Heart Murmour

[Luckylocalian]

Would you buy a big horse with a heart murmour.....and if so would you knock down the seller on price and how much by?? Vet seems to think that it's ok but he can't 100% guarantee it. Horse only 5 and is nearly 17hh. HELP!!

 

[AmyMay]

Nope.

Plenty out there with no problems.

 

[ihatework]

I might consider it depending on the grade of murmur, what the horse will be used for and would definitely want a large reduction in price because of it.

 

[Luckylocalian]

AmyMay - did you mean you wouldn't consider buying it?
Ben and Jerrys - what sort of price reduction would you consider reasonable. We agreed on £6200.

Any advice gratefully received. Never come across anything like this before!!

 

[Theresa_F]

All depends on what I wanted to do, how bad the murmour was.

Delia developed one after a virus - sounded horrible but actually nothing much wrong in terms of function and the heartbeat was strong and regular.

Vet advised that I could continue to do everything I was doing apart from competative XC, and to let her slow up if she wanted to when doing anything fast.

If I was buying I would expect a very large price reduction unless the horse was already very cheap.

If I were spending the amount you say, I would assume you want to compete, and therefore look for another horse.

If I was doing local level stuff and hacking and the murmour was noisy rather than irregular beats then I would maybe consider a horse with this problem.

 

[ihatework]

I can give you 2 examples of horses I know that have been bought or offered for sale with fully investigated heart murmurs. Both horses nice looking and easy to do with no vices.
16.1hh tb type gelding about 8yo. PN evented well and bought as a quality RC allrounder for £3000
16.2hh tbxwb, was around 10/11 yo at time of sale. Mainly dressage orientated, placed 6th at nationals novice, qualified nationals elementary and won medium points. Also SJ to foxunter level and subsequently won at PN level. Real schoolmaster. Offered at £6000

 

[Luckylocalian]

Thanks B+J. He is a bit overpriced anyway as has done virtually nothing and was only broken in Feb but has a huge scopey jump and a lovely temprement and is a stunner. Don't want to be unreasonable but don't want to make a huge mistake either. Do you think I should insist that they have it fully investigated??

 

[Suzy]

Hello, just to stick my oar in the second horse B&J describes is mine. He was born with mitral regurgitation (we bred him). The murmur has been fully investigated at the RVC and I have a report that says it has no adverse effect on his ability to perform as a competition horse.
I priced him low in view of his record as a result of the murmur and I declared the murmur at the outset. As a result, no one even came to see him. I was advised that to sell him I'd have to drop his price to around the £3k mark and I wasn't prepared to do that so I still have him - he's now 15 and fit as a fiddle.
In view of this, and in view of the fact that horse prices have not altered significantly over the last 5/6 years, unless the horse you want to buy is really special I think £6200 is a bit steep.

 

[Suzy]

Me again, sorry. I also meant to add, that I would buy a horse with a fully investigated heart murmur, but only at a cheap price.

In view of your last post I would walk away from this, or at least only consider it after reviewing a full report (they can do an ECG quite cheaply on site) and negotiating a further price reduction.

 

[ihatework]

Just broken, done nothing and up at £6200 ... absolutely no way unless it is serious horsepower.
If they pay for investigations and found to be low grade then I would say £3000
But I wouldn't buy it for more than 2K without investigations given that the horse is unproven

 

[ihatework]

And your is worth his weight in gold Suzy !

 

[Luckylocalian]

Thanks all so much for your advice. Just spoke to the vet again and he said that it was a minor murmur that went away when he was exercised and came back when in the stable so he thinks it is purely down to fitness and is psyological....he said in his opinion it will cause absolutely no problems and basically that I should go ahead with the purchase.

Oh god. So confused!!

 

[Suzy]

That sounds very strange - I would imagine there is still some physical cause. If you really like him I would either ask for further investigation or negotiate a further price reduction.

In addition, I would imagine that having that noted on the vetting could have pretty serious insurance implications......?

Sorry to sound negative - I'm really not given that I own a horse with a murmur, but I'd definitely want to know the full facts.

 

[Suzy]

I know! BTW last weekend he won the Hunter Class and the Hunter Championship at the TVRC Show. M has bought him a bag of Blue Chip as the judge said he was too light - how times have changed from me cantering him twice a week to have him BE fit!!!

 

[ihatework]

He really is a superstar.
But too light

I don't think I have ever seen the handsome man too light!! Flippin showing judges!