What would you do? Horse purchase and ragwort

[lostmymarbles]

Viewed a horse last week, fits the bill, does what is says on the tin but hasn't 'grabbed ' me as I must have her.

Field she is kept in has active growing ragwort, ower told me they also make their own hay from surrounding fields.

Horse is lovely, will do everything I want it for but I havent fallen for it as I did my last one, but it would be a sensible buy.

If you were selling it would you be offened if you were asked if horse could have bloods done to check their liver, or would you just walk away?

 

[Sukistokes2]

If she is not making your heat sing she is not your horse. Lets face it, unless you think she will grow on you, it could be you get bored of her. I would walk away and keep looking. The sensible option often doesn't cut it.

 

[be positive]

I would walk away, it sounds as if your sensible head, which says she ticks all the boxes, is in conflict with your emotional head so you are looking for reasons not to go ahead with the purchase, being concerned about the ragwort is fair enough but to me it sounds more like an excuse to leave her.

If I were selling I would not be offended by you asking for bloods as part of a full vetting but if you could see any ragwort in my fields I would be shocked, so not really able to answer honestly on that as to how I would feel, I still find it hard to comprehend anyone grazing in fields full of ragwort let alone making hay from the fields.

 

[sport horse]

Remember the old saying 'If in doubt do without'

 

[PorkChop]

I would keep looking too, sorry.

You have got to love him, you will be spending more time caring for the horse than riding him.

 

[BigBayLump]

I Very rarely fall in love with animals before i get them. I think it can take a few months with them for me to fell that way but it does happen without fail eventually.
To this end, I'd ask myself is this a horse I'd like to fall in love with? Then I'd talk to the vet about the ragwort concerns to understand how much of a risk you'd be taking if the bloods came back clear.

I think there's a good chance the seller would be a little offended if she knew that was the reason you were asking for blood to be taken. You are questioning her horse management after all, but I would have the same concerns as you.
However:...
Firstly, taking a blood sample is a fairly normal extra to a five stage vetting, so she needn't know.
Secondly, and more importantly. Sod her! She'll swallow her pride quickly enough when you hand over the cash to buy the horse.

 

[ester]

I'd question the quality of the rest of the management the horse has been receiving.

 

[3OldPonies]

I'd walk away on this one. If she cannot at least attempt ragwort control and admits that she makes hay from a field where it actively grows and sees nothing wrong with that, then you don't know what other management issues may cause you problems in the future. I'm not trying cast aspersions on the woman's management regime, but where there is one problem (and let's face it ragwort is a pretty big one and in all likelihood the horse will have been unwittingly eating the stuff in its hay) there may well be others.

 

[lostmymarbles]

Thanks everyone, its good to hear others opinions on what I have been thinking. Have thought about nothing else all day and gut instincts are now following the heart which isnt in it, will be leaving this lady to someone else