[SFrost]

Well, lesson learned on this. I wanted to know what you guys thought about this.

I had two saddles I was selling. Someone I work with was interested and asked if she could test ride the saddles. I said sure, no problem. One saddle was a dressage saddle I had for about a year and the other, a CC, I bought and rode in twice. I decided I didn't like it, so for sale it went.

She had them for about a week and then went out of town. Which, no biggie. I figured they were safe in the tack room. Then the next week she asks if I want to try out a saddle she can't use anymore. I said okay since I thought it might work for my hard to fit guy. (Well, turns out it fit him not me. Almost a week goes by before I get this saddle btw.) This whole time she says she loves the saddles and is very interested.

When I tell her that her saddle is a no go for me she goes on to say that she is interested in my saddles still and asks what my bottom price is for both mine. Fine, I drop the price. The next say she decides she has to pass due to funds. Again, okay, no biggie. I'm irked she has had them so long and seems that she couldn't afford them in the first place, but whatever.

She mentions she feels as if the new saddle doesn't look "as new" as when I gave it to her. I asked if there were any scratches or rubs, she said no. If there is damage to "let her know". I bet you guys see where this is going. I have hubby pick them up from her.

I get home and look at the saddles. And there are scratches on the corners of the back of the seat and a semi-deep mark on the pommel. The saddle was literally brand new. I rode in it twice, maybe a total of an hour for both rides. The saddle can no longer be sold as "perfect condition".

Now, my fault. I should have said, keep them a few days and return them if you are not interested. Or whatever else. Fact is, now what? Say something, don't?

What would you do?

[TrakeGirl]

Personally, if it were me...I would ask that person to buy at least the CC saddle she dinged up. And she knows there is damage - otherwise, she wouldn't have left the door open ("if there is damage, let me know").

If I were the person that had taken your saddles for test riding and I dinged one up...yeah...I wouldn't just be handing that back over to you. I would man up and say "My bad" - buy it from you - and either use it or resell it if it wouldn't work for me. Sure I might lose some money, but really...that is the decent thing to do.

I know nothing is in writing, live and learn and all that crap, but really...she should make it right. And if she can't afford to buy the saddle - she should pay for the difference in what you have to sell it for now vs. what you could have sold it for. If you were selling it for $600 in "perfect" condition and now you have to list it to comparable used saddles of that brand that say go for $400 - I think she owes you $200.

Up to her - she can buy the saddle or she can pay for damages.

[Gracie]

I agree with TrakeGirl.

However, the wild card in this situation is the fact that you work with this person. If there are more than 100 people who work in your office, I'd ask her to compensate you at least for the damage.
If you work in a small office, it could create an awkward situation if that person decides to make an issue of it.

Nonetheless, you should at least bring the damage to her attention -- the sooner, the better. Otherwise, she may suggest you or another person damaged the saddle.

[goeslikestink]

Well, lesson learned on this. I wanted to know what you guys thought about this.

I had two saddles I was selling. Someone I work with was interested and asked if she could test ride the saddles. I said sure, no problem. One saddle was a dressage saddle I had for about a year and the other, a CC, I bought and rode in twice. I decided I didn't like it, so for sale it went.

She had them for about a week and then went out of town. Which, no biggie. I figured they were safe in the tack room. Then the next week she asks if I want to try out a saddle she can't use anymore. I said okay since I thought it might work for my hard to fit guy. (Well, turns out it fit him not me. Almost a week goes by before I get this saddle btw.) This whole time she says she loves the saddles and is very interested.

When I tell her that her saddle is a no go for me she goes on to say that she is interested in my saddles still and asks what my bottom price is for both mine. Fine, I drop the price. The next say she decides she has to pass due to funds. Again, okay, no biggie. I'm irked she has had them so long and seems that she couldn't afford them in the first place, but whatever.

She mentions she feels as if the new saddle doesn't look "as new" as when I gave it to her. I asked if there were any scratches or rubs, she said no. If there is damage to "let her know". I bet you guys see where this is going. I have hubby pick them up from her.

I get home and look at the saddles. And there are scratches on the corners of the back of the seat and a semi-deep mark on the pommel. The saddle was literally brand new. I rode in it twice, maybe a total of an hour for both rides. The saddle can no longer be sold as "perfect condition".

Now, my fault. I should have said, keep them a few days and return them if you are not interested. Or whatever else. Fact is, now what? Say something, don't?

What would you do?

have you stil got her saddle - as i would tend to have this one is it fits at half the selling price or as little as near to cheap as you can get as in compensation for the saddle shes marked

you can go to a decent saddle to sort the saddle out so ask her to foot the bill
or get it fixed and give her the bill to pay

then sell it on ebay -

as you havent an agreegemnt in writting and becuase you work with her can cause confilict which you dont really want in a working enviroment as it makes it hard for you, so do something like the above and come to a verbal aggrement and arrangement that way ever one wins and no one falls out and you can work in the same atmosphere, also will add dont offer anything agian learn thy lesson

[doublesstable]

I would suck it up and next time take photos of the saddles and agree with the person on trial what they looked like, write it down, have them sign, and get a deposit.

My philosophy in life is - never lend anything unless you plan to give it away.

That's even the advice I give my kids - money, clothes, cars, whatever it applies.

I am sorry this happened and it stinks but the reality is "people can be something we would never expect out of ourselves."

[Zu Zu]

I would suck it up and next time take photos of the saddles and agree with the person on trial what they looked like, write it down, have them sign, and get a deposit.

My philosophy in life is - never lend anything unless you plan to give it away.

That's even the advice I give my kids - money, clothes, cars, whatever it applies.

I am sorry this happened and it stinks but the reality is "people can be something we would never expect out of ourselves."

I like this post how very true ~

[crosscreeksh]

Damn if I'd suck up the loss!! At the least she should pay the difference between the condition when she took the saddle to try and the present condition like Trakgirl said. You didn't LOAN the saddle..you sent it on trial (#1 mistake in my book, but...).
Any tack shop that sends saddles on trial gets a check to hold for the full amount...break it, damage it...you just bought it!! As far as working together...YOU have nothing to be ashamed of!!! SHE damaged YOUR saddle!! Good luck!

[doublesstable]

You didn't LOAN the saddle..you sent it on trial

That's the problem IMHO, she DID LOAN it. If she had it on "trial" she would have taken a deposit and had an agreement just like you said a tack store would.

Again, it "sucks" either way....

[twobays]

You can ask her to do the stand-up thing and buy the saddle, but she isn't under any obligation to do that. She's a coworker, so I'm sure you tried to keep everything low-key and not ask for a deposit/have something in writing when she took them on trial, but in doing so you didn't really protect yourself from this kind of situation.

You don't really have any legal right to demand money from her, so I'd just let it go. As much as it sucks to have to eat the damages, you don't want to start an office conflict with this woman. Consider it a lesson learned.

[BAC]

Personally, if it were me...I would ask that person to buy at least the CC saddle she dinged up. And she knows there is damage - otherwise, she wouldn't have left the door open ("if there is damage, let me know"). . . .Up to her - she can buy the saddle or she can pay for damages.

This. Don't accept anything less, she knows there is damage and is hoping to get off easy.