Would you take a punt?

[Hamlet]

Hi all, really conflicted about what to do with this situation and created an account to see what people’s opinions are, I’ve lurked for a while but I’m so stuck I don’t know what to do.

Went to see a lovely young ex-racehorse on the weekend, bay mare, 6 y/o, actually unraced just trained. She was very sweet, very nicely put together and already seeking a contact. Has been in a gp saddle and out hacking solo and in company and has popped a little cross pole but that’s all she’s done in terms of retraining. Got to say completely fell in love with her, felt so confident on her. After trying her in the school took her for a solo canter in the field and she was impeccably behaved. Just my sort and what I was after.

Agreed to buy subject to vetting, vetting booked very excited! She had a new jockey ride her this morning as the regular one was off and he found a sarcoid on the inside of her armpit, you wouldn’t see it unless you got underneath her. It’s not huge but it does have a neck on it, they’ve had their vet look at it and they’ve suggested it needs to be lasered off and said it will cost about £500. Seller has offered to knock the £500 off the purchase price as a result.

Im totally conflicted on what to do. Im going to speak my vet and send him the picture and see what he thinks. My head says walk away but my heart says she’s worth buying and treating. Also I don’t think it will only cost £500, more like £1000 but I can check that with my vet when he calls. I’m also hesitant to walk away as I’m not sure I will find something so lovely and level headed within my budget.

So what would you do? Gamble and hope that it treats well and you get no more second problems or walk away?

 

[Melody Grey]

I bought my current horse (in profile pic) with a small nodular sarcoid in his armpit. He was a little poor and out of work and it completely disappeared within about 6 months of having him. No repercussions since, maybe I got lucky?!

Horse prices were different then though- he was advertised at £1400 and I made an offer of £500 in view of it ‘needing treatment’ according to a vet, so it reduced what I felt justified in paying as he was also a green, obnoxious youngster!. If you like the horse, go for it but get the price down substantially would be my tip. Go over it with a fine tooth comb for any others though.
I never treated it as the vet advised to initially just keep an eye on it.

 

[Littlebear]

If I liked everything else I would gamble, I agree with the above poster though i would go back and check every inch of the horse before committing myself.

 

[ycbm]

If it has a neck I would ask why it can't be banded with a lamb castrator instead of lazered.

I would buy her, it's in a good place with lots of skin and one in an armpit of a young horse often causes no trouble at all.
.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Check her over, speak to vet and get a good amount of money knocked off towards treatment. I would the seriously consider it. Did the vet or jockey find the sarcoid, sorry can't make it out from your post. If jockey they are being very honest!

 

[J&S]

Agree with ycbm. I had some sarcoids treated on my coloured mare when she was young, used homeopathic remedies and one which had gone a bit too far was lasered off. Never returned. Her foal grew one in same place/type as you have described and we did the band, once again it never returned and we have known her all her life. We don't know what the full price for this horse is so difficult to say if £500.00 off would make her a bargain but if you really like her I would not discount her. This is only a personal view, but if you do buy her and treat the sarcoid please think twice before using Liverpool Cream.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

My cob had one in his axilla (armpit) which I treated with turmeric and sudocrem. I have no idea if that helped but when the vet looked a few months later, it was gone.

If the seller is offering £500 off, she’s young and you’re already in love, I think I’d go for it. As J&S says, think hard about using Liverpool cream in that area. Banding could be the answer.

 

[splashgirl45]

depends on how much she is....i wouldnt want to be paying a huge amount if there is the chance of sarcoids elsewhere. if you do go for her i would get your own vet to do a 5 stage especially looking for signs of any others..if you have fallen for her and go ahead i wish you luck and look forward to the pics

 

[Annagain]

I'd get her vetted, asking the vet to pay close attention to other potential sarcoids and if there are none, ask the vet who sees her to give you an estimate for treatment in writing and if it's more than £500, ask for that amount off. He would be able to provide a more accurate estimate than the seller. I'm assuming as an ex-racer who sounds lovely but with limited re-education she wouldn't be expensive to buy (by today's standards at least) so I think I'd take a punt.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Laser treatment isn't as expensive as you might think...my friends cob had 5 and they were all done at the same time costing less than £500 in total x

 

[eggs]

Sounds like it could be banded and yes, I would take a punt. I have a homebred horse who has had sarcoids successfully treated and he is a fab horse.

 

[I'm Dun]

I bought my ex racer knowing he had 2. They dropped off within 6 weeks of being with me, so it definitely paid off for me. Hes 6 so hopefully the right sort of age that his immune system is now developed enough that he wont get anymore.

 

[tristar]

she who hesitates might lose the horse, sounds a lovely horse, i would buy if nothing else i liked, and possible see how it goes when she settles in a new home, then act if needed

a difficult one but she sounds perfect for you

 

[[153312]]

I would get her.... If it has a neck and she's bay I think why not; If she was grey it would be another matter. But to feel confident on your horse is virtually priceless anyway IMHO

 

[Renvers]

Sarcoids are treatable and manageable. I have had several lasered off a horse with no ill effects. If she ticks all of your boxes this is a very minor issue compared to how it used to be.

 

[ihatework]

I wouldn’t give it a second thought and would buy

 

[Hamlet]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond, the response has been much more positive than I’d imagined!

She’s now 1.5k which in this market I think is a good buy even with the sarcoid. Like you all have said it’s treatable.

I’m going to ask my vet about the banding as would rather go down that route than lasering if possible, he’s quite busy though so might take a day or two to call me back!
Sadly she’s quite far so won’t be able to get him to vet her but I will ask the vetting vet to look very closely for any more potential sarcoids as far as I understand multiples spell more trouble than just one.

I really like the mare and think I would kick myself if I let her go. Five stage vetting is already on the cards so fingers crossed the sarcoid is the only thing ??

(And yes, their jockey spotted it, got the vet to check it and they’ve contacted me straight away so they’re being very honest!)

 

[ycbm]

That really is a bargain, bite their hands off!
.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I'd definitely go for it! The fact you've fallen for her & the huge amount of positives, & price in the current market . . . the sarcoid will pale into insignificance.
My gelding had 2 by his sheath both about the size of a penny, they dropped off & never came back totally unassisted

 

[Widgeon]

At £1.5K that sounds like a gamble well worth taking. Assuming she's otherwise in good shape, she sounds lovely.

 

[Peglo]

I agree. When I read your first post she sounded so fab and I really hoped you’d go for her. And at that price I feel it would be worth it.

 

[J&S]

Cheap at the price!

 

[AandK]

Yes I definitely would, especially at that price.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would buy and get it treated , I would get it lasered or whatever a vet than does sarcoids all the time advises .
She might get another she might not .

 

[splashgirl45]

thats a reasonable price so i would go for her, BUT ask your own vet to recommend a vet in the area or ask on here for recommendations, you cant be too careful with your choice of vet..you need a vet who is working solely for you..

 

[irishdraft]

If it has a neck I would ask why it can't be banded with a lamb castrator instead of lazered.

I would buy her, it's in a good place with lots of skin and one in an armpit of a young horse often causes no trouble at all.
.

Totally agree with this, I have a horse with sarcoids some I've got rid of by banding some come back but usually take a few years but they have never stopped me doing anything . I would definitely go for her x

 

[Equi]

Do it.

 

[Hamlet]

Thanks all, I’ve messaged the seller and am going ahead with the vetting next week. The vets have good reviews and they’re not their usual vet so I’m going to ring them tomorrow about the sarcoid.

Fingers crossed for the vetting and I’ll be sure to post a picture when she hopefully arrives next week ??? Plus…she’s unnamed so she’ll need a name…?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Exciting!! Fingers crossed!!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Will she pass a 5 stage with an obvious sarcoid? Why do you want a 5 stage at that price? Blow me, 1.5K? I’d be jumping at her for that price! Hope it all goes well. She sounds lovely.