Vetting tomorrow and I'm dreading it! Couple of questions?

Sunny08

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My beautiful horse is being vetted tomorrow. she sold to the first person who came to see her and I was really pleased, we talked for about 2 hours on the phone before she came to see her and i am absolutely sure they will fit each other perfectly. It was ideal as I was very, very honest about all her good and bad points and likewise she was very honest about her expectations, abilities and wants.
I am just terrified the vet will find something terrible wrong with her that i don't know about! She is only 5 and i have had her back and teeth done every 6 months for the last 3.5 years. I also had her vetted before buying her and no problems. I haven't really brought or sold a lot of horses so vettings are a bit vague for me.
I am very anxious about selling her, right decision just has been very hard, so maybe thats why I am so worried!
How often do vettings show up things that the owner had no clue about - is it common?
And I am under the impression it is common for the vet to find very minor faults but say horse is fit for xxx purpose - is this correct?
Will she need to be ridden or will lunge suffice - I haven't ridden since falling pregnant so would prefer to lunge or new buyer can ride her?
 
Sorry just realised I have posted this twice as first time I wrote it out the computer crashed and I thought it didn't go through!
 
Don't worry about the veting, you've been honest with the seller & that's the most important thing. The buyer will be just as aprehensive as you are about it. Your horse will probably sail through, it's not worth getting all het up about because there's nothing you can do anyway.

Good Luck :)
 
Mine had a couple of conformational faults and dished pretty badly but still passed a 5 stage when I got him. I think vets want to see them under saddle but more so they can assess heart before and after exercise but this could be done on the lunge. Not sure if vet would insist on seeing it under saddle? As long as she trots up sound on hard and soft ground and on a small circle and passes flexion tests, heart is fine, no sarcoids etc then I'm sure she will be fine. Good luck!
 
The vet should ask the purchaser what the intended job is, and then vet according to that criteria - a five stage vetting will always be the same, but a vet is not going to fail a hacking/lead rein pony that might be slightly iffy after a flexion, whereas for a potential eventer that could be a problem.

I spent a few weeks working with a vet going out and observing vettings, and out of approximately 40 or so horses we vetted, he found niggles with every single one - these ranged from a leid rein pony intended for children to 'play' with, to an eventer being aimed at the likes of Badminton and beyond. It was always things like a few uneven steps after flexions, some slight unlevelness when lunging on the hard ground, tiny sarcoids/lumps on legs etc.

I am sure everything will be fine, it is an anxious process, but there is nothing you can do to change the outcome - just make sure you present the horse in a clean, groomed manner, have the necessary equipment (tack, lunge line, boots) on hand so you don't keep them hanging about, and put your running shoes on for all the trot ups! Good luck!
 
They do it fit for purpose so I presume the vet has spoken to your buyer about what her plans are for the horse. So buying a horse with the intent to go round badminton's vetting would be more intensive than one for happy hacking as obviously a minor issue can be turned into a very major one once a horse is in very demanding work. Having said that something like a sarcoid is a sarcoid whatvever the intended purpose of the horse i guess. Dont worry about it you cant do anything about the outcome!
 
I believe that there is a ridden section for a 5stage so if you can't ride I'd make the buyer aware of this. The buyer may be happy to do the riding or you may have to find someone else to do it.
 
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