Lynda Lake Craigslist posted name: goodtobehorsey Dishonest horse trader! Claims to match horse to rider - NOT! Internet, California
Lynda Lake, DBA Craigslist: goodtobehorsey, Youtube: luvinourhorses - This person and her entire business is nothing but a con. She claims to find a horse and match it with the rider ie: skill level, riding dicipline etc. What she actually does is sell the client a horse which behaves perfectly well when under her control and at a distance. She goes out of her was to ensure the client does not ride the horse before writing a check. On top of the sale price is of course her commission, and an inflated delivery fee because she would prefer not everyone know the exact location of her property. For "security purposes" (direct quote).
Then, in my case it was approximately 6 weeks, when in desperation the client calls her asking exactly what she has sold them she sweetly replies that she has absolutely no idea what they are talking about!
The client is talking about the angelic beginners horse which was sold to them as "bomb proof" and excellent with toddlers as well as the elderly but is currently behaving as though Satan possessed, with no clue as to what it's being asked to do, bites, kicks and has teeth indicating an age far beyond the 8 years she originally quoted.
She then very sweetly offers to "resell" the horse for you. Unfortunately she's only able to get less than half what she sold it to the client for, and naturally her commission and trailering for the return trip are subracted from the pitance she ultimately writes the sad client a check for.
This woman preys on the innocent, ignorant beginning horse person and somehow manages to get away with it.
Beware of her and stay away from her!
4 Updates & Rebuttals
ponyplay
Woodside,California,
United States of America
Don't just complain - Take Action
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, March 05, 2013
To all of those out there with complaints about Lynda Lake - scams, cons, misrepresenting horses, WHATEVER - why don't you do something about it? Complaining on the internet is one thing, but this crooked horse dealer should be STOPPED! The only real recourse is legal, so either file a lawsuit against her and get a judgement or contact the DA's office in Stockton. I've done the later and they are once again looking into Lake's businesses practices. If enough people come forward, they will shut her down. Filing a complaint with the BBB is good and I see one person has done just that, but there are many complaints against this woman, so why only one BBB complaint? If you just want to sit here anonymously whining on the internet and don't want to take the time to really get involved in a way that will solve this problem, then you should just take your lumps and shut up. Can you tell I'm a bid ticked off??
Bgood2horses
Santa Rosa,California,
United States of America
Suggested Recourse
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, February 25, 2013
I would suggest for you to contact the Better Business Bureau and the District Attorneys Office in Stockton. I have done both. Unfortunately, the DA I spoke with, Sheryl, told me that unless they see a pattern with Lake - more than one complaint against her - they could not proceed. And filing a complaint with the BBB online is simple. Maybe these actions would jog Lynda's memory. If we do nothing, nothing will change and her con will go on. Good Luck to you.
Bearetta
Elk Grove,California,
United States of America
Lynda Lake is a con artist
#5Author of original report
Mon, February 25, 2013
Well, 3 months later she seems to have no recollection of the horse or of us. At least she stopped sending us a bill. However where is the horse or our $3k? Don't know exactly how to proceed...
Bgood2horses
Santa Rosa,California,
United States of America
And the Con goes on...
#5Consumer Comment
Sun, February 24, 2013
In my case, I was neither a beginner or ignorant, but I still got conned by Lynda Lake. Same
M.O. different details. I consigned some horses to her that she said could use
a tune up, a quick fix for her - and I could expect to get good money for
them after a few weeks of training. Of course the training costs $$ on top of
the board, and then she makes a commission on the sale. She certainly has the
right to make money on her expertise, but after the few weeks had passed, They
need more work and the bills went on and up.
One day while checking out one of the bombproof horses she had for sale, I saw one of the
horses Id consigned to her tied to the rail. I went over to say HI. His eyes
were at half-mast and he seemed lethargic not typical of my horse at all.
When I asked Lynda about it, she said the flies were probably bothering his
eyes and he was tired because theyd been working him she would get him a fly
mask. I left with an uneasy feeling. When I got home I did some research; finding website called Horse Trader
Tricks, where they describe what to look for if a horse has been drugged one
of many trick horse traders use to mask behavior and soundness issues. I highly
recommend this site if you are in the market for a horse. This site described
what I had seen that day. Now, I dont know for sure if this was going on, Im
just telling you what I observed. So now Im on high alert red flags are up.
Soon after that Lynda called to tell me shed found the right horse for me. I rode him and
liked him; he was easy going and unflappable. Great! Had a vet check done and
turned out to be quite a bit older than represented, but we still made a deal.
When we came to her ranch to pick up the horse, I asked to ride him again.
Thank GOD I did!!! He was a completely different animal than he was the first
day I rode him. The deal was off. A few days later I saw the same horse (no
question, he had a real unusual brand) advertised on her website under
different name and was priced almost $2000 less than what she was going to sell him to me
for. I almost got scammed!
Needless to say,our business relationship unraveled after this. It was very expensive mistake
to put my trust in Lynda Lakes expertise. The story goes on and I wont bore
you with all the details. Lets just say my experience with her did not end
well. If you choose to do business with this woman, be on guard. In my opinion,
she takes other peoples problem horses and resells them as bomb proof or broke
broke broke. But has she fixed the problem? You be the judge. Do your
homework. Dont buy one of her horses without a thorough pre-purchase exam and
INSIST on a trial period. Any honest horse dealer should give a trial period,
but Lynda does not offer this option, at least she didnt when I was dealing
with her. Above all, be on the lookout of horse trader tricks; even one as
simple as a wet blanket can be disguised with a quick bath. Be smart, be
informed, and be careful out there.
I appreciate all of the warnings out there now about Lynda Lake and Good to be Horsey. Buying a horse is a buyer beware transaction. Since consumers dont have a contractors license board or anything like that available to research someones reputation, the internet is a valuable tool. I wish I had been aware of Lyndas reputation before getting
involved with her. Lesson learned.