22/06/2026
Another good read:😊
We hear a lot of talk about the need to protect buyers from dishonest sellers.
And sometimes, rightly so.
Some sellers do misrepresent horses.
But there is another side to the conversation.
Sometimes, buyers need protecting from themselves.
Not because they are inadequate.
But because they may genuinely misunderstand their skill, confidence, fitness, support system, budget or current riding ability.
A buyer might describe themselves as confident, capable and experienced.
But sometimes what they really mean is:
“I was confident on one specific horse, in one specific environment, under one specific set of circumstances.”
That is not the same thing.
A rider can be competent and not confident.
Confident and not educated.
Experienced and still not suitable for a particular horse.
This is why honesty matters on both sides.
Sellers need to be honest about the horse.
Buyers need to be honest about themselves.
Because a horse can be accurately advertised, honestly represented and genuinely suitable on paper.
But if the buyer has misunderstood what they need, or overstated what they can manage, the match can still fall apart.
And that does not always mean the seller was dishonest.
Sometimes the uncomfortable truth is:
The buyer bought the horse they wanted to be suitable for.
Not the horse they were actually suitable for.
A good buying process is not just about finding horses.
It is about asking hard questions.
Not to make people feel inadequate.
But to protect the buyer, the seller and the horse.
Because the goal is not just to buy a horse.
The goal is to buy the right horse.
And sometimes that means being brave enough to say:
“This is a wonderful horse, but it is not the right horse for you.”
That is not criticism.
That is care.
Picture to illustrate the point - yes, I have jumped to a decent level but - these days - our gorgeous Wallaroo Viva would launch me to mars, if I decided to ride her 🤣
