"Taking a punt"

coffeeandabagel

coffeeandabagel

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Reading the post about whether people would buy a horse if the seller refused a vetting several people said they would if they were taking a punt. What I would like to know is what do you do with the horses you buy that don't meet your expectiations ie the punt is a failure? Do you end up with lots of useless horses, sell them on and lose money, PTS etc etc? Just interested since I can only ever afford 1 maybe 2 and couldnt risk having a failure!
 
A vetting is a bit like an MOT it only applies for the hour it takes to do. So although I wouldnt mind mine being vetted they are for me a bit of a waste of money. Of course not everyone is honest when selling horses so you do need your wits about you but a simple eyes, heart, leg at each corner vetting would be the most I would do
 
Hippona said:
Never had a horse vetted personally, lots of people don't. Never bought a crock either.
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Same, we usually buy youngsters so can't do a 5 stage on them anyway. We just look for glaring conformational faults, whether it has 4 legs etc and that's always worked for us! If I was spending serious money on a horse I'd get it vetted though.
 
Only ever had one vetted - and he his the one i have had the most trouble with- that was a 5 star - everything else i have just taken a punt on - and all have been gems. As kids we had never heard of vettings and all our ponies did about 6 hours hacking a day in the school holidays, pony club camps, shows you name it and never an issue.
 
It depends what you are buying, how much you are paying and what you require the horse to do, many would not fully pass a 5 stage vetting but are still "fit for purpose" which, unless there is something major wrong, is all a vetting needs to ascertain, an older horse dropping down several levels to be used for PC/RC and hacking may not be 100% but still more than able to lead an active life for many more years, it may not be sound enough to continue moving up the levels with the extra demands made on it.
I think the purpose needs to be taken into account more when vettings are done, I would expect a 4/ 5 year old potential competition horse to sail through but an older hack to possibly show some signs of stiffness and still pass.

Any horse can go wrong after purchase, vetting is no guarantee it just reduces the risk, if they are insured you are covered for any investigations and treatment, if they are totally broken then a hard decision may need to be made but many will still be suitable for a lighter workload so it may not be a total disaster.
 
None of mine were vetted and unless i was spending alot of money and was wanting to do high level competing I think I would just trust my own judgement...
 
Never had a horse vetted prior to buying although has come back to bite us twice, 1st was foal at foot with the mare we wanted, kind of guessed there would be issues, but we didnt realise just how serious and cost ALOT in vets fees but we kept her till her last day at only 13 and sadly dam died just one month later. Would NEVER buy from that stud again!
2nd was a last minute buy at beeston. Beautiful shetland mare turned out to be a totall nut job but thankfully we managed to rehome her with a lady who loves shitlands!

I still wouldn't bother getting a horse vetted though
 
Hi thanks for your replies but you are missing my point I think - for those of you who "take a punt" ie buy a horse that maybe isnt very expensive and you dont know why, is sold from field or nearly so, is a "project horse", had an injury in the past and needs rehabbing, what do you do with those that arent what you hoped? Or is everyone such a good judge of horseflesh that you never get it wrong and some micronised linseed and a barefoot lifestyle sorts them all out?
 
The two i bought that didnt go to plan were both cheap projects. As i said one cost a fortune in vet bills but kept for life and other was rehomed.
 
coffeeandabagel said:
Hi thanks for your replies but you are missing my point I think - for those of you who "take a punt" ie buy a horse that maybe isnt very expensive and you dont know why, is sold from field or nearly so, is a "project horse", had an injury in the past and needs rehabbing, what do you do with those that arent what you hoped? Or is everyone such a good judge of horseflesh that you never get it wrong and some micronised linseed and a barefoot lifestyle sorts them all out?
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This is funny!!

I think it really depends on what you want to use the horse for. If it's just happy hacking etc then absolute soundness is not such an issue. The average hairy cob is hardly going to be under pressure physically, so very minor niggles that would put a competition horse out of play may never come to light or cause significant problems

We have always had eventers who are in high intensity work and therefore soundness is an absolute must. We have bought 4yos having done nothing so not up to a full 5 stage vetting. Only ever had one not vetted as he was really cheap. Aadly he turned out to have locking stifles and was PTS in the end.

Unfortunately with horses you win some you lose some :-(.
 
Ones I've taken a punt on have generally worked out ok. Ones that haven't gone to plan include a freebie who turned out to have djd, I had 3 good years from him and then I loaned him to a lovely lady who wanted him as a pet (she still has him 8 years on). Others that didn't go to plan include one who was nasty and double barrelled my mother (went to pet food), one we just didn't get on with we sold on as nothing wrong with pony, just a personality clash. I have one at the moment, I've not yet decided what to do with. Somedays I love her, other days she drives me crackers.
 
SuperH said:
Ones I've taken a punt on have generally worked out ok. Ones that haven't gone to plan include a freebie who turned out to have djd, I had 3 good years from him and then I loaned him to a lovely lady who wanted him as a pet (she still has him 8 years on). Others that didn't go to plan include one who was nasty and double barrelled my mother (went to pet food), one we just didn't get on with we sold on as nothing wrong with pony, just a personality clash. I have one at the moment, I've not yet decided what to do with. Somedays I love her, other days she drives me crackers.
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jesus, I really wouldnt have said it went to pet food on this cuddly ponies forum! lol
 
I took a punt on a horse who failed a 2 stage vetting because of a potential problem with one eye, he'd been an intermediate eventer, moved very well and was very well schooled on the flat. Importantly for me, he also hacked well. I got him very cheaply as he seemed very capable of doing what I wanted and I had no problem with his eye at all. He broke down hunting and was found to have a dropped pedal bone, vet thought probably a a result of stress laminitis in a previous home. With hindsight, he was on paper worth a lot more than his advertised price, so I should have guessed there was something amiss.This would not have shown up at even a 5 stage vetting. After some expensive remedial farriery, he was sound and able to work again and I eventually sold him, with full history to someone who had loaned him for 6 months and fallen in love with him. I lost money but he won't be the first or last horse I've lost on. But as I said in a previous thread, i wouldn't buy a horse if the owner refused to agree to a vetting!
 
I "took a punt" on one recently that I didn't have vetted. He was known to have a few aggression issues but that didn't worry me too much at the time. Once he was home it turned out to be a whole different ball game. Initially he was a bit grumpy and pushy and cribbed for a hobby. Then I decided to sell as he just didn't seem happy plus I had some personal issues. Then he really started to show his true colours and became downright dangerous. My vet was horrified that I would even consider trying to deal with him. Obviously he was then removed from sale and on the advice of my vet, the BHS and WHW...plus an enormous amount of advice/support from this forum I had him PTS. He was not mentally "all there" and my vet felt strongly he had a neurological problem.
So that's what happened to mine. Personally it taught me a very valuable lesson of not rushing into buying a horse and to read between the lines a little more closely.
 
I never have had a horse vetted either. If I bought one and it didn't work out I would keep it as a field ornament. I have one who is 10 now, had him 5 years and he has arthritis in his hock. I've had him treated and gave him a year off and he seems fine now. If he wasn't I'd just let him live out his days in the field.
 
Hippona said:
Exactly....a vetting is just a snap shot in time
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Yup a snapshot that shows before you part with your money amongst other things the horse can see , that it's heart is in decent knick , and that it's can flex its joints and stand still without falling in a heap afterwards .
For the heart check alone vetting is worth it .
 
I use that phrase, and did in the thread in question :)

Took a punt on a bog-off cob. Had him thirteen months, he's eighteen months old, and so far he is what I hoped for - a sweet but characterful cob(x?) with a sturdy leg at each corner :). Time will tell what happens with him, but I like him so he'll probably stay with me and I'll probably lose weight so I can ride him ;) :)

Took a punt on a sports horse type from a dead end market. He's five, he has issue, but I like him, which is why I bought him, so he'll have the same care, attention and money spent on him as my vastly more expensive purchases did. If he doesn't come right, then well see what 'not right' is and what it means for him and go from there :)
 
Well you are lucky to be able to do this, most people keep their horses at livery and couldn't afford to do this. I remember being told a crocked horse cost as much as a sound horse to keep and often a lot more so i at least like to know I'm starting off with a sound horse even if it has issues later on.
Copperpot said:
I never have had a horse vetted either. If I bought one and it didn't work out I would keep it as a field ornament. I have one who is 10 now, had him 5 years and he has arthritis in his hock. I've had him treated and gave him a year off and he seems fine now. If he wasn't I'd just let him live out his days in the field.
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I am lucky now. Before I paid £185 a week full livery for a lame horse. Decided that was a waste of money so looked around and moved them so I can afford to keep a few if I need to. Grass livery is cheap, so if he can't be ridden it's no big deal and I can keep him.
 
Every horse ive bought for me to compete ive had 5 stage and some with xrays. When buying from abroad I want to feel as safe as I can its a sound horse. I would never spend daft money not to get the horses eyes, heart, soundness (on the day) and bones checked!

The odd broodie or one ive bought to sell ive gone on gut. They passed vettings (those that were vetted) when sold.
 
oldie48 said:
Well you are lucky to be able to do this, most people keep their horses at livery and couldn't afford to do this. I remember being told a crocked horse cost as much as a sound horse to keep and often a lot more so i at least like to know I'm starting off with a sound horse even if it has issues later on.
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You're right, and that's one of the things to take into consideration if you do take a punt on a horse..
 
Never had one vetted when i have bought it. But i think the majority of people who have bought off me have had 2* and 5* vettings done. All have passed them.
 
I have rarely bothered to have horses vetted, taken many punts and most turn out fine. One or two have not and have either been sold (if sound) or PTS if not.
 
I have had only two horses in about 6 that I have had vetted. The last one I would say was the only one that really turned out to be a pigs ear.

If I was buying something to use for serious competition and had to be highly insured I would get it vetted. I will be getting my next youngster 2stage vetted or if I buy a four year old thats ridden it will be 5 stage vetted as I will want to be competing.

Thing with a vetting however other than insurance requirements is that the horse could go nuts the next day in the field and blow a tendon/break a leg etc so its hard sometimes to know what to do.
 
Any horses I have bought over the past 20 years have been foals at weaning so never had one vetted I took a punt on each and every one of them of the 4 most recent ones they have all be easy and ready to sell bar one. He still lives here and will be shot rather than leave here I took responsibility for him age 3 weeks and since then he has been my cross to bear. I love him to bits but no one else would, he has broken my leg, tries to kill anyone who goes in the field with him, broke my nose when slow vet tried to put the needle in first to vaccinate him, I have been bitten, pushed ove,r dragged and generally bullied by him for the last 9 years but I know he has to be PTS if I cant for any reason keep him or if he comes close to hurting anyone else. My injuries, my choice to keep him alive just now, might not last as I will soon be 60 and there is a limit to how much more knocking about I can take. His redeeming qualities are he loves me, he thinks I am his mum and would follow me to the ends of the earth, he is a super driving pony and a not too shabby ridden one his issues are all when he is loose in a field or stabled. So in answer to your question if I can't keep a failure I will have it PTS if it a temperament/health issue or sell on if it is a personality clash between me and the pony
 
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