five stage vetting

[Puppymouse]

I posted a while back about buying my first horse and had some very useful advice. I've since found a beautiful boy I want to buy and he's being vetted on Tuesday. I have been warned that many horses don't pass vetting and this is fairly common. The yard he's at are hopeful he will but he's 16...

My question is are there degrees of failing where you would still purchase? So if he fails on X you still go ahead but if he fails on Y you walk away? And will the vet advise whether to go ahead in these circumstances or do they have to just leave you to decide?

I don't know why I didn't see the draw reins!!! So he's an unfit horse, ridden in draw reins, has a back that has been sore for three years and cracked feet? Seriously the should be paying you to take him on and you should be running a mile even then.

Do you have time for a nervous horse? Will you laugh and shrug it off every time he is worried? This is a character thing. Some people are laid back and get on really well with nervous horses, others wind them up further. He has to be settled enough to be handled by a variety of people, your YO, anyone covering for her, a friend helping you out, a sharer, etc otherwise it's quite an inconvenience to have to do everything yourself. Also what does he do when nervous? Some have a tendency to move away from humans, others forget you are there and can bawl you over, squash you against the wall, etc.

For me the vetting is unrelated to the price of the horse. A sick horse you bought for little money costs the same to treat as a sick horse you bought for a fortune and the same goes for retirement costs. The sarcoids will be excluded from any insurance regardless of the vetting which means that if you choose to or are forced to treat them (because they are growing for example) it will be at your cost. Liverpool cream has good results but it is quite expensive and some horses tolerate it badly.

The problem with buying a horse that has been ridden in rubbish tack or has not been worked efficiently is that you have to start righting wrongs. You have to re-school the horse, fitted him up, and deal with anything that crops up during this process including the possibility that there is a physical reason behind the poor way of going. All this is doable provided you are interested in doing it, have the ability to do it and the horse is priced accordingly (a couple of hundred pounds).

My advice to you is to slow down. Call a lot of people up about horses, ask a lot of questions, see videos and narrow down what you see to more quality animals that are more likely to suit. Then spend your limited time going further away to more suitable horses.

Haha yes he is a bit of a basket case but yard owner thinks he is fab. He was so so good when I rode him. And nobody seems to think there's anything more wrong than needing to build up muscle.

I'm not a wound up person on the ground. Nervous is ok, bolshy is not as I'm too gentle. At least he's young so has time to get used to us and adapt.

I had intended to have groundwork lessons actually anyway for bonding so him being nervous doesn't change my original plans.

Thanks Boo I'd hope I'm not deliberately rushing. I've seen nearly 15 now and some 2 or 3 hours away. Not one has not had some kind of compromise. They tend to be health related because I'm only looking at safe and sane. I'm struggling to travel as I'm out enough as it is just looking after the one I have plus we're about to move house so DH is struggling.

That poor chestnut needs rescuing but he could be a lot of heartache. And wtf is it with the happy mouth bit then grackle, martingale and draw reins? His owner's a twat.

And I have a whole A4 page of questions and have spoken to all perspectives on the phone, email, messenger, text

Don't bother with groundwork lessons. Just mooch around in the field with him or graze him in hand. Any non-pressure contact.

She's got it so wrong. We knew that before we went though from person who part loaned him. He is still so willing and gentle despite her though

Really? That would save a bit

Hollin can you tell me anything more on what you don't like about the grey?

Definitely yes to the mooching in field. It's just time, as long as you're consistent, he will pick up in that. Let me go look at the grey again

I have more pics of him

More pics

Ok - I am a novice owner, I have bought two ponies for my son , that have both needed work and we have done it with a a fantastic horse osteopath/physio giving us a program and a very experienced yard owner. So in terms of his poor condition that would not worry me, though I may take my horse osteopath/physio to have a look to give me a second opinion...... But I think I know what she would say - which is (to build him up) walk walk walk - as much walk work as possible but out hacking , and it has to be marching....... Would you be happy to do this? Happy to hack all summer to build muscle and strength?

Grey - sarcoids. I know they're common but if they start developing somewhere that interferes with tack etc...
Drop noseband - also ear/fly veil. Does it have issues with noise/head or is it just to look nice? Also breastplate, does saddle slip and why? Is he hard to get a saddle to fit?
Would like to see it working properly, it isn't in that photo and it makes me suspicious because neck looks weak and if it's Eventing etc and capable..
And lost confidence competing, why? Fair enough but if you generally enjoy your horse and aren't out at top levels, most people would drop down to unaffiliated or lower levels or just have fun hacking etc

Yes and I wouldn't bother with ground work lessons either , just spending time and building trust is the key thing......

Have you any more of the palomino? Looks just to have a v kind eye. I tend to go off gut instinct a lot which is possibly wrong but I got my best horse that way

Mrs yes I'm happy to do that! I would get the physio out if I got him on trial to check him over definitely. Was surprised she booked the vet to be honest.

Hollin I will ask about the ear veil and breastplate.

Owner has lost confidence jumping when she's competing so has loaned a horse that's green to start again with apparently. I can't figure it out to be honest. I have seen videos of him and one where he stops but she gets him going again and it does look like she's the one with the problem more than him. But she would consider loaning him to me before I bought so I can't think of what I wouldn't find out? I don't know.

I have a v short video of the palomino and photos of him jumping but Mumsnet has kindly reminded me I have an image limit. Will post tomorrow.

That doesn't make sense at all. If you lose confidence you don't go out and get a green horse, you drop down to basic levels on a horse you're used to. Tread v v carefully with that one

I will. Don't get it at all...

Ime people who have groundwork lessons find the horse is obedient when the trainer is there but that all the old problems plus some new ones come back when the trainer goes. Mooching in the field with my horse is such a privilege. If we spend relaxed time together I think we're more likely to get along with each other.

Agree with that. By groundwork I mean having the basics in place, stuff you can do on your own. Move over, move back, stand still etc
I love sitting in the field with mine, she usually comes over to judge me for treats!

What I was keen to do was understand some basics which I might already be doing about how to behave and react on the ground to build trust and also make sure I was providing leadership where needed. I'm not very assertive so just wanted to understand a bit more in case I was doing anything wrong. I'm very interested in join up and natural horsemanship too but that's probably for another day!