I replied to an advertisement for a Jaguar saddle being sold by Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton. Over the course of several weeks, we corresponded via email. I asked specifically about the condition of the saddle and was informed by Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton that it was in perfect, mint condition. Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton represented the saddle as being owned by Royal Oak Sales, a business jointly owned by Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton and her husband.
I agreed to purchase the saddle and agreed to pay an amount that was fair for a saddle in excellent condition. We specifically discussed and agreed that I could return the saddle for any reason, if it did not suit my purposes. We did not set any time limit on the return. Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton represented that she was having difficulties with PayPal, so I sent her a personal check (as she requested) in the amount of $1,600 plus shipping as negotiated. She cashed the check, and it cleared, almost immediately.
For many weeks, Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton failed to ship the saddle. She ignored my emails and telephone calls. Only after I called her husband, to co-owner of the business, did I get any response. He indicated that this had happened many times prior. He assured me that the saddle would be shipped. Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton sent me fraudulent shipping receipts from the U.S. Postal Service, but when I called the U.S. Postal Service, I was told that no package had been sent. Only after I threatened to file suit, did Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton ship the saddle. It is my personal opinion that if I had not informed her that I am a lawyer, she would have sent nothing at all. Her actions certainly indicated as such.
In the meantime, I did some research and located approximately 5-7 other people who had been similarly treated by Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton. I also found several people who had had negative experiencing purchasing horses from Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton. One victim sued Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton and was successful. One of the persons I contacted was a former client of Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton. That client had ridden in the saddle which I purchased from Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton. The client notified me that the saddle was not in excellent condition, rather that it had large areas of damage.
The saddle arrived approximately two weeks from the time it had been allegedly sent by Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton. I emphasize that I did not hold the saddle for two weeks before I again contacted Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton, that is how long it took the saddle to arrive. Moreover, Contrary to our agreement, Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton sent the saddle an extremely slow method of shipping which was responsible for the delay.
I opened the package and discovered that the saddle was damaged, and was not as represented. The damage could not have occurred in shipping, as was exactly as the former client had indicated. I demanded a refund in exchange for return of the saddle. Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton refused to accept return of the saddle. Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton acknowledged some of the damage and stated that she sent a missing piece from the saddle. That missing piece never arrived.
I have reported Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton to various state agencies and to the applicable police department. I have also notified Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton that I may initiate a civil suit against Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton, Royal Oaks Sales, and the co-owner of the business. I reserve my right to do so, and the fact that I have not done so to date is of no merit. At this juncture, it appears that Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton is insolvent and that additional efforts to collect damages would be futile.
Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton's interpretation of the facts is divergent from reality. She may very well believe the things she has written in rebuttal to other complaints. I am sure she will come up with a creative rebuttal to this complaint. I cannot fault her creativity, it is endless. Her reading comprehension appears to be less skilled. You can draw your own conclusions regarding her integrity.
I would not advise that anyone do business with Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton or any of her business entities. If you research, you will find a string of experiences that mirror mine. You can also easily find the civil case filed against Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton in California and the judgment against her.
If you contact the better business bureau, I suspect you will find additional complaints. There are two other reports on this very site, and a blog created to discuss a negative horse purchase regarding a horse she sold. Contrary to Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton's belief, I am not the author of any of the other public complaints on this site (she seems to believe I've authored the complaint signed by Jean, but that is not the case). Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton slides under the radar because she is aware that the police and attorney general are unlikely to investigate individual complaints with low dollar values. Therefore, because Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton's victims have not joined together to make a formal request from law enforcement, they are unaware of the scope of Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton's actions.
I urge you to avoid doing business with Ms. Bridgeman-Sutton and to immediately contact the police and/or an attorney if you are involved in a fraudulent transaction with her.
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