Expensive Lesson
Abby works for an attorney. She and her husband Alan bought a small farm in the Midwest with the intention of fulfilling a lifelong dream-- to own horses. In April of 2009, Abby called an ad from a popular Internet website selling horses and spoke to Bob. She explained that she was a novice with horses, but wanted to buy two horses that she, her husband and kids (ages 9 and 13) could ride safely.
Abby and Alan went to Bob’s property to look at two mares, priced at $1,200 each. One mare was very docile when they rode her in the round pen. The other mare had just thrown a shoe, but Bob assured them that she was equally gentle and would be fine when her shoe was replaced. Bob was friendly and helpful. Alan spent most of the visit talking to Bob’s dad while Abby and Bob talked about the horses. They bought both mares for a total of $2,400.
The horses were given a day to settle into their new home. On the following day, Abby and Alan realized the first mare was too wild to ride. A local farrier came out to replace the other mare’s shoe but she was still very lame. A veterinarian confirmed that the lame mare suffered from severe navicular disease and would never be sound enough to ride. He also speculated that the wild mare had been given Acepromazine to calm her when Abby and Alan had gone out to see the horses, and that was why the mare was so docile.
Alan called Bob two days later to say they wanted to return the horses and receive a full refund of $2,400. Bob refused, saying “The horses were fine when you bought them.”
Abby consulted her attorney, who told her that for what it would cost in legal fees to take Bob to court, she would be better off just selling the horses for what she could, and to consider this an expensive lesson. She and her husband sold both horses a few weeks later for $700, taking a loss of $1,700.
Abby and Alan went to Bob’s property to look at two mares, priced at $1,200 each. One mare was very docile when they rode her in the round pen. The other mare had just thrown a shoe, but Bob assured them that she was equally gentle and would be fine when her shoe was replaced. Bob was friendly and helpful. Alan spent most of the visit talking to Bob’s dad while Abby and Bob talked about the horses. They bought both mares for a total of $2,400.
The horses were given a day to settle into their new home. On the following day, Abby and Alan realized the first mare was too wild to ride. A local farrier came out to replace the other mare’s shoe but she was still very lame. A veterinarian confirmed that the lame mare suffered from severe navicular disease and would never be sound enough to ride. He also speculated that the wild mare had been given Acepromazine to calm her when Abby and Alan had gone out to see the horses, and that was why the mare was so docile.
Alan called Bob two days later to say they wanted to return the horses and receive a full refund of $2,400. Bob refused, saying “The horses were fine when you bought them.”
Abby consulted her attorney, who told her that for what it would cost in legal fees to take Bob to court, she would be better off just selling the horses for what she could, and to consider this an expensive lesson. She and her husband sold both horses a few weeks later for $700, taking a loss of $1,700.
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