Numpty question about LOU ( loss of use)

[Oldenburg27]

What Kind of circumstance would a horse have LOU put on it??

Would Vet bills costing to much be one??

I am really sorry for the numpty question but I think my friend may have been lied to and I dont have a clue about LOU..

Many thanks

 

[Nudibranch]

As far as I am aware it's for insurance purposes. I have a mare who did her check ligament and is consequently LOU. Stops you claiming in future with a new insurer!

(She is perfectly sound btw though and does well as a hack/pleasure ride.)

 

[Orangehorse]

In general - The insurance company will pay out for Loss of Use if the horse is injured and will not ever be able to do what it was bought for. So, for instance, an eventer sustains an injury which means that it cannot ever go jumping again.

However, it depends on the actual wording of the individual policy. Some will not not pay out the whole amount if the horse can contine to be ridden at all - and even a full payout is only a percentage of the value as the horse is still alive it is not a total loss.

It is VERY hard to get a payout for Loss of Use, they use a very strict criteria and if the insurance company does pay out it is a condition that the owner, at their expense, has the horse freezemarked so it cannot be passed on as sound.

Some horses with loss of use can be ridden again when they recover.

 

[Oldenburg27]

Makes sence my friend has just got a horse with LOU on it, but sadly has been lied to about why the LOU was put on it...


thank you for replying

 

[scheherazade]

It is very dependent on what the horse was insured for, and also what the reason that it was put as LOU. Is the horse freezemarked?

 

[Orangehorse]

Oh dear.

I should have added that although a horse might recover enough to be ridden, its competition/jumping days are over - which is what Loss of Use means if you think about it. It might be able to do light work, but not likely to stand up to harder training.
I don't think Loss of Use would cover a blemish for a show horse, for instance, it has to be a condition or injury that is serious and career ending.

(Of course you are always going to hear about the horse that made a miracle recovery but that would be an exceptional happy outcome). That is why there is a LOU freezemark.

 

[Oldenburg27]

It is very dependent on what the horse was insured for, and also what the reason that it was put as LOU. Is the horse freezemarked?

It has the L stamp on it, But not with a farmkey if thats what you meant?? I just have a feeling its going to go very wrong but sadly friend will not listen... I would never buy a horse with LOU on it let alone spend over £1200 on it.. My understanding of LOU is that the horse is not fit for use/ridden and from what injury they said it had it would be the end off its ridden days ( Some horse may do some light work) But the people who have sold the horse have said it fine to compete... I have never knowen a horse with LOU on that has ever been ridden again.. Just wish my friend would listen As they say you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink

Thank you replying

 

[Leg_end]

I should have added that although a horse might recover enough to be ridden, its competition/jumping days are over - which is what Loss of Use means if you think about it. It might be able to do light work, but not likely to stand up to harder training.

That is not necessarily true as you have LOU to cover for a specific level of work or activity. As an example you may have a GP show jumper who may have an injury stopping them doing 1.60's but would be perfectly ok popping round a BN /disco. So it all depends on what the injury was... There is a database AKAIK so it may be worth popping a call in to your insurance co.

 

[Goldenstar]

It has the L stamp on it, But not with a farmkey if thats what you meant?? I just have a feeling its going to go very wrong but sadly friend will not listen... I would never buy a horse with LOU on it let alone spend over £1200 on it.. My understanding of LOU is that the horse is not fit for use/ridden and from what injury they said it had it would be the end off its ridden days ( Some horse may do some light work) But the people who have sold the horse have said it fine to compete... I have never knowen a horse with LOU on that has ever been ridden again.. Just wish my friend would listen As they say you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink

Thank you replying

.
It's not always the case there circunmtances where horses in work can have an L on them .
A Dressage horse with hock issues that make them unable to complete but with pain relief they can do less stressful work.
Racehorses who have broken down who can't race but can do a easier job
A horse with a heart condition who was LOU because it was a rare condition to be observed in a live horse and the balance of probability was not it would never recover ( it did in time).
Horses hunting with a bit of help who are not sound enough to event.
These are all horses I have known.
However your friend should not in any circumstances proceed without a vets report .

 

[ladyt25]

What they have said. There are many horses that are LOU cases at some stage, some may be marked as such, many others will not be as not all insurance companies ask for this to be done. As said above, if the horse was insured for certain discipline and then sustained an injury that prevented it from being able to continue in that discipline, then the insurance company may agree to pay a LOU settlement. A 100% LOU claim may be settled if it is deemed that that horse could never be anything other than a field ornament.

If the horsethough could still be used for low level work (ie hacking, dressage etc) then an insurance company may settle a partial LOU on the value of the horse (usually about 60%).

However, in both instances it is quite possible that a horse could recover to a degree that it could actually return to a competitive level, even maybe back to the same level it was competed at previously.The LOU claim is based on a vet's opinion (and maybe a 2nd opinion) at that time. It does not actually mean that horse could never return to a working life. Of course it depends on the reason for the LOU claim - arthritis for example then that is only going to be progressive but, a tendon injury, although it could have bee serious at the time could well heal enough after time to have no affect on the horse competing again.

Your friend needs to try and find out what the LOU was for. It could be something relatively minor as, as i said, the decision to settle LOU will have been down to what vets stated at that time.