Buying a horse? please help?

EDITED TO ADD: Heck, if you can get a cop to go out there with you, then by all means do that. it's getting it over with.

Otherwise:

You need to look up "small claims court" and find out your rights. Since you do have receipts, then you can prove that you have made payments, that's good.

First, I'd write a formal letter to the woman and call her, letting her know that I intend to see her in court and that it will cost her all of my court costs + anything else that I can cost her.

I'd make sure she knew that I meant business by making copies of all research I did about the subject of horse sellers backing out of a deal and basically stealing the buyer's money.

I'd research cases, etc online and make copies of the info and send all that to her with my letter.

In that letter, she'd have a deadline to meet. Either I'm allowed to pay off whatever I owe on the horse and take the horse, or if I've paid the horse off, I take the horse....or she give me all of my money back.

Anything less would be considered reason to take her to court.

Then at that deadline...I'd be true to my word and get the ball rolling about getting her to pay up in court.

Unfortunately, you can't just go get the horse. That's trespassing. You don't have the legal papers on the horse yet, so the horse is technically not yours, BUT you HAVE paid money to this person....and she's given you nothing in return....so she's stealing your money. And that is illegal and can and will cost her a lot more than just that amount you paid.

I bet anything that once you scare her with the legal truth about the bigger mess she can make for herself....she'll back off and either give you the horse or your money back.

Either way....next time you buy a horse, never let any money go til you have it all in your hand, to buy the horse, and at that same moment, you get the papers. Even if it means losing out on a horse.

(one more thing....if this person runs a barn, or otherwise has a horse business, I'd spread the word about her dishonesty. I'd merely tell everyone what she's doing. that's not libel, or slander, you're not lying about anything. you're just saying what she's doing. this can hurt her even more).

Good luck.

I was making payments on a horse. i was 1000 dollars into it and she was suposed to be paid off. now the lady refuses to give me the papers and said if i take her off the prooperty then she will say i stole her. i have the reciepts of everything i have paid on her.

If you've paid the full ammount, and have the receipts - pitch up with a trailer and take the horse. She has no more rights to it.

If she gets funny about it, you have every right to get the police involved.

i would take this to the police, thats fraud.

Take your trailer with you, and get the horse, Have a officer go with you and say that you now own the horse and that lady has nothing to do about it she can go away. I hope she don't know were you live or she may be crazy and steal the horse but make sure you take a police officer.

I agree. But to save problems TAKE A POLICE OFFICER WITH YOU! I went throught the same thing! Omg what drama it is! Only I had my mare at a boarding stables while I was out of state and when I came back the lady said I never payd yet I had every check stub and all my bank statements saying the money was taken out of my account to the name of her farm. She tryd saying she never got the checks and my bank statements were fake but the officer had everything checked out I have papers for the horse and I had blood work done on her about a year b4 so I had everything I needed this lady just wanted my mare to breed. but everything checked out after a week I finally got my mare back. She out of business now. Karma comes around. Like I said if you have all the paper work take ur trailer and a police oficer. It really will save a lot of trouble.

In leiu of the old addage you get more with honey than with vinegar... I may try to work this out
with her before getting the cops involved and having everyone get on the defensive.
How long has this disagreement been going on?
Did she say you could have the horses papers upon paying her off?
Many breeders who feel some of there offspring isnt going to 'better the breed' will sell off
a less than perfect horse w/o papers, to make sure whatever faults it may have are
not put back into a breed bloodline. ( ie a club foot, parrot mouth, poor conformation ..etc)
How long have you been paying on the horse?
When was the horse supposed to be paid off?
Have you also been paying board on her while making payments?
( so the owner can't claim that the $ you gave her was for board?)
Have you been paying her vet care? ( keep your vet reciepts you may need these)
What reason has she given to you that she feels you are no longer entitled to the horse?
( is she just plain broke and trying to squeeze more $ out of you? )
It's hard to tell you what to do w/o knowing all the facts.
But I would try to sit down with her and calmly discuss the situation.
Listen to everything she has to say (wo interupting) and when shes finished
Explain to her your side of things - as calmly as possible without freaking out.
see if you can negotiate to a middle ground. and then write it up on a paper and
have both of you - and a witness who is an independent 3rd party ( not a friend or relative to you or her) - maybe another boarder? also sign it. be sure it has a 'date of resolution' on it
IE if you come to an agreement that you'll give her one last check for 100 and by february 1 2011 agree to meet that day at a specified time where you will present the last payment and she will present the papers ( I'd bring a typed up bill of sale w/ you for her to sign - in case she has good cause for keeping the papers)

It's been my experience over the years that when stuff goes bad like this it can get MUCH worse.
Should you have to pay more $ for this horse.. no, but 1k is not that much money for a horse and if giving this woman another payment would make her yours free and clear without a legal nightmare costing you more $ in the end then the value of the horse. It's probably well worth your sanity. i would avoid discussing moving the horse until you resolve ownership. once youve got that straight you have every right to do whatever you want with her. I just fear if you get the cops involved she could put a restraining order against you to keep you off her property and then -- who knows whats going to happen w/ the horse. IMO better to try and talk it out then get the cops involved. That said, if you have gotten no where with her in say a weeks time of trying to hash this out, it's probaby time to have a lawyer friend involved to maybe send a certified letter or make an aggressive phone call.

You paid of the full amount for that horse, and you have all the receipts, which is proof that, that horse is yours. So if she wants to bring the police into it and say you stool the horse, you have proof that you didn't. I would go take that horse. That horse belongs to you know, it may be on her property but you have already bought the horse, which means you have the right to remove your horse from her property. Get the police involved if you would like as well.

Hope this helped!
Good luck!

Do you have the original sale agreement saying that you both agreed to the $1000? You may have to get an attorney to write her a letter with your documentation. A lot of attorneys will give you free advice. I would call a few and get some. You need it.

If you have the receipts then you have a good case. Either she gives you the horse or you can sue for the money.