Would you buy a horse with sarcoid in girth area?

[foxy1]

.... Under any circumstances? Even if it had been removed?

Does this now make the horse unsellable?

 

[AmyMay]

.... Under any circumstances? Even if it had been removed?

Does this now make the horse unsellable?

Nothing is ever unsellable. The real question is how much the value is affected.

 

[meleeka]

I did! I paid £1 for him as he also had a sore back from a badly fitting saddle.

If it had just been the sarcoid I would still have bought him and might have even paid half his advertised value. His hasn’t had any treatment and was small.

 

[foxy1]

This is a youngster that I have booked in for backing. But wondering if I'm wasting my time and money getting her backed with a sarcoid in a bad place.
It is slightly forward of the girth area, but I think there's potential for it to be rubbed if the skin wrinkles or the girth slips forward.

Agghhh.....!! Horses!!!!

 

[Red-1]

I would treat it before backing.

 

[foxy1]

Yes, I think I have to don't I

 

[Tiddlypom]

If the sarcoid is a candidate for a simple banding procedure, and many are, then removal is pretty straightforward and not expensive.

Get it done well ahead of sending the horse in for backing. Whilst it's not painful, it does take time for the site to heal up. This one was getting irritated by the cross surcingles. It has not recurred, though the horse has others elsewhere that are much trickier.

ETA Due to my experiences with this mare I would never buy or take on a horse with sarcoids. Other people do overlook them, though, but a price reduction is to be expected.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

.... Under any circumstances? Even if it had been removed?

Does this now make the horse unsellable?

MY mare developed two sarcoids on the girth area, a bald patch remains where it was, treated sorted gone, no issue.

Get vets advice, send picture of it to your vet. If the horse is perfect, I would just treat and ask for reduction in price.

 

[Melody Grey]

I’d treat before backing. I think there’s a difference between selling a newly backed youngster that had a sarcoid removed than one newly backed and still with sarcoid.
Moneywise, you might be better off selling without backing if you were planning on paying a pro? Value will be compromised by the sarcoid and backing fees might reduce that to nothing? Some buyers would prefer a blank canvas too.

 

[irishdraft]

I would be wary about buying a horse with a sarcoid there . My own horse actually had one grow very quickly in that area but we were able to band it successfully it has never returned there but he has others on his sheath which have been ongoing for years which I get periodically banded but it's a pita.

 

[foxy1]

I’d treat before backing. I think there’s a difference between selling a newly backed youngster that had a sarcoid removed than one newly backed and still with sarcoid.
Moneywise, you might be better off selling without backing if you were planning on paying a pro? Value will be compromised by the sarcoid and backing fees might reduce that to nothing? Some buyers would prefer a blank canvas too.

This is what I'm weighing up... Yes for health reasons I'm now planning to pay a pro rider to back her, but now a sarcoid has popped up it's making me wonder whether to put any more money in to her.
That said, what's an unbroken 5 year old worth with a sarcoid....?

 

[ycbm]

Multiples are a much bigger issue than one. If they have multiples they are much more likely, in my experience and my vet's opinion, to pop more out when they are stressed or at all run down. I have owned two with multiple. In a newly broken horse, near the tack, I'm not sure you'd get much more for her if you have them taken off and have her backed than if you sell her as she stands now. Can you show her sat on and walked about on the lead, just to give people the knowledge that she going to be easy enough to back?

.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I took one on for free unseen (probably wouldn’t have had I seen him first, they weren’t mentioned!)
I had a vet band them, he had several, girth, behind his elbows and top insides of his hind legs.
They all came away fairly easily, I had a lot of trouble for a while with the elbow one which was huge. It bled and struggled to heal. It took a long time to be perfectly healed but none of them ever came back.

 

[Melody Grey]

This is what I'm weighing up... Yes for health reasons I'm now planning to pay a pro rider to back her, but now a sarcoid has popped up it's making me wonder whether to put any more money in to her.
That said, what's an unbroken 5 year old worth with a sarcoid....?

Depends on whether there is good breeding/ height/ temperament/ confirmation etc.
If the sarcoid could be banded and removed quickly I think coming into spring now would be the best chance of selling as a bit of a punt/ project for somebody. You could always try to sell her unbroken and see what response you get and then invest in breaking to add value if there’s no interest? I probably wouldn’t go straight to breaking though personally with so many unknowns.

 

[Melody Grey]

Although there will be many people who wouldn’t touch a horse with a sarcoid with a barge pole, I think in a youngster people would be more open minded- they are to my knowledge quite common in youngsters and many drop off or are treated without recurrence.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have bought loads of horses with sarcoids .
But then I can afford the consequences should it go wrong .

 

[Nari]

No.

 

[mariew]

Although there will be many people who wouldn’t touch a horse with a sarcoid with a barge pole, I think in a youngster people would be more open minded- they are to my knowledge quite common in youngsters and many drop off or are treated without recurrence.

Echo this. Mine got a couple as a 3/4 year old, they got lazered off and she never got any more. So I think I'd be ok with a youngster who had had them removed and no obvious new ones popping up.

 

[foxy1]

She is insured so I think it's worth me having it removed. It's not the right shape for removing by banding I don't think, it's too flat.

 

[foxy1]

I guess I'm wondering if it's worth paying the pro to back her, knowing that the sarcoid will have hugely affected her value. Even if it's been removed.

 

[Tiddlypom]

What type of horse is this? What did you envisage her to be worth when backed and ridden away if she did not have a sarcoid?

People may not be very put off by the sarcoid issue if she's a very nice type.

I'd be wary of any 5yo sold as unbacked, though, unless I knew the vendor. You may well have perfectly genuine reasons as why she has not yet been backed, but all too often somone has already tried and failed.

 

[Ceifer]

if you’re thinking about the horses future value I would think about what you want the horse to do.
A bit cold I know but if this horse has the potential to be a ‘competition’ horse and go to a decent level then it doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t going to be valuable in a monetary sense. Not easy to guess as this horse hasn’t been backed yet.

I’ve said it before but we had a horse as a livery that had been produced by a top rider (really top rider) that was covered in sarcoids. Girth, face, sheath. The rider put a sheepskin girth on and carried on. Even if it did bleed. I don’t agree with it but the horse was stoic and put up with it. The rider sold it for north of 30k and probably would have got more but the horse did have a limit talent wise and was sold as a schoolmaster. The sarcoids never came into negotiations.

I would say that if it’s not been fully diagnosed then that’s something you need to do.
I brought a horse with a sarcoid, it wasn’t in a noticeable area and the previous owner had treated with thuja cream. The vet who vetted her for me noted it as a sarcoid but when I sold her the vendors vet disagreed and said it wasn’t a sarcoid.

 

[irishdraft]

Although I personally would be wary of buying with sarcoids I am trawling for sale ads atm . Just in the last couple of days I have seen horses for sale with only one eye, hock arthritis, bent front legs, recent chip removal , possible ks, all these horses are still in the 7/8 k . So probably get it treated then back would be what I would do .

 

[AmyMay]

I guess I'm wondering if it's worth paying the pro to back her, knowing that the sarcoid will have hugely affected her value. Even if it's been removed.

Well she’s got together backed, so either you do it one pro does.

If this is a potential five figure horse then get the pro to do it. If she’s aimed at a leisure home can you back her yourself?

 

[foxy1]

What type of horse is this? What did you envisage her to be worth when backed and ridden away if she did not have a sarcoid?

People may not be very put off by the sarcoid issue if she's a very nice type.

I'd be wary of any 5yo sold as unbacked, though, unless I knew the vendor. You may well have perfectly genuine reasons as why she has not yet been backed, but all too often somone has already tried and failed.

She is an Irish sports horse, 7/8ths TB with a bit of RID (Clover Hill)
Dam sire a very successful sire of eventers.
She moves beautifully and loose jumps well, she is only 15.1hh which suits me as I'm a small.
I've owned her since 4 year old, but I get where you are coming from with the reservations re unbacked.

 

[foxy1]

Well she’s got together backed, so either you do it one pro does.

If this is a potential five figure horse then get the pro to do it. If she’s aimed at a leisure home can you back her yourself?

Unfortunately I am going to have to have some long term treatment which means I won't be well enough to back her myself.
Otherwise I would keep her.

 

[AmyMay]

Unfortunately I am going to have to have some long term treatment which means I won't be well enough to back her myself.
Otherwise I would keep her.

In that case I’d get the sarcoid treated and then get her broken in. Either way she deserves the best start to help her on her way.

 

[Kaylum]

I wouldn't buy one they might get more and as the horse is young it probably will, and they can spread to other horses by flys.

 

[nikkimariet]

No

 

[Ratface]

I'm sorry that you find yourself in this difficult situation.
I support Amymay's advice, above.
Wishing you all the best, for you and your horse.