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Re: [RC] Pre-purchase exam - SandyDSA

In a message dated 4/17/2008 11:07:40 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, katswig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
When/if I do a pre-purchase exam, I want to know that the vet was
working for ME no matter what the outcome of the exam.   Especially
since pre-purchase exams don't usually come in the "pass/fail" variety.
The vet just tells the buyer his findings and lets the buyer decide what
to do with that information.
Most vets - at least every one I have worked with - generally will "officially" indicate that a horse is "serviceably sound" for a given work career. We spell out what it is, and we also have it IN WRITING for the buyer. We do pay for the exam, and if the buyer chooses the horse, they are aware up front that we will pay up front and the fee for the exam is added to the sale price. Why? Well, after several....mmm, how shall we describe these people.... no very ethical individuals who would have a full work up done on a horse they SAID they wanted for endurance or jumping, they just bailed on the whole deal even with a better than servicably sound finding by one or more vets. One potential buyer even had the vet out TWICE - on MY bill - and then walked. Nothing wrong with the horse. With a call charge of $50 to 75 now, I wouldn't dream of vetting a horse without either a. a commitment to buy WITH a deposit (refundable) if the horse passed suitably, or b. a deposit/written agreement to pay the fee if the horse passed suitably. Gets rid of the goof balls to a large degree.
    In addition, in our sales contract at point of contract, IN the contract, a buyer must sign if they DECLINE a vet exam, and we always STRONGLY encourage them to have it done - and why? So that they cannot do what two clients over the years have done - not have one then take a young horse home, ruin them, then scream about their soundness. Had one who had a 2 1/2 year old filly who she felt was old enough to put a 250# or so 'NH clinician" on her back and OH how proud they were of how WELL this filly behaved under saddle for that 3 day event! They even sent me PHOTOS of her being cantered - a LOT.... she went dead lame in the heels. A few weeks later, the buyer said if I did not give her the $$ back and pick up the filly, she would come tie her to our door step... sigh! Good thing I had had our vet out for routine attention just days before the filly was sold. Happy ending  - filly was resold to someone who cared enough to let her heal and then put her to work and she is doing well.
    Sometimes what you do is not for the $$ but for the welfare of the horse. We insist on a vet exam.
 
Sandy Adams
Deep Sands Arabians
www.deepsands.com




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