Boggle- USA bound!

[splashgirl45]

It’s the keeping a grey clean that would stop me buying one. The greys I’ve known haven’t had melanomas and have made old bones and I don’t remember people not buying because of the chance of getting them, the only horse I’ve known with them was a skewbald and he died when he was 12

 

[humblepie]

There is a thread recently which I’m sure someone clever will find. I’ve only had one grey. Racehorse then competition horse til he retired at 18. Had melanomas under tail lasered off at about 22/23. Possibly had a facial under skin one but as not ridden wasn’t causing any issue. Had no further problems and sadly put down due to an injury at 25. It wouldn’t be something that put me off looking at grey horses.

 

[July dreamer]

My old horse, a Welsh x TB had melanomas, I noticed the first one when he was around 8yo. My Vet at the time said he would probably die from some thing else. I had him for over 30 years and I made the sad decision going into winter, when he was 35 years old partly because I knew the ones I could see were growing and assumed there could be others I couldn't see. They never bothered him but having said that I'm glad my current boys are bay.

 

[Michen]

Ok thanks team. Keeping greys clean here is less of an issue without the level of mud!

I’m waiting for a couple more videos to get past my vet and then I think I’ll get it vetted.

I’ll need it to stay in the uk a few months and would want it insured. Purchase price over 10k. Anyone know what the insurance requirements are for x rays these days?

I’m thinking I’d want feet and hocks anyway.

 

[palo1]

The incidence of melanomas in grey horses is around 80 pc but some don't get them till much older, some at a younger age. It's a bit of a lottery I guess but the internal workings of any melanoma would bother me! Greys aren't really my thing so the melanoma risk means it's an easier swerve for me!! I've not known a grey without one, some of no consequence and some of significant consequence

 

[Michen]

He’s very very dark at the moment maybe I sell him before he’s white

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My experience with grey horses and melanomas has been poor, unfortunately. I did see that there are some injections of sorts that seem to stop or slow the growth in some horses. Someone in the US did this, I think I saw it on a US based forum.

Melanomas is the #1 reason why I stay away from grey horses. I did have one vetted once and he didn't pass. So I came close to owning a grey. I've just seen so many with melanomas, and one near and dear to me that was under my care passed as a result of melanomas. The keeping them clean thing doesn't bother me. I've had to ready grey horses for competition before, and yeah, it's harder than my bay, but it's not a reason that stops me from owning one.

I know that a good horse can't be the wrong color, but still. Buying horses is such a crap shoot, and I'd like to stack the odds in my favor as much as possible.

All of that said, if I fell in love with a horse that was grey, I still might say, f*ck it, the horse is good until it's not and then I'll call it. That's just how I see horses in general though. My young horse has stupid flexy long pasterns, and he's good until he's not. Then I'll PTS. Whether that's age 4, 8, or 16. I know that anything can happen at any given moment, and that horses are just a sinkhole when it comes to money and emotions. So I'm generally just pessimistic and think that nothing will work out anyway

It's all about personal levels of comfort when it comes to risk taking, really.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

He’s very very dark at the moment maybe I sell him before he’s white

This is also why I hate grey horses. They start out in such nice colors, and rather dark. Then they turn white. So rude.

 

[rabatsa]

I have had a grey that had to be ridden bitless due to a melanoma in its mouth aged 7.

 

[Equi]

My first pony had melanomas. Died at about 30.

 

[Roxylola]

I don't have tons of knowledge, but iirc I think there is some link to how fast they grey and melanomas ie the faster they white out the more likely they are to get them so if he's still pretty dark that would be a good sign

 

[palo1]

I don't have tons of knowledge, but iirc I think there is some link to how fast they grey and melanomas ie the faster they white out the more likely they are to get them so if he's still pretty dark that would be a good sign

Well yes, but he's only 4 so I wouldn't think he'd have lost a lot of colour yet anyway ?

 

[Nicnac]

I have 2 greys who are in their late teens. One has small melanomas but not an issue. Just keep an eye on them.

 

[nutjob]

I had a grey (white) who lived to 27, no sign of melanomas.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I’m very near West Wittering. Awful traffic round here in summer because the beach is so popular. Kate Winslet has a house there (useless info ). Is the yard anything to do with the initials SG, a woman? I know them from a while back.

 

[MissMay]

The greys I know all had melanomas but in areas that didn't impact usually under the tail (is this really common or just the horses I have cone across?) The one I know who needed lasering was about 12 and he gets under tail laser every year as the amount around his anus means it has to be done in stages. He is utterly unbotheted and ridden as normal. The only issue with his is he is a stress head so gets mild colic after each experience which isn't great

 

[Michen]

Does anyone have an instructor or someone that way that would go sit on him for me for a fee?

 

[Michen]

I’m very near West Wittering. Awful traffic round here in summer because the beach is so popular. Kate Winslet has a house there (useless info ). Is the yard anything to do with the initials SG, a woman? I know them from a while back.

Just saw this! Any chance you want to go ride something haha? No not those initials.

 

[Michen]

alright guys what would you X ray? His feet aren’t horrible but not perfect so definitely them. Thinking hocks too.

My Boggle uk vet could go do it but it’s far for him so the 5 stage alone would be a grand plus x rays. Or I use ex who is local. Both are very good but I haven’t used ex for vet work before I suppose..

 

[teapot]

Does anyone have an instructor or someone that way that would go sit on him for me for a fee?

I know a few people in the area who may be able to do so, will PM you

 

[nutjob]

Having recently been through horse buying hell I would say get a vet who does a lot of vettings. They get astute to a variety of dodgy stuff that goes on and know what questions to ask the seller to get a sense of the overall picture in addition to simply performing the exam. They also get a better eye for asymmetry and gait abnormalities as well as lameness. My own vet is also well informed about local agents / dealers who have been problematic in the past. If your ex doesn't specialise in lameness workups and/or vettings I would get a local recommendation.

I only had back and neck xrays done. I would have had other joints / feet on advice of the vet if there were queries. The horse I bought was a 4yo, I had ridden him myself and I was present at the vetting which he sailed through with no comments. If I was spending the sort of money you are including air transport for an unseen horse I would probably have done more xrays. If you are tempted to use the sellers xrays pm me and I will give you my experience - not good!!

 

[Michen]

Having recently been through horse buying hell I would say get a vet who does a lot of vettings. They get astute to a variety of dodgy stuff that goes on and know what questions to ask the seller to get a sense of the overall picture in addition to simply performing the exam. They also get a better eye for asymmetry and gait abnormalities as well as lameness. My own vet is also well informed about local agents / dealers who have been problematic in the past. If your ex doesn't specialise in lameness workups and/or vettings I would get a local recommendation.

I only had back and neck xrays done. I would have had other joints / feet on advice of the vet if there were queries. The horse I bought was a 4yo, I had ridden him myself and I was present at the vetting which he sailed through with no comments. If I was spending the sort of money you are including air transport for an unseen horse I would probably have done more xrays. If you are tempted to use the sellers xrays pm me and I will give you my experience - not good!!

Both of them do! I think thought given my UK vet has basically consulted on boggle for free for a year, I should send the business his way even if it’s 500 quid more or so. Feels like the right thing to do.

I won’t use the sellers vet

 

[palo1]

Both of them do! I think thought given my UK vet has basically consulted on boggle for free for a year, I should send the business his way even if it’s 500 quid more or so. Feels like the right thing to do.

I won’t use the sellers vet

X rays could be a long list! I might take the view of x raying the more complex bits: possibly stifles and neck but feet/pasterns if slightly concerning. A good vet will perhaps be able to advise. I say this because the tricky joints with any abnormality at all etc would be a deal breaker for me where joints that are more commonly dealt with, showing perhaps minor issues would feel less of a longer term problem iyswim?! I have had young horses vetted, and not, but tbh all it really does is give you a starting point of some confidence - horses are very talented at going wrong in unexpected ways unfortunately!!

 

[I'm Dun]

Neck and back, and major leg joints seems a good bet for covering the big problem areas.

 

[Michen]

That's a good point. though my friend recently vetted 4 year old in the UK that flexed sound but had significant remodelling of the hocks and a spur... hmmm.

It's definitely made more of a thing because I'm invested way more than his value in importing, I guess I was hoping to keep the vetting to 1500 but probably it'll end up being 2k. Which is a signficiant chunk of his sale price, but not his total price inc import.

X rays could be a long list! I might take the view of x raying the more complex bits: possibly stifles and neck but feet/pasterns if slightly concerning. A good vet will perhaps be able to advise. I say this because the tricky joints with any abnormality at all etc would be a deal breaker for me where joints that are more commonly dealt with, showing perhaps minor issues would feel less of a longer term problem iyswim?! I have had young horses vetted, and not, but tbh all it really does is give you a starting point of some confidence - horses are very talented at going wrong in unexpected ways unfortunately!!

 

[I'm Dun]

That's a good point. though my friend recently vetted 4 year old in the UK that flexed sound but had significant remodelling of the hocks and a spur... hmmm.

It's definitely made more of a thing because I'm invested way more than his value in importing, I guess I was hoping to keep the vetting to 1500 but probably it'll end up being 2k. Which is a signficiant chunk of his sale price, but not his total price inc import.

I think you need the option to sell him on and cover all his costs if he's not for you when he arrives, and the US is very hot on xrays, so I think it would be a wise investment to get more done.

 

[Michen]

I think you need the option to sell him on and cover all his costs if he's not for you when he arrives, and the US is very hot on xrays, so I think it would be a wise investment to get more done.

That is a VERY good point! I will speak to my vet friend and see which things they tend to x ray and in what kind of price brackets here.

I hadn't thought of that so thank you!

I do have no doubts if he wasn't for me and I put him up for sale here he'd be snapped up, he's not the type you ever see for sale here unless they've been imported. He's a small, native type crossed with a warmblood.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Just saw this! Any chance you want to go ride something haha? No not those initials.

Sadly my days of riding are over when I had to get a mortgage I’d recommend Sam Garry to check the horse out for you, if she’s able or willing to. She used to event and show. Think she still has her own livery yard down there. Lovely lady. I had riding lessons with her and rode out for her sometimes. She took Downlands Cancara, Lloyds bank horse, eventing. I don’t have her contact details anymore but if you google Sam Garry, Batchmere - the village and very close to West Wittering, some Facebook comes up re. Showjumping lessons with her. Hope this helps

 

[teapot]

Sadly my days of riding are over when I had to get a mortgage I’d recommend Sam Garry to check the horse out for you, if she’s able or willing to. She used to event and show. Think she still has her own livery yard down there. Lovely lady. I had riding lessons with her and rode out for her sometimes. She took Downlands Cancara, Lloyds bank horse, eventing. I don’t have her contact details anymore but if you google Sam Garry, Batchmere - the village and very close to West Wittering, some Facebook comes up re. Showjumping lessons with her. Hope this helps

Sam's still there!

 

[Michen]

Alright vetting tentatively scheduled for thursday afternoon (subject to my vet confirming on Monday). And sorted options for him to go for a few months whilst I figure things out here for a bit.

It’s totally against what my intention was a couple of weeks ago BUT I got that feel from looking at this horse and that feel got me Boggle and wonderful Bear (even if I did end up selling him!).

If this goes through I feel good about not importing him straight away for various reasons. Or not at all if he doesn’t seem as expected.

I’ll let y’all know how it goes… this is extremely irresponsible but even my most sensible older horse friend here who has been insisting I put some money in investments thinks I should bet him. YOLO and all that.

Hopefully those on here who’ve seen him can confirm he is indeed my type and I’m not a total lunatic hehe.

Woops

Ps and yes I’m ignoring the grey issue. Horses seem to find many ways to kill themselves anyway.