Selling with Sarcoid history - Advice Please

PuzzlePiece

PuzzlePiece

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I know it's been done before and sarcoids are a definite no for some buyers.
I'm putting one of my horses on the market but worried it might be a pointless excercise and we won't get any interest. He had treatment for Sarcoids with Liverpool cream 2 yrs ago which was successful and he has none reappear since. One on the inside of his hind leg and a couple between his front legs but none would ever affect tack. Obviously I will disclose all this to any potential buyers.

Is there anyone out there who has recently sold a horse with sarcoids of any advice for tackling the controversial subject? Also how much did this affect the horses value? Many thanks in advance
 
Am in similar situation and following this with interest. I think you will find some will find them a no no, and some, maybe those who don't know much about them will not bother so much.
 
My partner sold a Cleveland Bay ridden broodmare a few years ago after the vet recommended she not be bred again as her occult sarcoids, although successfully treated were on and around her udder so a suckling foal may well make them recur. She advertised her as having been retired as a broodmare to prevent reoccurance of sarcoids but suitable to be ridden. Her price was less than it might otherwise have been but there was no lack of interest in her and she sold fairly quickly. We're still in touch with her new owners and the sarcoids have stayed gone.
 
I sold my gelding 3 years ago and he had had a sarcoid treatment with liverpool cream. I was honest with they buyer and allowed them access to his vet records (in relation to sarcoids) but then I was also realistic with price and basically halved what he could have been worth. Due to the price the buyer was prepared to take a chance on him.
(sadly however he was pts 2 years later due to dramatic kissing spine which was a massive shock to me and very upsetting when I found out :( )
 
I think the key is to be open and honest from the outset and price realistically given it'll will be an exclusion on any insurance the new owner takes out. I'd be inclined to also offer up vet records to reassure any potential buyers.

I went to see a great horse a few weeks back that had apparently flown through a 5 stage vetting at the end of last year...sadly they failed to mention the rather large sarcoid that was found (i'd also managed to miss it at the viewing as it wasn't in an obvious place) until they sent through a copy of the vetting certificate at which point I apologised and walked away. Just felt like a total waste of mine and their time as had I known there was no way I'd have viewed him for the price they were asking.
 
I wondered if it would be worth a conversation with your insurers - ask them how they would view the insurance of a horse like yours, with the history. That might help you with the pricing.
 
If a horse had a sarcoid, or other injury for that matter, which had completely gone, no scar or anything left, and nothing is there to be picked up at a vetting, do you have to tell a potential buyer about it? I wasnt told about a tendon injury my horse had recovered from, I only found out later, but its now 5 years on and hasnt been any problem.
 
I think wind operations must be disclosed,even if theres nothing to see and the horse doesn't make a noise. I dont know about other operations though.
 
As far as I'm aware, you only legally have to declare vices, although obviously morally, you should be honest about everything.
 
You definitely have to declare sweet itch - perhaps that's classified somehow as a vice...
 
WeeLassie said:
If a horse had a sarcoid, or other injury for that matter, which had completely gone, no scar or anything left, and nothing is there to be picked up at a vetting, do you have to tell a potential buyer about it? I wasnt told about a tendon injury my horse had recovered from, I only found out later, but its now 5 years on and hasnt been any problem.
Click to expand...

Morally, a seller should be up front about any health issues which could potentially reoccur. Both to ensure the new owners know exactly what they may have to deal with in future and for the sake of the horse, to ensure, as far as possible, its future security.

OP - I read somewhere that a horse with sarcoids will be worth half the price it would be without. I'm not sure if this value goes up slightly if the sarcoids have been resolved. Probably not by much. I would be open and honest, there are plenty of people who would be happy to take a horse with sarcoids, as long as they know what they're taking on :)
 
It wouldn't stop me buying. I've had several with sarcoids and never had many issues at all with them so far (touch wood). I wouldn't advertise the fact on the advert but if they asked in the initial phone call I'd definately tell them and if they didn't then I would likely point it out to them when they came to view.
 
I just bought a horse with a sarcoid. It's on the inside of his back leg, he's had it for three years (as disclosed by the seller) and has never affected him or changed shape etc. He had a full vetting and the vet said it was of no concern to them based on the type it was and where it was, but obviously it's excluded from my insurance should I ever need to treat it.

Sarcoids don't seem to be as big a deal to buyers/sellers here in Ireland, it's something that's disclosed and advised on by vets of course, and everyone knows the risks, but it definitely didn't put me off this guy. Probably because he only had the one too I suppose.

I'm leaving well alone in terms of treating unless I have to.
 
Ive just passed up viewing a lovely horse which ticked almost all of the boxes on my wish list because of sarcoids which were treated a couple of years ago. The seller didn't mention on the advert but did volunteer the information during our phone call - which in my mind is a commendable thing to do and meant that I didn't waste time on a viewing. It is perhaps my failing not wanting to take on a horse with a known history but Ive seen the misery some of the treatments have caused horse and owner and selfishly would like to avoid if at all possible.
 
My horse was purchased with two, both were disclosed by the seller before the viewing and I also took my YO owner with me and she is very practical and checked him all over-she said for what I was going to learn from him it would be with the risk. They took a Low offer (£400 off asking price despite already being discounted) and in the two years I've had him one dropped off, and one has shrunk so I'm leaving well alone.
I could never have afforded him if he had a *clean* bill of health he would have been 5/6 thousand pounds

Some will take a chance if the price is right, some will not view
 
Thank You all - there's too many of you to quote.
I will disclose them and to the trained eyed you can see where they were. I'm planning on mentioning it before any viewing, Im not one for wasting time. He's such a lovely horse its a shame there's such a stigma around the condition. Some horses can be absolutely fine their whole lives
 
I've bought a couple with Sarcoids, both cleared up after being turned out with others, both had been on their own. I'm sure they are stress related in some cases. I would take a horse with them, depending where they were and how bad they were. Tell them, and they can and do clear up on their own.I would always try de-stress first,then treat. I would ot pass one up if everything else was OK and was what I wanted.
 
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