would you bother with vetting IF

Crap, sorry, that wasn't very helpful.

I personally wouldn't take a free horse from anyone without getting at least a rudimentary vet check done. The cost of keeping and treating an ill horse for the rest of it's life is so much more than £ 250 for a vetting.

I know a vetting is only a snapshot in time, but at least you know what you are starting off with.

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NO but he does have vet cert from last year so no lingering heart murmurs

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An old vet cert isn't worth a thing. Yes, I would vet the horse.
 
My RI had a lovely big SJ. Over the course of a year he had a virus. He developed a nasty heart condition as a result and had to be PTS as he was unrideable because of it. He could have had a heart attack at any moment.

Of course he may not have done. Who knows?
 
I would too for peace of mind and there are a lot of things you could not spot yourself EG heart / eye conditions...also don't many Insurers insist on it for horses of a certain value?
 
Yes,i wouldnt touch anything without a vetting
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Call me a d1ck but i have never had a horse vetted
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3 nutters and a wobbler later and i finally have my horse of a life time
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Have lost lots of money, even more confidence and learned much more.
Not really a good answer to your question but... yes get a vetting
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Me too, although all cheap horses (obviously for a reason!) so after one healthy total nutter, one bought with Navicular and one (my horse of a lifetime) with progressine Ringbone........... I had my current horse vetted and he failed miserably on a flexion test. Walked away like a good girl, couldnt get him out of my head and went back and bought him. That was 6 yrs ago and touching wood frantically, he hasnt had a days lameness with the failed leg.
Saying that I would have a full 5 stage vetting done for peace of mind. Its so hard though as its on the day and said horse could be lame a month later
 
I had my horse vetted...... he passed with flying colours on all flexion tests.... all along he had arthritis
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Not sure to this day why he isnt lame and neither is the vet
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So yes I would have it vetted, but would not be surprised if something turned up anyway
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As long as I could trust the person hasnt got the horse on bute or anything like then I personally wouldnt get it vetted! But I have never had a horse vetted but have always insured on purchase.
I have been around horses for many years and spent the bulk of these years buying and selling them so consider myself quite experienced when it comes to buying! But I have been stung in the past!!
 
you know my views on this, get a vetting done regardless of how much horse costs, as its not only the purchase money but the ongoing costs to take into account.
vetting checks lot more than just lameness
 
It depends on how much you are spending as to what level of vetting you are having but it really is important (for insurance if something happens if nothing else)! I just bought my horse and had a 7 stage vetting (which he passed), but a friend bought 3 horses, none vetted and now one has such a bad heart murmer it cant be ridden, one has such bad arthritis it cant be ridden (and would have failed on the flex tests at the time of purchase) and the other is a raving lunatic which probably would have shown when they were riding it for the vetting (she stupidly bought it without veiwing it, from a reptuable horse dealer/trainer though).

But at the same time there is a horse who had a 5 stage vetting on our yard and passed yet has really bad nevicular so the vetting didnt help much.

So really it is up to you but for insurance of a horse over £2000 they usually want to see a 5 stage vet cert if you want it insured for loss of use/vet bills or death. Hope this helps
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Yes, have it vetted.. as did missugoopy i never had any of mine vetted. Now im looking at one possibly with Navi, the one with 'no history of lameness'
feel free to shoot me down, twas our own silly fault..
Get it vetted no matter what!
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in your case i would get it vetted because i really wouldnt just go on the word of the seller cover your own back and if it fails then u can either walk away or at least make an informed decision....

saying that i didnt have my horse vetted as the people who have known her for years (not the seller) said she'd fail on flexions on the front legs but that she'd not been lame and i'd had her for a year on loan and all was well and that £900 was cheap....
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Based on previous experience (2 out of 2 loans) I would probably ask for a vetting before even taking a horse on loan now. You can run up quite a big bill in 3 months!
 
nope, i wouldn't.... but then i don't vet anything.

i can check lameness, respiration, heartrate myself so as long as it isn't blind i can check all of the important things.
 
I'm now very cynical about this. The big (expensive!) mare I bought was 5 stage vetted and I was given a pass certificate, money changed hands and the insurance was agreed before I took her home, with 10 days to send them the pass certificate. Insurance company (well respected) have refused all cover.

So the next horse I bought I did not have vetted. Insurance company are quite happy to cover him with no exclusions.
 
I would have a vetting. My horse was vetted 6 months apart between my purchase and the person I bought him from and my vetting showed up an eye condition that my horse would have been born with or developed as a foal which the previous owner's vetting had not spotted. So like Persephone says, it's a snapshot in time but at least you know what you're then taking on. In my case an exclusion for that eye on my insurance policy. I happily bought my horse with eye condition after finding out more about it as it's not apparently one that always progresses, fingers crossed!
 
No - never again.

I have only ever had one horse vetted, that one turned out to have shivers - we were eventually paid out by the VDS but it was a very 'painful experience' and I still have a horse with shivers!!
 
I think nothing can garuantee a horse with no medical problems but I vetting can eliminate part of the risk. I didn't have either of mine vetted but

Monty - bought at approx 25 years old with loads of health problems so not much point vetting.

Zoom - on loan to me and vets fees are not part of my contribution.

Any other horse, I would have vetted.
 
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