Brent Ratliff Dba Rushriverfoxtrotters.com Horse Dealer Misrepresented the Horse; I Lost Way More Than the Purchase Price Le Sueur, Minnesota
I purchased a five-year old gelding from Ratliff in January 2007. I knew the horse was a bit green, but he was really quiet, and since he was being shown at a neighbor's indoor arena in the middle of winter, I thought he was a well behaved and mellow horse.
Once I got him where I boarded, I gave him about a month off to get used to his surroundings. After about a month, I started working with him, and I found out he was actually a very nervious horse. I then sent him to a well-respected trainer for 60-days to find out if he was actually saddle broke. The ad had stated he was well started in the arena and was suiteable for a 4-H project. However, I found this horse to be really green, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it for a kid. My trainer confirmed my susipicions and that the horse had been oversold. However, since the gelding did not try to dump my trainer, I decided to keep working with the horse. I also called Ratliff and explained his issues, including his allergies (I'll explained below), but he claimed he had no knowledge of these even though he had the horse for a year and signed an agreement that the horse had no health issues.
I got him home, and then the farrier tried to trim his feet, and the horse was terrible. After about three trims, he started to settle down, so my farrier tried to tap a shoe on him (note: my farrier is highly experienced and respected). The horse reared up and struck me in the back. It was a close call. After that, I tried natural horse trimming, but his front feet still needed shoes, so unless I had him tranquilized, I wasn't going to get shoes on this horse.
Then in about mid-summer, the horse came down with really bad allergies. My vet came out and wanted to do a COPD (heaves) examine, but I thought it was probably the round bale hay, so I found another place to board and kept training him through the winter/spring. Then this summer, he came down with the alleriges, again, really bad, although I had him on premium hay, he was basically sick and unrideable through June - August. A real bummer if you live in Minnesota.
I finally decided to cut my losses. Although I had paid $2,500 for the horse, and invested $1,200 in training, double board while in training, vet for his allergies, and extra money for the natural horse trimmer, I decided to just sell him. I called Ratliff. He said he would take him back for $750 and would pick him up in a couple of days. He kept cancelling out on me, and finally said he couldn't find a buyer for him. (Note: This delay caused me more money in board, and my board wasn't cheap.)
I called up a horse dealer I know, and he came the next day to pick the horse up. He gave me $400. (Note: I was afraid if I tried to sell the horse to a private party outright, they would come back at me, and I would have no place to board the horse, should I have take him back.) And, selling a horse as a pasture ornament isn't easy.
Brent Ratliff sells mostly Missouri Fox Trotters on Dreamhorse.com. If you buy a horse from him, be very, very careful. Looking back, I had a bad feeling that day that maybe I should have had the horse vetted, but then the allergies were not present in the winter months. Since it's unusual for younger horses to have respiratory problems, I didn't even think of this. BEWARE -- This is guy is either dishonest or doesn't know his horses, which is just as bad.
Linda
Chaska, Minnesota
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Lmc
Chaska,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
In addition to my earlier post about Brent Ratliff and Splash ... so much for it being his hobby
#4Author of original report
Mon, February 23, 2009
I started advertising Splash online in February 2008, and at that time he was healthy and sound. In a three-month period, I only had three potential buyers for Splash. They were young riders, and I told them Splash was not suitable as a children's mount. I did not want to see some young kid get hurt because this horse was certainly not a children's horse. Note: I advertised him for experienced riders only. His ground manners were not good, and he certainly wasn't any 4-H project as Brent had advertised him on dreamhorse.com.
By late June 2008, I had lowered my price and removed the health guarantee online because the week before I sold him to the horse dealer, he was having trouble breathing, again. I realized at that point, he was getting worse, and I didn't want to waste any more of my time and/or money in a difficult horse that I couldn't even ride in the summer because of his respiratory issues.
The horse dealer bought the horse for $400 "as is". Hopefully, they found him a good home, and he didn't get sent to Canada or Mexico. I had never had to do that with a horse before, and I felt really bad about it, but Brent refused to take him back. So much for doing it for a hobby as he states. Brent has plenty of land, and he could have just put him in his pasture until he found a home.
Brent, if you are reading this, send me my money. I sold him for $400, but if you send me $350, I will post that this issue has been resolved.
Lmc
Chaska,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
Brent Ratliff only gives you half truths!
#4Author of original report
Sun, February 22, 2009
In response, I tried to sell the horse for what I paid for him because I had put a lot of vet and training expense into him. At the time I placed the ad, his allergies had subsided but came back fierce in June. I then lowered his price from $2,500 to $750 online and removed the health guarantees.
I had phone conversations with Brent Ratliff informing him the horse would not stand for farrier and was dangerous. I also told him about the allergies flaring up in the summer months.
I didn't want to drag Pickles into this, but since Brent has dragged him in, I have e-mail from Pickles saying that he thought Splash had allergies and that Brent had over sold the horse to me. When I got the horse home and was holding him for my farrier, the horse reared up and struck me in the back. My farrier is experienced and well-respected, and he told me basically to dump the horse, and that the horse was too dangerous. Not exactly the mellow quarterhorse type I thought I was buying.
Brent was going to pick him up and pay me $750, but at the last minute he said he didn't have another buyer for the horse and could not take him.
Brent is only giving you half the truth. He should come clean and send me a check for $350. I should really be taking Brent to conciliation court for substantially more money.
Brent, if you are picking horses up from sales and trying to flip them and then not take them back when you agree to, you will undoubtedly get some angry customers because these horse usually have issues. That's why they are at the sales barns in the first place.
Brent Ratliff
Le Sueur,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
Please Read. This is unforanate and I believe the below should Clarify.
#4REBUTTAL Individual responds
Fri, December 05, 2008
My wife and I sell 10 to 15 head of mostly gaited horses each year. This a hobby and somthing we do for fun and to meet people with similar interest. This is a case in which we now wish we had not met this buyer (Linda Courtney).
Below are emails sent to us just days before Ms. Courtney filed this report. As you can see she said nothing of all the issues she claims to have had with this horse. Furthermore, she tried to sell him back as a sound and healthy horse. It should also be noted that my wife did find an adverstisment for Splash on Horsetopia just days before as well with a list price of $2,500 (what she paid for him). The ad made no mention of lameness or respitory issues.
As for the trainer she discusses it is Pickles Dillman. He is a very good trainer and I would encourage anyone who puts any credit in Ms. Courtney's claims to give him a call and you will get a straight answer.
RE: Would you be interested in buying Splash back??
From: Linda Courtney (lmcourt2005@yahoo.com)
Sent: Mon 6/16/08 7:44 PM
To: brent.ratliff (brent.ratliff@hotmail.com)
I would be interested in this price. Can I call you this evening? His board is paid through June, and I don't want to pay for July.
He is sound and healthy, and I spent considerable money floating his teeth and giving his shots this spring.
He is due for a hoof trimming, but since you can do this yourself, I will hold off because it costs me $50.00.
Let me know ASAP. Thanks.
Linda M. Courtney
lmcourt2005@yahoo.com
--- On Mon, 6/16/08, brent.ratliff wrote:
From: brent.ratliff
Subject: RE: Would you be interested in buying Splash back?
To: "Linda Courtney"
Date: Monday, June 16, 2008, 11:20 AM
Linda, I am always interested in purchasing horses I have previously owned. However with what the market has done all I can offer is 750. If you are interested let me know and we can set up a time. brent
-----Original Message-----
From: "Linda Courtney"
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 10:27 PM
To: "brent.ratliff@hotmail.com"
Subject: Would you be interested in buying Splash back?
I'm losing my job soon and thought maybe you'd be interested in buying Splash back? I've attached a picture. He is looking really good. He's made a lot of progress on the lounge line and under saddle. I would make you a good deal, since I don't want to pay board on him any more. He is UTD on everything, including coggins.
Let me know either way you decide. Thanks.
Linda M. Courtney
lmcourt2005@yahoo.com