When wouldn't you get a vetting done?

B

bedbug

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 April 2008
Messages
291
Location
North Wales
Visit site
Seen a horse we like, nothing seems to be wrong, legs all feel clean etc.

We were only considering a 2 stage vetting but since half of that is the trot up on a hard flat surface which is just not possible where he is and well the current owner couldn't be relied upon to actually be there when the vet was due so potential cost without the horse actually being vetted, would you take the gamble?

Horse will only be used as a happy hacker, maybe pop the odd tiny fence and we're not talking about paying 1000's for him.


Part of me is saying get him vetted but as OH, who horse is for, says that unless there was something absoloutly terrible brought up he would still want to buy.

Help....reasure me or tell me I am a fool
crazy.gif
 
I'm in the same situation. Loaning a horse with a view to buy, I've had her a year and she's 20. I know she's stiff sometimes but I'm still tempted to get a 2 star done. Though someone on here said their vet wouldn't recommend one if the horse was for sale beneath a certain price, say 500, something like that anyway. I have to admit I'm still tempted as if it throws something up it probably would make me think twice about buying
 
Could you not get your vet to just visit and give a general look over? Might help to determine any conformational faults that could cause problems later on or internal issues, e.g. heart murmur?
 
I wouldnt if I had had the horse on loan, as mentioned by Josie as I would hope i would know whether it is upto the job! If I was buying a horse very cheaply, I wouldnt worry about it either. Otherwise I would! My mare wasnt expensive, but I had a full 5stage with a few extra bits because of what i was buying her for. Its all down to personal choice I guess, but a couple of hundred quid could save ALOT in vets bills
smile.gif
 
Being really harsh - I wouldn't bother with a vetting if paying meat money for the horse as unfortunately in worst case scenario you would get your money back.

To be honest I don't think vettings are all that, as so many people seem to have problems.
 
Ask for a weeks trial, then try and get your vet just to come and have a quick look, our vets have always agreed to it you just have to ask!
 
You can always ask the vendor to provide a print out of the horse's record from their vet which will show any treatment or vaccinations that the horse has had. You can then see if there's anything that you might want to investigate further - it won't cost you anything and would save paying out a lot of money for an unnecessary vetting.
 
Hmmm...well, (shuffles feet).....
....I have never had a vetting done....because....2 were bought from friends and I already knew them....

The other 2 were for happy hacking, local shows etc....I used my common sense (ha!)....
So far so good, but then none of my horses are what you would call in hard work. Possibly if they were they would drop to bits......

If I were to be competing regularly or hunting then without question I would get a vetting.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Being really harsh - I wouldn't bother with a vetting if paying meat money for the horse as unfortunately in worst case scenario you would get your money back.

To be honest I don't think vettings are all that, as so many people seem to have problems.

[/ QUOTE ]
Ditto. Plus it will probably put exclusions on your insurance. Don't have a vetting and its likely you'll have a fully insurable horse. I would trot it up on a hard surface myself though.
 
Its not just the cost of vets fees you could be avoiding its the time and heartache if there is something nasty there. If somethings identified doesn't mean you don't buy you can just consider the management of the problem and have the op. to discuss with the vet. I only didn't get a vetting with a shettie I bought who I had loaned for a year prior anyway.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Being really harsh - I wouldn't bother with a vetting if paying meat money for the horse as unfortunately in worst case scenario you would get your money back.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly what a vet told me.
I have never had a horse vetted, but I have never spent a lot of money and I trusted my own judgement. So far, I have never had a problem and have had current horse for 3 years. However, if I was spending a lot of money (£3000+) , I would (highly unlikely I will ever have a lot to spend though!)
A vet was sent to 5 stage vet a horse I was selling a few years ago, he was and hour late, first thing he did was feel the horse's legs and said there was thickening in the tendon. He said the horse should not be ridden until it had been investigated further, then he left. He was there for 10 minuets. I took the horse to my vet to be scanned - nothing! The woman who sent the vet bought the horse anyway. I think the vet was running late and just could not be arsed to do a full vetting!
 
Having had a horse 2 stage vetted last week and it failing miserably I would highly recommend getting it vetted!

I was only buying a happy hacker for £2000 but decided to get the vet to check him over in just a 2 stage vetting. I am really glad I did as he failed. I may still have bought him had we got the xrays done but owner took him home before we could have them done.

So the small layout for a vetting saved me possibly huge vet bills and at the very least a miserable time of finding him lame when I got him home and in need of corrective shoeing.

It was gutting but I would rather be sure.
 
I have never had a horse vetted and never regretted it. But then I have never paid a huge amount for them. All my horses are open to vet and I encourage people to do whatever they feel neccessary to make them feel safe.
 
Bare in mind that the cheap horse is potentially cheap for a reason and arguably might warrant a vetting on that basis.

However I personally wouldn't bother - but only so long as you are happy that if it turns out to be a crock it'll 'go down the road' - and that you'll not end up spending a fortune in vets bills for something thats not fit for purpose...
 
Ir costs just as much to keep a cheap horse as an expensive horse.

Even the most honest of sellers do not know there is something seriously wrong with the horse they are selling.

I would always get a vet to check a horse out.

It could save you much heartache, expense and worry.
 
i don't vet anything because they are so subjective to the day and the vet.

you can check lameness, you can check heartrate and respiration etc so the only thing a 2 stage will show up are eye issues.

horses i have bought without vetting include a £4.5k eventer who has done 5 seasons eventing with me since,
a £2.5k weanling,
a £4.5k broodmare with foal at foot...
and a lot of other horses for less money!

none have had a problem and i have saved around £2-3k on vettings over the years
 
I have never had a horse vetted. I am on my fifth horse and she is the only one to have ever had any medical problems.

I have known her since she was three and bought her at six. At eight she got laminitis for the first time and also developed sidebones which took four years to settle completely.

She is now 12 and is about to have scans as she has developed what will probably turn out to be a sacroiliac related problem.

As far as I'm aware none of the above would have shown up in a vetting, though if I hadn't known and ridden her for three yrs before buying her, I would have had one done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top