First viewing - what to expect?

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AshryOTTB

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Had a few horses over the years but never actually bought one, they have all been freebies, or full loans. What can i expect at a viewing, am i just going to meet the horse and see her be trotted up ect. For reference its a 2yo im going to see so obviously wont be ridden. Should i take money to leave a deposit, is this normaly done in cash? How long does a viewing normally take? What determines if i need a 2nd viewing?
If all goes well i want to do a 2 stage vetting, should i have blood tested too? and do i need to be present for the vetting? Anything else i might need to know?
 
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Flowerofthefen

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For a 2 year old you should be able to see her trotted up. A viewing takes as long as it takes. If you really like her and don't buy her on the spot you could arrange a second viewing. Perhaps take a different pair of eyes with you to spot things you may have missed. Bloods are usually taken incase a horse has been doped. If you suspect something isn't right have bloods done but then I guess you would walk away anyway. No you don't need to be present.
 
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I would expect to have a feel all over and look for anything obvious, clean legs and so on, and a good look at conformation (take pics of you want to ask anyone for an opinion). You can usually do a bank transfer for deposit.
 
dottylottie

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AshryOTTB said:
Had a few horses over the years but never actually bought one, they have all been freebies, or full loans. What can i expect at a viewing, am i just going to meet the horse and see her be trotted up ect. For reference its a 2yo im going to see so obviously wont be ridden. Should i take money to leave a deposit, is this normaly done in cash? How long does a viewing normally take? What determines if i need a 2nd viewing?
If all goes well i want to do a 2 stage vetting, should i have blood tested too? and do i need to be present for the vetting? Anything else i might need to know?
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if the horse is currently turned out, ask to see it caught/catch it yourself. have a good feel all over it’s body and legs for any lumps/bumps etc, pick up all 4 feet and maybe ask to give it a brush to see how it behaves/see if you can imagine brushing it every day for the next 25 years! (hopefully more haha). ask to see it trotted up, for a 2yo i wouldn’t expect or ask to see it lunged and would possibly be put off by a 2yo that knows how to lunge!

if you decide to leave a deposit, make sure you have it in writing that this is subject to the horse being described as fit for purpose, not just passing a vet. ie, a horse with a bump that’s potentially a sarcoid could well pass the vetting, but not be fit for purpose (for you). having it in a message is fine, just make sure you discuss it prior - deposit is usually 10% of the price. i’d personally rather bank transfer as you’ve got evidence of the money being sent, but there’s no guarantee their yard will have good service so maybe take the money with you, and write out a receipt on paper and ask them to sign it. ask to see the passport, and check that it is in fact for the horse in front of you!

many vets will take bloods as standard, but if not i personally would still ask for them. expensive to get them tested, but worth it if the horse has been buted/doped.

you don’t need to be present at the vetting, but if you’re able to then i would. if you won’t be collecting the horse yourself if everything goes to plan, take a bill of sale with you when you view with your own signature on, and ask the seller to sign it and pop it in the the passport for you when the horse is being transported to you. there’s plenty of them online, you can print one off or just write it on a piece of paper.


good luck, i hope it all goes well!
 
dottylottie

dottylottie

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AshryOTTB said:
sorry if its a stupid question, but what is buying "on the spot"? Will i need a blood test for strangles?
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buying on the spot would mean either agreeing to purchase without the vetting, or leaving a deposit and booking the vetting.

strangles tests arent routine, and i would assume no you don’t need one, but the odd livery yard may ask for one - a bit of a faff because you have to wait for the results to come back as opposed to just hearing from the vet as it if the horse is fit for purpose or not.
 
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she isnt working on the lunge yet, but will trot inhand. Would it be ok to go to viewing do everything you have all suggested take some videos of horse during trot up to send to YO, leave a deposit via bank transfer(what % of cost), get vetting, if all goes well come back after vetting to collect? Or i could go on same day as vet and if all goes well bring home that day?

How do deposits work, ive heard 10% is common, the filly is £1500 so that would be £150, when i pay after vetting would i pay £1350 or £1500. basically does the deposit go towards the total price?
 
dottylottie

dottylottie

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AshryOTTB said:
she isnt working on the lunge yet, but will trot inhand. Would it be ok to go to viewing do everything you have all suggested take some videos of horse during trot up to send to YO, leave a deposit via bank transfer(what % of cost), get vetting, if all goes well come back after vetting to collect? Or i could go on same day as vet and if all goes well bring home that day?

How do deposits work, ive heard 10% is common, the filly is £1500 so that would be £150, when i pay after vetting would i pay £1350 or £1500. basically does the deposit go towards the total price?
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deposit is usually 10% of the price, then subtracted off the total. deposit usually secures for 7 days, so if you can’t collect day of the viewing you could go the day after etc.
 
Gloi

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AshryOTTB said:
she isnt working on the lunge yet, but will trot inhand. Would it be ok to go to viewing do everything you have all suggested take some videos of horse during trot up to send to YO, leave a deposit via bank transfer(what % of cost), get vetting, if all goes well come back after vetting to collect? Or i could go on same day as vet and if all goes well bring home that day?

How do deposits work, ive heard 10% is common, the filly is £1500 so that would be £150, when i pay after vetting would i pay £1350 or £1500. basically does the deposit go towards the total price?
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The deposit comes out of the total price but you normally don't get it back if you change your mind about buying.
 
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AshryOTTB

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Ok so:
1) go to viewing, leave £150 deposit
2) if above goes well get a 2 stage vetting no bloods taken, how long does a vetting take?
3) pay remaining £1350 and bring her home!!
4) once home is it best to stable or turn out straight away?
 
dottylottie

dottylottie

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if everyone else is out, i’d chuck her straight out! if everyone else is in, keep her in. she’ll no doubt settle quicker in the field, but you don’t want her stood on her own haha
 
Gloi

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AshryOTTB said:
Ok so:
1) go to viewing, leave £150 deposit
2) if above goes well get a 2 stage vetting no bloods taken, how long does a vetting take?
3) pay remaining £1350 and bring her home!!
4) once home is it best to stable or turn out straight away?
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Plan as best you can for her to be turned out with one good natured companion. Then once settled she can meet any others.
 
Melody Grey

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Just to add- if your’e planning on insuring, have this set up ready to go if you’re going to collect on the same day of the vetting. Most policies won’t cover for vet fees for the first 14 (?) days, so make sure the insurer knows you want over to start immediately and cover transport home.

Might be a good idea to ask if the horse has loaded/ travelled before so you can be prepared.

Good luck- let us know how you get on!
 
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Video everything. If your happy pay deposit and get in writing a receipt saying will be refunded if fails vetting. This is very important as so many people do not get this paperwork.

It's quite common for the horse to be strangles tested before moving to a new place.
 
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AshryOTTB

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She has loaded 3 times with bribery, thanks for the tip about insurance i will look into it asap. Yep i will have written proof of anything involving money.
Do you think its worth testing for strangles while the vet is out or not? or should i check with livery yard to see what they require?
 
asmp

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I know recently of someone who left a deposit but the seller (dodgy dealer?) wouldn’t let them use the vet of their choice - said they had to use the seller’s vet. They lost their deposit 😕. Make sure you can use a vet of your choosing.
 
Caol Ila

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When I had two vettings a couple years ago -- and one was on a 2-year old -- the vet told me that bloods are SOP as per their protocols. Looking back, I have no idea if it's RCVS protocols or merely that vet practice's protocols. I would have asked for it anyway, but the vet explained that if blood is drawn as a standard part of a PPE and not optional, then it hopefully discourages sellers from doing dodgy things. A fast-talking seller could otherwise convince a buyer that they don't need those bloods, and the buyer thinks they are saving money, hassle, etc. (they're not). The practice would store the blood for six months, and if you suspect at any point in your first six months of ownership that the horse had been drugged, you could ask them to test it.

If your yard requires a negative strangles blood test (the actual utility of that is a different conversation), then I would pull blood for it on the same visit as the PPE, provided all is copacetic with the PPE. I was committed to buying the horse, provided that it passed the vetting. The vet took me aside and told me what she thought (horses were fine), then I had her pull bloods for strangles because the yard they were going to required it. That will be in a different test tube than the PPE bloods. The former goes to Rossdales in Liverpool for the test. The latter hangs about in storage until you hopefully don't need it.

Lastly, vet checks sure don't detect pregnancies. I guess I could have asked for that blood test, but at the point I realised that she was pregnant, it was pretty f*ckin' obvious and you didn't need a blood test.

Find out where the breeder keeps their entire colts (if they don't geld them at six-ish months).
 
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Flowerofthefen

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AshryOTTB said:
sorry if its a stupid question, but what is buying "on the spot"? Will i need a blood test for strangles?
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It means if you like the 2 YO that much you buy her there and then. You could have a strangles test if the yard your moving to requires it. Or you could quarantine her at the new yard.
 
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Lucky Snowball said:
I have only ever viewed once. Guess that makes me 'old'. Take the money, if suitable, negotiate, pay and return with transport.
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This is me! Latest pony purchased this way last November. I’ve bought two unseen but one was a companion only and the other I paid very little for as it was a huge project with full disclosure from previous owners.

I go to see. At first viewing:
- check teeth to ascertain age if handled enough for that;
- check all over for lumps/bumps/sarcoids;
- pick up feet and have a look if tame enough;
- have a good overall look at their demeanour and obvious health. I look for: bright eyes, happy relaxed faces, inquisitive nature, healthy coat, good muscling and appropriate condition for their age;
- see them move and check for straightness, any issues there;
- assess overall conformation.

Then there’s the question of are the two of you a good fit? Do you get a good feeling about the horse and they about you? That’s very subjective. With my 2yos one is much more cuddly with me and the other prefers other people - always has.

I don’t vet so leave deposit and return asap to grab pony if I like it. If it was expensive and I was vetting though, it would just be leave deposit, arrange vetting asap, return for vetting then come back with transport if all goes well. Always best to be present at the vetting. Insure horse from point of successful vetting.
 
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