Buying a horse with Sarcoids

[Sassenach_1234]

After almost a year of looking I have found a lovley 7yo gelding that ticks all my boxes. He passed a 5* vetting BUT has 2 sarcoids. Upper back legs no where near tack..

I’ve researched them loads but would you buy?….price £6700 - already negotiated down.

x race horse but retrained in SJ and XC

TIA

 

[Tiddlypom]

Nooo!

ETA My 10 yo homebred's sarcoids have kicked off properly this year. I obviously know all her history. She has a group on her inner thigh. They can't be lasered as too close to the stifle.

Regular vet sent pics to Prof Knottebelt. He has devised a three part treatment which will cost well in excess of £2.5k, with no guarantee that the darn things won't just pop up somewhere else.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

No I'm afraid not

 

[The Xmas Furry]

My hacking chum did 4 years ago. 4 sarcoids, 3 in upper hind legs and 1 on sheath
Horse has had 2 lasered off, he cannot wear any rug with leg straps (inconvenient as he has to stay in on windy winter days as they are on an open hill).
The other 2 are regularly monitored, as are the additional 2 that have arrived since.
He was then a 10k horse, she got him for 4k.

 

[lannerch]

My now retired horse had sarcoids on his sheath area and between his back legs, had some lasered off and the rest disappeared. The wounds from the laser treatment healed totally. He never suffered them again .
I think it depends on the type of sarcoids what does the vet recommend does he think they will be problematic.

 

[southerncomfort]

I wouldn't I'm afraid.

 

[I'm Dun]

I did. His price reflected them and they were flat an nowhere near tack. Hes been here a couple of months on sarc ex and a good mineral balancer and they have both dropped off leaving a horrible little hole thats healed over. Its a risk but worked out well for me

 

[oldie48]

It's a tricky one. I did, Rose had an occult sarcoid on her inner thigh when I bought her, I negotiated the price down to reflect this. She's been on turmeric ( I know, I know!) and it disappeared. she threw a nodular one on her midline just in front of her teats and vet popped it out (I posted a pic of it). she doesn't have any now. However, her price went from £16K failed vetting because of flexion test, turned away and offered for £10K. I bought her for just over £5Kand she is currently off with something totally unrelated!

 

[Dynamo]

I did, and in a lifetime of owning horses, he's the best one I've ever had.

Ask the vet for an opinion. If small, nodular type, could they be banded, for example?

 

[melbournesunrise]

Mine has sarcoids at the the moment key the ones you describe. Although they look ugly, the vet said that they aren’t really a problem most of the time, especially if they are away from the tack area. If you’re willing to take a chance that they might develop and need removing, then that’s up to you. In spite of my current situation with them, I wouldn’t rule out a horse that was otherwise ideal just because they had sarcoids.

 

[Melody Grey]

I’ve had a variety of different outcomes in this situation, but they’ve all been significantly reduced to reflect this. £6,700 doesn’t sound as much reduced as I’d like for an x-racer with sarcoids. Would have to be half that to tempt me (although I drive a notoriously hard bargain!!)

ETA: Assuming that it’s not coming with good competition history?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Mine had been on Sarc ex for several years along with decent balancers.

The beggars still popped through.

 

[Melody Grey]

On balance, must also add that the horse in my profile pic was a quirky handful of a youngster with a sarcoid who was well worth the gamble (albeit a £500 punt!)

 

[Sassenach_1234]

My hacking chum did 4 years ago. 4 sarcoids, 3 in upper hind legs and 1 on sheath
Horse has had 2 lasered off, he cannot wear any rug with leg straps (inconvenient as he has to stay in on windy winter days as they are on an open hill).
The other 2 are regularly monitored, as are the additional 2 that have arrived since.
He was then a 10k horse, she got him for 4k.

Hmm it seems like they should lower his price more than £500….

 

[AmyMay]

I vascillate between yes and no. I think at the end of the day if the horse is everything you want, and the price is reasonable then it probably wouldn’t put me off. (Caveat, I did buy a horse with one as he was perfect).

 

[poiuytrewq]

Gosh, sarcoids are such a difficult one.
I had a horse with horrible sarcoids, I got him unseen for free. I’d never ever have taken him on had I known or seen them first.
However, he arrived, I liked him (at the time, this was pre trying to ride it ?)
So I had a vet come and he banded them, they fell off. He was out of work as a result for ages (so I got attached!)
I didn’t end up keeping the bast*** but do know he’s now a sarcoid free companion (wonder why)
Maybe this horse got lucky?
I’d not knowingly buy one though no.

 

[w1bbler]

I bought a horse that popped a sarcoid a few months later. 12 months later he was PTS, long story but I would never knowingly buy a horse with sarcoids

 

[ycbm]

Hmm it seems like they should lower his price more than £500….

That is nowhere near enough of a reduction. I have had two horses with multiples, they are a constant worry even at times when they have all been removed.
.

 

[millitiger]

If I absolutely loved the horse, I would still buy.

I bought a mare with sarcoids, has them all lasered off after 12 months (about 6 patches).
Kept her for another 3 years with no reoccurrence.

I then sold her for a 5 figure sum, through word of mouth, with full history disclosed.
She was on the shortlist for para-dressage this year and no team vets or anything have shown any concerns.

 

[Flyermc]

We bought a horse with 2 of them when he was 9, we got them removed and they never came back. He was PTS aged 26 from other issues. Our other horse was bought at 4 years old with none. He got his first one at 17 years and and was PTS aged 21 due to other issues.

None of them had issues with tack or rugs due to them or after they was removed. They had flat ones and ones that looked abit like fingers popping out.

 

[Sassenach_1234]

I did. His price reflected them and they were flat an nowhere near tack. Hes been here a couple of months on sarc ex and a good mineral balancer and they have both dropped off leaving a horrible little hole thats healed over. Its a risk but worked out well for me

These are flat too.

 

[meleeka]

I did, for £1. For me it would have to be a substantial price reduction and by that I mean half of what he would be worth without.

eta - just seen they are flat which Id be slightly happier about. In my experience they don’t spread as badly.

 

[paddy555]

no way, the constant worry would spoil any enjoyment. Presumably if the vetting has pointed them out the insurance won't cover them. If you did I would expect to be able to fork out a couple of grand without even thinking about it if I needed to.

If I really wanted to buy I would get pics sent to Dr K and ask his opinion before buying.
No way would I buy based on the opinion of a regular vet. I would want an expert opinion.

 

[DressageCob]

I would buy with occult sarcoids if very cheap. I wouldn't otherwise buy. £6,700 for an ex-racer with multiple sarcoids is not something I'd go for, current market or otherwise.

 

[SOS]

I did buy a horse with them. It halved her price and made her a horse I could afford as could never afford something of that type/standard to ride.

Had them lasered cost £300. Didn’t come back.

BUT when reselling you will never get much money back and the horse will be unsuitable for 80% people looking just because of sarcoids.

 

[SOS]

I would NOT pay £6700 for a ex racer with sarcoids even in current times unless had a good proven event record or whatever I wanted to do with it.

ETA to add not!

 

[Sassenach_1234]

I’ve had a variety of different outcomes in this situation, but they’ve all been significantly reduced to reflect this. £6,700 doesn’t sound as much reduced as I’d like for an x-racer with sarcoids. Would have to be half that to tempt me (although I drive a notoriously hard bargain!!)

ETA: Assuming that it’s not coming with good competition history?

Not a good competition history (yet) but has potential and brilliant in the school SJ and XC

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

That’s a lot of money for an ex racer!

I know a horse at the yard had a really bad sarcoid which eventually fell off using blood root. Mine had Liverpool cream on a verrucous and a nodular one, nodular one disappeared, verrucous persisted until I used a topical treatment and it just disappeared.

If you love the horse, get a vet’s advice on treatment and at least knock off the price of it. Consider if he will be out of work/can you administer the treatment yourself to reduce vet visit costs?

 

[jules9203]

There are some top riders that wont touch a horse with sarcoids and others that will dependent on where they are. I've known owners that have had a horse with sarcoids that have done the vet and/or the herbal route. There is no guarantee. There are different types of sarcoids and that will make a difference to how they react. My mare grew her 1st aged 10. At 16yrs I had to retire her as it was nr her girth and banding, creams. freezing didn't work, It grew back more aggressive each time. Tried the Arc Equine. After 3 months it dropped out with the root. A yr later it was back plus 4 others. My vet said that at best any treatment (including laser) it approx 60% effective. Lots of ex racehorses have minor sarcoids.

 

[Sassenach_1234]

That’s a lot of money for an ex racer!

I know a horse at the yard had a really bad sarcoid which eventually fell off using blood root. Mine had Liverpool cream on a verrucous and a nodular one, nodular one disappeared, verrucous persisted until I used a topical treatment and it just disappeared.

If you love the horse, get a vet’s advice on treatment and at least knock off the price of it. Consider if he will be out of work/can you administer the treatment yourself to reduce vet visit costs?

They said they will pay for his treatment on the two he has which is good. It’s more if they come back or spread.