Low Risk Horse Buying ??

Buying a horse can be a risky process which can be expensive if you get it wrong, we aim to reduce that risk for you as much as possible. By buying from Oakfield Icelandics you get the following:-

• The ability to come and try the horse several times. We insist you try it out in company, both in front and behind, on it's own, and in traffic. We set things up so you know what happens if someone canters past you or if you separate from other horses you are riding with.

• Choice. We aim to keep a selection of horses for sale and carefully match the horse to your ability and desires. If you are nervous please tell me, we often have horses suitable for nervous riders.

• We tell you everything we know about a horse, both good and bad. This includes vices, sweet itch (if any), character, history of what the horse has done in the past, whether it was a private leisure horse, a trekking horse, or a brood mare. If it is a youngster we tell you how long it has been under saddle for, whether it had big issues with it's training or if it took to it easily, anything else we found as we went through the training process.

• Vetting. We encourage you to have the horse vetted and will do the ridden stage of the vetting for you if the horse is vetted at our farm if you don't want to ride it for the vet. We do not charge for the time this takes. If you can be there that is great but we will look after it if you are not.

• A trial period. The above help you decide if a horse might be right for you, you can only really tell when it gets home and you ride it for a period of time. In order to "de-risk" this final stage we offer a money back period of 4 weeks from delivery date (not the date you paid, the date the horse arrived with you). If you find you are not getting on with the horse for any reason and have decided you are not right for each other then all we ask is for you to return the horse in healthy condition paying transport for the delivery and return and we will refund all your purchase money without any quibbling. During this trial period we will lend you a saddle and bridle to minimise the risk you take. If a horse you are trying has previously been out on trial and has been returned to us we will tell you this and what went wrong previously.

• Help with transport. If you are local and don't have transport we can deliver for you for a reasonable price. If you live further afield we have a selection of hauliers we have used in the past, and are happy with, that we will recommend.

• I don't make my living from selling horses, I never push someone into buying an unsuitable horse just to put food on my table. This is an overgrown hobby and if a horse does not seem suitable for someone I will tell them so. I know that an unsuitable horse will just come straight back during the trial period, it is a waste of my time and yours if it goes out so I will tell someone if I don't think it will work.

• After sales service and support. We are on the end of the phone or e-mail if you have questions at any time before or after purchase, many people are buying their first horse from us and it can be a daunting prospect keeping a horse for the first time. If you are sharing a yard you may find people telling you to clip and rug your horse in the winter, you may need support to resist this. Icelandics very rarely need any more than a bib clip even if ridden hard in the winter. If you decide a few years later your circumstances have changed and you no longer want the horse we may well be able to buy it back or sell it for you. We also do "trade in" for faster horses if you confidence giving quiet horse has given you so much confidence that you want a faster one.

Why do we do all this? We want people to end up with horses they like, to say "I bought and Icelandic and it is wonderful". Unhappy people do the reputation of the breed no good at all and I would rather all my customers were happy. This is why I have developed this package over the years to help bring some happiness into the world.

Oakfield Icelandics (previously known as Pinecroft Icelandic Horses) has been importing and selling horses for over 19 years, please feel free to ask around the Icelandic Horse Society about our reputation.

Nick Foot

To contact me by e-mail click here