Would you have a cheap horse vetted?

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djlynwood

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Generally how much does it cost to have a horse vetted?

Also, if the adult horse was being sold for say £1500 and appeared to be sound would you still have vetting done?
 
Yes I would, I'd expect to pay around £300 or so but I'd pay it no matter what the horse cost. Just thinking about future vets fees, insurance and so on.
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OMG would I have a FREE horse vetted? If a horse goes wrong it's the most stressful thing once you are emotionally involved, apart from the massive expense. Better to know what you may or may not be letting yourself in for.

I'm not saying a vetting will predict a horse getting kicked in the field and losing a leg, these things happen, but at least it will pick up many other things that could cause a lot of grief.
 
In Hertfordshire I paid £185 for a horse to be 5 stage vetted inc bloods taken for storage.

Tomorrow I'm having a pony vetted in North Lincs and it's going to be £283.

BIg difference in price for the same thing!

However, personally I would have a horse vetted whatever the purchase price. I don't feel confident enough to make a judgement myself and at the end of the day a good equine vet will see more things that I can.
 
I would as I would want to make sure if it had any issues they could be dealt with. It might not put me off buying (depending on what was found) but I could ensure proper care.
 
YES! Firstly it may be cheap for a reason (medical) and second I know someone who had a horse vetted, it failed half way through vetting, she had already fallen in love with it, bought it for £1000 then promptly spent much, much more than that in vets fees as it was constantly lame! It failed on flexion test!!! She finally sold it for next to nothing to someone who was prepared to give it a try to see if it came sound, don't know what happened to it after that.....
 
No .. its only a snap shot on the day ... so many things can be missed by the 'experts' ...

Make sure you look with a critical eye and take someone else with you ...
 
None of ours have been vetted. The first cost £1605 ten years ago, as a 5 year old, he'd been i the same home since he came (wild!) off the moors. The second cost us £100 to buy, as a companion and occasional hack, we didn't ride her but have bred a foal from her. The third was on loan to us for a few months (thank you epsom!) before we bought him, he did have teeth and back check put that was routine for the others so he was just included. They've all been fine, but we are essentially happy hackers, and we also have our own (small) amount of land, so we could retire them without paying out for livery.
 
No unless I thought it was cheap for a reason, then I probably wouldnt touch it anyway. Vettings are invaluble and pick up loads but it is 'on the day'. My horse failed a 5 stage vetting on a flexion test, I went back and bought him as my heart ruled my head but he passed the same flexion test weeks later and touch wood hasnt had a problem. If I had had a 2 stage he would have passed.
I would have an expensive horse vetted though.
 
Its a really difficult one. We paid £900 for our last horse as he had real issues with being mounted. We paid nearly £200 to have him vetted and he passed with flying colours. He has just had an operation for Kissing Spines which was found just 4 months after we bought him. I know this wouldn't have been picked up on a vetting but everything that was done during the vetting I practically did the day we first looked at him. I pretty much knew he would pass.
The horse we bought before him a 2 year old I paid £3000 for and I didn;t have her vetted she had no issues handled well enough for an unhandled youngster and trotted up sound as far as I could see - not much more you can do with a youngster really anyway. Only you can decide if you are happy to take good look at the horse and can see any major problems - its a risk but is it worth taking?
 
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