5 Stage Vettings - how many pass?

OldNag

OldNag

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I don't know if there is an answer for this, been trying to find out. Does anyone have an idea (personal experience or stats) roughly what percentage of horses going through a 5 Stage vetting "pass"?

I have only had 2 stage ones done so have no experience.

Thank you.
 
I can only answer by experience. I've had 4, 5 stage vettings done on 3 different ponies/horses. 2 passed first time (well nothing came up that would affect the use). A pony of mine "failed" - had a slight reaction on flexion test done on rubble (where vet insisted it was done) & potential buyer walked away. Not long after the same pony was vetted again with another vet who refused to do the flexion test on rubble & did it on concrete instead & he "passed". Eta the vet that was used when he failed has a reputation for having a high flexion test 'fail' rate x
 
I've had one pass with flying colours and the other the vet failed him at the 2 stage point so we didn't continue to the 5 stage and I walked away from that sale. I think it all depends on the horse and the vet. I trust my vet and lucky that they travelled to vet both horses who were miles away.
 
I'll be honest, I've never had a horse vetted. However, I've also known all of my horses before I bought them, so the ones that did have physical problems I already knew about them.

With clients, who often are spending a LOT of money on horses out there at high level doing the job, they often don't bother with vetting - if they're doing the job consistently, well and winning/placing then they snap them up.

A youngster, or an unknown quantity, I probably would though.

ETA I meant to add, that as many vets will tell you, flexions tests are very subjective, both in how they are judged and how they are done. % different vets will all tell you something different from watching the same flexion test - and it's very easy to *make* a horse lame or sound using them. X-rays etc all very useful, but if the fail was down to a low level flexion test I wouldn't be too worried.

The biggest problem is insurance. Hence why I don't get mine vetted at all - I just get a vet friend to come with me to view and warn me of anything I really need to know about.
 
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:o In my own recent experience, 20%:confused::o. But then again, my very random sample of failed vettings only had their age in common (Norfolk, 6 yo 16.0hh gelding ISH x WB; Essex, 6yo 16.1hh mare, KWPN; Warwickshire, 6 yo 16.2hh mare ID x TB; Cambridgeshire, 6yo 15.3hh mare, ISH x WB). And they were the 4 I attempted to buy of 20 odd I tried. I failed a good few 100 more on video whilst looking.

It's so subjective, isn't it? The vet, the amount of work, the scope of work, the work requirement, the length of the flexions, the camber of the ground.... I know someone who has competed for Team GB at junior level and her little horse failed a pre-purchase vet three times in a three month period. Then she positively flew the Team GB vet checks.
 
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