Pearlsasinger
Up in the clouds
The horse is twenty. Depending on how long the OP has had him it might have been difficult to get insurance, so I think that's a moot point.
The injury happened seven weeks ago. The vet has been involved throughout, and does not think the horse will recover without surgery. Surgery isn't an option because of the insurance - and I'm not sure it's something to put a twenty year old through, anyway.
OP and vet seem to think putting the horse down is therefore the best way forward for the sake of the horse. Owner agrees to the extent of paying the money and the hunt being booked, but decides a time the last moment - because she's suddenly in a position, with free livery, to take the horse back - that she wants to do x-rays. As surgery still won't be an option, it will be a question of Bute - after almost two months of Bute already whilst the horse deteriorates - and more rest.
I'm really not sure what the X-ray is supposed to achieve: presumably it will either show surgery is required - in which case it sounds as though the owner wants to try rest anyway - or that it isn't required - which still just means rest!
If the vet thinks surgery is necessary for recovery, and that all an x-ray will do is confirm that, and surgery isn't an option, then why would you x-ray?
If the horse had more options then I'd agree that's the OP should pay for diagnostics - but I suspect that would have been done already. But as the only options appear to be put down, or field rest which is, in the vet's opinion, unlikely to work, I can't see that the OP - who has already covered seven weeks of vet care - is morally liable for further costs.
The owner is lucky, given some of the horror stories, that the OP didn't just give thirty days notice and hand the horse back - or even no notice at all!
Very well put!
What a nasty expression to use, 'cheap'.
And 'happened in my care' is not the same as 'was due to my negligence'.
One of the points of a loan is to be able to return if things like this happen, as is clear in the contact.
The vet is recommending euthanasia, which in my experience is something they don't do easily. We don't know what the injury was, but if soft tissue with no external wound then x rays would be useless. And if bone is involved and months cross tied would be required, that's out, as is an operation. So it's easy to see why none have been done.
I think the OP has been more than reasonable.
I agree.
I would tell the owner that as she has changed her mind about pts, she is free to collect the horse, or if she doesn't have transport, that you will deliver him to her free livery. Has she actually spoken to the vet herself? If not that could be helpful.