to vet or not to vet?

[ScarlettLady]

I've found myself a lovely youngster, had an offer accepted, pending vet result, he's 3 yr old backed and turned away now ready to come back to work, have worked him lightly 3 times now and hes been a little angel, but outrageously fat and unfit. He moves straight, and although i'm not a confirmation expert I can't see any major problems...
Insurance have said vetting is not essential for the level of cover I require, and I only want to do unaff dressage and eventing with him eventually...

My problem is: I wonder whether he'd pass a 5 stage vetting due to his fitness levels, and would be looking at around £300 for a 5 stage, so thought about getting him 2 stage vetted, but neither of the big practices on the island do 2 stage anymore, and there is only one other large animal vet, who i don't have a wonderfully high opinion of...

So what should I do.... Do i just bite the bullet of the vets bill i can't really afford on top of purchase for vetting or take my chances.... Or do I phone the vet I'm not a great fan of and ask will she do a 2 stage vetting Or just purchase and hope for the best (upto date with vaccines, no prev vet visits etc.)?

thanks. (I know the advice is to get all purchases vetted, but what do ppl really do?) x

 

[VioletStripe]

Personally, I would always vet. It's a pain, but it gives me peace of mind, and lets you know the horse on another level. I had my youngster vetted and I was very worried about him passing as he's not at a great level of fitness, but I now know he's healthy and that he has a harmless melanoma under his tail which I still keep an eye on, without the vetting I probably would have found it and panicked as I'm like that! xx

 

[ScarlettLady]

my worry is what if he fails a 5 stage due to fitness etc. then I've wasted the money when in reality the horse will probably do everything i want, and will also create insurance problems if he does fail the vetting?

 

[BigRed]

Firstly, they do not fail because they are not fit. So you can stop worrying about that. Neither is the vet looking for perfect conformation. He is there to see that their eyes are OK, their heart and lungs function properly - no heart murmers. That they don't have any skin conditions and they are sound.

When they do the fast work, they do not have to gallop for 2 miles, they just want to raise the pulse rate, to listen to the heart when it is pushed.

You do not have to tell the insurance co that the horse was vetted and failed. As you already said, they don't require a 5 stage vetting. Have it done for your own peace of mind.