Why Do People Keep Buying Horses Unseen?

There are many groups on Facebook warning people about equine dealers and scammers. Dodgy dealers are not a new thing, it is an age-old problem. However, in the age of social media, it seems to be getting worse.

Are the scammers getting better, or are people getting stupider?

I think it is the latter.

Day after day there are stories of people that have bought a horse or pony unseen from the internet, it turns up on some form of transport and is nothing like it was advertised.

The buyer can't get the money back, the seller doesn't care/can't be found/is a known scammer. It is an age-old tale.

And do you know, there is a 100% effective way to stop these scammers? Stop buying horses unseen.

It is that simple.

I mean let's put this into perspective. You are buying half a tonne of animal and you are going to sit on its back and hope it doesn't kill you. You are also parting with a good four figures nowadays, and it isn't the low four figures either. Why on earth would you send that much money to an absolute randomer on the internet and then hope that what they send you isn't going to maim you for life?

There is just no sense in it is there?

Yes, yes I know it isn't always a disaster, I get that. But you know what, it's a 50/50 chance every time. Why gamble with your life and money like that? If you want to gamble, at least go to a casino where you won't die and you have at least a chance of winning something back.

Many stories are circulating about problems with horses being bought unseen. Some come and they are not the size advertised, a different breed, in poor condition, not what they were advertised as, badly behaved, dangerous and some people have even had a completely different horse dropped off to them.

It is also a great way for dodgy horse dealers and unscrupulous people to offload problem horses and welfare cases to idiots that buy unseen. If nothing else would you not want to see the yard that the horse is being kept on? How it is being handled, exercised, and the life it is living?

I know it is a trend now of buying things unseen. Cars, newbuild houses, clothing etc. But a horse. Really? A pony for your kids? The amount of horror stories I read where they have bought a perfect quiet pony for the kids and it has ended up hospitalising them.

Do you know whose fault that is? Yours. Not the dealer, not the pony, yours. Why didn't you go and see it? Why didn't you ride it, or take someone to ride it multiple times? Why didn't you have it on a trial in your yard? Why? These are all the sensible things to do.

But no, you saw an ad, sent payment to a stranger on the internet and then wonder why your kid has two broken legs.

The world has gone crazy. Remember when we used to be scared of the internet? Don't give anyone personal info, don't share your details, never send payment, be careful who you talk to, and only put your bank details into verified websites.

Yeah, that went out of the window didn't it?

But hey, if you want to bank transfer £10k to a randomer, with no payment protection that is on you.

If you enjoy a concussion from riding a horse that was probably doped for the videos you were sent, that is your prerogative.

But does anyone else think that this is ridiculous?

Stop being, stupid, stop being scammed. Get in your car and drive to see that horse. If it isn't worth the drive, ask yourself, is it worth buying anyway?

Horses are not a commodity that you can just click on and have delivered.