2 or 5 stage vetting for a 2yr old?

lottiepony

lottiepony

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Which would you do? Or have you had done? Due to his age the strenuous work part, for the 5 stage, could be done by him being loose schooled couldn't it? He will be vetted as will need to be insured just trying to work out best option, cost makes no difference to me more that I do the right thing!
 
For an unbroken 2 yo I wouldn't really bother unless it's a very expensive horse. Edited to add out my numptyness - thought you got x-rays with 5* XD I bought my own 2y/o unvetted and he's going strong 8 years later :)
 
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Merlod said:
For an unbroken 2 yo i'd either go for 5 or nothing depending on the value of the horse. If he's not in work and seems sound a 2 isn't going to show much but with a 5 you will get x-rays etc so more idea of future soundness/ workload.
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You dont get xrays with a 5* vetting! You will have to do them seperate and at a cost. .
2 * is fine as its unlikely the 2yo will be experienced on the lunge enough to get any value from a 5* Agree though on the not ,I never have or insurance! Some insurance will cover them up to a certain value without a vetting.
 
ester said:
Depends how much the 2 year old is/what wanted it for.
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He's decent money hence the vetting :) He will become my all-rounder as it were so competing at riding club level, doing whatever takes our fancy - going higher in the levels if he's proves himself special in whatever discipline. I'm swinging towards the 5 stage.
 
I would get my vet to 2 stage and go to watch being prepared to add in stages if anything showed that caused concern, that would include being prepared to xray if there was a reason to do so, that said if it is only being aimed at RC level then I would probably not be paying enough to justify spending too much on a vetting, if under £5k most companies will not expect any more than a 2 stage for a young horse and I know enough to have been able to pick up anything to be worried about including seeing it loose and listening to it's wind while it moved.
 
Stage 2 - for something that is so young, they are not going to be able to work normally or sensibly on the lunge so chances are it wont be a very accurate stage 5 anyway. I had my yearling stage 2 vetted, and x-rayed on advice of the vet to check out the stifles as I want him for dressage purposes. Knowing how my boy has grown (he is 3 next week), when he was 2 he was awfully funny looking, very bum high, and front feet deviating outwards a touch so had I bothered having him vetted last year I bet he would have failed! Now he has filled out the deviation has gone (farrier said outward deviation is actually good in a youngsters front legs, as it means there is room for the shoulders to broaden and for him to muscle up in the front - if they are perfectly straight too young then when they fill out they often can deviate inwards which is worse).

If he's to be used for riding club and maybe a bit more depending on how well he does, then its not like he's for advanced/serious competition so a 5 stage seems a bit unnecessary when chances are the results will be skewed by a wonky, still growing 2 year old.

Insurers only ask for a 2 stage if the horse is unbroken and under 3 - so I dont think you'd gain anything from a 5, other than walking away from a good horse down to it still growing!
 
Stage 2, I think stage 5 would be a bit much for an unbroken youngster, insurance companies don't generally ask for more than a stage 2 for babies.
 
LJR said:
Another who would have a two stage vetting done, unless the youngster was a lot of money - then I would add x-rays.
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I honestly doubt the value of xrays in one that age anyhow as they will not have finished growing. in one that age if it had anything that caused doubts I just wouldnt buy it there are plenty of good ones out there!
 
If anyone wanted a 5 stage on one of my 2 year olds, it would come off the market (to them) damn quick. A 5 stage requires working to the point of puff - I wouldn't allow it to be lunged that much - and if you free school a youngster hard enough for the purpose - chances are he wouldn't be caught at the end!
 
I would tell my vet to do as much or as little as they felt happy to do however I always say I don't want them to chase young horses around doing the wind test as unless they have been prepared well by the vendor for the experiance it just gives the youngster a bad experience you then have to deal with.
I won't buy a horse that has not been flexed and had the hoof testers used on it .
 
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