advice needed - horse vetting failed

X-ray the horse if you love him that much. In the scheme of things X-rays must be pennies surely?!

I'd also put horse one with a trainer who got him over these phobias. I know you will probably say its what PREs are like (and I have never owned one so what would I know), but I know sometimes people/trainers get hung up on breed traits and allow unacceptable behaviour.
 
I would also make a buyer have their own X-rays done. I have had a few vetted myself by my own vet. Worked out about £900 including full vet, all X-rays and his travel there. My vet is very good and also happy to go vet abroad and frequently does on clients behalf.
 
FfionWinnie said:
X-ray the horse if you love him that much. In the scheme of things X-rays must be pennies surely?!

I'd also put horse one with a trainer who got him over these phobias. I know you will probably say its what PREs are like (and I have never owned one so what would I know), but I know sometimes people/trainers get hung up on breed traits and allow unacceptable behaviour.
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Well it would not end up being pennies unfortunately. I thought it would to but by the time my vet explained what i should x ray plus the other hind to have something to compare it ended up being 38 x rays! So not cheap.

Oh my other boy I am really happy where he is. In fact his rider is totally fabulous and she is the only one he gels with out of many professional riders I have tried! They are doing really well and even competing together now, a great relationship! she very much does not let him get away with things so don't worry about that :)
 
JanetGeorge said:
That's pretty normal if a gelding is a real scaredy pants! We've backed quite a few colts - and the vast majority have been easy peasy! They are much less nervous - upset them and they'll fight you - but handled with tact they make progress quickly. There was one exception, but he was nearly as difficult after he was gelded! :rolleyes:
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Yeah it is hard as I do wonder now whether he would not have been such a wuss if I had kept him as a stallion. I only had him as a stallion for about a month I think it was or just under and he was nervous as I bought him quite unhandled. I will never know but what I do know is I should not have castrated him straight away, I have been told it would have been better to have left him as he knows himself when imported as so much to cope with, as different life over here then castrate some time later if needed.
 
Lol I think ffionwinnie was really trying to say that taking care of a lame horse could end up costing you many thousands of pounds and at some point you are probably going to need xrays anyway as and when you run into probs.

You don't really seem to be listening to any advice so for that reason, I am out

Good luck
 
I very much like the boys I'm afraid
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Take a chance - go and see the mares. You don't have to buy if you don't click with them. However your gelding is too sharp, the other male horse that you like is lame (don't buy him!). If you want to stick to this breed, then looking at mares too will widen the horses available.

The only reason that you don't know how wonderful mares are, is because you haven't ever owned one. :)
 
How do you know he's the perfect horse if you haven't seen him or sat on him? Adverts can say what they will, but for all you know, the horse might be as hot or hotter than the one you have now.
 
To be honest I think you are pretty much set on buying the horse and I think even if this thread reached 50 pages it wouldnt make a blind bit of difference

If you think he is the one then go for it
 
WelshD said:
To be honest I think you are pretty much set on buying the horse and I think even if this thread reached 50 pages it wouldnt make a blind bit of difference

If you think he is the one then go for it
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I would NEVER buy a horse in this situation unless it was investigated further. So my answer was should I continue to pursue him and not just buy him :)
 
Caol Ila said:
How do you know he's the perfect horse if you haven't seen him or sat on him? Adverts can say what they will, but for all you know, the horse might be as hot or hotter than the one you have now.
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Because the agent has been very honest with me about what he is like and knows what I want after months of us looking. Most of her others, well pretty much all of them really and not for me as I am after something not hot. This one would rather stop than spook. So pretty much isnt going to be like my current one!
 
Can I just point out a few things about the vetting process, generally and in this instance. . .


A vetting is not the same as a soundness work up. The usual procedure, if a horse comes up unsound, is to stop the vetting. Vettings are paid for by buyers, x-rays etc included. Sellers MAY provide X-rays and vetting results, say for sales or if the horse is with an agent, but even then the standard is to have ones own vet review the reports. Also, in those cases, there is usually a "cooling off" period during which a sale can be reversed and/or the sale is done under Trading Standards or the local equivalent, so the horse can be returned and there might even be the possibility of pursing damages if the information provided turns out to he incorrect.

In this case, none of that applies. It is up to you, OP, the buyer to get whatever tests done you want and once they are done, that's that. If the horse gets here and turns out to have another problem or is otherwise not what you are expecting, you will have no recourse.

Which brings up the next issue, not everything shows on X-rays. Even if you go all the way up, hoof to back, there is also the potential for soft tissue problems and even early arthritic changes can be tough to spot.

There is a world of difference between X-rays for a sound horse to try to guard against a silent issue and investigations to diagnose a particular problem.

In some cases, if the horse is quite likely to have some wear and tear, a vet may further investigate a dodgy flexion with further tests. Obviously decision making depends on the results. A top schoolmaster with some rough edges in its joints might very well still be a good bet with the proper management. A low mileage horse with similar X-rays might be more cause for concern.

Re buying a horse sight unseen. . . I won't lie, this does get done. But - and it's a massive but - this is usually for very young horses, bought mainly in their breeding or very specialised show horses procured through a network of agents and trainers, at least one of whom has a long term connection with the buyer and will be ultimately responsible for making sure the situation works out. It CAN work, if the horse is a very known quantity and the job is very well defined - say a YR horse or a top sj'er - but even then, in most cases a short list of horses is put together for the rider to try. Again, thorough vettings done by buyer.

Buying a horse to ride and have as your own personal horse on the advice of someone who has not seen you ride and does not have any responsibility once the horse gets home is a different deal entirely. Sure, the agent can tell you what the horse is like but how could he/she possibly know if the horse is for you??

I guess if you have a massive capacity for risk, you buy the horse and hope he is a) sound and b) suitable. Those do seem significant risks though, especially if you already have one horse you don't ride. Also, look at it from the horse's point of view. You are going to take him away from everything he knows and the environment he has been born and bred to thrive in, and move him to a completely different situation. I imported a horse from another climate and I would have to think long and hard before I did it again, as it's been very stressful for the horse. I know it gets done but you have to admit a private yard in Spain to one here is a big switch! To do something like that to a horse you are not sure of adds another layer to the possible problems.

You say you have a trainer here who works with Spanish horses - if you are keen to buy overseas why is that person not helping you? He/she will know your riding, be on hand to help you and the horse and will have a lot to lose if it goes wrong. Plus an established trainer should have connections he/she is motivated to trust and maintain.

Buying a lame horse seems a recipe for heartache, even without the cost, uncertainty and worry of import.
 
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Thanks TarrSteps :)

Yes my vet explained about the x rays and even if I did do them it would also not show up anything that has happened in past 12 weeks. Which happens to be when the horse has been in training for as well.

It is all just too risky I know.....so annoying as it could be nothing.

I have already left it, I told agent Monday I am no longer interested so she doesn't think I am currently thinking about it or anything.

With regards to my trainer yes she is helping me and will fly out to spain with me WHEN I have found something worth seeing. Currently I am sending her videos of potentials......and we will take it from there. There are a few in the UK that I am awaiting videos on at the moment and two of those I know as they have been out and about at the same shows as me so I know their horses results too.

Thanks again
 
That sounds a better plan, and more likely to get you the horse of your dreams rather than your nightmares. Buying overseas doesn't have to be a huge problem, but it does require a fairly hard hearted, practical approach.

Good luck. :)
 
Wheels said:
Lol I think ffionwinnie was really trying to say that taking care of a lame horse could end up costing you many thousands of pounds and at some point you are probably going to need xrays anyway as and when you run into probs.

You don't really seem to be listening to any advice so for that reason, I am out

Good luck
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Yes plus initially the purchase price, going to view expenses, and import costs. I can't see how X-rays can be that much comparatively speaking.

It's black and white to me, if I wanted him I'd do the X-rays and if I didn't want to pay for the X-rays I'd move on and forget about him. Presumably if th X-rays are clear the insurance company would cover him.
 
I personally wouldn't.

I was in the same situation with my mare. I took a chance on her and it didn't pay off. She has a stifle problem, which required 3 months non ridden work, 3 steriod injections and pysio. A year and a half later she still isn't right although doing much better. She isn't sound in the school and needs daily turnout, which is a pain in this weather because she can't always have it.
 
I really wonder why we are all still posting on here!

The OP really doesn't want our help or advice.

She wants to buy a 'Dodgy' horse with poor conformation which will not help soundness issues and fast track schooling, because she likes its colour and from a country where she is unlikely to get any redress if it all goes pear shaped.

Why are we bothering?

OP - DON'T WASTE YOU MONEY OR TIME -
DON'T BUY THE HORSE
- IT'S ALREADY LAME, badly schooled, and has poor conformation!

If you want to throw money away - I could do with some here.
 
cptrayes said:
Regarding asking for new videos and not giving them time to bute him - two things - first, he may be on it full time now anyway - second, intravenous bute works in minutes.

"They wouldn't do that would they?"

Yes.

I know of a Spanish horse that was imported unseen by a very silly man. It was supposedly 16 hands and PRE. When it arrived it was newly branded although 8 years old, 14 hands ................ and pregnant.
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lol, that sounds familiar, foal is beautiful though
 
Festive Faracat said:
I really like him. :) It's also nice to see a young, green horse being asked to move forwards rather than having it's head hauled in and the movement blocked.
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I agree with you, in fact that is my friend's yard :)

My comments were less about the horse and more about the OP's expectations tbh.
 
Amaranta said:
I agree with you, in fact that is my friend's yard :)

My comments were less about the horse and more about the OP's expectations tbh.
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I agree with you. The OP appears to have a very fixed idea of what she wants that doesn't seem to tally with what she needs (well that's how I've interpreted her posts - sorry if I'm wrong).

ETA. Give your friend a 'well done' from me. :)
 
SpanishNeddy said:
Because the agent has been very honest with me about what he is like and knows what I want after months of us looking. Most of her others, well pretty much all of them really and not for me as I am after something not hot. This one would rather stop than spook. So pretty much isnt going to be like my current one!
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I suspect that is the main issue really, I was led to believe and the ones I have met have certainly all been hot horses.
 
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