"Kid Safe" horses

I'm going to start by saying I'm sleep deprived and that I'll come back and edit for mistakes tomorrow if I have time. Apparently people actually read stuff according to page views which means I have to actually proofread now. :P

"Kid safe horse"
I see this phrase a lot in ads, almost as often as 'anybody can ride" and "bomb proof". I'd say about 90% of the time they're talking out of their ass because the number of people who come and look at my horses and tell me about these "kid safe horses anyone can ride" that turned out to be for a very experienced rider or trainer only, is crazy high. If your child sat on it once, it's not kid broke. If only your experienced child has been on it, it's not kid broke. If it's bucked the last 6 people off, it's really not kid broke. If it was ridden by a young person at the start of its life but you are too now afraid to get on it, IT IS NOT KID BROKE.

I can count the number of kid broke horses I've sold on one hand.
For an example I'm going to talk about two of them. The first was a buckskin mare about 16-17 years old that was underweight when I purchased her. They told me she was 13 years old in the ring- after the sale I checked her mouth and swore loudly before petting her and making reassurances that it wasn't *her* I was mad about. She didn't lie to me or try to hide how skinny she was.

Tally enjoying breakfast in quarantine. (The amazing thing is that even with that crazy upright shoulder she wasn't that bouncy.)

Her large bone structure made her seem less underweight than she was.

 I put her on weight gain supplements, beet pulp and all that jazz and she started looking a lot better. I rode her and we got about a step or two at a snails pace before she decided that we'd gone far enough for the day. After about 2 weeks of coaxing and annoying her, she would finally  walk trot and canter when forced  asked. Conditioning helped. So I put her through my testing and then I alerted my friends that I finally had a horse that anyone could ride aka idiot proof. I did this to get her used to beginners and because working lazy horses bores me to tears.
So rides, rides and more rides were given to all.

Giving basic beginner lessons/rides.

Tally gamely plodded along with random people on her back. So she was lazy but not awful after her tune up and some weight.

So I listed her for sale for, I think $1,000. Positives: calm, anyone could ride, child safe, husband safe, flashy color, easy to catch, and so on. Negatives: Age, weight- although swiftly becoming not an issue- the above picture is about a month later or less, and laziness. I had a lot of interest (people around here go gaga for buckskins) and I had a man come out to see her who was looking for a horse for his pre-teen daughter who was a beginner- her very first horse. She was away at camp and didn't even know he was there looking. I normally don't sell unless I can see them interact but I trusted Talia to be well, Talia.. 

He came and watched me ride. He asked what was wrong with her- he'd been to see lots of "kid safe horses" and none of them had been sane or anything close to how they were advertised. So I told him- where I'd got her and that she was lazy. Again, he asked what was wrong with her. Apparently lazy isn't an problem for some people. Huh. 

Then he asked if price was negotiable, I said no because I had a lot of people wanting to come see her. The interaction went something like this:

Man: "You know, most horses that old don't sell for anything close to that price."

Me: "Yep. I know. Although most horses nowadays live much longer than they used to with proper nutrition. She's worth it; a desirable color, unflappable and child safe. Also I've put considerable time and training into her."

Man: "There are similar horses for less that are closer to me,.." (He'd driven nearly 3 hours)

Me: *laughing* "Then why are you here? Why not buy one of those horses?"

Man: "Well... uh... we've been to see a whole lot of them and they weren't really kid safe..."

Me: "I know. So is my mare exactly the way I said she'd be?"

*Man looks over at Talia who is dozing off while we're talking, I'm still mounted*

Man: "Yes...*switching tactics* we'd be a really good home though."

Me: "I believe you, but so would the other 15 people who are interested that we approved."

Man: "Well, she's still pretty skinny..."

Me: "Yep, I said that in the ad. I've put a whole lot of money into getting her as good as she looks now. You don't want to know what the weight supplement cost me." *Show a picture of Tally in the beginning*

Man: "Oh wow.... *sighing* Well, my daughter will probably outgrow her once she gets confident."

Me: "And I'm sure you'd have no problem finding another person wanting a confidence booster."

Man: "Would you do a trial period?"

Me: "Sorry, no. Too many horror stories and things that could go wrong. But I'll stand behind the statement that this is how she'll act after you bring her home."

Man: "*Giving up* Okay. My daughter will love her. I can be back in a week with the trailer."

Me: "Okay."

A truly 'safe' horse is a valuable horse regardless of age, breed or color. 

I'm happy to say that about a week after she went home with him he sent me a video clip of his daughter riding Tally bareback around a barrel pattern. Hair flying and grinning from ear to ear. Tally was actually pretty willing for the girl; walking, trotting and cantering easily. 

I had one other horse I advertised as kid safe- not as much of a babysitter as Talia was but still safe. This is an "interesting" story that ended in tears, frustration, screaming and attempted bribes. I don't want to write my thesis so I'm going to tell it now. 

Basically, I had a gaited mare who was  very laid back but rather stubborn..also kind of fat from sitting around doing nothing for a while. After getting a tune up she was ready to go. 

                          I don't wanna, you can't make me. I'm sleeping. 

I put her online and received a positive onslaught of replies. The first people out said she was too laid back for what they wanted and passed. That was fine. Another passed because she didn't neck rein- which was stated in the ad. I encouraged that no sale because they were asshats and I would have had to tell them no anyway.

 Then I got an email from someone who was about 7 hours away asking if they could come see her and if I could possibly hold her until they got there. I said I already had a family coming out that weekend to look for a horse for their 11 year old but I could say I wouldn't let anyone else come. They said they'd come that weekend.

On that fateful weekend:

I showed her to the family; that child was a positive brat that I wanted to smack. He was clearly trying to show off and impress me- while not taking tips that he definitely needed. My mare obeyed but looked annoyed. They liked her but seemed hesitant. About this time the second group showed up- read that again, they showed up while they were still there. I told them I'd finish up and then show her to them. Both groups knew the other was there to look at the same horse. 

The first group asked if they could do a vet and farrier exam to make sure she was healthy. I said sure. They said they could probably set up an appointment in a few days and would that work- could I hold her for them?

I said I had a people there to see her right now but I could promise I wouldn't show her to anyone else that week. They left. They did not put any deposit down or set a definitive date. If you've ever sold a horse you know people can back out and just not show up on the day they were supposed to pick up the horse. People flake.

So I showed the mare to the second group who also really liked her. They were female, middle age casual trail riders just looking for a gaited, laid back horse. They'd looked closer to home with no luck.They asked if they could look again in the morning since it was getting late and they were at a motel. I said sure. Again, no deposit. 

The other group called and asked if she was still available  I told them she was but that they had really liked her and were coming back to try her again in the early in the morning. They said okay.

The two women returned the next morning and still liked her so they said they'd come back with their trailer that afternoon- they'd left it at the motel. They paid or left half down, I can't remember.

So I called up group one to let them know the news, and that's when shit hit the fan.

Phone call:

Me: "Hi, this is the person with the horse, I was just calling to let you know that the two women who came out yesterday really liked her and they decided to purchase her, I'm sorry."

Mother: "So, she's gone?"

Me: "Yes, they're picking her up this afternoon. I'm sorry"

Mother: *upset* "Oh... okay... I thought... ... .. what will I tell my son?"

Me: "Sorry, I don't know. I'm sure he'll find another horse he really likes"

Mother: "...okay... bye.."

Me: "Good luck in your horse search"

*click* 

I figured that was that and went about getting her ready for the long trip.

Then I got another phone call. It was her husband. Her very angry husband.

Phone call two:

Husband: "What the hell?!"

Me: *confused* "Excuse me?"

H: "My wife and kid are bawling they're so upset! My kid loved that horse!" (Kid had acted indifferent at the meeting)

M: "Look, I'm really sorry but the other people liked her too and they paid for her."

H: "I thought we had an agreement that you would hold her for us until the vet check!"

M: "Yes, I said I wouldn't let anyone other than the group that was there yesterday come out. They showed up while you were still there and you guys didn't leave a deposit..."

H: "Yeah but we didn't think they were serious."

M: "They drove from Wisconsin..."

H: "Still, you said!"

M: "I said I wouldn't show her to anyone but them. Again, I'm sorry but you didn't leave a deposit to hold her so there's nothing I can do."

H: "I didn't know I had to!"

M: "That's how a secure hold works. You pay a nonrefundable deposit and the seller holds the horse until the check." *getting annoyed at this point- I don't like being yelled at*

H: "*swearing and going on a rant of not nice things to say- about how that was shady and mean and how bad of a person I was.*

Me: "I have to get the horse ready to go to her new home. Good luck in your horse search, goodbye."

About 15 minutes later I get another call. It's the husband again. I'm annoyed but I pick up.

H: "So is it a matter of money? Because we have the money and we can pay you more than your asking price."

Me: "No, it is not. I don't know what kind of a person you think I am, but they have already purchased the horse and I'm NOT going to call them up and tell them I sold her to someone else for more money. THAT is shady. They are a good home as well."

H: "But..."

Me: "Look, like I've said it's done. There's nothing I can do. Sorry and good luck." 

H: *grumbling*

Me:" *click*

The mare went off to her new home and settled in great. I had liked them more anyway. That was the last time I offered to hold a horse without a deposit. Kid safe horses seem to make people crazy in trying to get them but they'll always be in demand. 

Anyone have any crazy stories of horses you've sold or gone to see?