Vettings...

Lippyx

Lippyx

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So you get your new horse vetted and it passes. What happens if weeks, months or years down the line something crops up that should have been picked up in a vetting? Who do you or can you make a claim against someone?

I know we vet horses to check all is ok and to possibly find any issues that may become a problem later on down the line, but what if something crops up that could or should have been spotted but wasn't?

I would always get a horse vetted, but was intrigued what would happen if something wasn't found that should have been??

Lx
 
The vetting is done on a "as seen on the day" basis I think (not sure what the correct terminology is but something like that!) and the vet also takes into account what you as the prospective rider intends to do with that horse in terms of riding activity. At a vetting if you wish them to a vet will take blood to store for 6 months in case at a later stage in that 6 months there is any concern that the horse has been buted or other drugs in its system etc at the time of the vetting which might have masked a problem. Vets can't be answerable for everything that might occur with a horse's health months or years down the line as we all know with horses, things can and will happen even after a no problems vetting.

Also there may be things that are mentioned on your vetting that if you then have to submit that to an insurer they may exclude cover for those things, however mild/insignificant.

Unbeknownst to me I had by pure chance a very high level vet do my vetting (happy hacker/riding club pony!) but so glad that happened as he was gone over with a fine tooth comb and shown v mild lameness at the vetting (which 2 other people there couldn't see) so it was stopped and then investigated further before a re-visit and partial re-vet and he passed. But I'd rather it was that way than something missed.

ETS Lippy also worth going along to the vetting if the seller is happy for you to be there, I'd never seen a vetting til I was buying my pony and it's a great opportunity to be able to ask the vet doing it things at the time if you don't understand things he's talking about or their possible significance to the horse or your purchase of it (ie, mine has an eye condition he was born with - bit scientific name I couldn't even spell let alone knew what it meant!).
 
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So really we vet horses to check there is nothing wrong on that day and also to see if there is any problems that have not yet been detected. Also bloods for doping etc. Like you say a vet cannot predict if a horse will end up with any serious ailments that could end that horses ridden career.
 
Put it into human context,today you pass fit as a flea..but in two days you could suffer anything from a pulled muscle to a stroke,that`s life folks.
No vet I know of carries a crystal ball in his/her car.
 
My horse had two vettings, one in Belgium and a 5 stage one a few days after he arrived here. 3 year old and passed with flying colours. Three weeks later he went lame and was lame for around 6 weeks (swapping which leg he was lame on after 3 weeks).

After many a vet trip, including newmarket, we found where he was lame and did full scans. Turns out it was nothing other than growing too quickly but it cost alot of money to find this out! (only invested as he wasnt cheep and was meant to be jumping the 4 year olds at scope!)

Just shows even with a vetting things can still crop up :)

I always get horses vetted though.
 
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