Failed vetting (another one!)

[snowcloud]

Had a horse vetted this morning. Failed on flexion test (controversial I know!) - right hind. Other 3 legs were fine but right hind the vet described him ‘as crippled’ and it wasn’t just a few strides. Vet said she isn’t a fan of flexions herself so doesn’t do them harshly and tends to give benefit of the doubt. Horse was also slightly off on a hard circle too, right fore.

I stopped the vetting there on vets recommendation (I was booked to have x-rays done to). The horse is lovely and just what I’m after. Horse is 9 y/o and value is £14k. Looking to do riding club/allrounder and light hunting and hacking.

- Would you re-test in a week or so and follow up with x rays regardless?
- Negotiate price with the seller?

This horse buying lark is super frustrating!

 

[Goldenstar]

I would walk away now .

 

[LEC]

You either spend more money and get gait analysis, x rays and scans or you walk away. Nerve blocks are a pretty cheap way of getting answers as well but it will depend if the seller is willing to let you do that! Effectively you will be funding a lameness investigation in order to purchase.

If investigating a bit more raises big flags then you have just wasted about £500 -700 or it might find nothing conclusive. I guess it depends on a few things:

1) do you need to insure, if so then insurance companies are risk adverse.
2) Is the seller willing to negotiate on price?
3) Is the horse everything you want?

 

[nutjob]

I would walk, if the seller drops the price you can end up with vet bills in the £1000's, a horse which finishes up being unable to do what you want and insurance which won't pay out due to pre existing condition. If the seller thinks that these issues are minor then they could get their own vet to do investigations and get back to you with the results and you would at least have more information to make a decision.

It looks to me like prices are dropping a little and the market is becoming less pressured for buyers.

 

[Bernster]

Nope - not at that price, level and that degree of a fail.

 

[Melody Grey]

In my experience for a vet to describe a horse as ‘crippled’ by flexion, it’s an epic fail.

Run away!

 

[Laurac13]

Sounds like a mighty fail on that leg sorry I would walk away

 

[HeyMich]

It's a no from me too.

Sorry, but there will be the perfect horse out there waiting for you, and this one isn't it!

 

[Upthecreek]

There is no point having a vetting if you aren’t going to listen to the vet. The vet described that leg as ‘crippled’ after flexion, which you say wasn’t as harsh as some vets may perform. That & it being slightly off in front would have me running for the hills for a 9 year old for £14k.

 

[Melody Grey]

There is no point having a vetting if you aren’t going to listen to the vet. The vet described that leg as ‘crippled’ after flexion, which you say wasn’t as harsh as some vets may perform. That & it being slightly off in front would have me running for the hills for a 9 year old for £14k.

£14k is an awful lot for a three legged horse

 

[bouncing_ball]

I’d ask the vetting vet what they think regarding re-vetting. If they say walk then I’d take their advice.

 

[snowcloud]

Thank you so much for all of your responses! I think in my head it was a no but it helps to hear others views too, especially from such a knowledgeable bunch ?

Right, the search continues!

 

[TotalMadgeness]

Cynical I know but I bet the seller is hoping and praying the next buyer doesn't do a 5 stage vetting...

 

[Ceriann]

From someone who decided to re-vet and horse failed again (when flexion fail first time in a front foot was not as significant as yours) I would walk away. I re-vetted following discussion with original vet, a decent rest to eliminate small issues (as original vet advised) and having seen owners own vet do a flexion and advise no issues. Horse failed again this morning, whilst not on flexion this mornings vet was not 100% with that leg either. If she’d been crippled on first vet I would not have re-vetted and feel slightly stupid to have done so anyway. Back to the drawing board ?!

 

[View]

Two flags here would have me running away - “crippled” on off hind and “off” on off fore.

On this one, let your head rule your heart.

 

[ycbm]

From that description, please walk away.
.

 

[Nasicus]

For £14,000 I'd expect the horse to bring me breakfast in bed, let alone be sound on all 4 legs! Glad you chose to walk away.

 

[Ratface]

I'm so sorry that you've had a disappointing result following vetting.
Keep trawling the for sale ads. Your next horse is patiently waiting for you to find her/him.

 

[Equi]

For a niggling mild “not quite right” fail I would retest a week later. For a crippled, no. Walk away.

 

[Lady Jane]

Cynical I know but I bet the seller is hoping and praying the next buyer doesn't do a 5 stage vetting...

Unlikely for 14k?

 

[Lady Jane]

For a niggling mild “not quite right” fail I would retest a week later. For a crippled, no. Walk away.

Exactly, and not quite right on right for too? Especially as he is still a young horse

 

[ihatework]

For me it would now be on the owners to investigate (if they so wish). You could express your interest to be kept in the loop if that’s the route they go down. But without a diagnosed reason for a very positive single limb flexion (plus the forelimb), I wouldn’t be finding the horses work up for the owner!

 

[irishdraft]

I wouldn't be pursuing the sale

 

[Leandy]

No, I would walk away now. You have paid for the vets opinion so accept it. This is a significant fail by the sound of it.

 

[AmyMay]

In my experience for a vet to describe a horse as ‘crippled’ by flexion, it’s an epic fail.

Run away!

I agree

 

[chaps89]

For me it would now be on the owners to investigate (if they so wish). You could express your interest to be kept in the loop if that’s the route they go down. But without a diagnosed reason for a very positive single limb flexion (plus the forelimb), I wouldn’t be finding the horses work up for the owner!

This.

The diagonal pair is a big flashing warning sign to me (I had right hind, left fore issues with my old mare) and the fact it was such a strong response. If the owner wants to pursue and has a positive outcome and you’re still looking at that point great, but I wouldn’t be funding it or holding my breath!

 

[Melody Grey]

This.

The diagonal pair is a big flashing warning sign to me (I had right hind, left fore issues with my old mare) and the fact it was such a strong response. If the owner wants to pursue and has a positive outcome and you’re still looking at that point great, but I wouldn’t be funding it or holding my breath!

The diagonal pair is really significant I think (hadn’t clocked that from the initial post). My horse had a forelimb lameness and a poor suspensory on the opposite side which has taken a long time and big bucks to get right - mostly on insurance. You may not (probably won’t) have that luxury on a failed vetting.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Go back to why you had the horse vetted, presumably so that the vet could check that the horse didn't have defects that you hadn't spotted yourself. Now the vet has spotted that the horse is 'crippled', which you hadn't noticed yourself. Why would you want to go ahead with the purchase?

 

[Sossigpoker]

Nooooo the horse was lame on a circle, that's enough for me to walk away.
If you did proceed, I would ask why bother with vetting if one won't take their advice- and also be prepared for a large insurance premium with lots of exclusions.
14 grand is a lot of money for a lame horse.

 

[Jellymoon]

Oh, I’m so sorry, what a pain horse-buying is. I’m not sure it’s quite as black and white as people say, I’ve had horses I’ve been selling fail the vet with one vet, then pass it with another, and go on to win some major competitions and give their new owners years of fun.

And I’ve also had failed vettings on two horses I wanted to buy, quite spectacular fails on flexions, like yours, and both horses went on to win at high level competition for many years. One was seriously high level in fact.

So I do get where you are coming from. However, my own vet said that
those horses I missed out on because I walked away, probably weren’t actually sound. He reckoned they were likely to have been propped up on medication (hock injections etc) and prob cost a fortune to keep sound enough for the few completions they did.
The one I sold myself was vetted for eventing, failed, then the next person wanted him for hacking and low level dressage, and he passed. So he went on to do a different job. And I had to drop the price by nearly half. He was her dream horse though and she’s still got him.

So my point is, yes, he could be your dream horse and give you many years of fun, but you probably shouldn’t pay £14k for him, and you really should make sure you’ve got enough savings for potential vet bills. And be prepared to manage him, and perhaps change discipline if necessary.