Horse failed vetting, would you ever re-vet?

[alex_mac30]

Hi, I saw a lovely horse, he is 6. ticked all my boxes. But he failed the vetting, on a slight hind lameness, vet noted a asymmetrical hind. The vet even said how lovely a horse he was, just perfect in every other way. We trotted him up at the viewing and rode him, hacked him no side of any lameness. The vetting was less than a week later.
He had passed a 5 stage vetting a few months previously.
The owner has had a lameness specialist out who hasnt found lameness. The horse has been kept in full work. They plan to put him back up for sale.
Would you risk another vetting or just walk away?

 

[AmyMay]

I’d definitely get another vetting done if it was the right horse.

 

[conniegirl]

Yes i would.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Yes, I would and I would make sure that I was present for the 2nd vetting, so that I could discuss the vet's opinions 'as it happened'.

 

[Bernster]

yes Sounds like it would be worth it

 

[doodle]

Yes I would. Would speak to vet first though and ask to go straight to lameness check rather than doing other steps first and be prepared to stop at the trot up.

 

[RHM]

Yes I would. Wouldn’t buy one off a failed vetting if planning to insure because they love an exclusion! If I loved the horse I would 100% re-vet and pray!

 

[criso]

Yes I would. Wouldn’t buy one off a failed vetting if planning to insure because they love an exclusion! If I loved the horse I would 100% re-vet and pray!

I'm not sure that you wouldn't have to declare the previous vetting and would end up with an exclusion anyway.

I would re vet but think I'd ask the vet to check the hind first and only go on to do a full vetting if that was OK.

 

[alex_mac30]

Thanks everyone, would you use the original vet or go for a different one?

 

[AmyMay]

Thanks everyone, would you use the original vet or go for a different one?

I’d have the same one, providing I was essentially happy with the service they’d provided.

 

[shamrock2021]

Unpopular opinion I personally wouldn’t if they they couldn’t find the problem. The vet could fall the horse again and you could be down the money. If you truly like this horse then I would get I would get a second vetting.

 

[AmyMay]

Unpopular opinion I personally wouldn’t if they they couldn’t find the problem. The vet could fall the horse again and you could be down the money. If you truly like this horse then I would get I would get a second vetting.

Do vets have x-ray eyes now? ??‍

 

[ycbm]

I'd speak to the lameness specialist and if i was happy I would buy the horse without a second vetting. But I don't insure, so I don't need a vet certificate.

 

[Winters100]

I'd speak to the lameness specialist and if i was happy I would buy the horse without a second vetting. But I don't insure, so I don't need a vet certificate.

I would do the same. One of mine was also ever so slightly lame on first vetting. But I knew the horse and he was already at the same yard, so I had my vet look at him after a week off and he was fine.

 

[shamrock2021]

Do vets have x-ray eyes now? ??‍

Nope i am very aware that vet don’t have x ray eyes. I am just stating my opinion like everyone else on this fourm. I agree with ycbm and it also proves the seller is telling the truth and is genuine .

 

[AmyMay]

deleted

 

[Melody Grey]

Thanks everyone, would you use the original vet or go for a different one?

I can see your sentiment in considering another vet but wonder whether you might open up a whole new can of worms there?

 

[Fred66]

If you use a different vet and they don’t pick up on the lameness then you can’t be sure as to whether the horse is now sound or they’ve missed it.

 

[Flyermc]

Could you also ask to see the horses previous vet history? It might be interesting to see if the horse has had issues on that particular leg previously

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I have 3 horses & use 2 different vet practices. One I use for run of the mill issues, vaccinations etc & I have another vet who specialises in 'Loss of performance'. The 'loss of performance' vet did an extra 12 months at college learning more about lameness issues etc. Two of my horses have been to him at some point or other. One 16h3" gelding was showing slight lameness on a front leg. He sorted him out & medicated a coffin joint. The horse is like a new boy now however depending what he medicates with it needs doing either after 9 months or 15months.One horse has never had any lameness issues so he hasn't been however we took our 22 year old to see him. He did tight circles, large circles, reversed, ridden circles both large & tight & flexion tests. He told us that he was perfect & would pass any vetting. We were very proud him being 22years. This vet somehow feels far more professional than any other vet we've used. He has a great memory & says we can phone him at any time for advice. We have so he really means it.

I would get another vet to do the next vetting, if you use the same vet he may have his opinion coloured by the first vetting. Good Luck.

 

[BronsonNutter]

As a vet, I wouldn’t go out to re-vet a horse I have vetted recently previously. Same as I don’t vet my clients horses if they’ve ever had anything significantly wrong with them. Would be impossible to go in with clear judgement of that horse on the day - I would always be looking for the problem I’d seen before and it would have to be declared on the vetting certificate.

So if your heart is set on this horse I would get another vet out for a full 5 stage vetting - and mention your concerns as to if he is 100% sound. Also blood sample for drugs (just store them initially - then you have the option to run them if he does go lame). And make sure the horse is in FULL work prior to the vetting - a lot of very mild lamenesses will improve with a week off. Hope that helps!

 

[alex_mac30]

As a vet, I wouldn’t go out to re-vet a horse I have vetted recently previously. Same as I don’t vet my clients horses if they’ve ever had anything significantly wrong with them. Would be impossible to go in with clear judgement of that horse on the day - I would always be looking for the problem I’d seen before and it would have to be declared on the vetting certificate.

So if your heart is set on this horse I would get another vet out for a full 5 stage vetting - and mention your concerns as to if he is 100% sound. Also blood sample for drugs (just store them initially - then you have the option to run them if he does go lame). And make sure the horse is in FULL work prior to the vetting - a lot of very mild lamenesses will improve with a week off. Hope that helps!

Thank you, that was my thinking. I know them through as a friend of a friend and they have said the seller is a honest person. The horse has been in full work since the vetting and then seen by their vet. When I looked up their vet it's a lameness specialist so I would think they would find something. I will have to have a full 5 stage vetting to insure

 

[HashRouge]

I would, but I would almost certainly get x rays on the leg in question.

Our Welsh failed his first vetting and flew through with flying colours when re-presented to the vet 3 weeks later. My sister was loaning him at the time so we knew he wasn't given any painkillers. BUT within a year he was lame and shortly after was diagnosed with navicular. I wonder whether that lameness in the first vetting was linked (it was a slight forelimb lameness on the lunge).