buying a new 3 year old ---- HELP!!!!!

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melissagoodwin

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Hi im new to the site,
just about to hopefully buy a 3 year old warm blood cross. im just really wondering if there is any point in me getting him vet checked as obviously he is only 3 and has not done much and there is nowere for a vet to measure his heart rate as he does not no what lunging is and we cant just let him off to gallop around... any one have any advise???
 
Yes, he should have a 2 stage vetting as a minimum as it will check for soundness, defects etc. He doesn't really need to be lunged.
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Hi, I bought my WBx mare as a rising 3 yr old and had a 2 stage vetting done, looks at general conformation, heart eyes, etc trot up (though mine didn't actually know how to be let at the time so not actually done), general peace of mind for me as I cannot spot a heart murmur etc, and I'd almost bought anothr 3 yr old, had it vetted and it had LOADS of things wrong with it!!!
 
I'd definitely do it - you'll only regret it if you don't and it turns out somethings wrong that could have been picked up.

BUT vettings are only good for the day they're done so it's entirely your choice.

Your insurer may / may not insist on it depending on the value of the horse.
 
yea, my insurer doesnt insist on it but i think it would be piece of mind for me really ok that settled get on the phone to the vet tommoro morning
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thanks all of you
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The way I looked at it £150 is nothing compared to what you will spend on him in the future, and what you are spending on him now I presume. I think mine was around the £150 mark, was two years ago.
 
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Don't ask me, I don't do vettings....
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I agree! I didnt have my last 4 horses vetted and have never experienced any problems with them *touch wood*. However, I guess it depends on how much you are spending for insurance purposes etc.
 
A basic vetting, just to be on the safe side. I know people who routinely x-ray horses of that age for OCD etc. if the value is high enough to warrant it. I don't know what your level of experience is but I'd also be inclined to suggest, if the buyer is not very experienced, getting the opinion of someone knowledgeable in whatever discipline the horse is destined for.

It's so easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding a horse you like and miss things you would notice immediately in someone else's horse. Vets look at so many horses, in sickness and in health, and are trained to spot potential problems. Definitely worth the money.
 
2 stage vetting is best cos it checks that he has a heartbeat and can breath and see out of both eyes!! If you can see this for yourself and he looks healthy, robust and sound , - watch him gallop around the field, then I wouldn`t bother, you will probably need the money later for all the silly little expensive accidents/ minor injuries a 3 y.o will incur over the next few months no matter how much cotton wool you wrap him in.

Never had any youngster I bought vetted and they have all been fine. My friend has every horse she buys vetted. One a beautiful top class Dressage stallion failed as he had a heart murmour. At 2 and 3 this can be quite common.
He was tested recently at 6 and he has no heart murmour, and now hes worth a fortune!
 
ohhh gosh its all so confusing!!! i have never brought a horse my self altho i have loadned many and broken in a couple with a friend and brought loads on but the stress of just thinking about buying one is enough to drive you mad!!! he is only £1500 but for me that is a lot of money!!!! i think maybe having him checked will just put my mind at ease but at the same time.. £150 that 3 months of stabling!!!!
 
I would have the two stage veting at approx £100.
He could have any number of hidden things like a healed thorn prick in his eye, a heart irregularity etc and then you will have wasted a year keeping him until he's rideable.
We bought a two year old from someone we knew and aged four discovered it was a wobbler, yet because we hadn't done anything with him it only showed up under saddle. It had to be euthanised.
I've sold lots of two/three year olds who have all turned out to be defect free, make sure you ask the breeder if the horse has ever had any injury at all since birth, most of us are honest and want our horse to go to permenant homes so tell the truth!
 
yes this woman has been very honest and even given us the number for the breeder but she says he has never had anything wrong with him but i think i wil get a 2 stage vetting done to be sure
 
My 2 1/2 yr old filly had to be vetted for her grading last year. She didn't know how to lunge so we had to loose school her around a menage to get her lungs and heart working hard. As it was a grading vetting it was almost a 5* vetting. I'd certainly recommend getting some sort of vetting done prepurchase.
 
have a vetting. i had my unbroken and rather wild 4 year old 5 stage vetted. they just chased him round the school to get his heart rate up. he passed with flying colours apart from sarcoid that i had already seen but wanted to check the vet didn't think it would be too serious to treat which he didn't. was concerned that as bought him to event that his eyes were ok and that he didn't have a heart murmur or anything....
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good luck
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