At what price do you not have a horse vetted?

[shmoo]

Not pertinent to me at the moment, but I was talking to a woman at the yard the other day, also the post earlier of EMC not being able to sell her very pretty sound and healthy TB, got me wondering...

At what price is it not viable to have a horse vetted, if at all. If you were in the market for a £500 animal would you then spend another £200-400 having it vetted? Is that why some fabulous looking horses who are amazing on paper are unrealistically priced, to avoid a vetting?

Like I said, not relevant I'm just curious?

Ok, so I really like the look of the 'perfect gentleman' advertised recently near me for £1800. But thats all I have, £1800. Not a further £---'s for my vet to travel 60 miles and potentially tell me he's got a wooden leg, glass eye and false teeth. Then I would only have say £1500-£1600 to continue my search, reducing every time I'm taken in by those big eyes and soft muzzle.

Would you risk it, have you risked it?, or do you get a feel for the seller and horse fairly quickly?

Hmm...

 

[Fourlegsgood]

The last 3 horses I bought have not been vetted. Price from £1000 to £6000. All been as sound as anything.

 

[Copperpot]

I have spent between £1,000 and £5,500 and never had them vetted.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I have never vetted any of mine, just got vet out when the arrive to check heart lungs etc..... But that's it.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would never risk it having had one vetted who had a very serious heart issue you would never have known he could have killed my other half.

 

[StoptheCavalry]

I bought mine for £1200 and didn't bother getting him vetted. I did however take my physio (and friend) with me to view him. I did also have a 3 month trial so didnt really feel it was necessary.

 

[foxy1]

I just bought one for £1800 without a vetting

 

[Honey08]

I didn't have either of our ponies vetted, they were both under £1000. I tend to have things vetted over £3k. I'm lucky though, I have my own land and yard, so its not such a big deal to turn away an unrideable horse.

I think its more of a case of what you want to do with it - if you are planning to event or something, problems are perhaps going to become bigger ones, whereas if you were happy hacking they may not.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

The last one I bought for £3000 was not vetted.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Iv never had a horse vetted and never had any problems and I think it helps if you know what to look for etc. but iv never paid over 1000 for a horse. My best one being a 600 horse with full tack sold from field, iv still got her 10 yrs later and not I day lame

 

[Sparkles]

In an ideal world....I don't think there 'should' be a price limitation on vetting, as it all costs the same if something is wrong and you still have loss of use for whatever job you have planned with it if something is wrong - whether it be a 6k horse or a £200 one.

My thinking, again in a sensible ideal world, on a cheap one is if it's under £1000, then what's £150-£200 quid more getting a 2 stage done....equally if you're spending more £££, then again, what is a few more £££ to give you a bit of security in your money you're spending.

I know anything can drop down dead or have an accident etc but if there's something underlying there, then rather find out and lose vetting money and not go ahead with the purchase, than end up buying it and wasting more money than what a vetting would have cost in the first place.
I recently saw a horse I knew up for sale on a well known sale site for well in excess of £6k+, wonderful write up on the it, open to vet etc...yet I know the horse had chronic leg problems a few years back! Which would have no way of hiding in a vetting for what he had. Crazy.



For the record....none of my own ones have ever been vetted, but full history was known about them.

 

[Honey08]

For me, the price limit thing is more a case of what I wouldn't be too depressed to "write off" if need be...

 

[alainax]

advertised recently near me for £1800. But thats all I have, £1800.

2 little points, of course you should have asked, doesnt anyone haggle any more? My vetting was iirc around the £100 mark, so say to the seller, will you take £1700 subject to vetting? Or £1600 if your vet is charging £200. The worst they can say is no.

The other point though is... imo you really need to have a bit of free cash when buying a horse. Not just its asking price. There are a million and one things you may need to buy/get done to it when you take it home.

 

[Elsiecat]

None vetted. If I was spending over 2.5k I'd probably be inclined to have them vetted though.

 

[Bojingles]

I'd vet regardless of purchase price as I can't afford unexpected vets' bills and am not expert enough to spot problems myself. I err on the side of caution!

 

[Gingerwitch]

Anything less than 4k

 

[Gingerwitch]

Anything less than 4k

which is most of what I have brought and not an ounce of trouble

 

[Antw23uk]

I'd vet regardless of purchase price as I can't afford unexpected vets' bills and am not expert enough to spot problems myself. I err on the side of caution!

Same

I would factor in the vetting cost to the overall sale of the horse so if i have a budget of £1000 i would be looking at horses around the £1200 mark! ... But of course i would haggle and look for a horse slightly over my budget

My new horse is costing me a quid ... He is being vetted because I personally think, for me, its the right thing to do ... And he is rather beautiful .... oh and he is MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE

 

[Slightly Foxed]

Hmm, some I have and some I haven't, however, the vet fees for a cheap horse are the same as for an expensive one.

 

[marmalade76]

I've spent between £500 and £2500 and not had one vetted.

However, all these were from homes where they had been for a number of years and had plenty of history and I felt the sellers were honest and genuine. If I were to buy from a dealer I would probably have anything more than a few hunded quid vetted.

 

[Slightly Foxed]

I've spent between £500 and £2500 and not had one vetted.

However, all these were from homes where they had been for a number of years and had plenty of history and I felt the sellers were honest and genuine. If I were to buy from a dealer I would probably have anything more than a few hunded quid vetted.

Good point, definitely vet one from a dealer; there's often a reason they're at a dealer 's yard. (Before anyone shouts at me, I said 'often', not 'always')

 

[armchair_rider]

For me, the price limit thing is more a case of what I wouldn't be too depressed to "write off" if need be...

I think that's probably the key to it. How much you're willing to spend on vets/insurance must also be a factor

 

[morrismob]

I only vet over 4.5k because of insurance, below that I insure for 3.5k for vets fees. Although vetting has its place I have been caught both buying and selling. Paid a fortune for 1 horse and had 5 * and xrays, never competed the animal and got loss of use within 3 months. Sold a sound horse who failed at 1st attempt then passed a week later with same vet.

I like to get my vet out in the first week of ownership to check eyes, heart and my farrier to check limbs. Never managed to buy a horse close to home and those that have been 5* vetted have always "passed" and gone on to have issues. But that is my risk and I alone have to live with the consequences.

 

[cazrider]

I'd say it doesn't matter how little a horse cost I'd still have it vetted. After all, vet's fees are the same whatever it cost. I feel the same about insurance. It's down to what it might cost me in the future not what it cost to buy. I've had all mine vetted. It only mattered once when I tried a horse who turned out to have a cataract in one eye. That was useful to know.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I don't insure either - but mine have never been skimped on with the vet.

 

[Arabelle]

Just bought a pony for £1500 and didn't have her vetted I knew where she came from and her history and I had on 2 weeks trial and she withstood the workload. A vetting is just a snapshot in time - they could be lame or injure themselves the next day.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I would probably be more likely to vet a cheap horse, than a more expensive one. Oddly.

 

[indie999]

Not pertinent to me at the moment, but I was talking to a woman at the yard the other day, also the post earlier of EMC not being able to sell her very pretty sound and healthy TB, got me wondering...

At what price is it not viable to have a horse vetted, if at all. If you were in the market for a £500 animal would you then spend another £200-400 having it vetted? Is that why some fabulous looking horses who are amazing on paper are unrealistically priced, to avoid a vetting?

Like I said, not relevant I'm just curious?

Ok, so I really like the look of the 'perfect gentleman' advertised recently near me for £1800. But thats all I have, £1800. Not a further £---'s for my vet to travel 60 miles and potentially tell me he's got a wooden leg, glass eye and false teeth. Then I would only have say £1500-£1600 to continue my search, reducing every time I'm taken in by those big eyes and soft muzzle.

Would you risk it, have you risked it?, or do you get a feel for the seller and horse fairly quickly?

Hmm...

We havent had vettings before but if I had a doubt I would even if the vetting was going to cost more than the horse. The vet bills could run into £KKK so it could be part of the cost of purchase even if peace of mind etc.

 

[maxapple]

I've never had one vetted either - all mine have been £1k or under.

 

[ozpoz]

I've never had one vetted.
But, once they arrive, I have heart,teeth and eyes checked.