Bc the vet isn’t going to alienate the current horse owner. That would be terribly unprofessional. What he can say is get your trainer to look in the hopes that the trainer will see what he sees and prevent OP from buying a heart/neck breaker
I absolutely agree that the whole thing is very odd and very suspicious
This is new information. It’s interesting.
My initial take was similar to the vet’s. This sounds like a raw OTTB that defeated the first off track owner. Then OP had a visit that went promisingly. Then vet who is also an eventer and TB fan sees something that makes him doubt the suitability of the horse. Obviously vet does not t know OP’s riding and OP may undersell themselves a bit. I initially thought OP was less experienced than is the case, but I cannot put my finger on why. It’s often hard to evaluate competency until you see someone ride IRL.
I wonder what vet saw? Just a mare cantering in the wind? Or did the mare lock into run mode and race for 25 minutes and end up puffed and sweaty? Or was owner unable to catch the horse or was horse rearing in hand and impossible to check? I’m guessing that if vet walked away from PPE he may have been unable to perform it because horse could not be handled.
This mare was put in turn out but her buddy was nearby. She was hanging out in turn out along the fence closest to buddy. She was pacing back and forth, and weaving a bit, I guess a little bucking and rearing. I’m thinking she would have been calmer if the buddy had been in there with her. I didn’t see all that went because I had to go to my car which was at the end of the property to get a saddle. OK this situation may seem weird but I feel OK with it. I am planning to meet with trainer tomorrow and if all goes well vet check to follow. I like this horse in many ways but if this isn’t the right horse for me I am fine with walking away. I have ridden several green horses in my day and brought along my current OTTB from a four year old with only 13 rides since leaving the track to her being a very solid citizen today. I work with trainers when I have the opportunity. If I end up with this horse I will be working with this trainer to get a good foundation on this mare. So we shall see and I shall continue to update. Again I surely appreciate everyone’s feedback.
I am very impressed with this vet. He seems interested in helping with not only his medical expertise but his riding/OTTB experience. He could have just picked his PPE and visit fee.
I would just take him at his suggestion, not read conspiracy theories into it. He might even steer you to other tbreds for sale unofficially that he treats, if this one doesn’t work out.
You don’t say how old or tall/fit you are. A 16.2 young horse would be a physical challenge for anyone.
Not if you plan on actually training them. If it were all physical-related, we would all “lose” against any size horse.
The horse is green, nothing as described sounds fishy to me as far as a green TB mare. Maybe something happened when OP went to get her saddle though, I don’t know.
Ok.
So mare was acting squirrelly in TO. You and vet both observe. At this point everything is moving forward. You go get your saddle, presumably to ride horse for vet. When you get back vet calls off PPE?
I can see how some people might think the vet was being condescending or overstepping his bounds. But if he’s an eventer and experienced (as a vet and a rider) with OTTB’s then he might have seen something that concerned him. Maybe he saw an unsoundness or he thought the horse is unsuitable for most riders and he was trying to save the OP the cost of the PPE.
If you’re interested in the horse, I would keep pursuing things but I would also listen to this message from the vet.
Oh, I was confused. I thought vet turned up when Mukluks wasn’t there. If they were there, both saw mare, and vet refused to do PPE that’s odd. Vet could have watched them ride.
I though vet turned up on his own and saw something the buyer didn’t see.
OP said she didn’t see the “bucking and rearing” bc she was getting saddle out of her car a few posts up thread.
Initially I thought OP wasn’t there when vet arrived but latest update sounds like she was?
Obviously I don’t have any skin in this game, but it is highly irregular that a vet arrives to an appointment and then declines to provide the services he was scheduled to perform.
Maybe vet didn’t “decline” but consulted with client about it’s misgivings with what it saw, that OP didn’t see, and what to do, and both decided trainer first was best?
I think the vet was correct in thinking horse was too amped up to safely ride at that point. And riding is part of his PPE. Horse should have had time to get ya ya’s out- I wouldn’t want to waste vets time getting ya ya’s out which would be at least 15-20 minutes or maybe more. Current plan is to evaluate horse with trainer tomorrow and if goes well vet check to follow. We shall see what we shall see.
Try to have someone video the trial so you, trainer and vet can complement real time and see what is there to see.
Easier than just looking as it is happening, helps see more details.
Nice of the seller to let you go to those lengths.
I totally agree the vet didn’t decline arbitrarily. I’m sure he had his reasons for declining to move forward at that time. Seems better he did that if there were concerns about safety
Yes definitely planning to video the ride!
I really believe that if things are meant to be they will be…
And if not meant to be then not.
Karma and the Universe.
Well after all that, the owner just informed me that she sold the horse to someone else who apparently saw the horse after I first met her. So it was not meant to be. I will keep looking for a project.
This is only one person’s opinion but: I think you may have just dodged a bullet. You will find your perfect project pony!
I think the seller was NQR. Learned from others she buys cheap TBs off track but does not disclose health issues such as bowed tendons. I am planning to up my budget and wait a few months. And work with someone who is more reputable.
Meanwhile I have started a series of 8 dressage lessons with really terrific dressage trainer with Current OTTB. Grand Prix by the 8th lesson. Ha ha ha!!!
On the other hand I feel like I have a great vet and a great trainer!!!
I agree that you may have dodged a bullet- something sounds fishy here to me.
When I was working as a vet tech, we would occasionally be doing a PPE and the buyer would ask the vet about suitability (for the rider, for the desired competition level, etc). My boss generally did not answer these questions if the answer wasn’t positive, so as not to alienate the seller or give advice outside of his scope. However- he would often punt these questions to me, ie “I can’t say but my tech has a lot of experience in this discipline, so maybe she can give you her opinion” and then I could tactfully answer (hopefully privately, back at the truck while getting supplies or something) and his conscience was clear.
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