1.1 Sarah Proudley Horses is a trading name of R&S Livestock Ltd, based at Hall Farm, Kildale, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO21 2RG. Email: [email protected]. R&S Livestock Ltd, is registered in England and Wales, company number 13041993, VAT 43696820.
1.2 We produce horses to sell. Every horse is an individual, and each suits a different purpose, from a general all-rounder to a specialist competition horse, so our aim is to match the right horse with the right rider.
1.3 These terms explain how buying a horse from us works. Together with our Sale Agreement, they are the terms on which we sell every horse. Please read them before you come to try a horse, and ask us if anything is unclear.
2.1 You can come to us in one of two ways: you’ve seen a horse in one of our adverts, or you’d like us to recommend a horse for you.
2.2 Either way, the more we know, the better we can help. Please tell us about the person the horse is for, and be completely open about:
a. their age, riding experience and level of confidence;
b. what they would like to do with the horse, now and in the future;
c. how often the horse will be ridden;
d. the help they will have, such as an instructor or experienced adviser;
e. where the horse will be kept, and the facilities there (for example an arena or hacking).
3.1 We strongly recommend that you try a horse before you buy it. We’ll agree the best arrangements with you, and we have an arena and lovely hacking around the farm.
3.2 What to wear. Please come dressed to ride. As a minimum, every rider must wear a riding hat that meets a current safety standard and suitable riding footwear. If you would like to try a horse over cross-country fences, you must also wear an approved body protector. Riders under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them.
3.3 Riding involves risk. Horses can be unpredictable, and accidents can happen with the most experienced rider and the quietest horse. When you ride, including on a test ride, you accept that riding is a high-risk activity.
3.4 Our recommendations. We recommend horses based on what you tell us about the rider, and we may refine our recommendation after watching the rider. We will not recommend a horse that we don’t think suits the rider’s current ability and confidence.
4.1 Owning a horse. When you buy a horse, you confirm that you understand the costs and responsibilities of owning one. If you are a first-time owner, we’re happy to talk you through the likely ongoing costs.
4.2 Our Sale Agreement. Every sale is made using our Sale Agreement. We’ll send you a copy before you buy. Please read it and ask us about anything you’re unsure of.
4.3 Tack and rugs. Our horses are sold without tack, rugs or other equipment.
4.4 No trial periods. We don’t offer trial periods or sale-or-return. Instead, we encourage you to try the horse, bring an instructor or adviser with you, and have the horse vetted.
5.1 Once you’ve decided to buy, you can secure the horse with a deposit of 10% of the sale price. We’ll then hold the horse for you for 14 days, and the deposit counts towards the price.
5.2 Paying a deposit means you are committing to buy the horse. The deposit is refundable if the horse is not fit for purpose or fails its vetting.
6.1 We recommend that you have the horse examined by an independent vet before you buy, within 14 days before sale. The vet’s report is the record of the horse’s health and condition at the time of sale, and we’ll make sure the horse is available for the vetting. If you decide not to have the horse vetted, we’ll record that in the Sale Agreement.
6.2 Please tell us about any findings from the vetting, so we can write them into the Sale Agreement. You’re welcome to share the vet’s report with us, and we’ll attach it to the Sale Agreement.
6.3 If the horse does not pass the vetting and you decide not to go ahead, we’ll return your deposit in full.
6.4 The sale of the horse must be completed within 5 days of vetting.
7.1 The Sale Agreement. We’ll complete the Sale Agreement, sign it and send it to you. Please check it carefully, then sign it and return it to us. Transferring the payment to complete the sale also confirms that you accept the Sale Agreement.
7.2 Payment. The horse must be paid for in full, in cleared funds, before we release it to you, within 5 days of vetting.
7.3 Your documents. When the sale is complete, you’ll receive:
a. a copy of the signed Sale Agreement;
b. a receipt for your payment; and
c. the horse’s passport, which stays with the horse and is handed over when you collect it.
7.4 Registering the horse. It is your responsibility to register the change of ownership with the horse’s passport issuing organisation within 30 days.
7.5 Ownership and responsibility. The horse becomes yours once you have paid in full, and your receipt is proof of payment. We remain responsible for the horse until you collect it. From the moment of collection the horse, and its welfare, is your responsibility. We recommend you have the horse insured from the moment it becomes yours.
8.1 We love hearing how our horses are getting on. Photos and news are always welcome, so please send them to us. If you’re happy for us to share them on our website or social media, just let us know.
8.2 If you have any questions after the sale, please get in touch. If you’d like to bring your horse for a coaching session here or at another local venue, contact us to arrange it. It matters to us that horse and rider start their journey together on a strong footing.
9.1 We work hard to match every horse and rider well, and problems are rare. We don’t take horses back because a buyer has changed their mind. But if you believe the horse was not fit for the purpose it was sold for, please talk to us. We respect your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and this is how we’ll work through it with you.
9.2 Tell us within 30 days of the sale. Please write to us explaining clearly why you want to return the horse, as we will need to assess this. Please also tell us about the horse’s work routine since the sale, and include any notes from your vet, saddler or farrier.
9.3 We’ll reply within 2 working days.
9.4 We’ll agree how the horse comes back to our farm, whether you bring it or we collect it. Please make sure the passport travels with the horse.
9.5 The return vetting. When the horse arrives, our vet will examine it and take a blood sample. The examination confirms whether it is fit to be assessed in work, and the blood test checks for any medication or other substances in its system. We’ll give you a copy of the vet’s notes and the blood test results. If our vet finds a condition that is not recorded in the pre-purchase vetting:
a. the ridden assessment won’t go ahead, for the horse’s welfare;
b. we’ll ask you to collect the horse and have it seen by your own vet; and
c. where the pre-purchase vetting report and our vet’s findings show that the condition arose after the sale, we’ll conclude that the horse was fit for the purpose it was sold, and that something has happened since the sale that we are not responsible for. The horse’s treatment, and the cost of the return vetting and blood test (9.9), will be your responsibility.
9.6 We’ll assess the horse in hand and ridden. We’ll agree the type of assessment with you, based on the purpose the horse was sold for. We’ll video the work at our farm, and at other venues if needed, and send you the videos. We may agree that you can be there, and we may ask you to provide the horse’s tack for the ridden work.
9.7 While the horse is with us, we are responsible for it and any tack.
9.8 What happens next:
a. If the assessment shows the horse is fit for the purpose it was sold for, we’ll ask you to collect it, and we’ll give you any advice we think will help with your ongoing ownership. Please collect the horse within 7 days of our communication. After that, we’ll need to charge for its keep at our standard livery rate.
b. If it shows the horse was not fit for the purpose it was sold for, we’ll give you a full refund within 14 days.
c. If you simply no longer wish to keep the horse, we may offer to buy it back or to sell it on your behalf. We’ll agree the terms with you case by case.
9.9 Who pays for the return vetting and blood test. The return vetting is the examination and blood test our vet carries out when the horse comes back to us for assessment (9.5). Unless we agree otherwise, you pay for the return vetting and blood test.
10.1 Your legal rights. Nothing in these terms affects your legal rights as a consumer, or limits our responsibility for death or personal injury caused by our negligence. Citizens Advice can tell you more about your rights.
10.2 How our documents fit together. These terms and the Sale Agreement work together. If they ever differ, the Sale Agreement for your horse takes priority.
10.3 Changes. We may update these terms from time to time. The version published when you agree to buy your horse is the one that applies.
10.4 The law. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.
10.5 Contact us. Sarah Proudley Horses, Hall Farm, Kildale, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO21 2RG. Phone: 07387 329826 | Email: [email protected].
R&S Livestock Ltd, trading as Sarah Proudley Horses, is registered in England and Wales, company number 13041993, VAT 43696820.