Vettings

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LouS

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I've sold my little mare subject to vetting and she is being vetted on Wednesday. I've never had a horse vetted before, well I've only ever sold one in my life and I sold her with a full vet history and extensive chat with the surgeon while she was still lame and recovering from an injury! So obviously they didn't bother with a vetting then.

I don't have much of an idea how it works and I'm stupidly nervous she'll fail and they'll think I've tried to hide something. She passed a 5 stage vetting with me in 2010, I took her to our vets last summer because I thought she was a bit short behind but they lunged her on hard ground, did flexions etc then and told me they'd pass her in a vetting and couldn't find anything at all, so I don't know why I'm so worried.

I was just wondering if the vet will tell me things there and then as he's seeing them or does he report back to the prospective buyers first? I obviously would like to know exactly what he thinks etc but not sure how it works? I'm also not sure if its a 2 stage or 5 stage but he did say he'd be taking bloods "if all went well".

I just feel so nervous! Its the perfect home for her and she's been a sound, lovely friend for the last 2 years. I hate having to wait, can people please tell me what to expect?

I don't expect her to pass with flying colours as I'm told not many horses do? Has anyone had a horse fail? What did you do?
 
Good luck with the vetting!

Technically the vet is engaged in a contract with the buyer - so the vet is not obliged to tell you anything.

The vet really should speak with the buyers first - do you know if they will be present at the vetting?

Whether the vet discloses to you what they find is a bit hit and miss, but on the whole I have found vets will subtly let you know their thoughts as a minimum.
 
Oh, no they're not going to be present. If they find something that they're definitely going to fail it on do they stop the vetting? I'm imagining nightmares of me trotting her up once and him saying no need to go any further. I am a slightly dramatic worrier and of course I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to sell a lame horse!

I don't think I'll be able to cope with waiting for the buyer to ring me, and I'll feel really, really awful for them if she fails because I know their daughter will be gutted. Oh well, nothing I can do really is there, fingers crossed.
 
Agree with everything ihatework said. I had a 5 stage vetting done on a horse at the end of march. I was present at the vetting too. Got to stage 4 and he failed, he had inflammation around his ligament. Vet said a month off work he would be fine again and the re-vet him. But on the decision of him only being 4 and expensive I walked away.

Good luck :)
 
You are on the other side of where I was on Friday! I had a mare 5* vetted and was so nervous as well :)

As above, the vet is there for the buyer, so not obliged to tell you anything and if the buyer isn't present, I reckon they will not say then if it's passed or not. But you might get a hint! Vettings are a bit hit and miss cos they only tell you how the horse is at that point, but they are supposed to show up any major latent issues. If yours is fit and in regular work, and you've not had any issues, fingers crossed he/she will be fine.

If you have a vet, give them a call as mine was very helpful in explaining what was involved. I am no expert but from what I remember, 2* is a general check (eyes, heart, teeth, check over the body), then a walk and trot up on a flat/hard surface. Flexion tests might be done now, or after ridden work if it's a 5*.

For a 5* stage, horse is then ridden for a while so it's blowing, then heart/lungs tested again. Then leg and feet checks followed by flexion tests and immediate trot up to check after each leg is flexed. My vet also then had her lunged on a hard surface both reins, followed by lunge in the school. Checked whether she was chipped. Checked the passport.

Told me she'd passed :) And that she was a very nice mare.

Think that was pretty much it, took over an hour and seemed fairly thorough.

First time I've seen a vetting and was an interesting, if nerve wracking, experience!
 
The vet that performed a two stage on my filly mentioned his findings as he went along, though I didn't see the report. Don't think there was anything in it that he didn't mention though. He also took blood, said it was to cover all parties.

First time I'd had a horse vetted too! She passed fit for the job they wanted and is now doing well with her new owners who are really pleased with her.:D

So don't panic!

It's not a pass or fail as such, they're just confirming that the horse will be suitable for the job intended. My old TB has been declared pasture sound and ok for quiet mooching about, so if I had him vetted for that purpose, he'd have passed despite not being sound. The vet would have pointed out the faults though.
 
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They rarely find anything that causes the horse to fail and stop the vetting going through to the end.

Most vets will tell you if all is fine, you get the sense of how things are going at the time, dont panic if something minor shows up they may still go ahead if the horse is fit for purpose, the fact it passed 2 years ago means there is every probability she will again.

Blood is taken to hold in case of something arising after the horse goes to its new home, it can be tested to check for drugs.
 
LouS said:
Oh, no they're not going to be present. If they find something that they're definitely going to fail it on do they stop the vetting? I'm imagining nightmares of me trotting her up once and him saying no need to go any further. I am a slightly dramatic worrier and of course I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to sell a lame horse!

I don't think I'll be able to cope with waiting for the buyer to ring me, and I'll feel really, really awful for them if she fails because I know their daughter will be gutted. Oh well, nothing I can do really is there, fingers crossed.
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Vets vary some chat( often when there fishing for imformation) but I am normally the buyer I never attend vettings if I can avoid it and I am always the first one to know if the horse has failed so you just have to wait and grit your teeth .
I have heard of a vet stop a vetting when the horse was so lame on first trot up it was not worth continuing .
Try not to worry and don't make the mistake of presenting the horse for vetting in a old set of shoes this is the cause of many failures if the horse gets even mild heel pain the vetting in overlong feet will show it up so don't make that mistake.
 
I am panicking! I keep watching her move like an obsessive person. She's jumped, dressaged (is that a word? ha), hacked and hunted all winter and she is an absolute little star. My friend's horse failed on a flexion test and the buyer pulled out. I'm just worried they're not going to want her, she's a little bargain as well, I'm just worried the vet is going to be really, really strict and advise them not to buy for something little?

I'm also worried he's going to take one look at her and tell me she's a cripple and I should be ashamed of myself for not noticing, do you see my paranoia problem? hahaha. I wish they could have done it today, this waiting is painful. If she fails is there any way I can get a copy of the vetting, I mean I'm sure the buyer will tell me everything, but you never know with people, they might think I've tried to sell them a lame/unhealthy horse. Stress, stress, stress.
 
Goldenstar said:
Vets vary some chat( often when there fishing for imformation) but I am normally the buyer I never attend vettings if I can avoid it and I am always the first one to know if the horse has failed so you just have to wait and grit your teeth .
I have heard of a vet stop a vetting when the horse was so lame on first trot up it was not worth continuing .
Try not to worry and don't make the mistake of presenting the horse for vetting in a old set of shoes this is the cause of many failures if the horse gets even mild heel pain the vetting in overlong feet will show it up so don't make that mistake.
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She's unshod, as far as I'm aware she's never been shod in her life, really good hard feet, will this make a difference? She was trimmed about 3 weeks ago and they look fine to me, definitely not long or anything. If they're a bit not right do they still continue? I'm not sure I understand, do all vets either pass or fail or is it more of a 'this is what I've found, I would advise you to/not to buy'. She's going to be a pony club all rounder type, will they be quite strict on the vetting for this?

I need to take some Kalms.
 
If the vet finds something potentially sale ending then they will usually call the buyer, explain what they have found and ask if they want the vet to continue. It is then up to the buyer.

Most vettings pick up the odd minor thing. It doesn't mean the horse has failed, it is just to make the buyer aware of minor imperfections. Some buyers will be fine, some will make a fuss - either way this is nothing you can directly influence so don't panic!!

If a horse fails then the vetting certificate belongs to the buyer - some will offer up a copy some won't!
 
LouS said:
She's unshod, as far as I'm aware she's never been shod in her life, really good hard feet, will this make a difference? She was trimmed about 3 weeks ago and they look fine to me, definitely not long or anything. If they're a bit not right do they still continue? I'm not sure I understand, do all vets either pass or fail or is it more of a 'this is what I've found, I would advise you to/not to buy'. She's going to be a pony club all rounder type, will they be quite strict on the vetting for this?

I need to take some Kalms.
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Take the Kalms, no it wont matter at all that she is unshod, they usually contine in my experiance unless it's something so awful they stop.
And it is suitable or unsuitable no grey areas they take the desiscion yes or no.
Sometimes say if the horse had say a sore foot and they thought it was a abbcess they might talk that with the owner and repeat that part of the vetting again.
That happened once with one I was buying it had got a small overreach in the field between me trying it and the vetting the owner had missed the fact she was slightly lame probally because you don't normally lunge a horse on the Tarmac !
The vet was sure it was the overreach so rang me and we arranged for the owner to get it treated and my vet went back in a week and finished the vetting ( the horse passed).
 
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