Absolute Nightmare selling pony

Sirreal

Sirreal

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Pony was advertised about a month ago on the Pony Club website. 13.2hh, 9yrs old Welsh C x Arab. Very well schooled, works in an outline, done everything, Pony Club camp, funrides, eventing, dressage, even polo, and competed to 1m showjumping. Basically, a fun kids pony, will be super forward going if you ask him, likewise will take care of a less experienced rider.

Well, we had several people come and see him, and one family liked him very much, for their 10 year old daughter. We took him up to their yard (at their home) the next week for her to have a lesson on him, and Pony didn't put a foot wrong, she was very confident on him, even rode him in the field, which was something she was scared of doing.

Agreed to let them have pony on trial, for a week, as we felt they would provide him with the best home, and likewise wanted to make sure they clicked with him. They rang us up every day, telling us how well behaved he is, and how much their daughter loved him, etc, they took him hacking, had lessons and went to a 2 day Pony club mini camp thing. Pony behaved perfectly, and they decided they very much did want him: people at the Pony Club had commented on how beautiful he was, and how nicely he moved.

Got him vetted last Monday, and of course pony goes and bloody fails :mad: the vet was allowing for 2 strides of lameness, and on the very last leg, his near hind, he trotted lame (only very VERY slightly) for 3 strides instead of 2. the vet has apparently diagnosed 2 weeks rest (...why?:confused:) and after that, they want to work him for another 10 days and then vet him again, and if he fails again, no matter how slightly, they aren't going to have him. This is SO FRUSTRATING!!!!! If we take him back now, we've got to go through the whole advertising thing again, when he's been very happy with them for the last 2 weeks, and canters over to the daughter in the field, neighing, and would really love to live there. However, allowing them to keep him for this period of time (over a month and he's been "on rest" for a week) means that should he fail, they'll have had a free pony for over a month. And I'll have to start again, when the whole reason for selling him was to have a horse to compete with over the summer, and we cannot afford 2.

I had him for 5 years, and during that time, he's had no problem with lameness, been lame about twice, from falling over a jump :cool: and NEVER on that leg. Their vet says they're very nervous, and really are being over cautious, as they only want to use him for light schooling and hacking, and our vet has told them he's never had a call out for anything other than injections in all the time we've owned him, and never had a problem before that either!!!

There's not a lot of point to this post, I'm just so despondent at these things going wrong, and also have no idea how to handle the situation re. what to do with them keeping him for all that time. So anyone who's read this, please, help yourself to my hot chocolate....
 
Well I can't say no to hot chocolate!

I know what you mean and is it only me but a vetting "failed" on something so minor just used to be used as a bargaining tool to get a couple of quid off the asking price, especially for a pc pony or a hack. I guess all you can do is hope that by the end of the month the daughter will have fallen hopelessly in love with your pony and will use pester power to full effect ;)
 
I was hoping for that :p She already cried at school because she thought she'd get home and we'd have taken him away....They also said, if he hasn't got a cert that he's passed, then they can't insure him? is this true? :confused:
 
Sadly it is. Some insurers require that the horse / pony pass a 5 stage vetting before agreeing to insure. However if they shop about a bit more - and I would reccommend SEIB - they will find insurance schemes that will accept him either unvetted or with exclusions on the limb that failed the test.

Big Hugs - sounds like a horrible situation for both you and the poor daughter in the new family too.
 
I feel for youm it is so frustrating when really thgere is nothing wrong with the pony at all, Flexions are so irritating as it all deoends on the individual vet as to whether they 'pas' or fail.

With regards to the insurance though that is a load of rubbish about not being able to insure a horse. It does depend on age, value and how the the person has owned the horse as to whether a vet cert is required but unless the horse is over certain sum insured bands (which differs with each insurer) then often a vetting is not asked for and even if one was required the worst that would happen is that something that was picked up by the vet or what the horse 'failed' on woukd be excluded. It does NOT mean you cannot insure the horse.
 
Thanks, I thought that you didn't have to have a vet certificate if it was under a certain value, or that part would be excluded etc...
Our friend, who is a vet, gave him a very thorough going over for us (albeit after we bought him) and said there's no doubt he's pass if she vetted him, but we didn't actually get him vetted, and had always managed to insure him. This is extra annoying, as he passed a flexion test two weeks prior to them having him on trial :( and although they know this, still won't buy him unless he passes with their vet. They are novice horse owners, their older daughter (12) has a pony, but haven't had any others. I think they think if he hasn't passed, he must have something drastically wrong with him :rolleyes:

You can all have whippy cream with said hot chocolate as well :p
 
My advice would be to take the pony back now. All the time he is at this 'trial' home, something could happen to him and you would be in a worse situation. He sounds an excellent pony so you should have no trouble selling him, without losing any more time. If the triallers really want him, they will maybe make you an offer, which you may opt to take.
 
I agree with taking him back! A similar thing happened with my step-daughter, they kept umm-ing and ahhmm-ing over silly little things and she could have sold it 3 times in that time....so she called them and said she was fetching the pony home! Her pony had failed on some 'lameness' thing too......when she did sell it on, the pony passed that vetting fine!
 
We rang them, and have decided that we're giving them one last chance, as Pony does seem happy with the child :/
They're having him vetted on Friday again, and deciding there and then whether they're having him, and if not we're collecting him on Saturday morning :/

It's difficult, because we want to sell him to them, so it's a careful balance between giving them leeway and making it seem as though they are getting what they want, and at the same time, trying to not let them push us around. Then if we end up taking him home, will just have to do everything to make sure he is okay.

Does anyone else think they are being "over cautious", taking into account how with another vet he could have passed, and it was very slight lameness etc? Or is it just me? Given that they had various contacts so know pretty much the pony's whole history, as well as having spoken to my vet, etc, I don't think it'd put me off, or am I just being horribly naive? :confused:
 
I too would take him back, you have been more than fair with them. As already said what he needs vet treatment or they injure him? I had a simlar situation and when the buyers realised wasn't going to be messed around they made up their mnd to have him. They really love him.
Just read your post they are being extremely overcautious, i would buy him given what you have said
 
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I don't think they are being over cautious.

and technically speaking if they have had him vetted regardless of value they are supposed to declare that to the insurers so yes they do have a point there.

Just think if you bought a horse that failed a vetting and a few weeks in a problem arose. It is probably just as hard for them to know what to do for the best too :) I hope he passes on Friday :D
 
You should declare vet's findings on a vetting yes but, if another vet passes him on his next vetting and no reason could be found for thr previous 'fail' then it is irrelevant and still, it doesn't matter if the horse fails a vetting it doesn't stop it being insured.

I think theybare being over-cautious BUT that is coming from a maybe more experienced horse owner who now knows a bit more about vettings, their findings and what it may or may not mean. However, they are, as you say, not experienced so i can see why they may be concerned. Over the years many horses we've had vetted have failed and we didn't buy because of that. We never thought to question the vet about it. Nowadays I probably would. If they are prepared to have it vetted again then let them do that. If it passes great, if not then take it back as you have arranged.
 
oh yes agreed if he passes next vetting previous one won't be a problem but I can understand why they would want him vetted again :). and yes I do think depending on your level of experience depends on how you take vettings too.
 
ladyt25 said:
I feel for youm it is so frustrating when really thgere is nothing wrong with the pony at all, Flexions are so irritating as it all deoends on the individual vet as to whether they 'pas' or fail.

With regards to the insurance though that is a load of rubbish about not being able to insure a horse. It does depend on age, value and how the the person has owned the horse as to whether a vet cert is required but unless the horse is over certain sum insured bands (which differs with each insurer) then often a vetting is not asked for and even if one was required the worst that would happen is that something that was picked up by the vet or what the horse 'failed' on woukd be excluded. It does NOT mean you cannot insure the horse.
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Last November I was getting insurance quotes prior to purchase. I found that new owners, who have not insured a pony before, for some insurers HAVE to have a 5 stage vetting, and I was told by one insurer (can't recall which) they wouldn't necessarily insure us unless it passed a 5 stage.
 
This exact same thing happened to my friend when she was selling her PC pony a few months ago. Thet came to our yard nd tried him 3 times, then had a lesson with their PC instuctor on him, then they took him on 2 weeks trial where he behaved beautifully, they took him to 2 rallies as well then he failed the vetting on flexion but only very slighly lame on a circle on concrete. they then deliberated for another 10 days as to whether or not to have him and my friend was in a real quandry as they were nice people and the home was perfect for him, but she also needed to sell him and didnt want to wait too long before she readvertised him (plus they had him for free for all the easter hols!) In the end they did buy him, they just haggled a bit off the price. He is happy as larry with them, and he hasnt been lame at all since he has been there. Good luck!!
 
im sorry but hes failed a vet ...........
why should they want him ?
lots of peiole on here advise to walk away when its a horse thats failed.
so why any different with your pony ?
if hes failed hes failed
doesnt matter what you say
 
Have a friend who regularly sells horses.She has ad horses fail a flexion test for one vet and pass it with flying colours a week latter.Having said that if I wanted a horse that had passed the flexion test I would try and haggle a bit off.
 
Take the pony back. They can always have it re-vetted in a fortnight - but from your home.

For what it's worth, I would only allow a pony out on trail if it was vetted prior to leaving my yard.....
 
Agree it is a nightmare. I sold a cob last year that had failed a flexion test in the spring. I had my vet come out to look at him with regard to diagnosis and treatment (the vet doing the vetting thought catrophen injections were needed and I wasnt convinced) she tested him and he was sound:confused:
I gave him some time to chill out in the field and sold him later on, telling the buyer about this which was considered in the buying arrangements. He hasnt had a days lameness for 8 months since...
I can appreciate the dilemma for the novice owners, but didnt the vet say the pony was still fit for purpose (PC and hacking). Such a shame when the rider gets on with the pony and your vet can give a good reference too.
 
amymay said:
Take the pony back. They can always have it re-vetted in a fortnight - but from your home.

For what it's worth, I would only allow a pony out on trail if it was vetted prior to leaving my yard.....
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That is a very good point. It could be that the 'lameness' was caused by their own treatment of the pony...
 
but the insurance company will still ask you if you had it vetted.... if you say no and don't disclose the failed vetting will that not automatically void your insurance?
 
For what its worth, a pony who failed a flexion test I would be wary of when buying (less so if it were 12yrs or older, much moreso if it was 5 or 6yo).
Recently, we had a fab PC eventing pony/WH pony who had failed a flexion the day before. Vet who vetted it had said pony was sound in straight line prior to flexion. Pony trotted up for us 1/10 on a hindlimb - 2/10 consistently after flexion. o said pony had hopped 3 legged after flexion previous day. Couldnt isolate problem through nerver blocking same day so pony cme back next day - 4/10 lame in straight line. Dx is suspensory tear and stifle arthritis(took 2 nerve blocks to become sound).
And all this from a pony who was according to a very good equine vet, 100% sound prior to flexion! I would be damn glad I hadnt bought it!

ETS: If a horse I seriously liked failed on flexion and I was still interested I would be looking for a scan or hock rads at least.
 
Think they need to take into account what they want him for - in your OP you said light schooling and hacking - so I don't see any problems. If however they wanted a top PC/jumping pony to take to the top then I would say stay well away!

We bought a pony with COPD as he suited our purposes - he can do the job we wanted him to do no problem!
 
Based on what they want him for, I think they are being excessively cautious. It took him 3 strides to come "sound" instead of the arbitrary 2 the vet had decreed... Bit excessive if you ask me, for what is basically going to be a kids hack, not a serious competition pony.

I had one vetted who failed the flexion test, I got the vet to explain it to me in words of one syllable. That pony was still lame 15 strides later, so a bit different to yours. He got sent back, he's never had any trouble at all with that leg, although has has turned into a full blown head shaker, so I'm glad I did walk away.
 
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