When buying a horse long distance

[Minimor]

I'm just curious, because after reading the fraud thread I really have to wonder. Is it really possible to sell make believe horses from a fake website, using only a few photos that have been stolen from other people's websites?

I've bought horses from just a few photos, but that's from people that I know--either personally or by reputation--so there's never a doubt that these are real horses that are really owned by the people that are advertising them.

If the horse is being sold by a complete stranger--someone that I've never heard of--I expect to see more photos and even ask around for references. I want to know that there's someone that knows the person. In that case I want to talk to the person and ask lots of questions & see a number of photos. If the seller doesn't actually have the horse, chances are he isn't going to have many photos (granted, there are still ways to get "took" on a deal and of course it's possible the seller once owned the horse & does have a lot of photos.)

I guess I'm just amazed that anyone would see a couple photos on a website & make a deal from that, with a complete stranger?

We always say on here that scammer e-mails are easy to spot, because the scammer is so anxious to buy the horse without asking any questions or seeing any additional photos. But are there many "real" buyers that by without asking for additional photos and/or without asking many questions?

If you contact someone--a total stranger, you have never heard of him/her, nor heard of his/her farm name--and ask for more photos of a horse you see pictured on a website, and that seller offers an excuse for why he/she doesn't have any other photos--does that raise any caution flags for you??

 

[Leeana]

Well i put together full photo / video (someday i will put up an actual video on one lol) gallerys for each horse listed. That way when someone inquires all i have to do is send them the link and there is all the photos of them. Normally i have bite / front / back and side photos as well as some movement photos and some other various photos. Its much easier then attaching 50 photos to an email

.

Here are some example :

www.greencreekstable.com/stetson.htm

www.greencreekstable.com/chief.htm

www.greencreekstable.com/wally.htm

www.greencreekstable.com/streaker.htm

I personally like to see bite / front / back / side / movement ext. If someone asks me to take additional photos ..i normally have them taken and uploaded by that evening. Weather ext sometimes gets in the way though.

 

[Alex]

From a buyers standpoint, Id want to see millions of pics lol.

Id surley wanna see:

Bite

side shots- many pics so I can really see the horse.

legs

movement.

 

[Sanny]

Totally depends on the seller and their reputation.

When we first got in to minis our first major show mini purchase we got pictures and a video from the seller who lived several states away and since we didn't know anybody in the mini world, I randomly e-mailed miniature horse people that were total strangers to us -- I found them online here and elsewhere -- asking around about the seller of the horse and their reputation. Everybody I e-mailed was very nice and gave a good reference about the seller. We didn't send a deposit or anything though, we picked the horse up at nationals several years ago and gave the seller a money order and we are very happy with him and he is one of our super stars and he won't be going anywhere. He has more than earned a nice retirement life with our family though I hope that day is many years in the future.

Last summer we bought a horse -- sight unseen because nobody had found time to take any pictures of him -- just based on conversations with the seller and with the trainer who had just started working with him. The horse hadn't been shown or anything at that point. Drove 11 hours to buy a gelding that turned out to still be a stallion when we arrived to pick him up. Brought him home, gelded him and he has worked out wonderfully and I'd say actually has exceeded our expectations and he is just a youngster and should only get better.

If some total stranger that I knew nothing about had a horse for sale that I was interested in I'd be doing lots of research about them and about the horse. I'd be asking for references or asking around the horse world looking for people that knew of the seller and I'd want lots of photos or a video and information about the horse and I would be very cautious about the whole transaction.

 

[Westwood Farms]

I always ask for current, dated pictures, and I also send dated pictures to anyone looking at my horses. I also want to see " pasture" pictures. Lots of horses look good in show position, but how do they look grazing, or just standing around?

I also take pictures with my daughter handling my horses. I want people to know they are handled, not wild hullligans. Last year I had hulligans, and thankfully everyone understood that I got put to bed with my pregnancy, and paid someone to feed for me. From what I hear, all foals are gentle now. WHEW!

Oh, and also ask for a picture of the horse being measured. That can eliminate some of those 32 inch, in reality 35 inch horses. I have never actually asked for that, but I know a lot of people that have bought horses that do not end up the height they bought them for.

Hope this helps

 

[River Wood]

Of course in person is best

Video is good

Photos are ok...... LOTS

Close up of the head both sides, photos of bite, a couple of each side of the horse standing square with their head up....frontal view feet square in a natural position, and a back view...and they need to be current.

At least those views above...

Anyone balking to give them to me because their horse is furry or dirty or they don't have time, I'm not interested. I'll bend over backwards to do what I can to help someone out if they are interested in any of our horses.

 

[Jill]

I don't think there are that many people selling "fake" horses. That is not near the top of my concerns when buying a horse long distance.

When I am buying a horse from someone I haven't dealt with before, I need pictures from the sides, front, and back, of the bite, and then candid shots. Maybe some video, too. Most of my horses have been purchased "long distance". I've yet to be unhappy.

Not that I could not be taken, but I do think I'm a really good judge of character, both from my horse dealings and my business dealings. I can usually spot trouble. When it comes to buying a new horse, I am always sold on the seller before I'm sold on their horse. With so many horses for sale and more being made every day, if anything seems "off", I walk away.