Okay,

now wouldn't we all want cash upfront for lessons , lets say two or three months in advance.

Well be careful! The newest scam is going around this year. It plays out like this. They skim the internet for horse trainers, scrape your email and send you a letter that says..

My son/daughter would like to take lessons from you. They are over 18 years of age usually and are always "excellently manored" (like that ever happens) anyway then they would like the full cost for 30/60/90 days of lessons.

CHA CHING.. you jump at the chance.

The person 'reserves' the lesson times and sends you a funky bank check you deposit it and they email you and tell you the child has changed their minds and has found another trainer.

Could you send back at least "half" or sometimes the whole amount.. you guessed it the check doesn't clear several days or even a week later when the money order turns up false.

You loose.

So be warned on this one.. The spud has spoken.


Spud

"The Spud has spoken" hehe, I like that.

Thanks so much for the warning in advance... I'm already getting my full share of scammers pretending to be interested in my "nice very bred well horse palomino in color" (this is their crappy giveaway lingo)- now all I need is someone shoving their fake kids in my lap.

One Belgian filly I had listed once, a scammer contacts me with some questions:

what breed is the horse
what age is the horse
what special discipline
price of "it"
etc etc... all this information had already been posted in the ad!
They stated that their 'agent' was ready to pick up said horse since they themselves were caught up with their business and didn't have time to come and look at the horse.

I then replied with some questions of my own, stating that I didn't feel comfortable with selling a horse to a total stranger without knowing some personal questions first:

What is a Belgian
What discipline do you excell in
What breed are you looking for
What age range are you looking for
What is your price range
and also... describe a Palomino

Well the scammer couldn't answer a single question I had. Hadn't a clue what I was talking about. I sent them in several more circles just for my own enjoyment before letting them know in plain simple idiot-proof english that I knew they were scammers and they could take their scam and shove it where the sun don't shine.

So yep, I'm ready to play with a new scam!

this sooo happened to me!!

after i posted an ad on craigslist advertising lessons, i was contacted by a man from France who was sending his 12 year old "ward" to the state by herself for two monthes, wanted her to have two lessons everyday and to know if i could recomend any good hotels near by. Right......

AQHA breeder, haha I LOVE it! You must have been laughing so hard messing with them like that! I will have to try that next time!!