Buyer Beware. Horses Deserve a Second Chance run by Nicole Hiliard, formerly known as Nicole McFarland and her husband, sell horses as beginner safe, bomb proof, safe, safe, safe, phenominal trail horse...which are all lies to just make a quick buck. She makes videos of the horses which are sedated. She has you pay via paypal, and upon delivery of the horse, she immediately has you sign a contract before she even unloads the horse!
The horse is sedated upon arrival and when I went to ride the horse, he was very spooky and jumped all around. I tried for several weeks to ride this horse and just could not stay on him for even 50 feet. He was sold to me as beginner safe, laid back boy, safe for anybody to ride! Nicole got very nasty when I contacted her. Then I did more indepth internet searching and I didn't have to search very long to find that thousands are in the same boat.
She claims she cannot guarantee the horse to be beginner safe or safe for anybody to ride, yet this is how she advertises her horses for the quick sale! She is a horse trader. She gets her horses from New Holland horse auction and sells them in less than a week. She doesn't "train" them as she claims. She has a small place and cannot keep the number of horses she sells in a week at her place. She literally buys them for 200-500 dollars and sells them for over 1,000...usually 1500+ Please do your research BEFORE you buy and become her next victim.
I too, have been a complete victim of Nicole Hillard (McFarland). She guaranteed me that a horse I bought from her, would be exactly what I wanted. I asked all of the right questions, and she clearly lied to me from the start. I bought my horse site unseen, and as I mentioned, Nicole assured me that everything she told me was the truth.
When I arrived to pick up the horse, he was extremely under weight. They take very poor care of their horses, and it shows with every single sale they have. Secondly, I found out that she falsy writes down that they have had their hooves trimmed, teeth done, and shots given. Nicole drugs these horses with bottles of Ace, and tries to administer the shots herself. These are not correct, and extremely unsafe for the horses!
The horse I picked up is extremely aggressive with his back feet. She assured me that he had his back feet done, but it was a complete lie.
There was no way that they were completeled by anyone, he does not know any of the things she assured me he knew. She knew that she could lie her way through getting the horse sold, and out of her way.
Not only did she collect my money (as a "gift" option on paypal) because she doesn't want to get fees, or have the buyer take their payment away, but she also charges PA sales tax. The tax law states that only horses sold within the state to another PA resident should get taxed. She was completely aware of this, yet insisted on getting it. I think it was just another way for her to collect more money that she was not entitled to.
When I approached her about my problems with the new horse she assured would be "perfect", she told me to sell him on Craigs list. I have screen shots to prove it. She does not care about these horses, or their well being at all! She is a cruel, deceptive woman who should be charged with tax fraud.
I would never allow anyone else to purchase a horse from her. She is 100% scam artist.
Just backed out of a potential disaster sale after reading this and several others - jist wanted to say thanknyou for posting your experiences. Im so sorry that u were taken advantage of like that, but, truly grateful you posted bc it appears you and the ither posters saved me from a similar experience
I bought an Andalusian mare from horses deserve a second chance a month ago. Adelina is a sweet, sweet horse. There have been several problems though with Nicole Hilliard who's maiden name I have since learn was McFarland.
First, I live in NY. Pennsylvania tax code clearly states that sales tax is only to be collected on horses sold withIN the state. I discussed this with Nicole, before I paid Nicole and took delivery of the horse. She seemed confident she needed to collect the tax. So I sent a copy of the tax code, clearly highlighted to show only horses sold within the state need to be taxed when I sent payment in full with the tax. I asked her to look into it and have her attorney or accountant explain it to her as she was collecting a tax illegally, and then refund my money. She promptly responded she had an appt with her accountant within a week. That was a few weeks ago, as I hadn't heard back from her I contacted her a few days ago, Her response was just NASTY.
Issue number 2. Adelina's feet were done on Monday per Nicole, special for the purchase. She was delivered on the Friday of that week to me. Two weeks later the farrier is out at my barn. He doesn't like the looks of Adelina. Her back feet he states have not been done for at least 6 months. He never took so much frog off of a horse. Trapped in all that frog was a stone not far from becoming an abscess. He also states she has a suspensory ligament problem near where it branches which is devastating. Now Nicole said she had her for 3 months. Nicole never had her feet trimmed on that Monday. She never had her feet trimmed in those 3 months, because she never had her for 3 months!!!! She told me several times she had got her feet done and in writing. This makes me think she could care less about the horses.
Issue number 3. Nicole was to deliver the horse for the sale price. Instead, she contracts it out. I live 5 hours away from her. She had someone pick up the horse on Thursday, which Nicole lets slip out. Who knows where this horse spent the night. She was to arrive at 2:30. It was 9 pm before they arrive, with just 3 short texts complaining of breakdowns in a 30 year old truck and trailer. Nicole called them friends but they claim they know nothing of Nicole.
Nicole sells a lot of horses that she says she trains. I find this impossible. I have seen her barn and place, she has just 2 small paddocks and 3 stalls??? She is just spinning them out and will tell you anything.
Stay away!! Find someone more reputable, look her up on ripoff.com under Nicole McFarland her maiden name I have since learned.
I have purchased two horses from Horses Deserve a Second Chance. The horses were delivered EXACTLY as promised and they were exactly as represented. The first was under weight and feet needed to be done. But that was discussed before the sale. Both horses are safe for my "beginner" wife to ride. I use both horses for mounted patrol. They will ride through fireworks, flares, heavy traffic and have never spooked. I have even fired live fire at the range off both of these horses. I think where some folks go wrong they think a beginner safe horse is like a carnival ride. A beginner safe horse is a horse safe to take lessons from an instructor not a horse where you try to teach yourself how to ride. I will buy again from Horses Deserve a Second Chance.....
Google her, Nicole Hilliard or Nicole McFarland, on consumer warning pages. There is also a page on Facebook that has a lot of sad stories about horses from HDSC (called Bad Horse Dealers). Horses are falsely advertised. Be very careful.
Horses Deserve A Second Chance Reviews
Buyer Beware. Horses Deserve a Second Chance run by Nicole Hiliard, formerly known as Nicole McFarland and her husband, sell horses as beginner safe, bomb proof, safe, safe, safe, phenominal trail horse...which are all lies to just make a quick buck. She makes videos of the horses which are sedated. She has you pay via paypal, and upon delivery of the horse, she immediately has you sign a contract before she even unloads the horse!
The horse is sedated upon arrival and when I went to ride the horse, he was very spooky and jumped all around. I tried for several weeks to ride this horse and just could not stay on him for even 50 feet. He was sold to me as beginner safe, laid back boy, safe for anybody to ride! Nicole got very nasty when I contacted her. Then I did more indepth internet searching and I didn't have to search very long to find that thousands are in the same boat.
She claims she cannot guarantee the horse to be beginner safe or safe for anybody to ride, yet this is how she advertises her horses for the quick sale! She is a horse trader. She gets her horses from New Holland horse auction and sells them in less than a week. She doesn't "train" them as she claims. She has a small place and cannot keep the number of horses she sells in a week at her place. She literally buys them for 200-500 dollars and sells them for over 1,000...usually 1500+ Please do your research BEFORE you buy and become her next victim.
I too, have been a complete victim of Nicole Hillard (McFarland). She guaranteed me that a horse I bought from her, would be exactly what I wanted. I asked all of the right questions, and she clearly lied to me from the start. I bought my horse site unseen, and as I mentioned, Nicole assured me that everything she told me was the truth.
When I arrived to pick up the horse, he was extremely under weight. They take very poor care of their horses, and it shows with every single sale they have. Secondly, I found out that she falsy writes down that they have had their hooves trimmed, teeth done, and shots given. Nicole drugs these horses with bottles of Ace, and tries to administer the shots herself. These are not correct, and extremely unsafe for the horses!
The horse I picked up is extremely aggressive with his back feet. She assured me that he had his back feet done, but it was a complete lie.
There was no way that they were completeled by anyone, he does not know any of the things she assured me he knew. She knew that she could lie her way through getting the horse sold, and out of her way.
Not only did she collect my money (as a "gift" option on paypal) because she doesn't want to get fees, or have the buyer take their payment away, but she also charges PA sales tax. The tax law states that only horses sold within the state to another PA resident should get taxed. She was completely aware of this, yet insisted on getting it. I think it was just another way for her to collect more money that she was not entitled to.
When I approached her about my problems with the new horse she assured would be "perfect", she told me to sell him on Craigs list. I have screen shots to prove it. She does not care about these horses, or their well being at all! She is a cruel, deceptive woman who should be charged with tax fraud.
I would never allow anyone else to purchase a horse from her. She is 100% scam artist.
Thank u
Just backed out of a potential disaster sale after reading this and several others - jist wanted to say thanknyou for posting your experiences. Im so sorry that u were taken advantage of like that, but, truly grateful you posted bc it appears you and the ither posters saved me from a similar experience
I bought an Andalusian mare from horses deserve a second chance a month ago. Adelina is a sweet, sweet horse. There have been several problems though with Nicole Hilliard who's maiden name I have since learn was McFarland.
First, I live in NY. Pennsylvania tax code clearly states that sales tax is only to be collected on horses sold withIN the state. I discussed this with Nicole, before I paid Nicole and took delivery of the horse. She seemed confident she needed to collect the tax. So I sent a copy of the tax code, clearly highlighted to show only horses sold within the state need to be taxed when I sent payment in full with the tax. I asked her to look into it and have her attorney or accountant explain it to her as she was collecting a tax illegally, and then refund my money. She promptly responded she had an appt with her accountant within a week. That was a few weeks ago, as I hadn't heard back from her I contacted her a few days ago, Her response was just NASTY.
Issue number 2. Adelina's feet were done on Monday per Nicole, special for the purchase. She was delivered on the Friday of that week to me. Two weeks later the farrier is out at my barn. He doesn't like the looks of Adelina. Her back feet he states have not been done for at least 6 months. He never took so much frog off of a horse. Trapped in all that frog was a stone not far from becoming an abscess. He also states she has a suspensory ligament problem near where it branches which is devastating. Now Nicole said she had her for 3 months. Nicole never had her feet trimmed on that Monday. She never had her feet trimmed in those 3 months, because she never had her for 3 months!!!! She told me several times she had got her feet done and in writing. This makes me think she could care less about the horses.
Issue number 3. Nicole was to deliver the horse for the sale price. Instead, she contracts it out. I live 5 hours away from her. She had someone pick up the horse on Thursday, which Nicole lets slip out. Who knows where this horse spent the night. She was to arrive at 2:30. It was 9 pm before they arrive, with just 3 short texts complaining of breakdowns in a 30 year old truck and trailer. Nicole called them friends but they claim they know nothing of Nicole.
Nicole sells a lot of horses that she says she trains. I find this impossible. I have seen her barn and place, she has just 2 small paddocks and 3 stalls??? She is just spinning them out and will tell you anything.
Stay away!! Find someone more reputable, look her up on ripoff.com under Nicole McFarland her maiden name I have since learned.
I have two !
I have purchased two horses from Horses Deserve a Second Chance. The horses were delivered EXACTLY as promised and they were exactly as represented. The first was under weight and feet needed to be done. But that was discussed before the sale. Both horses are safe for my "beginner" wife to ride. I use both horses for mounted patrol. They will ride through fireworks, flares, heavy traffic and have never spooked. I have even fired live fire at the range off both of these horses. I think where some folks go wrong they think a beginner safe horse is like a carnival ride. A beginner safe horse is a horse safe to take lessons from an instructor not a horse where you try to teach yourself how to ride. I will buy again from Horses Deserve a Second Chance.....
Do NOT recommend
Google her, Nicole Hilliard or Nicole McFarland, on consumer warning pages. There is also a page on Facebook that has a lot of sad stories about horses from HDSC (called Bad Horse Dealers). Horses are falsely advertised. Be very careful.
Do NOT do it. Do NOT fall for it
She is a conartist and she is good at it. Do your research. You will be sorry if you buy from this place. Misrepresented horses for big profits.