Successful vetting apart from..........

Yubbie

Yubbie

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My potential new purchase was vetted today and really pleased to say that she passed!!! However during the examination the following happened: owner got on as normal from the mounting block ready to do the ridden part, walked on & turned to the left then 'Bang' horse literally exploded, flew to the side in a panic, got it's legs in a muddle, crashed into a wheelbarrow lost it's footing and fell down. Happily apart from a minor cut and scratches everything was ok, immediately took the saddle off but couldn't see anything which may have caused such a reaction etc. So quietly re-saddled, owner got back on and completed the vetting with no problems. But we were really bemused as the horse is usually very quiet and calm and has never done anything like it before so what on earth caused such a reaction?? We thought she may have been stung etc but couldn't find any evidence, vet couldn't find any other underlying problem and said it was a mystery and probably a one off incident. Just interested to see if anybody else has any ideas as to what could have happened???
 
Well it COULD be anything from fly bite, she slipped and kicked him in the tummy, sandle pinched as she pulled up....

BUT I would want to go back and see again. Sounds funny to me...
 
I'm assuming there was nothing visible that could have spooked her? Tbh, sometimes these things happen, however it may be worth asking to have another sit just in case she does it again.
Think about it this way, had she not got herself in a tangle and tripped over the wheel barrow, it would have just been a funny moment and then would have got on with it, yes? So it may just be bad luck that someone left said wheel barrow there, which made the whole incident seem worse. Def, ask a few questions and go have a look in a couple of days to check it's not a regular occurance though :s
xx
 
I think you should have major alarm bells ringing here. As its a mare, especially it really does sound 'cold backed' to me and placing obstacles around cold backed horses so they shock themselves is not uncommon. I've had 3 of these now and you cant sell them on. Really a question of 'buyer beware'. Of course it may be completely innocent but many cold backed mares are perfectly OK once you are on them.
 
"the horse is usually very quiet and calm and has never done anything like it before"

If I had a pound for everyone who's ever fallen for that old chestnut I'd be very wealthy indeed...
 
I am in two minds about this one. Having a cold-backed horse is a bit of a nightmare at times. When I got Zoomy, her owner said that she 'won't stand still when you get on'. She has got alot better however, she has reared over backwards on me twice now (luckily we both escaped unhurt!).

On the other hand, Monty would stand stock still and tolerate my novice mum heaving herself on. However once when I got on, he buggered off at full pelt when I had one foot in the stirrup and I came off. He never did it before or since :confused:

My advice would be to view again, maybe twice, to ensure it really is a one-off.
 
tickety_boo said:
"the horse is usually very quiet and calm and has never done anything like it before"

If I had a pound for everyone who's ever fallen for that old chestnut I'd be very wealthy indeed...
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I was after helpful suggestions really but I suppose we are a nation of cynics!!! I am not naive and have taken my time and viewed and tried this horse on numerous occasions, my instructor has also ridden her (getting on straight from out of the stable) there hasn't been any hint of this problem before, & I really don't think she is cold backed. I have done a lot of homework about this horse and checked her history thoroughly & the horse is known to a number of people who I respect etc. Is it really to much to contemplate that there might just have been a genuine reason for her behaviour???
 
No, there isn't, but you wouldnt have asked the question if you were 100% sure there was no other reason or problem.

Horses dont just spook for no reason. It could have been ANYTHING, maybe something you didn't see and will never understand, but you'd be silly to buy a horse that has just bolted off from the mounting block!

Also, how did you vet test true soundness etc in the vetting if the horse had just injured himself?
 
Given how you've approached this and the information you have, I would just put it down to one of those things. Horse just do odd things and it sounds like it was real bad luck the wheelbarrow was there and made things worse.

Slightly tangential, but I only bought Rusky because his first buyer saw him get wound up by the wind at the vetting (he would not stand still to be mounted) and pulled out of the sale! Lucky for me!
 
flamehead said:
No, there isn't, but you wouldnt have asked the question if you were 100% sure there was no other reason or problem.

Horses dont just spook for no reason. It could have been ANYTHING, maybe something you didn't see and will never understand, but you'd be silly to buy a horse that has just bolted off from the mounting block!

Also, how did you vet test true soundness etc in the vetting if the horse had just injured himself?
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I don't know the horse or the OP, but this sounds like a massive exaggeration - why put her off this way??

Horse do spook for no reason that we can discern, noises and smells we can't even hear or smell, as well as spooking at loads of stupid things we would never notice. It also doesn't sound like the horse bolted and clearly the horse is not a maniac if it stood still immediately after to be mounted.

If the horse had indeed injured itself, it would have shown at the vetting, so clearly the best time to vet it is right after the injury! Wouldn't be much point in vetting it before the injury now would there?
 
Ah Booboos thank you so much for being the voice of reason!!!! You're right the horse did not bolt in any way shape or form, and after the initial outburst went back to her normal demeanour - also she only had a superficial cut and scratches and they weren't on her legs!!!
 
Yubbie said:
Ah Booboos thank you so much for being the voice of reason!!!! You're right the horse did not bolt in any way shape or form, and after the initial outburst went back to her normal demeanour - also she only had a superficial cut and scratches and they weren't on her legs!!!
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Well I hope she doesn't kill you now if you buy her!!!!!!!!!! :eek:
 
Booboos said:
I don't know the horse or the OP, but this sounds like a massive exaggeration - why put her off this way??

Horse do spook for no reason that we can discern, noises and smells we can't even hear or smell, as well as spooking at loads of stupid things we would never notice. It also doesn't sound like the horse bolted and clearly the horse is not a maniac if it stood still immediately after to be mounted.

If the horse had indeed injured itself, it would have shown at the vetting, so clearly the best time to vet it is right after the injury! Wouldn't be much point in vetting it before the injury now would there?
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Well put. :) My mare, (who is 24 and I have owned for over 13 years), this afternoon, spooked and pulled back, breaking her tie, TWICE whilst I was grooming her. It's completely out of character for her, she's normally terribly sensible, and neither my mother or myself could see any reason for it, but they're horses, they sense things that we can't and she probably had her reason. :rolleyes:
 
Are you allowed to take her for a few days trial? Sometimes, people sit on cold backed horses before they are veiwed to stop them reacting to the saddle....im sure its just a one off but a trial could put your mind at rest. Good luck
 
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