Results from vetting? Would you buy....

[Blizzard]

I had a horse vetted today, he was to be a bombproof hack for my novice partner, and to be honest we are just head battereed and dont know what to do!

Basically the vet said he had lots of wear and tear which is to be expected because of his age (16) and the fact he has been in hard work all his life.

she also said his passport says he is 18, but it is only 3 years old and she said she is sure he is only 16 though.

He has mudfever, no probs, and may have mites, treatable, but the vet was concerned that he had swelling on his stifles, and said he may get arthritis, again its an age thing I guess.

She said he would be fine as a light hack but if hubby wanted to do more with him he would struggle.

She said the horse has a huge heart and would do his best for you even if he had 3 legs and was in terrible pain, he is that genuine and honest, but of course we want him to be happy too.

The vet also said he was slightly unlevel in front when trotted up and slightly stiff behind, he has been living in though and would be out 24/7 with us.

I woudl really appreciate any advice because we just dont know what to do.

He is a lovely genuine horse who is totally honest and kind, and we went with Minster Equine Vets who are quite a strict vets, I know they have failed horses that have pased with other vets, then again as a specialist they need to have high standards I guess.

My friend said still go for him and maybe ask for a bit to be knocked off the price, Im just feeling a bit disheartened although I suppose its pretty much what to expect from a horse his age isnt it?

also a bit concerned about insureance and thme not covering him for vets fees because of his age.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated, a long night ahead of deep thinking I think!

 

[Skhosu]

mmm..so many problems.... might concern me? I would worry about the stifle swelling as at the end of the day, you could surely find a nice 16/18yr old without so many problems?

 

[spaniel]

Honest thought???

I wouldnt buy him based on the doubts about his age and the fact that he is showing signs of wear and tear. You are not going to be able to get insurance on him plus I doubt very much that you would be able to sell him on in a year or two should your OH decide he has 'outgrown' him.

Sorry

 

[Blizzard]

hmm must admit its what Ive been thinking...

 

[star]

i bought my welsh cob at 16 - he was not stiff or unsound in any way - he trotted up sound to all 4 flexion tests and was in fabulous health. i have had 5 fantastic yrs from him and he is still not suffering from arthritis, although he has damaged ligaments in his hindlegs which he is currently recovering from. personally i wouldn't buy the horse you describe - i believe there are 16 (or 18) yr olds in better health out there.

 

[Blizzard]

Yes thats what I think, he has hunted all his life, evented etc, but he is a big horse too and well I just think its alot to take on, back to the drawing board I think!

bloody awful this horse buying malarky!

 

[watcherathome]

I think a good deal of what you described might be resolved with some TLC and a proper gentle exercise regime. Personally I wouldn't be put off if I just wanted a hack where temprement is the overriding consideration, I have to say I wouldn't even bother having a horse of that age vetted.

A good deal comes down to price, if he is cheap (under 1K) and you like him then he is still worthy of consideration, I think

 

[SirenaXVI]

Difficult one, it does rather depend on how far your OH wants to go with his riding, what suits him now may not in say 18mths time. On the other hand, even with the questions over his age/slight stiffness, he does sound right for a first horse - if the price was right - and I agree it would have to be under £1k. But then I am a softee and would probably buy him cos I felt sorry for him

 

[MarthaRodman1]

Have to say I'm inclined to agree with the last 2 comments, if he is 16 (or even 18) maybe the life you are going to offer him is just what he needs, of he's been in hard work all his life. A few hacks a week, the odd flatwrk lesson. If he's been living in then he's bound to be stiff - try being in bed all day, then being asked to run down the road and back - we'd be stiff!

But then I do agree with the other comments re the stifles etc. Not sure I would have bothered having a full vetting on a horse of 16 either to be honest. I know buying horses is a risk, but if he is a good, safe school master/happy hacker and the price is right - then maybe he's worth the risk! If he's been living in and he's now gonna live out, he might think all his Christmas's have come at once! Rug him up well and you'll prob get another 10 years or so out of him!

Hope you this helps with the decision!

 

[Kelly1982]

Personally i would steer well clear but it depends on your circumstances.

If he is living out and his stiffness gets worse or turns into arthritus (sp) and he has to be retired, do you have the facilities to keep him as a pet??

Will his problems turn into massive vets bills eventually??

If your OH outgrows him and wants to do more then will you be able to sell an old horse with all these problems??

I know these problems may occur with any horse but buying a horse with the start of these problems already there is a bit risky to me.

You could always do as the others have said and offer them a knock down price and see what they say if he is exactly what you are looking for.

I just feel there are a lot of older horses out there with no problems so would be inclined to look a bit more.

I brought a horse with problems though and ignored my gut instint and after 9 months of owning him went through a year of heartbreak with him so maybe i am just a bit more cautious because of this.

I wouldn't worry about the age on the passport too much either as if it was done by a vet they can be out by a few years anyway. They was with our mare by a year. ansd as you know its harder to be more accurate after a certain age.

 

[Blizzard]

Thanks guys you have given me a lot of food for thought, he is £1500 but I think if we could knock his mum down to say £1000 inc his tack and rugs, then we would be interested still.

All my hubby wants to do is light hacking, plodding around the country lanes, and he will never ever ever want to complete, LOL he would run a mile at the thought of it!

The horse is the safest quietest horse Ive ever ridden and even though hubby has only ridden him 3 times, his confidence has come on in leaps and bounds to the point where he will ride my mare out now, she is too small for him at 14.2hh though!

Thanks so much for your balanced opinions, I was starting to feel like it was hopeless and he had too much wrong with him, I did a lot of research lastnight about every symptom he has and it seems a lot of it is just age, and he would be with us for life, no question about that, even if we lost our jobs etc and were bankrupt, my horses coudl live on my uncles farm for the rest of their livea and be loaned out, my animals mean the world to me so reselling him woudlnt be an issue.

My main concern is that if we bought him what if we only had 2 years with him, although it seems Im being a bit over worried about that.

He is the first horse ive ver had vetted and I only did it because I was concerned abut his legs being filled, and a lump which i thought was a sarcoid, which is nothing after all!

hmm time to do some thinking me thinks! Safety wise you coldnt get safer, he is also stunning and in excellent condition, fit and honest.

 

[samp]

Ask yourself? How long do you intend to keep him? if your OH improves his confidence etc and wants to move on to another horse in say 2 years - would you then be able to sell him on?

Could you afford the vet bills if the arthritis worsened?

 

[Blizzard]

We would keep him untilhe died, OH wouldnt want to move onto another horse, he basically sees them as big pets but likes a safe plod up the lane now and again.

The vet said if he did develop arthritis it would just be a case of giving him a bute every day.

 

[bellasmum]

You seem to have a lot of trust in this horse – which is a terrific thing and very hard to find – if you are sure your OH wont want to progress then go for it – but ask for a reduction in price. Give him the best nutrition you can and supplements to help keep potential problems at bay like Cortaflex etc, and he may repay you in lots of more years!

 

[dunc_n_toby]

lets put things into prospective here. This is an aged horse, he will have issues. But can he do the job you want? If the answer is yes then go for it. At that sort of money he's not going to be a world beater. I have had issues in the past with minster, it's thier job to tell yuo the worst case scenario.
Where abouts are you? I'm near Howden in East Yorks

 

[happyhack]

i dont think that i'd buy. I bet you could find a nice 10-12 YO cob that'd do what you want it for!!

 

[Blizzard]

Yes we both trust him already, my mare destroyed my OH's confidence, and this gelding restored it hugely within 2 rides! Having his first ever canter out in an open massive field on his first ride on a strange horse, well that was HUGE to my OH!

We also both tried him on 3 occasions, and in the school and took him out in company, good as gold and totally unflappable, we have been to see a lot of 'bombproof first horses' 90% of which were by no means for a novice rider, one napped like no tomorrow!

obviously we dont want to spend a fortune as all my OH wants to do is hack around the lanes, and also as my OH is 6ft 4 well he needs a lrge horse, and the bigger horses seem to be more expensive.

The horse is about 20mins from minster, im in county durham myself, about an hour away.

 

[dunc_n_toby]

We have a large (17.2HH) retired hunter, he's only 7! he had an injury last year whilst out at grass. He's looking for a new home, I'm worried he'll be put down if noone takes him on. He's the sweetest gentle giant ever! So if you do decide against the other one please PM me, this chap won't pass a vet but he'll be very cheap. He is sound now and will be a lovely quiet hack.
I hope this isn't classed as advertising but appologies if it is

 

[Theresa_F]

If all your hubby wants is a big gentle friend and a few gentle hacks then I would consider him. Cairo has one eye, has to have eye checks twice a year, was slightly lame when we took him on, and needed cancer treatement again (no we are not mad, we loved him and had him treated good as new) he now is 20, has low ringbone and only does light work.

Would we change him? Never. He is able to do the light hack which is all my OH likes to do, and is the most gentle and loveable horse you could meet. My OH adores him and for him is the perfect horse - kind, gentle and gives everyone confidence. My OH never wants to do more than tack up western and potter around the countryside.

I would see if you could get him at a cheap price - we actually took Cairo on permanent loan, if he does all what you want, but be prepared that he may only be able to be ridden for a few years. You may be suprised and find he goes on for longer. These old hunters are normally very tough.

Also be prepared that he may end up being a pet/companion or having to consider pts if you are unable to keep him in that way - better than selling on or dumping in a field.

 

[radicalequine]

An honest friend. What more could you ask for to give confidence? Surely £1500 is worth every penny if you don't intend to ever sell him just for peace of mind knowing that your husband can hack out and return home. His conditions certainly would not bother me - if you had a year of work from him - consider how much you would pay your local riding school during this time. If you can get a reduction in his price all the better - poor chap - at least he is one fella that will have a happy ending! At 16 or 18 (whichever!) I know horses at 5 and 6 that are in a far worse condition - with owners that do not have a clue. At lease you are aware of his problems and can manage them accorcdingly. Good luck and happy hacking!

 

[Blizzard]

Thanks guys, we are still umming and ahhing about it all, he s such a lovely horse but most insurance cmopanies that would cover him want a vetting cert, which he failed, so the only one that would insure him is one that would only cover accidents and not illness.

this is what concerns me as I would hate to be in the position where something happened and he had to be PTS because he wasnt covered with vets bills.

Also he does have mudfever and poss mites the vet said, but that is no problem, anyway here are some pics of him, you can see in his face how kind he is, please let me know your honest opinions about his condition etc.

Excuse TOTAL novice partners position LOL

 

[Tia]

Well the age wouldn't put me off - 16 or 18, who cares - he's probably got another 10 years in him.

Totally bombproof - definitely something lacking in today's British horses and a big plus going for him.

Mites, mudfever - no big deal; you can easily deal with this although living out it may take a bit longer and you will have to be patient with it.

Arthritis - loads of horses have this particularly if they are stabled for the majority of their lives. 24/7 turnout will likely improve this situation. I had a mare who had a touch of arthritis - put her in a field with a hill in it - hay at the top of the hill, water at the bottom. Within no time you honestly couldn't see any arthritis - vet re-checked her and suggested that the muscle build-up which had occurred was counteracting the arthritis.

He's cheap - always a plus.

As for the vetting - honestly so many horses of all ages fail vettings - and I think he has actually failed on very little here.

So weighing up the pro's and con's........I think I would take the risk and go for him. Your choice though - you know the horse - go with your gut instinct.

 

[Theresa_F]

Just realised that the only vets fees you will be able to get are minimal as he is over 15.

You can only get accident external damage cover on a veteren policy - normally for about £750 max. KBIS do offer a colic option on their veteren policy.

Mites - no problem - frontline and if he has feather - bit of oil and sulphur will keep it away.

Getting old and stiff - keep him out as much as possible and allow him to slowly warm up.

He looks such a lovely chap I would go for him.

I spent £5000 on a 5 year old with a five star vetting who 6 months later went down with hock problems so buying a young horse is not a guarantee of no medical problems.

If he has got to 18 and is still able to do what you want, it is likely that he will stay going along for ages yet.

Personally, I would rather have an old reliable friend for a novice with a few easily looked after medical problems than take a risk on a younger unknown.

Finally my old TB was stiff, had spent her life hunting and a good few scars and lived life to the max still hunting and jumping until 29 when she was injured in the field, so they can last. She was kept rugged in winter to keep her back warm and dry, a bute every other day and was the best £200 I have ever spent.

 

[Blizzard]

Thanks everyone! Your comments have made my day.

Tiaribbon thank you, you have made me see thing in a much more positive light. LOL at putting hay at top of the hill!

Theresa, that is an excellent point about even if they pass a vetting something can happen, its reassuring knowing that he has been in hard work all his life and is still tough, fit and to me looks in good condition, I think he is beautiful, I love his brown 'panda' eyes!

 

[brighteyes]

Will they loan him? Are there lots of others beating a path to their door? You can always ask. Why is he for sale? Do they need the money? (More than you do?)

You have the love and the facilities, what's stopping you?! I would only add that when you lose him for whatever reason, it'll be awful. Bear that in mind then go and offer £750 cash, now. Bring him home and love him to bits. Good luck.

 

[Blizzard]

Yes there is a lot of other interest, Ive actually had a few people contact me through here to say If I dont want them they will, and there is someone who is waiting for me not bo buy him so she can who also viewed him.

she wont take any offers on him simply because she knows because of his temperment and size he will sell for £1500, he is for sale because he was with current owners friend for 10 years as a hunter, but last time he hunted it took him 2 days to get over it, so he needs a quieter life now just hacking.

 

[GoJo]

i think he looks beautiful. my boy was 14 when i got him, horrendously unfit and stiff (mild arthritis as he had stood around for years) and has scars from old injuries but best thing i ever did. He's now pretty flexible now as he's fitter, is pretty bombproof and am so glad i went with him rather than a youngster. Go with your gut feeling though- i knew i wanted my boy.

 

[goeslikestink]

1500.00 for a quiet old schoolmaster thats been there and done it
doesnt rear buck or spook is ideal for a beginner then hes worth his weight in gold ---

for your hubby to learn on and gain experience -- so later he can move up --if he wished to---

this horse boxes , clips, jumps, hacks out alone and in company can do all off that without a turn of hair

people would jump and bite your hand off for a horse like even thos hes 16-18 so whats thats middle age peck of age when hes learnt everthing a horse can learn--

i would buy him with out avetting boomproof you cannot put a price on safety for a noivce--- perfect match in my book

 

[Blizzard]

Thanks guys!

Yes Im a firm believer in bombproof horses are worth thier weight in gold.

honestly I had a tear in my eye the first time hubby tried him, he must have really trusted the horse to have his first ever canter out in a 50 acre field on a strange horse!

I also think it would be nice to give him a quieter home so he can relax and be happy, not just a hunt object.

My only concern is with regards to insuring him, his passport says 18 but he is 16 vet reckons, also the two companies that will insure for vets fees will only do accidents it seems, I would hate if he was really really ill and we couldnt pay out, espec with horse vets bills easily going into the thousands.
I can just see me on the streets with nothing but my horses rugs to keep me warm, just to pay for it all! ..which is what i would do LOL

 

[Theresa_F]

We gave up our honeymoon - had a few days in Suffolk to be back in time to take Cairo to Newmarket for his cancer treatment - yes it was £2,500 but he is worth every penny.

People thought we were daft to spend so much on an old clydie, but he makes my OH smile after a s*it day and that cannot have a value put on it.

Personally I don't worry too much about vet's fees - if I can insure I always have a £500 excess to keep the insurance low and keep a spare credit card with nothing on it for those real emergencies.

Having had oldies for years, it is something I just got used to and to be honest, it has been the younger horses that have had the problems rather than the wrinklies.