Good afternoon -
In November last year, we verbally engaged a horse training to break in our 3-year-old gelding.
There is no signed agreement. The understanding at the time was that the horse would be broken to saddle over the coming months. In late February, we expressed our concern with the progress on the horse as the trainer indicated that the amount due at that stage was $1600. The horse was not even broken to halter - we still can not even catch him.
We have felt this is unfair as the standard cost for a horse fully broken to saddle in our area ranges from $1300 through to a maximum of around $1800. The horse trainer contacted us via phone today requesting that we come and pick up the horse as he does not have time to complete the contract . He also informed us we now owe him $1750. The horse is still not able to be caught.
When we said we felt that was unfair we were told we could not come and get the horse till the $1700 is paid . What we need to know is - can we simply go and collect the horse and dispute the cost following that under Australian Consumer Law? What do we do in terms of negotiating the cost?
We want to go and collect the horse and take it to another trainer.
Thanks
In November last year, we verbally engaged a horse training to break in our 3-year-old gelding.
There is no signed agreement. The understanding at the time was that the horse would be broken to saddle over the coming months. In late February, we expressed our concern with the progress on the horse as the trainer indicated that the amount due at that stage was $1600. The horse was not even broken to halter - we still can not even catch him.
We have felt this is unfair as the standard cost for a horse fully broken to saddle in our area ranges from $1300 through to a maximum of around $1800. The horse trainer contacted us via phone today requesting that we come and pick up the horse as he does not have time to complete the contract . He also informed us we now owe him $1750. The horse is still not able to be caught.
When we said we felt that was unfair we were told we could not come and get the horse till the $1700 is paid . What we need to know is - can we simply go and collect the horse and dispute the cost following that under Australian Consumer Law? What do we do in terms of negotiating the cost?
We want to go and collect the horse and take it to another trainer.
Thanks