of the sales price of the horse that worries me during a trial. It's the stress to the horse, the potential for physical or emotional damage, or for training to be undone. Basic training takes time to instill, but only days to undo - sometimes only hours. Insurance doesn't reimburse for emotional stress to a horse, nor does it cover training setbacks.
Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
