vetting my own horse before advertising

[nicolenlolly]

I know this is a little back to front but I thought I would ask for opinions on here. My daughter is keen to progress in the eventing sphere, the horse that she currently has is incredible but not the horse for the job. She has been completely awesome and achieved so much on her but she is a little small and my daughter is feeling a bit tall on her. I have found a lovely horse for her that she wants to try but sadly it is rather expensive so legend little horse will have to be sold in order to release funds to buy the next one. I don't have any specific concerns about legend little horse, she is and always has always been fine but I don't want to view the other one, get daughter's hopes up for legend little horse to fail a vetting and we cant afford new one so the question is, would it put you off if a horse you saw for sale had been vetted prior to being advertised? I will get x-rays of lower limbs and my vet to give her a full 5 stage just to make sure everything is as it should be (we bought her unbacked and therefore didn't bother with vetting). I would appreciate your thoughts

 

[ponynutz]

I would find it reassuring and as long as seller didn’t get offended when I also vetted the horse would make me trust the seller more to be honest and upfront.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I've seen it quite a bit while shopping in Spain and Germany. I always get my own vetting done anyway, and no seller has ever been offended. It's a plus, and nice to have, because it makes me feel as though the seller has an interest in selling the horse in a honest manner. Some buyers may very well just send the sellers vet report and x-rays to their vet for review.

 

[Kaylum]

Difficult as you vet is working with your best interests. But if you have xrays etc that would be a good selling point. Again when revetted it might not make the selling process any faster. Reassurance for yourself I suppose as well.

 

[gallopingby]

X rays are probably good, a recent vetting would be interesting but if l was paying over a certain amount l’d still want a 5 stage vetting from an independent vet.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

A lady I know had a horse fail 4 vettings for 4 different reasons, none of which her own vet could find.

I think it can very much depend on the horse on the day, the vet looking at it and the purposes the buyer has communicated.

I think most buyers will do their own vetting, especially if they want to insure.

 

[dixie]

You’ll need to consider what you will do if something comes up on the X-rays and if it actually means anything to current soundness and then what you’re going to disclose to a potential buyer.

I would suggest the vet gave the horse a health check rather than a vetting/X-rays ?

A vetting is only as good on the day and another vet might come across something on another day, so it’s no guarantee.

 

[Maxidoodle]

I don’t really see what you gain from vetting yourself? I would leave it to any potential buyer. you could get people be wondering why the horse had been vetted by your own vet and be wondering if the x rays were because you suspected an issue

 

[little_critter]

I’m wondering about the timing of all this. You’ve found a horse you like but yours isn’t even on the market yet. I very much doubt the other horse will still be available by the time you’ve got yours vetted, advertised and viewed.
And I’m not sure what a vetting will add, most buyers will want their own vetting so you are spending unnecessary money.
Id say that if your horse is happily doing it’s job then that should be a good indicator.

 

[Patterdale]

I wouldn’t bother with the expense, most buyers will get their own vetting anyway, and X-rays may only open a can of worms.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I have had the dilemma before. It’s very tricky. I was terrible for buying before selling. And then did find myself in that exact situation with a horse who failed the vet. So I can see the temptation. But as others have said, Vettings are highly unreliable. A horse can frequently pass with one vet then fail with a different vet. So you reduce that risk, you don’t eliminate it though.

I definitely wouldn’t X-ray. Most buyers won’t and again they are hard to interpret. In general I would never pursue clinical diagnostics for a symptom free horse. Can easily take you down a rabbit hole for no good reason.

I think the health check idea is a good one. The sticking points on Vettings are often flexions and tight turns on a hard surface. Plus eyes/heart. You’d know about wind, sore back etc yourself probably. But flexions and the tight lunge can catch people out as horses don’t do those moves in day to day riding.

 

[ycbm]

I'm afraid it would be a great way to be stuck with an unsellable horse, especially if you do x rays when most buyers wouldn't. And then be stuck with a horse with uninsurable conditions yourself because you will have to declare any findings to your insurance company.

I've often wanted to do it myself when selling a horse but had to resist the temptation. But I do flexion tests and the trot on a hard circle, because they are easy to do yourself.
.

 

[Red-1]

I would get advertised and see who comes to buy. If you advertise today, the horse could be tried, vetted, paid for and away by Friday.

If you dally with a second vetting, the time frame is longer. I would be surprised if the new horse would still be available.

Also, you are making the horse pass 2 vettings if you do it your way, one of which includes X rays. This has a higher chance of the horse not showing suitable (for what and for who, but that is a separate issue) in one of them.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I've often wanted to do it myself when selling a horse but had to resist the temptation. But I do flexion tests and the trot on a hard circle, because they are easy to do yourself.

This is what the now retired highly regarded dealer Patsy of Stubley Hollow Farm did to her horses before buying them to sell on. Flexion tests/trot on a small hard circle are standard parts of the vetting which many a horse fail on, and if the horse can do those without issue then they've a good fighting chance of passing the rest of the vetting.

Also please don't fall into the trap of delaying the farrier to save money as the horse is due to be sold. Not suggesting that the OP would do this, but it happens a lot. Time and again on here we hear of horses that have failed a vetting partly at least because of poorly balanced/overgrown feet leading to soreness. That wastes everyone's time.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would not even read a vetting where the owner had it done I want my vetting and contract with the vet in place before I part with any money .

 

[tda]

I agree with everyone, don't bother, it's suspicious, and you would need your own independent vet assessment for insurance purposes anyway

 

[sportsmansB]

Its worth putting some effort in to make sure your horse trots up and lunges well, as a lack of balance or disobedience can show up as unlevelness.
You can also do basic checks to make sure they don't make a noise etc.
My own horse doesn't lunge a great circle to the right but flexes perfectly and xrayed clear.. it is so subjective I'm just not sure it is worth you spending the money in advance as every sellers own vet will be different..

 

[Floofball]

Have you got concerns that Legend little horse may fail on vetting? If not I think I would just put straight on the market. You could then go and try the other horse and if it ticks all the boxes (it may not) pay deposit if required and arrange vetting for that one.
I’m a believer of fate and if it’s meant to be, it will be. There are far too many variables to consider so I’d just try it and see what happens.
As said above any negative findings that may appear would go on your horses record if you get your own vets to check, but if a potential buyers vetting raises any concerns they can then be acted on.

 

[Birker2020]

You’ll need to consider what you will do if something comes up on the X-rays and if it actually means anything to current soundness and then what you’re going to disclose to a potential buyer.

I would suggest the vet gave the horse a health check rather than a vetting/X-rays ?

A vetting is only as good on the day and another vet might come across something on another day, so it’s no guarantee.

I agree. My vet physio friend says that you could xray 10 horses, 6 might show arthritic changes but only one of those six might actually be in pain or impeded by the arthritis.

So its a bit of a waste of time really. And if your horse does show arthritic changes its going to really compromise any future prospects of sale if you did disclose this.

Sometimes its better not to know. If the buyer wants them done you can then say your xrays were ok and if they need them for vetting purposes sell them on.

 

[estela]

You wouldn't necessarily have to disclose you had a vetting done but it could throw up something that you weren't aware of or give you peace of mind for future vettings by prospective purchasers. Obviously they are not cheap. I wouldn't have xrays (although I did almost purchase a horse who had a full set of hoof xrays and it gave my farrier a chance to assess. Unfortunately she still failed a 5* but on something quite different)!

 

[nicolenlolly]

Thank you all! Definitely given me food for thought. Her feet were done last week, I wouldn’t delay on that and she is up to date with everything. I wouldn’t expect anything wrong, she is currently in the form of her life qualifying for everything we have tried out for, mostly on the first time out too. I’m just not good at selling them, I have every size from 12.2 up I have never bought a “proper” money horse and definitely never sold one so this is all unfamiliar territory for me and I want it to go as smoothly as possible (little legend horse was a barely backed 4 year old so price reflected this). The one we are viewing isnt until the weekend so I do have a week in hand before I vet etc but I just ideally wanted the peace of mind that legend little horse would contribute sufficient financially to make the dreamy new horse viable! I will just list legend little horse and see what happends

 

[FlyingCircus]

Thank you all! Definitely given me food for thought. Her feet were done last week, I wouldn’t delay on that and she is up to date with everything. I wouldn’t expect anything wrong, she is currently in the form of her life qualifying for everything we have tried out for, mostly on the first time out too. I’m just not good at selling them, I have every size from 12.2 up I have never bought a “proper” money horse and definitely never sold one so this is all unfamiliar territory for me and I want it to go as smoothly as possible (little legend horse was a barely backed 4 year old so price reflected this). The one we are viewing isnt until the weekend so I do have a week in hand before I vet etc but I just ideally wanted the peace of mind that legend little horse would contribute sufficient financially to make the dreamy new horse viable! I will just list legend little horse and see what happends

I'd just caution at thinking you have loads of time RE potential new horse. The good ones are selling like hot cakes at the minute, so I'd factor that into your thinking/planning

 

[BallyJ]

Thank you all! Definitely given me food for thought. Her feet were done last week, I wouldn’t delay on that and she is up to date with everything. I wouldn’t expect anything wrong, she is currently in the form of her life qualifying for everything we have tried out for, mostly on the first time out too. I’m just not good at selling them, I have every size from 12.2 up I have never bought a “proper” money horse and definitely never sold one so this is all unfamiliar territory for me and I want it to go as smoothly as possible (little legend horse was a barely backed 4 year old so price reflected this). The one we are viewing isnt until the weekend so I do have a week in hand before I vet etc but I just ideally wanted the peace of mind that legend little horse would contribute sufficient financially to make the dreamy new horse viable! I will just list legend little horse and see what happends

What height is little legend horse?

 

[Equi]

Let a buyer vet. Some will some won’t. Don’t potentially shoot yourself in the foot.

 

[janietee_5]

We were sending ours to sales livery to sell as rider and pony had fallen out of love with each other. Wanted to check there was nothing sinister going on and he would potentially pass a vetting as didn’t want to pay for a few weeks of sales livery for him then to fail. He was 11 and we had had him since he was 2 so no previous vetting to go on. The vet checked his eyes, heart and did flexion tests so didn’t cost too much and gave us a little peace of mind. nearly 4 weeks into sales livery and someone has fallen in love with him and is buying him subject to vetting. I know a vetting is only ‘on the day’ but at least we know there is potentially nothing he should fail on. For us, in our circumstances, it was the right thing to do.

 

[nicolenlolly]

What height is little legend horse?

15.2 and 7 years old

 

[nicolenlolly]

I'd just caution at thinking you have loads of time RE potential new horse. The good ones are selling like hot cakes at the minute, so I'd factor that into your thinking/planning

Thank you lovely. We are first to view on Sunday so I know we need to act swiftly but I will need to arrange a vetting too so with the best will in the world that will be this time next week…I just don’t want to waste anyones time…if heaven forbid it did show something up with LLH then we might struggle to find the required budget!

 

[Asha]

I got my last one vetted before advertising, but I didn’t X-ray. I did it purely because I’d bred him and he’d never seen a vet apart from north and castration . Just gave me peace of mind before advertising.

wjere are you based ? As I’m looking for a new ride .Pm details please

 

[BallyJ]

15.2 and 7 years old

could you pm me the details? I’m horse hunting at the moment x

 

[splashgirl45]

That could solve 2 problems, hope it works out for you Ballyj