Avoid Disputes When Buying a Horse Online
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By Julie I. Fershtman,
Attorney at Law · www.equinelaw.net
When people buy horses, disputes can follow. When people buy horses online, the potential for a dispute can be even greater as horse buyers are known to rely on advertisements from total strangers, without evaluating the horse and without using contracts to document the transaction. This article discusses some problems that can occur with online equine sale transactions and a few ideas for avoiding them.
Problem: Falling in Love With a Horse Based Only on a Photo or Video
People who buy a horse based only on an online photo or video, without undertaking any investi-gation before the purchase, take great risks. A horse that appears bomb-proof and obedient in an online video might have been longed for several hours, or even drugged. Also, unscrupulous sellers have been suspected of advertising a different horse than the one the buyer later receives.
Problem: Not Arranging a ProfessionalAssessment of the Horse
Typically, when horse buyers find a great prospect in their community, they visit the horse in person, sometimes a few times, before deciding to buy. By comparison, when buyers shop online and find horses that are situated thousands of miles away, the work gets harder. Some buyers prefer to skip in-person evaluations as they can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.
With some effort and using today’s technology, buyers can have the horse evaluated without being physically present. No matter where the horse may be, prospective buyers can always hire a veterinarian for a pre-purchase veterinary examination (preferably one who is unfamiliar with the horse and its owner or trainer) and drug screen. Buyers can also hire a trainer or equine professional to examine the horse for them, even using Facetime or similar systems while the evaluation is in progress. When that happens, buyers can ask their hired professional or the seller on-the-spot questions about the horse.
Problem: Not Using a Written Contract
