Vetting - to xray or not?

sheep

sheep

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I went to view a horse yesterday - really like him. Very civil big young horse with a lovely attitude, nice movement and the scope to do what we want to do.
We are now deliberating the pros & cons of xraying during vetting. I've looked up some old threads on here and some say go for it, some say dont bother and instead put the "saved" money towards LOU on the insurance policy. Price-wise he would likely be on the border between insurance company requiring xrays and not. OH and I have bought horses previously, one was 5 stage vetted and the other wasnt vetted at all as we already knew him. What's the general consensus?
 
As long as you can insure without xrays (check first) then I would not X-ray a sub 10k horse provided it was clinically good at 5 stage. Any iffy gut feel then I’d image.
 
Do you have any anxieties about him? You don't say what he has done already which may give rise to considering an x-ray at the vetting? Will it be your own vet who does the vetting - if so, I would be having a conversation with him/her beforehand on the advisability of an x-ray? Have you asked for his medical history? Without knowing more about his background it is hard to comment one way or another.
 
I was advised by a vet that xrays are only useful if there is a reason to do them, something suspect at vetting or gut instinct, in which case you may not want to buy anyway, if you do not need them for insurance the money is best put to LOU for the first year, I also wonder where you actually stop if you do xray, it used to be feet and hocks but now many would want to do the back and many finding are irrelevant if the horse is doing the job.
 
Thank you all very much!
Horse has done registered SJ three times and affiliated eventing 3 times (both up to 1m), plus a few hunter trials etc. Nothing excessive for his type & size I don't think.
Unfortunately he is too far away to use our own vet, but my YO knows of some well-recommended vets in the area through her vet, and seller has given details of their vet etc so no issues there. Current owner has said he has never had any health or lameness issues / non-routine vet visits.
I think we will probably request permission to xray, if attending vet feels it is required.
The horse is lovely, not quite the finished article as he still has some maturing to do physically but we knew we would no doubt have to compromise on something, so that's fairly minor! Potentially an exciting journey ahead.
 
If you are having a well respected vet that you trust then i would be led by their advice. In my mind if you are paying over 10k and vet has even the smallest doubt about an issue that would show up on Xrays then I would go for Xrays.

Unless of course you are filthy rich and 10k here or there is of no significance then work away regardless.
 
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