Buying a horse with passport "in the post"

[1627katherine]

After some searching, my husband and I have found a horse he really likes, we have arranged a vetting for tomorrow but the owner has told us she sent the passport off to have the address updated several weeks ago and it is not back yet. We were really hoping to get him straight away if the vetting goes well, do we need to wait until the passport is available? Google tells me that a horse should not be sold without one and we could face a £5000 fine if we are keeping a horse without one, but a lot of people seem to take a rather casual attitude.

 

[abracadabra]

Honestly? If I haven't seen a passport I'd assume there possibly isn't one. Wouldn't be the first time a passport never materialised once the horse is bought and paid for.

 

[measles]

I would not buy any horse without seeing the passport at viewing and receiving it as the horse transfers to your ownership. The vendor should be prepared to wait until the passport is back for you to proceed and if not that would raise questions in my mind.

Very best of luck with your new purhcase.

 

[1627katherine]

OK, thanks for the replies! I really don't want to lose this horse, so maybe we can offer a deposit to secure him until the passport turns up. The people seem lovely and genuine and he appears to have been much loved (was a teenager's first horse now going to Uni) but I suppose that's no guarantee of anything.

 

[be positive]

I am not sure how happy the vet will be to find no passport there when he vets it, most are fairly careful now to check the horse against the markings and microchip number if they have one, I would let the vet know before he goes just in case he refuses to do the vetting and you waste money.
I would want to see the passport before handing over any cash or taking the horse home, the potential fine is of little concern but buying a horse that is not as described is, they may have only just bought it themselves, it may be of a different age or not have a valid passport at all.

 

[abracadabra]

No youre right, thats no guarantee. They might be lovely and genuine, equally they might not, many appear to be lovely and genuine when they are not

Chase them up for the passport, let them know you will be needing it to proceed. If you want to leave a deposit make sure it is returnable within a timeframe if no passport turns up.
If there is no passport it's actually not the end of the world if they apply for one and get a generic ID one now.
Is the horse a breed? I know I would be able to ring my breed soc. and ask (basic, not data protected type) questions re: a horse, I'd soon know if it had a passport or not.

 

[1627katherine]

Ok, thanks for that.

He is an Irish cob, not sure what type of passport he has.

 

[Buddy'sMum]

I am not sure how happy the vet will be to find no passport there when he vets it, most are fairly careful now to check the horse against the markings and microchip number if they have one, I would let the vet know before he goes just in case he refuses to do the vetting and you waste money.
I would want to see the passport before handing over any cash or taking the horse home, the potential fine is of little concern but buying a horse that is not as described is, they may have only just bought it themselves, it may be of a different age or not have a valid passport at all.

Second this.

Would you buy a car if the seller couldn't produce the V5? I'd wait until the owners can produce a passport, they really shouldn't be trying to sell a horse without one. And I very much doubt a vet would proceed with a vetting without one.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I'm getting the horse I have on trial vetted on friday (fingers crossed!) and the vet checked when I booked that the passport would be with me at the vetting, so I'm not sure whether you'll even be able to get it vetted whilst the passport is "in the post". I'd call and check with your vet and exercise caution if you do decide to buy the horse. I certainly wouldn't be handing over money until I had seen the passport.

 

[dogatemysalad]

I wouldn't buy without seeing the passport either. The owner may be genuine but the problem is that you need it for transporting the horse to your yard.
The passport should identify the horse by its markings and estimated age even if there is no verified parentage.
No real passport could mean the horse is stolen or that a 12 year old horse is really 22, or a 4 yr old is actually 2.
Don't proceed until you have read the passport and it's available at the vetting. I know you're anxious not to lose the horse but the saying buy in haste and repent at leisure is very true.

 

[Herts05]

Remember that you can get fined for transporting a horse without its passport - another thing to consider.
Have you tried asking what PIO agency they have sent the passport to? You could always try calling them and this may help you decide if they are genuine or not

 

[Angus' yard]

We own an Irish cob. To have the passport registered in our name meant posting back to ireland and it being updated and posted back to us. Whole thing took less than a week. I wouldn't buy without sight of the passport and a vet checking the markings etc against the horse.

 

[Tiffany]

Honestly? If I haven't seen a passport I'd assume there possibly isn't one. Wouldn't be the first time a passport never materialised once the horse is bought and paid for.

^^^this^^^

I would insist on passport before buying

 

[dianchi]

If the vet is happy to go ahead and vet without passport, make sure that he checks the horse for a microchip and record it. That way you can check that the passport (if it appears) is correct for the horse.

 

[YasandCrystal]

A passport is not any 'proof' of ownership or the age of the horse for that matter. I agree that ideally you would want one and if the horse is vaccinated etc the passport would hold the proof and history.
I have bought a pony with no passport in the past and had to get one applied for. It's not difficult and your vet would be able to assist with that.

Has anyone ever been asked to produce their horse's passport when travelling them? I certainly have not.

 

[dianchi]

A passport is not any 'proof' of ownership or the age of the horse for that matter. I agree that ideally you would want one and if the horse is vaccinated etc the passport would hold the proof and history.
I have bought a pony with no passport in the past and had to get one applied for. It's not difficult and your vet would be able to assist with that.

Has anyone ever been asked to produce their horse's passport when travelling them? I certainly have not.

Yep, ive been asked to produce at Three local shows, every time I go to horseball, Even had an actual DEFRA inspector ask to see it, had yard visits as well!

 

[1627katherine]

The vendors are chasing up the passport, hopefully it will turn up soon.

 

[Capriole]

Has anyone ever been asked to produce their horse's passport when travelling them? I certainly have not.

I have, yes

 

[Maesfen]

Why would they bother changing it into their name when they knew it was to be sold shortly? As others say, a passport is not proof of ownership at all, just a means of identification. Vet should scan the horse for a chip at the vetting and note down the number, if it doesn't tally with passport (when it arrives) you'll have a problem.

 

[1627katherine]

It turns out the passport was issued by the gypsy Cob Society, which no longer exists, but the vendors were unaware of that when they sent it to be updated. They have located it, it now has to be returned to them and sent off to the Lippizzaner national stud association, who have promised to get it back within a week.

 

[dogatemysalad]

That's good then. Hope all goes well with your prospective new horse. Don't forget the photo's

 

[hnmisty]

Haven't read all the replies so someone might have raised this point... Can you get them vetted without a passport? Barry has a microchip so the vet scanned for that to confirm it was him, if no chip then they need it to check marking etc.

I would phone up the vets you're using for the vetting. It'll be a pain in the bum if you end up paying for them to come out and say "sorry can't do it, no passport".

Maybe they don't need to see one for it though? I'm not sure. They're a total waste of bog roll in my grumpy opinion!

 

[pansy]

Has the passport issue been sorted now & how has the vetting gone ?
Mine have passports so wasnt really aware of what happened without them but I was told yesterday that a vet is not allowed to prescribe rmedication to a horse without seeing passport ?

 

[Goldenstar]

Has the passport issue been sorted now & how has the vetting gone ?
Mine have passports so wasnt really aware of what happened without them but I was told yesterday that a vet is not allowed to prescribe rmedication to a horse without seeing passport ?

Our vets have seen all our horses passports and know they are all signed out of the food chain so they treat them without seeing the passports every time.