Complaint Review: Andrea Ruting - Internet Internet

 I have never had a bad experience with Andrea. When I stumbled across this report, it seemed like a total joke! Anyone that has ever bought a horse from Andrea knows that you can go to her farm to try a sale horse as often as you like before buying. As far as not offering a trial, hardly anyone offers trials anymore, and for good reason. Who knows if this horse had some kind of injury when it's new owners were cowboying around on it. I would highly question their horse experience with the ridiculous manner of their comments. Andrea is very honest and has decades of horse experience, here AND in Europe. She is highly respected in the horse community. She would never sell anyone a horse that was considered unsafe. This report is seven years old and totally ridiculous! If you want a real review, I'd suggest that you check out Facebook or her website. I would never hesitate to buy a horse from Andrea! She knows more about horses that anyone I know and is so knowledgeable and nice! ~Emily

I could not believe this when I read it.

My first questions would have been; how long did they have this horse, did your saddle fit, and if you were a beginner did you trainer ride the horse first or teach you how to being riding (streching the horse out, etc). But I read Andrea's side and reading after two months of having this horse the rider then had problems I also agree that it was out of her hands. It takes no time at all to mess up a horse, or for a horse is get some kind of a weird injury that is hard to notice easily.

When people read this I hope they understand the difference between, a trial and coming out to try the horse. A trial is when someone essentially "owns" the horse for a few days on their farm or where they board; which is different then trying the horse out. I know personally that Andrea will allow someone to come out as many times as they would like, with or without a trainer, or she will bring a horse to your farm for the day so that you can make sure its what you want. She has also met people at very odd hours to take them on trail rides. 

I love her horses and have been very happy with all the business I have done with her. I will continue to use Andrea for horses regardlesss if they are grand prix or trail horses. If you are reading this and it is making you unsure of you decision to buy one of her horses you are more than welcome to contact me at any time to get an another opinion.

~Alexis

(((Redacted)))

After acciendently finding this rip-off report about Andrea Ruting, I wanted to write a rebuttal.  I also bought a horse from Andrea Ruting and have been very happy with the horse, as well as Andrea Ruting.  I wanted to share my story.  This is from an e-mail that I sent Andrea in Jan. of 2010.

"I bought Midas from you in July of 2009.  It was the best decision that I have
ever made, I love him so much.  He is young, but so well behaved.  After I
bought Midas, I immediately started taking him to lessons with my instructor
and he has been handling it like a pro.  I recently have attended a couple of
clinics with Lientjie Schuler and he was a perfect gentleman.  He tries so
hard to do the right thing.  I really appreciate your honesty on his mounting
issues, although they weren't bad and you basicly had it fixed by the time I
bought him.  Some people would have never mentioned it, but you did.  

I remember telling you what I wanted in a horse (gelding, between 15 and
16 hands, easy to sit and good enough to show up to third level (one day))
and you e-mailed me and said, "I think I found your next horse."  I went out
and rode him and was in love!  He passed his prepurchase with flying
colors!  

He is such a flashy mover!  All of my friends who meet him instantly fall in
love!  You knew exactly what I wanted in a horse and found him for me!  
Midas is really going well and getting stronger everyday.  He is so much fun
to ride.  He is perfect.  My trainer even commented just the week how
perfect Midas is for me.  I am so excited about showing him in the very near
future!

Thank you for finding me Midas!"

Since this e-mail, I have shown Midas in dressage shows.  He have won many blue ribbons and have many scores of 70% or better.  I look forward to many more years of showing with my wonderful horse that I bought from Andrea Ruting!

Everyone can come out to my place as many times as they like.

But I learned my lesson with trials, too, many times.

I ride and train a horse for about 6 month and put lots of work into them. And I just train the nice horses, bad, lame and bucking ones just don't sell very good. I also have better things to do than falling off, I'm hurting like everyone else.

Everyone thinks all the horse dealers are bad people, but I could write a book about nasty horse buyers. Like once I gave out a horse on a trial and they took it down to the beach, ran it into the ground and on Monday I got a skinny and dirty horse back. Or I gave a sound horse on a day trial and got it back dead lame.

I can go on and on about bad experience with buyers, every page has two sides. I lost lots of money on trials. And don't know any good horse trainer/barn who would give a good horse out on a trial.

People that don't know anything about horses shouldn't buy and ride a horse on their own. They should have a good trainer and learn horsemanship first. Horses can change very quick.

I was very nice to those people and gave them a new good horse, which I didn't have to do. By the way, they traded that horse, for no extra money and didn't buy another one!

And I should have known better. I know more about horses than people, otherwise I would have stayed away from those unhappy and aggressive people.

I'm glad that almost all other horse people are very nice and helpful.

I'm never going to lose my love to horses and riding dressage over dumb people.

It's quite amazing how many e-mails I get now from companies to fix my ripoff problem.

I just have to pay a few hundred dollars and it will go away.

That is a real rip off for me.

Falling off a horse (which was nice when you bought it) that you owned for a few month is not!

Buy a horse without trying the horse out first - I never have and I have been riding barrel horses for 42 years

Lesson learned

I have a written sales contract. Theodore and Katharine Shluts bought a gelding December 20, 2009 for $4,000.00 paid with a check.

About 2 month later Theodore called me very aggressive and said that his wife fall off and he demanded his money back. He said his daughter rode him a few times and he was fine. On that day, it was a very cold and windy winter and that day was the coldest one, Katharine got on the horse without lunging or any exercise and got bucked off.

I don't know what they did with the horse in the 6 to 8 weeks.

It is out of my control what people do with their horses and I can't grantee that a horse will be perfect forever. It really depends on the new owner. If they lock him up and feed a lot, I bet every horse will get hyper.

My working student rode the horse when he was in training with me and she really liked him. He was dead quiet then.

She saw him after he was returned.

He was a different horse, he was a freak. I never rode him again and sold him for $200.00 to a cowboy.

Theodore and I exchanged a few e-mails, that I still have, before he came out.

I told him I won't give him his money back, not after 2 months.

I also don't resell a horse that was now messed up.

I would never sell a horse that I know to my best knowledge bucked off a rider.

I told him that I would give him another horse "to keep the peace".

I don't know many other horse seller that would do that. I really didn't have to do that.

He came out very aggressive and angry and I didn't fell like getting in a fight with him.

I told him he is welcome to take me to court, like I said I have a written sales contract and would win the case. But I'm not getting hit by an angry man and that's why I said I'll to call the sheriff, if he doesn't calm down.

He did and took the new horse.

I should have known if he messes up one horse, he would do it again.

May be he shouldn't be around horses.

I'm really sorry for every rider that falls off and gets hurt, but after 2 month it's really not my responsibility anymore. Any rider can fall off at any time.

I have been buying, training and selling horses for more than 20 years and think I know what I'm doing by now otherwise I would be out of the business.

I sold over 100 horses and do my best to keep everyone happy, but I can't do anything against bad horsemanship.

All the horses at my place are very friendly and good to ride, look at my testimonial page.

I'm showing successful third level dressage on a self trained horse and I'm not a cowboy who sells bucking horses (I wouldn't be able to stay on...).