Are all sellers happy to have horses vetted?

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EquestrianFairy

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Random musing, I've never had a horse vetted yet but I've always been very lucky.

I found a horse a while back that I liked but because of its price I needed a vetting for insurance, seller instantly wasn't keen however I stated that it is something I'm not prepared to compromise on.. They then offered to lower the price to just below the insurance threshold so I wouldn't need to then have the horse vetted for the insurance purposes.

This instantly put me off as I felt they were hiding something and walked away.

As an idea, they Instantly knocked £500 off a price that originally wasn't remotely negotiable before the vetting was mentioned.

Was this the correct attitude do you think?
Has anyone experienced similar?
 
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I, too, walked away from a potential purchase back in the summer because the owner was reluctant for me to have her horse vetted. When I said I would not buy without one, she tried to back pedal but i had lost faith in her and the horse by that time so did not go ahead. personally, I think you did the right thing :-)
 
If the horse being sold has a seller who is reluctant to allow a vetting, then the person will maybe have something to hide. There are plenty of people who don't have faith in vettings however - especially as doing something like flexion tests can make a sound horse look lame. If the horse was cheap for what it was being sold for, I'd maybe take a punt and not get it vetted.
 
PucciNPoni said:
If the horse being sold has a seller who is reluctant to allow a vetting, then the person will maybe have something to hide. There are plenty of people who don't have faith in vettings however - especially as doing something like flexion tests can make a sound horse look lame. If the horse was cheap for what it was being sold for, I'd maybe take a punt and not get it vetted.
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Interesting, thanks.
 
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The seller in your example does sound fishy!

I'd imagine that most sellers would be aware that the likelihood is that a buyer will want a prospective purchase vetted.

They may exclude a certain practice for example I know one practice in my area that sellers aren't keen on. It seems that they are a little over zealous with their flexion testing for starters... I know of a sellers that won't allow those vets on their yard and others that won't allow them to flexion test.

I think you just have to use a mix of common sense and gut feeling when sussing out sellers and reasons behind their actions.
 
The delay in arranging a vetting can be an irritation to some people i guess especially if the seller has no sense of urgency and arranges it for three weeks away because they have got a day off then. It can result in a whole dilemma about whether to allow viewings to continue and what happens if someone equally suitable offers cash there and then? All very awkward

I do think flexion tests can be unnecessarily rough too and would be reluctant

Where a price was sufficiently low - where a horse is sold from the field or a quick sake is needed i would imagine the seller to want an absolute hassle free sale therefore the buyer needs to weigh up the risks and i personally would not expect nor ask for a vetting

None of us want to think our horses or ponies have problems and we have seen on here how failed vettings have upset people whose equines have shown no sign of problems and that are in full work and fit as a fiddle etc

I know its the vets job to look for problems but i can see why some owners are reluctant!
 
I have spoken to owners that simply can't cope with the idea of 5 stage vettings and usually this has had nothing to do with the health of the horse. Many owners do not have the facilities, i.e a stable, a surface or a flat area where the horse can be cantered/galloped, or the means to transport the horse to a yard where the vetting can be done. It's just too much hassle for some.
 
Agree with TPO, seller sounds a bit iffy.
If I were buying, I'd possibly respect a seller's request not to use a certain practice, although I might want to check that it wasn't because the vet there might have to disclose something about the horse.

I can't imagine buying from someone who refuses point blank to permit a vetting, although I have bought one when the agent said it wouldn't pass a 5 stage so don't bother. That one has never had a days lameness in 9 years.
 
I think in this case the fact they would rather drop the price considerably rather than have the horse vetted worried me.

However in saying that, I've never actually come across someone who has point blank refused- yet.
 
Unless they have stated that there is something that will prevent the horse passing the test then yes, they should always be happy to have them vetted.
 
I have heard really bad things about vettings - one horse was lunged on the concrete and slipped and fell as it was wet - she lost the buyer due to the injury the pony sustained - it was wanted for showing - the attending vet was one of choice of the potential buyer - whom then denied any wrong doing and refused to accept liability - the poor seller ended up with a huge vet bill and a damaged horse :(

Also heard many stories of horses failing the flexion test - but then if i held your ankle up by your bum with a bit of a twist then made you run in a straight line i wonder if you would limp for a stride or two - I know I would.
 
I'd never buy anything that the owner wouldn't have vetted but I have bought horses without having them vetted and on one occasion i bought a horse that failed a vetting. If I'm taking a punt on something I want it to be my choice not foisted on me by the owner who clearly will know more about the horse than i do.
 
No vetting then no sale as far as I'm concerned. There is no real valid excuse not to allow a vetting. The buyer wants to know they are buying a sound horse, there are many more checks other than flexion.

Quote "Also heard many stories of horses failing the flexion test - but then if i held your ankle up by your bum with a bit of a twist then made you run in a straight line i wonder if you would limp for a stride or two - I know I would."

If a horse limps for a couple of strides & returns to soundness then that is not a failed flexion test. If they continue to limp for 5/6 strides then there could be an issue.
 
Toby_Zaphod said:
No vetting then no sale as far as I'm concerned. There is no real valid excuse not to allow a vetting. The buyer wants to know they are buying a sound horse, there are many more checks other than flexion.

Quote "Also heard many stories of horses failing the flexion test - but then if i held your ankle up by your bum with a bit of a twist then made you run in a straight line i wonder if you would limp for a stride or two - I know I would."

If a horse limps for a couple of strides & returns to soundness then that is not a failed flexion test. If they continue to limp for 5/6 strides then there could be an issue.
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Local vet say 2 strides pass - 3 is a fail
 
Any horses I sell are open to vetting. Some buyers don't wish to, most do, and all my sellers have passed with flying colours. I would be very suspicious of a seller who was unwilling to have their horse vetted.
 
I have only ever had two vetted when sold, even though as far as I know their was nothing wrong with them it still makes you worried, its a bit like seeing a policeman when driving, you know you are doing nothing wrong but you still tense up. One failed which was a surprise, the vet thought it was lame when thought it wasn't but we had it reshod and they still bought it. One was a newly backed youngster, the vet wanted it lunged which was fine but I would have not allowed them to thrash it round on concrete.
Having a horses vetted can be a lottery, I usually just want a 2 stage just to pick up anything I have missed or none at all. If someone didn't want their horse vetted I would ask why, I would definitely knock £500 off something if the buyer decided not to vet just to save the aggravation.
 
I currently have a horse for sale and he is open to the vet, however I would continue to show him to other people if a vetting was taking weeks to be arranged as I am paying £100/week for his livery to keep him on a yard that has suitable facilities for him to be tried, I would consider reducing the price for a hassle free sale though but it doesnt mean I have anything to hide
 
The horses I have sold have always been 100% to open to vettings. The one's I've bought I've had vetted, bar one. I swapped him for another horse with a dealer I use frequently - we have a mutual trust if you like. I had a straight 2 week return/swap no hassle on him, had him 'vetted' which I think they call a health check now when I got him home and he was all fine no problems.

As a buyer I would be walking away if I had an owner refuse to let me get a horse vetted - I'd almost be thinking something to hide?
And as above with flexion testing, a few lame strides is absolutely fine, when the horse trots away and back lame, then there's a problem!
 
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