X rays when buying a horse

Hollycat

Hollycat

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Who has had x-rays done when buying a competition horse? Am a bit unsure whether to just go with a 5 stage vetting or to have x-rays done too. Horse is question is a young (expensive) competition horse. I have read that you can have horses with mild changes that never have any lameness problems such as navicular syndrome and others with no changes that have bad navicular syndrome so some vets consider x-rays not the be all and end all - though I wouldn't buy if changes were shown.

Would appreciate your views and experiences
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X-rays are taken as standard here when buying a competition horse, but vets STILL disagree on what are acceptable/unacceptable changes. I suppose it depends on how much you're going to spend, how much work your horse will be expected to do and how much faith you have in your vet to interpret the findings as it's not an exact science at all. It's worth considering also whether you'll have to inform your insurance company of anything the vet pinpoints! You might find yourself with all four feet excluded, or something!
 
Thanks PapaFrita. I was worried about the insurance issue too. As you say if they weren't 100% perfect but vet still advised to purchase then horse broke leg or something insurance may not pay up. I think we shouldn't bother as I have paid more in the past and never had them done but its a consortium horse so I have other peoples views to take into account - so I want a strong case to present that I don't think its worth it but don't want to ram it down their throats in case we didn't do it and it all went horribly wrong and I got the blame. Also my consortium partner has just had her horse come down with pedal osteosis/navicular syndrome which is why I think she was keen on the x-rays - despite the different interps of her horses!
 
The vet who vetted my expensive eventer (5yr old) last year 'talked' me out of having x-rays, even though I wanted them. I wish I'd gone along with what I wanted, as he went lame and then I had him x-rayed and found huge problems which means he is only suitable now for light work
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Insurance companies will insist on x rays for any horse purchased over 10K, so perhaps use this as a guideline.
 
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I would always x-ray hocks and feet for any future purchases. I would actually do that over having flexions etc!!

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DITTO ^^^ THIS, n add have as much done as you can possibly afford saves on heart ache and money for investigations later on, not to mention piece of mind!!!
 
Ditto KatB

I found a horse a friend - fell in love with the hole package of him. She wanted x-rays aswell as 5 stage. 5 stage done at the yard he was at. Phone call from vet (we were not able to be present as where we live) to say he passed flying colours not a single thing found (very unusal in this day and age), the vet did not anticipate any problems for x-rays). I got a phone call the next day after x-rays where done at the vet surgery, he had a huge bone chip on his coffin joint.

Disaster!! The owners were devastated, but gave the horse to my firend with a written contract that should she ever not want him or he goes lame they would have him back and treat the leg as the vet feels is required.
 
Fab replies everyone - thnk I am coming round rto maybe the x-rays are a good idea. Horse is well over £10k so perhaps will need it for insurance as Coecaed says. Thanks everyone
 
I would always have a 5 Stage vetting if I pay £5K or more and X-Ray the feet if they have been eventing,racing or SJ or are around 8-9 years of age which is the onset age for Navicular. Insurance companies today are very good finding excuses to put exclusions on an insurance.
 
Having bought an expensive pony and then had it develop spavin and be lame for a few years I'd say have it x rayed and save the misery. Everything is ten times worse when you've had them a while and become emotionally attached to them.
 
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