To vet or not to vet????

Perfect_Pirouette

Perfect_Pirouette

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I have had my horse on full loan for 5 months now. Owner offered him to me at a very good price the other week, my dad has very kindly said he’ll buy him for me- great.

However, I am thinking I need to have him vetted. I love him to bits don’t get me wrong but I can’t afford to be sentimental about it, I have him to do a job (dressage) and once he’s taken me as far as he can, he will have to be sold to fund my next horse as I cannot afford to keep two horses and doubt I will be in that position for a long time. SO, I’m thinking I really should have him vetted as if he won’t pass one for me then if I try and sell him on obviously he probably wouldn’t pass one for anyone else either.

I guess my dilemma is do I do a 2 stage or a 5 stage? 5 stage vetting can be so hard to pass, he’s 12. The only health issue I can kinda see with him is that he gets wheezy and coughy if his hay isn’t soaked and I keep him on shavings/wood pellets too as I think it’s better for his lungs. I am going to start him on a respiratory supplement this week. So, apart from that, he is fit, healthy & sound & has no health issues I am aware of however I know how hard it can be for a horse to pass a 5 stage.

WWYD?
 
Even if he passes a five stage today there is no guarantee he'd pass one next week. What I'd do depends on how good the very good price is.
 
After 5 months I would have expected any health issues to come to light.

Any horse can break down/colic/develop lameness etc a day after you buy them and fail any future vetting.

If you are happy he can do the job you want and he is working well and sound then I'm not sure I'd bother with a vetting. Probably not the best advice, but it's what I'd do.
 
Personally, I wouldn't have him vetted. You have no concerns about his health, except his respiratory problem, which you are used to managing, and any vetting only tells you about the horse on that day.
However by your reasoning about if he doesn't pass for you, he won't pass in the future, you really need to have a 5 stage vetting, as most future potential buyers will want a 5 stage vetting
I think you also need to bear in mind that circumstances change, you might decide that your best course of action in a few years to keep hold of a horse that you know well. There again, you might take him as far as you can go, rather than the other way round.
So I would make your decision based on your circumstances now, rather than on a possible future.
 
I know, I'm really tempted not to as it's just more blummin money and I already have a vet bill to pay this month for his injections last month. BUT, it's a risk isn't it when I come to sell him on and potential owners go 'ohh, lovely, just need him 5 stage vetted' and he fails each time argh! Having said that, he wouldn't be up for a lot so I don't know whether prospective buyers would even want to bother to vet him.

I know this is ridiculous as I haven't even bought him yet and I'm already discussing selling however I KNOW that day will come, probably within the next 18 months-2 years as then he will have reached his peak I'm sure and I have to think ahead.
 
I never have. Doubt either of mine would pass 5 stage but both will do the job I want. Little one has name for self and would sell for quite a bit as a result vetted or not if I ever had to. Maybe 2 stage would set your mind at ease. Personally I wouldn't vet anything under 2k
 
Ive had mine since april, when I pay for him, I wont be having him vetted. He clearly has no issues that have shown, so why bother.

As other say you could pass one day and fail then next.

If I was buying with just a short trial ride before hand I would get vetted as things can be hidden.
 
Without doubt, I would have him vetted. No matter what you pay for him, most insurance companies wont insure him without at least a 2 stage vet (the decent ones anyway). If over 5K most require 5 stage.

Also, as you say he is an "investment" in your next horse and if you do intend to sell him then a future purchaser will have him vetted. If that vetting turns up something that you didn't find then you will be stuck with a horse you cannot sell.
Additonally its piece of mind thing. Whilst he may seem sound to you a vet will be able to confirm it for sure and let you know if there is anything you should keep an eye on in the future. That way you can be absolutely sure the horse you are buying to do a job is capable of doing that job before you shell out the cash.
 
Mark & Carrie said:
Without doubt, I would have him vetted. No matter what you pay for him, most insurance companies wont insure him without at least a 2 stage vet (the decent ones anyway). If over 5K most require 5 stage.
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Actually that's not true, in most cases - unless you are paying £5k or more.
 
Spotsrock said:
Does owner know you're already planing sale? I'd be gutted.
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I'm not planning a sale. He will be with me for a while yet but he WILL be for sale in the future and yes, probably within the next 2 years as he is 12 now and I wouldn't want to try and sell anything above 14. Also, I estimate within about the next 18 months-2 years he will have reached his peak and have gone as far as he can with me in terms of dressage. I am not a happy hacker, I have a horse for a purpose. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but it's true. I texted owner this morning saying I want a vetting as it's probable I will sell him on in future and need to know he'll pass a vet. She said okay and she thinks he'd pass a vet. She doesn't have to sell him to me but I will be having a good, long discussion with her about things.
 
amymay said:
Actually that's not true, in most cases - unless you are paying £5k or more.
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Ditto this in fact my insurer, Lycetts, is not interested in any vetting unless the horse is costing 10K or more and I would certainly class them as a "decent Insurer".
 
SummerxStarsx said:
I'm not planning a sale. He will be with me for a while yet but he WILL be for sale in the future and yes, probably within the next 2 years as he is 12 now and I wouldn't want to try and sell anything above 14. Also, I estimate within about the next 18 months-2 years he will have reached his peak and have gone as far as he can with me in terms of dressage.
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I would suggest re-considering this purchase then - and think about buying something younger.
 
Why are you buying this horse?

He effectively has a new owner, i.e. you, for a max of two and a half years. When you sell, he'll be fourteen and going for 'not a lot of money'.

Why not get a horse that will go with you to your level of competence?
 
I know and that would be the sensible thing to do.

However, he really is VERY cheap and I have poured so much money into him these past 5 months, I've had physio, dentists out to give him once overs, I've been having lessons at £35 a week, I've bought him new saddle etc. However, it's not even the monetary aspect. It's the fact that I have put SO MUCH time into him and he really is coming on in leaps and bounds. I love him so much, he has become my best friend (yes that's cheesy I know) I know he is safe, I know all about his little quirks and despite his few little quirks he is worth MUCH MORE than I am going to pay for him.

For the money I will be paying for him I would only probably get an OTTTB from the sales but it would be a VERY CHEAP one that would probably come with a whole load of issues.
 
I am NOT planning his sale.

At the end of the day not everyone keeps horses for years and years and years. Not everyone BUYS a horse to keep it for years and years and years. Some people DO just have them for a couple of years and then sell on, I don't see the harm in that?! He is 12, so not ancient and yes, he probably wouldn't mind just being a happy hack but he has potential on the flat, potential that I would like to explore. If I sell him on at 14 as a hack/low level dressage horse so what?! I really don't see what the problem is? There are worse fates for a horse.

I am going to discuss all this with his owner and tell her clearly what my plans are for him and she can then decide whether she wants to sell to me or not. His owner is not in a position to have this horse back, probably ever and she doesn't want him back, she doesn't get on with him and he scares her so what's the alternative, I send him back and she then tries to sell him onto someone else, what if they only want him for a few years?
 
I bought a horse after having him on loan for a few months, didn't bother with a vetting and didn't regret it. Still have him six years on. Plus, like you say, if he's not going to be sold for much then people tend to have lower expectations so I doubt they'd go for a 5 stage.
 
Is he really what you want? Only because if you keep him for a couple of years you are likely to sink even more money into him.

I think I would also likely want to know exactly what the respiratory issue was, and tbh that would likely put me off buying most horses having seen them flare up. .. and presumably it might well cause him to fail a vetting for any future sale.
 
How is that 'planning' his sale?? Have I got a prospective buyer all lined up for when that times comes no?

That's like saying anyone who buys a horse they don't intend on keeping forever is 'planning their sale'

Yet another thread has gone completely off topic.

All I wanted was people's opinions on whether or not they would bother to vet a horse that they knew well, but was probably going to have to sell at some point in the future and if so, what stage. NOTHING MORE. People on this forum really are so self-righteous and sanctamonious at times.
 
ester said:
Is he really what you want? Only because if you keep him for a couple of years you are likely to sink even more money into him.

I think I would also likely want to know exactly what the respiratory issue was, and tbh that would likely put me off buying most horses having seen them flare up. .. and presumably it might well cause him to fail a vetting for any future sale.
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Yes, well re respiritory that's what I was thinking, I *think* it's just a dust thing from the hay etc but would want that confirmed.

I know I'll be sinking more money into him but I don't mind that. Whatever horse I got I'd be sinking money into.
 
fwiw I bought a 12 yo... we did think about what to do with him about 14/15 as it was either sell then or plan to keep together .. he's still here ;)
 
SummerxStarsx said:
I texted owner this morning saying I want a vetting as it's probable I will sell him on in future and need to know he'll pass a vet.
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SummerxStarsx said:
All I wanted was people's opinions on whether or not they would bother to vet a horse that they knew well, but was probably going to have to sell at some point in the future and if so, what stage.
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As you had already texted the owner, I wonder why you wanted other people's opinions.
 
I would love to keep him but I do want to move up the levels in dressage and if he will only make novice/elem by time he's 14 and that's his limit then what do I do? I could loan him out and then loan another one myself I suppose. I don't know, this is pointless thinking about it all as noone knows what is going to happen in the future.

My friend bought a 13 yo Sec D two years ago off another one of my friends. She sold him in July after 2 years because he took her as far as he could in terms of dressage and she wanted to get something that would take her up the levels so had only this week gone and bought herself a lovely, very expensive youngster to take her hopefully up the levels. Sec D went to a lovely home where he will be hacked and do low level dressage. I suppose she's cruel and dishonest too!
 
We loaned a horse for a year and then brought him......we didn't bother to vet as we knew him and he was sound.

Different vets will pass or fail different things on a vetting.
 
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