Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Angie:

 

A vet check is especially important when you are on a budget.  Wait until you find out how much one month of Gastroguard is (ulcer medication).  It is the only medication that works to cure an ulcer and generics don't work as well.  Last I knew it was about $800 for a one month dose.  You could have had this horse scoped for less than that. 

 

I am not wealthy.  My husband and I like to ride, we have 4 horses, but we have come to realize that the cost of the horse is the least expensive part of horse ownership, whether you spent $500 or $50,000 on the horse.  Monthly boarding, feeding, vet care, shoeing, etc. is the most expensive part.  If you don't board out, you have to own a property large enough.  If you don't buy hay, you need to have pasture, you still have to have the vet come, shots, worming, shoeing and this all costs money. 

 

Carolyn Burgess

Angie and David <angie24@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Holy mackerel!   I have horses that cost less than those vet exams!  I don?t have deep pockets so I?ve had to limit my prepurchase vet expenses to key items.   The vets are usually very willing to help as long as you have this conversation before services take place.   Because of my budget, I?ve had to take some things on faith and some risks.  I?m not a serious competitor ? I have no plans to top 10 or complete internationally so the approach has worked out well for me so far.

 

Angie

 

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From: Carolyn Burgess [mailto:carolyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 1:35 PM
To: Angie and David
Subject: Hard Lesson to learn

 

I've bought two endurance horses, both off the harness track.  One I paid $1,200 for and the vet check was $714.  The second horse I paid $1,400 for, the vet check was $570.  Both included xrays.  Before starting an endurance career, I needed to know that both of these horses were up to the job.  One had a fleeting career on the track, the other one raced for 9 years.  The horse that raced for 9 years had a clean set of xrays and he is a pretty good, if not slower, 50 mile horse.

 

Carolyn Burgess

 

Angie and David <angie24@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

 ---  However, I still should have had her vet. check him over

You need to get YOUR own vet do this.  You need an objective, independent third-party to give you an assessment.   If not you?re not local to the horse, you can find candidates by using the Yellow Pages, Ridecamp etc.   

Angie F