Horse insurance & claims

[Bojangles321]

Hi all, my first post so here goes...

I have a cob who I bought from a dealer about a year ago. Typical Irish he’s head shy and very nervous but we’ve worked on that and he’s a million times better.

The issue is saddling. Too quick or rough he will literally arch his back UP when tightening the girth and take a sharp intake of breath, not when putting it on his back just when the girth is tightened. He’s been treated by back lady, saddle has been checked so I’m now down to getting vet out as I honestly feel it’s pain related. Due to his nervous nature though it **could** be behavioural. Where do I stand insurance wise if he has a full MOT, X-rays, scoping etc and nothing found? Will insurance cover me or will they claim it’s a behavioural problem? He’s fully insured with a very reputable company with no exclusions, he’s 10 btw. He didn’t do this at dealers yard and started about 8 weeks into being at mine, I’ve done a lot of groundwork building his confidence and he’s had numerous back treatments where they’ve found the odd thing but nothing glaringly obvious. When you get on him he feels tense through his back and takes a few mins for him to settle down. He doesn’t do anything when brushing/touching his sides or when doing surcingles up, only ever a saddle or a roller.

Opinions please...

 

[ihatework]

Generally insurance only pay if an issue is found. If he scopes and xrays clear you would need to be prepared to pay for that yourself, and count it as a bonus if insurance pay

 

[be positive]

Your main issue when trying to claim will possibly be that he has been doing it for rather a long time, had numerous back treatments and only now 10 months or so later are you getting a vet involved, whoever has been "treating" his back should have referred him for a veterinary diagnosis long ago as their treatments were obviously not helping.

Get started with the vet but be honest and ask them to keep control of the spending because it may not be covered, most will do one step at a time and keep the owner fully informed of the costs, you may get lucky and be able to claim but I would be prepared just in case they reject it.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Welcome to the forum

They will only pay if a problem IS found however even if it is a tiny problem they will still pay, don't panic.

I bet you any money he has something wrong, kissing spine, arthritis somewhere as the secondary issue is shouting out at me or even ulcers. My mare was fine one day, bad the next, next she was cold backed, then fine for a week.. she had severe kissing spine. They don't have to be girthy all the time but that reaction you describe isn't something horses usually do, something must be hurting. Could they of been doping him up before you moved yards? Could be ulcers, moving yards could of stressed and aggravated them.

How long have you been insured? I'd definitely go for it, get a lameness work up done and let us know.

To add, my mare with severe kissing spine, arthritis of the hocks and ulcers had 3 separate vet recommended physios visit, all only found minor problems and said it was behavioral. I pushed and pushed and these were found. I tried a bute trial but that was inconclusive as it won't stop the back pain of kissing spine, but could be worth a go to see if any improvement?

 

[Bojangles321]

Thanks for the replies. In response to whether he should have been referred months ago - as far as the back lady in concerned she cannot find anything of concern in his back. He’s not sensitive to touch and has suggested what I’m experiencing is behavioural after having a rather rubbish time in Ireland. He has had numerous homes until he came to me.

Potentially he could have been doped but he came from a reputable dealer, I asked for bloods to be taken to get a gauge of the dealers reaction but on the day decided not to - his price didn’t reflect the need to.

Thank you Aimeetess, this is what I’m frightened of. I’ve just renewed his policy so he’s been insured just over a year. My previous horse was diagnosed with KS, and severe at that. He showed no symptoms until one day going mental and bronking until I fell off. From that day onwards he was sensitive to touch, but was having regular maintenance back treatment with no concerns other than a bit of stiffness and arthritic changes. X-rays showed very severe kissing spines and the vet and I decided it was in his best interests to put to sleep due to age and other issues going on with his feet.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Thank you Aimeetess, this is what I’m frightened of. I’ve just renewed his policy so he’s been insured just over a year. My previous horse was diagnosed with KS, and severe at that. He showed no symptoms until one day going mental and bronking until I fell off. From that day onwards he was sensitive to touch, but was having regular maintenance back treatment with no concerns other than a bit of stiffness and arthritic changes. X-rays showed very severe kissing spines and the vet and I decided it was in his best interests to put to sleep due to age and other issues going on with his feet.

So sorry to hear that. If you're on facebook there is a excellent group called horses with kissing spine which helped me endlessly with advice. They know their stuff and can share their experiences, mind there are now lots of success stories. Could be worth a post in there? Mind they're all different and a x-ray will show, looking at around £250 for x-rays and if you have a nice vet they may x-ray his entire body for no extra cost (mind did recently)

I'd definitely book the vet in for a lameness work up, ask for their best vet in lameness. With my currently gelding 2 young vets said he was sound and fine, the CEO (their top vet) of the vet surgery came out and instantly saw he wasn't right.

My mare was 9, had KS operated on. Started to rehab and went lame, then found arthritis in the hocks and she still wasn't right. She had bad ulcers, treated. She looked great and started riding more often, she went lame again and my insurance was maxed out. Spent over £6500 and she still wasn't right. The leading vet said its usually the secondary issues that kill these horses and she could have tons more underlying issues. She got so agressive you couldn't go in her stable, couldn't rug change without her head winched to the rope let alone try and put a saddle on her. So after a year of rehab, being used as a needle cushion I had her put to sleep as no matter how much we spent it may never work and it could of been more psychological.

 

[Goldenstar]

You need to do what you should have done months ago and get the horse a workup from a decent vet .
Who pays for it is a secondary consideration .
These back people breaking the law make me so cross .

 

[SEL]

Might be ulcers, in which case you'll need a scope. Insurers these days usually only pay out if grade 2 or worse ulcers are found. Scope itself isn't hugely expensive (around £400 ish), but ulcer meds are really pricey.

I would get a work-up though. I have what is known as a cold-backed horse but she has a tonne of underlying issues so her tenseness on mounting is usually down to her arthritis or PSSM. Both are better if I warm her up in hand / on the lunge first.

 

[Bojangles321]

Might be ulcers, in which case you'll need a scope. Insurers these days usually only pay out if grade 2 or worse ulcers are found. Scope itself isn't hugely expensive (around £400 ish), but ulcer meds are really pricey.

I would get a work-up though. I have what is known as a cold-backed horse but she has a tonne of underlying issues so her tenseness on mounting is usually down to her arthritis or PSSM. Both are better if I warm her up in hand / on the lunge first.

Thank you, this is exactly how we’ve found he copes better, a quick spin on the lunge normally results in him not being girthy and not tense through his back.

 

[Rob1585]

The big question with this, is when did you insure him and was he normal when you took out the insurance. Insurance companies can be very cautious of ulcer/back claims when insurance was taken out ‘recently’.

 

[chaps89]

With horse insurance you usually get 12 months to make a claim for a condition from when it started.
So if you've had the horse about a year and this started 2 months in you don't have a lot of time. They may also question why it's taken so long for a vet to see the horse (they should accept an explanation of working through behavioural issues, but if they feel any conditions found have been made worse by the delay in diagnostics/treatment then they may not pay out in full or at all)

Some insurance companies will do a pre-authorisation - so you/the vet basically complete a claim form and attach an estimate of the expected costs involved ahead of proceeding with anything and they will assess and advise if it's coverable or not.
(Your vet will need to have done at least 1 visit by this stage to be able to provide the estimate and give detail of what they wish to do)

 

[teddypops]

I insure with Petplan and my mare had x rays to check for kissing spines, a scope for ulcers, her ovaries scanned and a general lameness work up when she became really difficult to mount. Nothing was found, vet put it down to hormonal imbalance and Petplan paid out immediately with no questions.

 

[MelJ0690]

Hi all, my first post so here goes...

I have a cob who I bought from a dealer about a year ago. Typical Irish he’s head shy and very nervous but we’ve worked on that and he’s a million times better.

The issue is saddling. Too quick or rough he will literally arch his back UP when tightening the girth and take a sharp intake of breath, not when putting it on his back just when the girth is tightened. He’s been treated by back lady, saddle has been checked so I’m now down to getting vet out as I honestly feel it’s pain related. Due to his nervous nature though it **could** be behavioural. Where do I stand insurance wise if he has a full MOT, X-rays, scoping etc and nothing found? Will insurance cover me or will they claim it’s a behavioural problem? He’s fully insured with a very reputable company with no exclusions, he’s 10 btw. He didn’t do this at dealers yard and started about 8 weeks into being at mine, I’ve done a lot of groundwork building his confidence and he’s had numerous back treatments where they’ve found the odd thing but nothing glaringly obvious. When you get on him he feels tense through his back and takes a few mins for him to settle down. He doesn’t do anything when brushing/touching his sides or when doing surcingles up, only ever a saddle or a roller.

Opinions please...

Hi Bojangles321 - I know your post was from a while ago but was searching for any advice on my new gelding (10 weeks since arriving) and very very similar situation to you - at around 6 weeks of having him his behaviour changed. He seems angry when saddle appears, swishes tail, looks to bite, more so on one side than the other, started bronking after mounting (mostly a minute or so he is fine & then starts), thats after 5mins of him going back and forth to the mounting block as it seems like he doesn't want me to get on. Had 5 stage when bought, physio sessions, teeth checked and scoped but zero ulcers, having saddle re-fit again next week as he was lacking muscle and topline and now getting fitter, he's definitely filled out a bit more. Considering back x-rays as nothing showing otherwise as obvious. Was just interested to hear what happened in your situation please?

 

[Goldie's mum]

Hi Bojangles321 - I know your post was from a while ago but was searching for any advice on my new gelding (10 weeks since arriving) and very very similar situation to you - at around 6 weeks of having him his behaviour changed. He seems angry when saddle appears, swishes tail, looks to bite, more so on one side than the other, started bronking after mounting (mostly a minute or so he is fine & then starts), thats after 5mins of him going back and forth to the mounting block as it seems like he doesn't want me to get on. Had 5 stage when bought, physio sessions, teeth checked and scoped but zero ulcers, having saddle re-fit again next week as he was lacking muscle and topline and now getting fitter, he's definitely filled out a bit more. Considering back x-rays as nothing showing otherwise as obvious. Was just interested to hear what happened in your situation please?

Hello, welcome to the forum.
Bojangles' account hasn't been used since last August so you might be better starting a new thread for your questions.