Been sold an unsound horse - where do I stand?

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coby

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I have just bought what I thought was my perfect horse. Temperament to die for, and lovely to handle and ride. He was fully vetted (5 stage) with bloods taken, and flew through the vetting with no problems. However, after having had him for several days, he now appears to be lame in all his legs. He was bought from a private seller, so where do I stand?
 
personally i would both alert the old owner & get a good vet out asap for a diagnosis.then take it from there , it seems you don't know the cause of the lamesness at this time? so there is a chance that it is not a case of 'been sold an unsound horse'
 
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Screwed, I think. Pursue trying to return it, even at a loss. I think that's the best you'll do. Maybe try speaking to an equine solicitor.

You could get the bloods tested, but its expensive. Good luck.
 
Get in touch with your vet pronto and ask for the bloods to be tested. They aren't necessarily tested just because you have them taken, only if a problem arises. You need to check if bute was in the horses system when vetted.
 
I would get the vet out, if the horse has been sound for several days and passed a 5 stage vetting I really don't think you have been sold a lame one.

Sounds to me like its gone lame
 
Get your vet out and ask for there professional opinion. If it's your managment issue you can't return, BUT if underlying mechical problem, get bloods tested, and WHY wasn't it picked up at vetting!!!
Go back to owner and ask them can you return (if you don't want).... PDQ
 
if he passed a 5 stage vetting then he was not sold unsound, I think you need a diagnosis by a different vet to the one who did the vetting and then your issue may well be with the vetting vet not the seller.

Were the bloods tested or just taken? In which case you may want to get them tested for various painkillers.

If it has come on suddenly has he been turned out on grass, is laminitis a possibility.

I think you need to get this seen by a vet asap before we can really give the best advice.
 
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However, after having had him for several days, he now appears to be lame in all his legs

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Is this a diagnosis from your vet? If not, has he been out to see the horse? And was he the vet that did the vetting?

Were you there at the vetting?
 
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if he passed a 5 stage vetting then he was not sold unsound, I think you need a diagnosis by a different vet to the one who did the vetting and then your issue may well be with the vetting vet not the seller.

Were the bloods tested or just taken? In which case you may want to get them tested for various painkillers.

If it has come on suddenly has he been turned out on grass, is laminitis a possibility.

I think you need to get this seen by a vet asap before we can really give the best advice.

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Ditto this entirely!! Get the bloods tested and get the horse looked at ASAP!!

Good luck
smile.gif
 
Get the bloods checked for analgesics - ie was he bute'd?

Also what have you done with him since you've had him
The ground is a little hard right now.
Maybe he is not used to it. - Change of job perhaps?

You may well have to get to the cause before you pursue the seller, after all it could be something that has come on since you ve had him.
So I would get the vet out in the first instant.
 
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if he passed a 5 stage vetting then he was not sold unsound

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This is only sort of true. A vetting's only as good as the day its done and I know people sell horses with undisclosed known navicular and other foot issues, undiagnosed hindleg lameness and other historys like laminitis and tying up that won't necessarily show up at the vetting with the right preparation by the current owners. Having a vetting does not mean you are buying a sound horse, a true history is the only way to tell that. The horse could have had super shoes on until last week. It could have been worked that morning. If its behavioral it could have been denied water. There are endless ways of making not truly sound horses comfortable and "sound", a vetting is not much use if the seller's dishonest.
 
true flame it is only good for the day it is done, I suppose that in my experience of vettings it has been much more likely that a thorough vetting has exposed lameness (particularly hindlimb) or weaknesses that the owners truly were not aware of than the other way around.

If horse has history of tying up or lami that doesn't mean it is unsound on the day if it isn't currently suffering an attack. I would not expect a horse with a history of either to necessarily fail a 5* vetting though it depends on how long ago that history was (ie if it was years ago) navicular, being degenerative I would expect to be picked up.
 
Def get bloods tested as they will show if he was on any painkillers at the time of vetting. my udnerstanding was bloods are not tested at the time of vetting (unless requested) but are kept up to 6 mths after so, should something change with the horse the bloods can then be tested.
 
Out of curiosity what symptoms exactly is he showing as its unusual to be lame in all 4 legs I would've thought. If he's just got a shortened stride could it be that hard ground that he's not keen on?
 
As others have said get the bloods tested, but also get an experienced vet to look at your horse and discover what is wrong with it. Lame on all for legs is both very unusual (usually involves more than one problems) and very difficult to see (e.g. bilateral hind limb lameness only really shows up with nerve blocks unless you really, really know the horse and his action).
 
I dont think you stand anywhere TBH. As others, get the blood tested in case it was buted etc. but otherwise I guess you would have to prove the vet didnt pick up on it in the vetting. I dont think you could go back to the seller as the vetting was the proof that it should be fit for purpose. Are you sure it couldnt have been caused while in your care?
 
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