Failed Vetting - what to do!

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Charliechalk

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Hi, had a horse vetted on friday and he was lame when trotted on a hard surface on the right rein, nothing major, about 1/10th lame. The owners were shocked as he's never had a days lameness in his life, they think he stepped on a stone, (the surface was quite stoney), i asked to go back on sat and video him and they agreed, he trotted soundly on both reins! Now i don't know what to do! His foot balance on his right fore is not good, could this cause lameness? Don't know whether to just walk away or continue with vetting?
Any thoughts?
 
I personally always walk away if a horse has failed for any reason, no matter what the reason may or may not (as the case often is!) may be. IMHO its too much of a risk to buy a horse who will then have that leg excluded on insurance (which excludes pretty much everything as that leg means they may put extra weight on other limbs, cause back issues etc) if you can even get them insured!!

If you still really want him and the owners are keen to go ahead I would ask for the current owners to pay for a re-vetting with a vet of your choice, if he passes then consider buying, if he doesent I would personally walk away. :)
 
One possibility is to get the vet to re-do that part of the vetting. If all is not well then alarm bells should ring and sadly if I were you I would walk away.
 
I would walk away or at least have a re-vetting.

My horse recently went lame on a the left rein on a circle... after further investigations it turns out he has advanced navicular... possibly the end of his competition and even ridden career.
 
I would speak to the vet who did the vetting - I assume it was your own vet - and ask their opinion as to whether or not to they felt if was worth them doing another vetting or whether you should walk away.

I have had small issue picked up on vetting but would always ask my vet if they were significant in light of what I wanted to do. My vet knows me and my horses well and I respect her opinion.

Many years ago a horse I had vetted went lame so we stopped the vetting. The vet thought is could be due to a stone bruise so a week later we was revetted and sailed through.
 
I would get a re vetting and then think to yourself what do you want to do with this horse?

Do you want to compete seriously (i'm talking BD, BE and BS) If so I woudln't touch it!

Or are you a local shows person who wants to hack, have fun etc? I think if this is the case buy it.

Now adays there isn't reallky failing and passing the vet its more like weather the horse is fit for purpose! :)
 
hey :)

when i had my horse vetted he was 1-10th lame after flexion tests on a hard serface, vet said it wasnt enough to fail him, decided to buy him and now 9 months down the line with no problems (touch wood) :)
 
i personally would buy it if you like the horse.

Pilfer was about 3/10 lame on left circle on concrete, the vet thought it was down to foot balance but couldn't be sure.

after 3 months of looking at other horses who weren't anywhere near as good as Pilfer i went back to see him and he was about 1/10 lame on the left circle.

that was 6 years ago and he has done 6 seasons BE eventing up to Novice level, won 3 x PN, and won me dozens of rosettes unaffiliated.
He needs a GOOD farrier who will take care to balance his feet correctly and he gets his back checked regularly as his left shoulder can get stiff.

He has been an absolutely fantastic horse to me and i don't regret buying him for a second.
 
If you like this horse enough then go for another vetting but ask if you can either do it on another part of the yard or hire/find somewhere where you can do the vetting without the excuse of stones etc.
Otherwise walk away.
 
Was the horse due to be shod as that can sometimes make the difference? 1/10th lameness wouldn't bother me at all.I am not a fan of flexion tests tbh. I do know of a horse who has never had a days lameness in his life and yet failed a vetting being 2/10ths lame. The people still brought him anyway and now 4 yrs down the line and he is still perfectly sound and never had a days lameness.
 
Hi,

I have a jumping mare with foot balance issues, basically if they aren't perfect she will trot up unsound on a circle on the hard. She has never been lame and i've had her over a year competing, hunting etc. near;y every week, sometimes twice a week. She has very assemetric feet in front and was born with them, she passed a vet when we got her but owners had had extensive xrays ect. to get her shod very well before vet. I haven't bothered to have her remedially shod every time as she copes fine with it.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I am going to speak to the vet again tomorrow and see if they think its worth coming out again and carrying on the vetting. I did ask if the horse had been given bute and they said no, pretty sure they wouldn't lie as the horse is being bought through quite a well known 'equestrian establishment' and im sure they would want to preserve their reputation! Will keep you informed!
 
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