Objective opinions needed

[IrishMilo]

I went to see a pony couple of weeks ago, I really loved him and left a 10% deposit. Yesterday was vetting day (earliest appointment available) and I'm now waiting for the vet to phone me back as I was travelling all day yesterday. The seller's let me know the vet found a small cataract in one eye but everything else was fine. For context, we don't know much about his history, but he's in his early teens and I'm buying him to jump.

I really clicked with him, and he ticks all the boxes but he's not peanuts and double what I've ever paid for a horse.

I'm really in two minds, I know the vet will say they can't guarantee it won't change. I also know it will possibly affect resale value and be excluded on insurance...

I've never had experience with eye issues, aside from having to have one removed from a pony donkeys years ago after she was kicked.

Thoughts on a postcard, experiences?

 

[Gloi]

I think I might use that finding to haggle on the price but still be interested if everything else is perfect.

 

[ihatework]

A teen horse with just that on its vetting I’d be pretty pleased!!

Knowing me I’d use it as a nice excuse to haggle a bit, but if I loved the horse then id buy anyway if the sellers weren’t budging.

 

[scats]

A teen horse with just that on its vetting I’d be pretty pleased!!

Knowing me I’d use it as a nice excuse to haggle a bit, but if I loved the horse then id buy anyway if the sellers weren’t budging.

Those were my thoughts. A sound horse in its early teens is not to be sniffed at nowadays.
I’d try and haggle a bit re the eye.

 

[Nasicus]

I'd find out how much it costs to remove a cataract and haggle with that in mind as a potential cost for the future. Not to get the entire cost of a potential surgery off, but something, especially as that wouldn't be covered by insurance.

 

[IrishMilo]

It's circa 5k for cataract removal plus aftercare etc...

 

[Polos Mum]

Is he jumping cleanly at the level that you want him to continue at?
if so I think you have reasonable proof that it doesn't hinder his performance now.

I'd want to ask the vet whether they get worse and over what time frame and what is the likelihood of it getting worse.

How long have the current owners had him? if he was cleanly vetted say 2 years ago - has this all appeared since then?

Is resale important for you - are you planning to sell in the medium term - if you want to ride him and have fun and future sales proceeds aren't a key thing - then my view would be different to a situation where you're buying to improve and sell in the next few years.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Only horse I know with them is 20 now and was retired last year because she won't let anyone put a bridle on her and was getting very spooky and refusing to hack out.

Vet thinks all this is because her vision is not great because of the cataracts she has them in both eyes.

 

[dixie]

I'm not sure about the cataracts but you need to speak to the vet first & would depend on how much they are asking for the horse in the first place.
Just because its double what you have paid in the past doesn't mean that its currently overpriced with the way the market has risen in the past few years.

Also, owners always think their horses have passed the vetting as the vet doesn't tell them everything they have found - so best wait to see what he/she reports first.

 

[Ossy2]

Definitely wouldn’t put me off and cataract removal is not something I’d do. My old horse had one and she never had an issue. Competing into her 20s.

 

[Melody Grey]

Are there any vet notes for comparison that might give an idea of the speed of the cataract’s advancement?

Have the eyes been checked before? I’ve had some vets check eyes when giving vaccinations before. I’d be more worried if it looked like it had appeared very quickly. Has the horse been vetted before, especially if recent?

Definitely wait to see if there are other points of interest on the vetting and ask for disclosure of previous notes if you haven’t already as it sounds as if this is not an inexpensive horse.

 

[IrishMilo]

Unfortunately pony’s history is largely unknown and previous notes weren’t able to be located. I’m really torn on this, I know they all have something but the eyes are incredibly complex!

 

[Polos Mum]

If the pony's history is unknow - does that mean his jumping history is also unknown?
If so - I'm cooling quite a lot on the idea.

If he'd been in a family for years and it wasn't a problem doing the job you want him to do - that's quite different to being with a dealer who doesn't have (and more key - can't get!) any background

 

[Melody Grey]

Unfortunately pony’s history is largely unknown and previous notes weren’t able to be located. I’m really torn on this, I know they all have something but the eyes are incredibly complex!

In what way were the notes unable to be located? Could be fishy- I’d be worried that as a jumper, there may be steroid injections afoot and something has been done to hide that.


Forgive my scepticism, I’ve been around a long time!!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’m very dubious of an older horse without much history, especially as you want him to compete. Was he never registered?

Good older horses don’t get passed around like that, but ones with a dodgy history with bits that people don’t want disclosing do.

 

[paddy555]

afraid that absolutely no way whatsoever would I consider it

 

[IrishMilo]

He was sold by a dealer in 2022 to current owners. We don’t know what he did before that but in the last year he’s done some competitions and done very well. He’s basically a 5 year old in terms of experience but has a lot of talent.

He’s on a standard horse passport agency book with unrecorded breeding.

 

[IrishMilo]

In what way were the notes unable to be located? Could be fishy- I’d be worried that as a jumper, there may be steroid injections afoot and something has been done to hide that.


Forgive my scepticism, I’ve been around a long time!!

They said they just couldn’t find any on him. I don’t really know how it works though, I mean, if he was treated for something in 2018 in say, Ireland, surely they wouldn’t be able to see that if they had no idea which practice treated him?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Nope, echo above, if history known and hasn't caused any troubles than I may consider but a) I don't F with eyes, and b) 2 years of light work wouldn't be enough evidence for me.
I would only consider it if I had budgetary challenges that meant I could swallow some compromises for talent

 

[TheMule]

He was sold by a dealer in 2022 to current owners. We don’t know what he did before that but in the last year he’s done some competitions and done very well. He’s basically a 5 year old in terms of experience but has a lot of talent.

He’s on a standard horse passport agency book with unrecorded breeding.

Did they have him vetted when they bought him? That would be a handy reference point. Then there should be 2 years of vet history with recent owner so request to see that.
If he's out doing the job well and the cataract was there at the previous vetting then I'd be happy to take the chance. If it wasn’t there, they didn’t have him vetted or there’s any hint of doubt over him being looks/ spooky etc then it's a no.

 

[silv]

If you really like the horse go for it, but haggle a great deal, you should get a big reduction in price. I certainly would not pay full price.

 

[IrishMilo]

Did they have him vetted when they bought him? That would be a handy reference point. Then there should be 2 years of vet history with recent owner so request to see that.
If he's out doing the job well and the cataract was there at the previous vetting then I'd be happy to take the chance. If it wasn’t there, they didn’t have him vetted or there’s any hint of doubt over him being looks/ spooky etc then it's a no.

I dont think they did.

However, I managed to speak to the vet tonight and she was very complimentary about him. She liked him a lot and said she doesn’t think it’s affecting him but obviously couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t be an issue in future.

So now it’s really just the question of am I willing to take a risk, knowing it could be a complete non issue forever or get a year down the line and have a big problem.

I have to say I’m more leaning towards taking a chance, I haven’t sat on anything that I enjoyed that much in years!

 

[saddlesore]

Personally I think I’d take the chance. It’s hard to find a horse you really click with and even harder to find a sound one. As others have said I’d be going to the owner with the intention of haggling. Good luck!

 

[Melody Grey]

If you’re tempted to take a chance, negotiate the price down to what you’d be prepared to lose in the instance of the horse being unusable in say, a year’s time.

The seller will likely be receptive to some negotiation- if the horse is up for a fair amount, it’s likely others will vet and find the same. It might be in their interests to take a bit of a hit. A cataract isn’t exactly like a failed flexion that might be ok another day.

 

[LEC]

I went to see a pony couple of weeks ago, I really loved him and left a 10% deposit. Yesterday was vetting day (earliest appointment available) and I'm now waiting for the vet to phone me back as I was travelling all day yesterday. The seller's let me know the vet found a small cataract in one eye but everything else was fine. For context, we don't know much about his history, but he's in his early teens and I'm buying him to jump.

I really clicked with him, and he ticks all the boxes but he's not peanuts and double what I've ever paid for a horse.

I'm really in two minds, I know the vet will say they can't guarantee it won't change. I also know it will possibly affect resale value and be excluded on insurance...

I've never had experience with eye issues, aside from having to have one removed from a pony donkeys years ago after she was kicked.

Thoughts on a postcard, experiences?

Knowing what I do about eyes now - there are two types those which are born with them (congenital) and rarely a problem and those who develop them. They can have tiny cataracts and have no impact on them. My horse has two tiny ones. I would haggle and not worry as long as you find out which type.

I had one with congenital as well which we sold and just had a specialist look at him to confirm which type.

 

[Equi]

Being on one eye only I would query an old injury. Is the vet certain there was no evidence of uveitis?

 

[DressageCob]

If there's no sign of other eye issues (eg. uveitis) a cataract wouldn't put me off. They don't always need removing and don't always cause issues. I'd expect money off the price but if the horse was otherwise perfect I'd go for it. I wouldn't if there was sign of uveitis.

 

[Welly Boot]

What does your vet say? I would walk away having had one with cataracts before

 

[IrishMilo]

It's really a how long is a piece of string situation isn't it? It could really be nothing forever or it could get worse, quickly. A specialist exam is around £400 which would tell me exactly what type of cataract it is, vision quality etc.

The vetting vet said she would 'have an opinion' on it if she were buying with her vet head, but also that on a personal level she would potentially take the risk given it's small and seems to cause no issues at the moment.

I'm still no more decided for having slept on it. Some people say not with a barge bole and others are sharing stories of jumping 1.20 with no issues!

What would be a reasonable deduction from price do you reckon? I want to say the seller has been great so far and I don't want to mess her around.

 

[bubsqueaks]

I bought a fab jumping pony many years ago who had the same a cataract that showed up at the vetting. I put the ball in the owners court & they reduced the sale price. Never caused an issue & lived into his 30s.