I read a book about a horse trader as a child. It was around 3rd grade and the novel was one offered when the book fair came to my school.
I still remember the story. A teenager spent all the money she had buying a horse that was………misrepresented.
I did a quick Internet search looking for the book and every single result listed the words “horse trader” and “con man” interchangeably.
Here are a couple book summaries that came up on Amazon.
“Here are the yarns of a true cowboy for those who have in their blood either a touch of larceny, an affection for the Old West, or better yet, both.
One of my first experiences was selling a horse. She was lovely, sound and safe.
An experienced eventer and fox hunter that was not only affectionate, she would even pass the vet.
I had decided to sell her for a couple of reasons, one of which was that she was the most marketable horse I had and I was a starving college student. I NEEDED THE MONEY. I had recently acquired another horse from a professional who offered to sell her for me. Let’s call the lovely mare I decided to sell Horse A, and the horse I got from the pro Horse B.
We made the arrangements and I sent Horse A off to be sold.
I placed several ads. She was a highly desirable commodity in those days….. at a fire sale price……. I received several calls about her every week. All of these potential buyers I referred to the trainer to go take a look.
This went on for…………….. MONTHS……..
I’m pretty embarrassed to admit how many months…………….cough…..cough…….sputter…….11 months.
I was a very busy college student who was also working two jobs and the time just got away from me. Of course I was PAYING full training, advertising, long distance calls…… (this was in a time before cell phones and unlimited long distance.)
By the time I “found out” <wait for it> I had long since spent more on training than I was asking for the horse.
This went on for so long that I had discovered the horse she had sold me, remember Horse B???………………was a complete JACK A**
and I decided to sell him too. So I added his information to my advert for the mare and I started getting calls about both of them.
A woman and her daughter were looking for 2 horses so they decided to look at Horse A, who was still with the pro, and then come look at Horse B who was at my place.
When they came to try him, after a bit the lady said, “I really need to tell you what happened when we went to look at your mare.”
She looked uncomfortable, but I think as she listened to my honesty about the horse…….. and saw my very humble farm………….
(see How Bad do you Want It? for more on that story.)
She must have taken some pity on this poor starving college student who was working very hard to make her way with horses.
Here’s what happened,
“We went to look at your mare, and when we arrived the trainer had 5 horses groomed and ready that she said would “be more suitable for us” to try. When I asked to see your mare anyway she said the mare was not in riding condition, had not had her feet trimmed, or been ridden in months actually, so we couldn’t ride her. I asked to see her anyway and she pointed her out in a stall where she had a blanket on so I couldn’t really see anything about her. I asked her to remove the blanket and she refused insisting on showing us the other horses she had for sale instead.”
Oh my!
Your ecard is right, horse sales is a trying business and it really needn't be…but it appears sadly honesty is rarely the policy employed.
Sorry to hear that the "professional" was anything but! Nothing worse that the people you've put your faith and trust in as a "professional" screw you over.
Hope mare was ok 🙁