After researching for months, we finally found what SEEMED like the perfect "beginner-friendly"…read morehorse. Upon arrival at A Step Above Stables, the horse looked potentially injured, though I thought maybe it was just resting its hind leg. Until, during the demo canter, it started to buck. They called it on that horse and we agreed to look at another horse the seller had.
This one didn't seem to have immediate riding problems--though they didn't demo it in a ring, which might have revealed deeper issues.
This second horse would be $1000 more than our original budget of $15,000 -- he said he was going to sell it for $17,000 but was going to "meet us in the middle" to be fair. I (wrongly) assumed this horse would have the same training as the other, given they were supposedly trained by the same people and similar in price.
We were also told there was a lot of interest from other buyers and to get started right away to secure this horse. We placed a $2,000 deposit that same day, with the balance due (and paid) on Monday.
The seller sent a video showing the horse not spooking at a leaf blower or chainsaw sounds, so we felt somewhat reassured about its temperament. But from there, things started to get shaky:
We asked for the bill of sale, coggins, and vaccine records before the horse was delivered.
The seller promised to send them with the horse; instead, only the coggins arrived.
He eventually sent the bill of sale via messenger--but it wasn't completely filled out.
We were told the vet records would have to wait until Monday because the vet office was closed.
Delivery day came and the horse was delivered to the boarding facility (a 3 hour drive from the seller) without a halter. The hauler nearly let the horse loose on the property. Thankfully, our boarder intervened. But it was obvious that something as basic as haltering this horse was a serious challenge, which is likely why the horse wasn't haltered before being put on the trailer.
The horse then turned its hind toward our boarder--a classic sign of aggression or discomfort. She alerted us right away of everything going on and documented things every step of the way. After she finally managed to calm the horse, she took photos of its condition.
She noted Conformation issues, A noticeable problem with one leg, a scar near the joint on the same leg
We immediately contacted the seller, who claimed he was unaware of any injury and told us to inform him of the vet's findings. Only at this point did he hint at an "exchange-only guarantee," something he never mentioned earlier, even when I had outright asked about his guarantee and he had said, "We guarantee all horses for 30 days." NOT "We allow exchanges for 30 days."
When the farrier and vet visited, they confirmed: The scar on the back leg was an old, unattended injury that would affect the horse's ability to be ridden safely at more than a walk.
The coggins form failed to disclose the scar, which should have been noted per the form's requirements. The "vet" whose name was on the vaccine records turned out to be mostly a dog/cat vet. They said they'd only administer vaccines if the horse was brought in, which never happened. The seller apparently buys vaccines from that vet and administers them himself--yet made it sound like the vet was personally involved. We later learned the vet had expressed concerns about this horse to the seller, and the seller's response was, "That will be the buyer's problem."
Once we asked for any or all of our money back, he ghosted us. In all honesty, I own my part in this: I didn't know what I didn't know. That's exactly how I got taken advantage of.
I was initially swayed by positive reviews--but later realized those were mostly for the trail riding service this seller operates, not for his horse sales. Enough negative reviews exist about his selling practices to show that this is a pattern.
And lastly, I did not sign anything stating I was purchasing this horse "as is"--so we do have legal grounds to pursue.
