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Venting .... Buying a horse is frustrating

1K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  Vidaloco 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, I'm new to the site, and needed a place to vent and get opinions. We are in the market for a horse for my daughter who is 15. I am find it unbelievabley frustrating. We spent 3 days and nearly $1500 traveling to "test-ride" and inspect a horse. We asked for vet records which were released to us, but then the xrays and information never made to my vet even after a week of inquirey. We were told there were troubles with the xrays on the right front last year, and they numbed the horse to make sure he wasn't navicular. We were told it was probably just something muscular at the time. So, I decided to over-kill on the vet check as I had some questions about a hoof. I had MY vet fly with me to over see a local vet do a total pre-purchase exam. Both vets immediately spotted lameness in both the right front and right rear leg. Nothing showed in the soft arena other than a persistent tail "twitching" while riding and some hoof angle and size differences I wanted looked at.

My vet would have stopped the purchase at the right front leg as this was a $15,000 horse. I asked to finish the test. The horse failed on the right rear leg flexion test too. So both were in agreement that the horse was most likely navicular on the right front. Both recommended we not purchase. I could not afford to pull the shoes, do xrays, reshoe, and probably end up just proving what was already known and suspected by the vets. So we had to pass on a sweet and beautiful horse.

Anyhow, the trainer was upset. I have not even heard from the owner again after I tried to write and offer the information to them for the well being of the horse. Apologizing for not being able to purchase etc. He is being marketed as a breed circuit horse. Yet, he is in pain. I don't get it. We have now found out that the horse also tested "slightly positive" for navicular about a year ago. Hence the troubles with the xrays. This information was on the vet records that never got to us supposedly. Who knows.

I am just so frustrated. I want to rescue all these horses. Both vets would give him a happy and good and somewhat pain free life if they would recognize what he has and work with it. But they just got mad and began re-marketing him again.

He's such a sweet sweet horse. And my heart breaks for him. And I don't understand not being honest, nor doing what I would consider the "right" thing and spend the time and money to truly diagnose the horse and work with him. Not say that 3 vets may be mistaken and plod on! I wish that there were laws that allowed vet records to belong to the horse, not the owner.

Anyway, I want to bring them all home with me and take care of them, I just can't !! I have room for two horses at a time, but when my kids take their horses with them in the future, maybe I can rescue one, or two, or many .... God willing :)

How do I know who to trust? What to believe? Or do I continue to pay vets to just confirm what sellers know and won't disclose?

Thanks to anyone who reads this .... I just needed to vent!!
 
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#2 ·
I can't agree with you more. It is very frustrating to deal with people who aren't upfront with whatever they are selling but I'm afraid its the way of the world. God bless all the honest horse dealers out there but it seems the dishonest ones out number them. They need "lemon laws" for horses, but unfortunatly its buyer beware. :x
 
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