Complaint Review: Western Outfitting - Seth Chase

I contacted Seth Chase in April of 2018 regarding a trailhorse advertised on EquineNow.  He claimed she had been ridden in parades, was safe for anyone, rated her temperament at a 1….everything you’d want in a good reliable trail horse.  When I asked when I could come ride her (was going to go immediately) he told me he had a list of people interested in her so if I didn’t want her right then he’d find someone who did. (yes, I know…that should have been my first clue!) After asking a long list of questions I decided to go ahead and buy her and paid the $4500 he was asking. I did see the complaint from "Susan" on this site but was hoping that was just a freak thing.

When she arrived I was thrilled.  Her ground manners were awesome and nothing bothered her.  She got along well with my other horses and I felt I had won the jackpot.  I let her settle into her new surroundings (she is housed at my home) for a couple of weeks then decided to ride her.  She was perfect UNTIL the saddle went on.  I’ve ridden and started horses for over 25 years and have never seen anything like this…She tensed up like I was going to beat her, the complete opposite of how she had been.  I let her calm down and did some quiet ground work, then I tried to mount….didn’t even get my foot into the stirrup and she backed up faster than anything I’ve ever seen!  She was terrified.  Tried to calm her but with the saddle on it couldn’t be done.  Tried different saddles with the same reaction. Even with the saddle off the very act of lifting my leg from her mounting side caused her to panic.  If I did the same thing on the off side she was fine. This type of reaction doesn’t happen overnight. I’m blessed to be surrounded with experienced horse people and they get the same reaction from her.  I shudder to think what this horse has been through. 

I called Seth that very day and his reponse was “what did you do to her?”  That right there told me a great deal.  He did offer to “show me how to ride her” but seeing how terrified she was under saddle I wasn't about to subject her to that.

It has taken two months to be able to mount her.  She’s still tense under saddle, like she’s waiting for something horrible to happen and often shoots forward with only the slightest movement in the saddle.  I’ll never know what really happened to her but she’s such a kind horse I’m determined to save her.  My advice is to be careful and insist on riding a horse or mule before purchasing from Seth.  If he gives you an excuse, move on.