very nice guide, but besides of npcing there's another way to pop, that you didnt include any ways to avoid it, i'll write it down here hoping you'll it to ur post ......dont forget Adding a credit
ok, this method isnt as widespread as NPCing but i still lost my trade 4 times before i figured out what to do to stop it.
ok here it goes- ur doing ur trade run with ur trade horse when suddenly a player without thief suit, unjobbed starts attacking you, and becomes purple, attacking him will NOT inflict any serious damage at him, what he is hoping to do is to leave ur horse with a little bit hp then run and let the mobs finish it off for him. and then wait for his purple stats to vanish
now, there is NO way to save your trade horse, dont pill it, you'll have to hope he messes up and becomes murderer, meanwhile, attack him, and after he kills ur horse keep attacking him, DO NOT LET GO, the thief wont attack you and become murderer, if he does, you lost 0.05 exp but he wont be able to loot ur stuff and is probably gonna have his character messed up
just keep attacking untill u think he lets go of it, if u chase him like that for a while he'll reallise it wont work on you
just remember dont try to save ur horse you'll most likely fail this and that'll leave him time to run away and lose his purple stats