Hidden Ponds Ponies and Gypsy Horses
Purchase Process
You have decided to purchase a horse from Hidden Ponds! This is very exciting news, and you're probably wondering what the process is. We sell several horses a year, and have outlined our process so buyers know what to expect.
While we are willing to try to make some accommodations for buyers, please be informed that we will not make drastic changes to our selling process on a buyer's behalf. We are a professional farm, and have quite a bit of experience buying and selling. Therefore, we have come up with a process that we believe is fair for both prospective buyers and for us.
1. Notify us of your interest in one of our horses
Be prepared to tell us about yourself and your intentions with our horse. None of our horses have to be sold and we want to ensure the best homes. All of the prices on our horses are Firm. If you are wanting to buy a colt that is in tact, be prepared to tell me about your experience owning stallions.
You are welcome to request health records, genetic testing records, photos, and videos on any horse you are interested in. Be aware that simply notifying us of your interest in a horse, or requesting photos or videos, does not guarantee you exclusive rights to buy a horse. Horses are for sale until a deposit has been put down. Any videos that we take for you or photos that we take for you will continue to be used to advertise the horse to the general public until such time that the horse is sold.
2. Set up a time to come see the horse
Not everyone can come visit prior to purchasing, and we understand that. However, if you can come to see a horse, we welcome you to visit! We will hold a horse without a deposit for up to 24 hours for you to visit. If you need to make other arrangements and it will be longer than 24 hours before you can visit, we will hold the horse for up to 2 weeks for a Non-Refundable deposit of 10% of the purchase price or $1000 (whichever is greater).
You do not need to put down a deposit to book a time to see a horse if it is longer than 24 hours out; just be aware that horses are still for sale until 24 hours before you arrive if you have not put down a deposit. We will notify you if the horse sells before you are able to visit.
If you cannot come see a horse, you can request videos or a facetime call also!
Once you have visited a horse and decide to proceed further, you have 24 hours to either book a PPE or put down a deposit for purchase, or the horse will be available again to the general public for sale.
2. Set up a Pre-purchase Exam (PPE)
We recommend PPEs on any horse over the age of 2 years old and welcome them on younger horses also, though a PPE is not required to purchase a horse from us, and most people do not do them on foals under a year old. You may choose any veterinarian who will travel to our farm for a PPE. Our horses do not leave the farm for PPEs.
Because vets are now booking weeks out for exams, we have two options available.
1. You may set up a pre-purchase exam without a deposit; however, we will not hold the horse during this time and will still market and offer the horse for sale. If the horse is sold we will notify you so you can cancel the exam.
2. You may put down a non-refundable deposit of $1000, which is applied to the purchase price. This is not refundable for any reason. We pull the horse off the market for you during this time.
If you are satisfied with the results of the PPE, you have 24 hours from when vet results are received to put down a deposit and sign a purchase contract, or any deposit is forfeit and the horse may be available for others to buy.
3. Sign a contract and put down a deposit
We require a signed purchase contract and a 25% deposit to purchase a horse. This is due within 24 hours of a visit or PPE (whichever is later). You are also welcome to pay in full at this time, but we do not require payment in full. However, regardless of whether you pay in full or make a deposit, once the contract is signed you are financially obligated to pay any bills on the horse, unless the horse is an unweaned foal.
We don't have one standard contract as each one is a little bit different. We tailor payments to each individual sale. We will hold a horse for the buyer until payment in full, and timing for payment will be individually discussed.
4. Payments
We offer payment plans on our horses if needed. We require 25% down to hold a horse. We do not require any boarding for unweaned foals. Visit our Payments page for more details on our payment plans.
5. Transportation
Buyers are responsible for booking their own transport, but we can help you find transport if you do not have your own transportation. We will provide you with a current negative coggins. Once you have a date set for the transporter to come pick up the horse, we will have a health certificate drawn at our expense. Health papers are good for 30 days. If your transporter does not come in time and the health certificate expires, you are responsible for any charges for a new health certificate. A new health certificate will cost about $85 (subject to change).
We require payment in full prior to the horse leaving the property.
6. Insurance
We require insurance on horses that have not been paid off and are past weaning age. We use C Jarvis Insurance, but you may use any agency. We insure foals prior to weaning so buyers do not have to, since we are not allowing the foal to leave. You must include us as "also insured" if the horse is not paid in full, as insurance will otherwise only pay out the amount that you have paid toward the horse.
7. Preparing for them to come home!
We will send your horse home with all of its medical records, health testing records, and a halter and leadrope. If the horse is GVHS registered, we will submit registration papers directly to the registry for transfer and you should expect them within 2 weeks. Otherwise, we will send the paperwork and a signed transfer form home with the horse. Your horse will be up to date on vaccinations, deworming, coggins, and farrier.
Foals are vaccinated with their first set of vaccines after weaning, which includes eastern and western encephalomyelitis, tetanus, and west nile virus. Buyers are responsible for giving them a booster. Yearlings will have 1-2 sets of shots (depending on when they are purchased), as well as a rabies vaccine. Any yearlings that have been shown or that we plan to show will also have their rhinopneumonitus and influenza vaccines.
Adult horses (4+ years old) are vaccinated every third year for rabies and every other year for core vaccines. Adult horses may have also been vaccinated for influenza, rhinopneumonitus, solmonella, e.coli, potomac horse fever, or other vaccines as may have been required for training, showing, or breeding.