GUILTY: Defrauding Horse Buyers!

"Buyer Beware!" No where is it more true than in the horse industry. Based on public perceptions, horse 'dealers' are akin to used car salemen - willing to say anything to close a deal.

A California Woman plead guilty to Federal Charges after defrauding 61 horse buyers over the internet. When you look at ads on Dreamhorse.com, Equine.com, or Agdirect, do you ever see ones that look "too good to be true?" The horse is impeccably groomed with a show record a mile long, and priced so low because, as the ad says, the seller has hit hard times / is going through a divorce / just lost their job (fill in the blank). Now you know that there are folks like this lady out there putting up pictures of beautiful horses and telling stories of fantastic pedigrees and accomplishments - most, if not all, of which are lies. I am pleased to see that the FBI and Postal Inspectors took the fraud seriously.

If you are in the market to buy a new horse, work with a reputable agent or trainer. See the horse in person, check references of the seller, search the internet to see if their name comes up in either a positive or negative light, and insist on a vet check. Even a very inexpensive horse can become expensive if it has undisclosed health or soundness issues! As you can see from this particular case, a "money back guarantee" is only as good as the person or business standing behind it.