How & would you try to recoup vet costs - injured horse

[Bogie]

As someone who has boarded at co-op barns for 20 years, not being at a “full service” barn has its pros and cons. The cons include not having an experienced person there to meet the farrier and vet. It also means that when emergencies happen, it’s up to the horse owners to take on the responsibility.

I completely understand the benefits to the co-op or small barn set up, but for someone who travels, it can be a problem. I broke my ankle 7 weeks ago and had to move my horse to a full service barn because I can’t do the work and I would be useless in an emergency. This type of situation really only works when you have a knowledgeable person close to the barn and able to deal with the inevitable problems that arise.

[S1969]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

I mean, none of us were there, but that’s essentially how he did act, treating the horse as if he was angry at the horse for being a POS.

Huh? Where did you read that?

It could be what happened. Or not. I didn’t see anything that suggested he was angry at the horse for being a POS.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I think his behavior suggests that he wasn’t thinking clearly. Again, turning an injured animal out himself with a hasty DIY bandage suggests poor judgement, and when people are angry (even if they are knowledgeable), they often make poor decisions.

[S1969]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

I think his behavior suggests that he wasn’t thinking clearly. Again, turning an injured animal out himself with a hasty DIY bandage suggests poor judgement, and when people are angry (even if they are knowledgeable), they often make poor decisions.

Maybe he was just late for his next 5 appointments because of the uncooperative horse, and barn owner who didn’t know how to treat an injury.

[jvanrens]

You admit that none of us were there, including you, but yet you know that he was angry at the horse for being a POS?!

[Angela_Freda]

@S1969

Maybe he was just late for his next 5 appointments because of the uncooperative horse, and barn owner who didn’t know how to treat an injury.

I missed that (bold)

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Wow, I wasn’t even the first person who used the POS reference!

Look, it’s true we all weren’t there, and we’re all projecting our previous emotions/experiences into this encounter. But from what I know of the facts, again, I think the farrier dropped the ball (ethically, I am not a lawyer). Which was then subsequently not picked up by any of the other parties (including the horse owner) in the chain of events, as things snowballed worse and worse.

Still, this is not a service provider I’d personally use again, given his actions. Period.

[Pennywell_Bay]

First thing she should do is talk to the farrier. It doesn’t have to be a confrontation. No- I don’t think the farrier is responsible. It’s a terrible accident. Really- there’s no way to “prove” the injury didn’t get worse when the horse was turned out.

Many poor decisions but this is on the HO.

I’d ask the farrier- Hi Jethro- I wanted to touch base about Pookie’s accident when you were there. He ended up having XYZ and I’m trying to gather all the info.

Horses try to maim themselves on a daily basis. Some succeed even with the most experienced horse people. It’s a crap shoot having rookies as a stand in and if you must- one also has to accept the potential consequences.

It sucks.

[lenapesadie]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

Wow, I wasn’t even the first person who used the POS reference!

Right. I was. As an illustration of how different the other side of the story may be. And how that’s pertinent when considering “should I ask this person to pay my vet bill.”

As of now, we don’t have any clue what the Farrier’s version of events is. We don’t have that info bc HO hasn’t adulted up and called the man yet.

For the record, I wouldn’t use this farrier ever again either. I wouldn’t be boarding my horse here either if I couldn’t be there for days on end bc of work. I would have strong words for my mom about the idiocy of not texting me pictures of my horse’s bloody wound.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I’m honestly a little surprised the farrier hasn’t turned up on the COTH by now!

All joking aside, yes, I totally agree about both the boarding situation and the mom.

[lenapesadie]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

I’m honestly a little surprised the farrier hasn’t turned up on the COTH by now!

That would be popcorn worthy!

[Brown_Derby]

I’m still kind of weirded out that the/a vet would give legal advise. Big no-no.

[Posting_Trot]

Not much different from a farrier giving veterinary advice

[Against_All_Odds2]

Horse Owner has no idea the state of the wound when it happened because they are an absentee owner. It could have looked to have been just a bloody cut. No one knows.

Rather than speculating, they should really just talk to the farrier as a human being.

Coming at the farrier for vet fees may result in being come after for the liability of a rank horse.

[Spudsmyguy]

I had a horse that I free leased to a friend with her own barn. It was understood that she’d be responsible for all feed and care of said horse while in her possession. About a week later I get a call from her that my horse injured himself on her fence and needs a vet. I go up with my trailer and horse has a gaping hole in his leg, the flesh was all torn up with pieces missing so I load up and take him to the vet. They said there’s no way to suture it so excised a large square, cleaned it up (thankfully no tendons or ligaments were damaged) and bandaged. They also said that there was some granulation of tissue so it probably happened three (!) days before.

The total vet bills came to somewhere north of $1,500 after all was said and done. Should lessee have paid for the vet since the horse was under her care as a lease and agreed to care before she took on the horse? I ended up paying for it and she denied that it happened three days earlier before she called me.

[Posting_Trot]

In that case (and ack! I’m sorry you went through that), I do think that the lessee probably should have paid for the vet.

I’m assuming that you had a contract that specified who was responsible for what; the description you gave, “It was understood that she’d be responsible…” is somewhat vague. What you understood may not be what she understood, hence my question about the contract.

[Spudsmyguy]

Unfortunately, it was a handshake deal, no contract but she did promise to be responsible for his care and feeding. I see where that got me.

[Against_All_Odds2]

I would also note that even the Horse Owner didn’t call a vet. They texted you and said wwyd?

[MorganMaresVT]

The total vet bills came to somewhere north of $1,500 after all was said and done. Should lessee have paid for the vet since the horse was under her care as a lease and agreed to care before she took on the horse? I ended up paying for it and she denied that it happened three days earlier before she called me.

I think this is a case where you need that clarified in the contract- although based on your description and her “denial” that it happened (??) not sure that the contract would have helped in your situation. As someone with a “permanent free lease” here as a companion, our contract says I’m responsible for all care/vet treatments up to $5K- at $5K, we’d discuss together and make a decision. So in your situation, I would not have bothered you let alone expected you to pay. I let my lease’s owner know if there is a “situation” requiring more than routine care just because I know she would like to know, but not trying to get money from her (e.g., we had to have vet out for colic once, and I kept her informed just in case things went south and we were making a more difficult decision- fortunately, it did not come to that).

[trubandloki]

@Against_All_Odds2

I would also note that even the Horse Owner didn’t call a vet. They texted you and said wwyd?

I missed that before. Thank you for pointing this out.