Knee chip on expensive horse

[AbigailHarty]

Hello everyone!

I currently came across a beautiful horse for sale with a knee chip. He is priced at 35k (Including importing-full vetting and current x rays) He is very beautiful, but I am quite nervous about considering purchasing a horse with a knee chip. I guess its very easy to take out, he is perfectly sound and it would cost 3000 to do the surgery there, but cheaper here (US). I was wondering if you think It would still be a good idea to just purrchase him get the surgery over with ect? Has anyone had a horse have the surgery and have issues after? What was the cost and recovery time? He would normally be priced at 48k if it weren’t for the knee chip. Its the only reason he’s in my price range!
Ill attach a video of him below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veWjv_jrDxI&app=desktop
Thank you!

[Simkie]

No. Absolutely not would I pay $35k for a horse with a chip in it’s knee.

Not only is the price ridiculous, but I’ve seen more bad knees and crippled horses with chips or after chip removal than any other joint. ESPECIALLY if they’ve been working him with that chip in there.

No no no no no.

[arlosmine]

No.
The horse is not cheap. The seller can pay for the surgery and take the risk themselves…then put a fatter price tag on the horse. If they are not willing to do it and they already own the horse, then neither should you.
Do.Not.Do.It.

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

If the surgery doesn’t go well, will you be okay with spending that kind of money on an unsound horse? There’s no way I’d risk it. I wouldn’t even take a free horse that had a chip in the knee.

BTW… noticed the video caption included the phrase: “xrayed good”. :no:

[AbigailHarty]

you guys are right And to answer Melissa- Obviously I would insure him, but For that price I don’t think its worth it. Sucks though Been searching so long for the right horse and I thought I had finally found him but then she told me about the chip and I was just trying to have hope I guess. Thanks again everyone

[IrishDeclan]

Searching for a horse can be so frustrating!! He looks like a lovely horse, but I have to agree with everyone else. I’d probably walk away from this one. I’m also not totally sure how the insurance would deal with this. You’d have to get a brand new policy for a new horse, and I think you would have to disclose the chip as a pre-existing condition. I don’t know if an insurance company would cover the cost of removal on it.

[Cayusepapoose]

Have you seen any conformation images of this horse for 35k? Is that a roach back I see?

[AbigailHarty]

Cayusepapoose- I haven’t seen any yet, I was getting them tom, but no worries anymore I told the seller no. Thanks again! Anyone know any nice websites for upper level jumper prospects?

[tuppysmom]

My DD and DH and DSIL are headed to Hungary tomorrow on a horse shopping trip. There are many nice ones offered there. Youngsters jumping 1.20m and priced less than this one. Google is your friend.

[GraceLikeRain]

If you want a true upper level prospect I think it makes way more sense to go through connections. So many horses can pop over a handful of big sticks but are absolutely not cut out for upper level competition.

Do you have a trainer or personal connections who could help you network?

[Rudy]

Insure him all you want but the knee chip is a pre-existing condition at this point and generally will not be covered.

Very expensive horse with a horrible looking back and an owner that will not perform the surgery? pfffft… run don’t walk.

[AbigailHarty]

I have tried But my trainer doesnt always follow through. This is not my first time shopping for a horse and I know what I want. The only issue is it seems that all the horses conformation wise that I like, are short and I am 5’11 and will be needing a tall horse. I wont be traveling It would be purchased off of video. Really just looking for some good websites. Iv nearly sucked google dry of its websites ahaha

[mswillie]

[QUOTE=AbigailHarty@icloud.com;8401904]
Hello everyone!

I currently came across a beautiful horse for sale with a knee chip. He is priced at 35k (Including importing-full vetting and current x rays) He is very beautiful, but I am quite nervous about considering purchasing a horse with a knee chip. I guess its very easy to take out, he is perfectly sound and it would cost 3000 to do the surgery there, but cheaper here (US). I was wondering if you think It would still be a good idea to just purrchase him get the surgery over with ect? Has anyone had a horse have the surgery and have issues after? What was the cost and recovery time? He would normally be priced at 48k if it weren’t for the knee chip. Its the only reason he’s in my price range!
Ill attach a video of him below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veWjv_jrDxI&app=desktop
Thank you![/QUOTE]

I’m having trouble wrapping my head around spending 35K on a horse, then worrying if it would be less expensive to do a 3000.00 surgery in the US as opposed to where he is now. Anyway seems you’ve already decided to pass. Good choice.

[AbigailHarty]

Yes realizing now it was silly. I think I got side tracked by the beautiful canter ahahaha!

[mswillie]

[QUOTE=AbigailHarty@icloud.com;8402055]
Yes realizing now it was silly. I think I got side tracked by the beautiful canter ahahaha![/QUOTE]

Good luck with your search. I’m not sure exactly your height requirement but keep in mind that a horse with a well sprung rib cage can take up a lot of leg. I have a friend at the barn who is 5’10" and her horse is about 16.2. They make a lovely pair.

[AbigailHarty]

yep it all depends on barrel size! But I not only have long legs but a long upper body so I am keeping it at 16.2+ :3 And thank you!

[ladyj79]

Yes I would. We have “that” horse here in age 12 and age 6. The 12 yr old with chip in knee is 35k, the six year old is significantly more, was purchased with the chip by an olympian, we just sold this week to another big rider. If horse is otherwise sound and what you are looking for, then that’s a great deal. We have no soundness issues with either horse, 12yr old competes at 140, six year old does the young jumper classes.

[findeight]

Bone chips don’t bother some of them. But not sure buying a young, unproven one 2-5k miles away sight unseen off of a sales website assuming it won’t bother him or can be easily removed without your own vet reviewing the x rays is a particularly good idea. They get these horses ready for sale ASAP and generally don’t put that many hours of work into them since they are not keeping them, they just get them far enough along to sell. Whatever that takes.

The fact you say your trainer is not following through with you in your horse search tells me you might want to revisit that with them or seek a well respected agent with good connections in Europe elsewhere to help you locate the right horse…like everywhere else, the best ones are word of mouth and/or from well known and respected sources with a record of sending suitable horses over here.

[chism]

I wouldn’t take a FREE horse with a knee chip, and for that price… I’d expect a completely sound horse with perfect vetting. There are way too many nice horses out there to set yourself up for that sort of heartbreak.

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

[QUOTE=mswillie;8402046]
I’m having trouble wrapping my head around spending 35K on a horse, then worrying if it would be less expensive to do a 3000.00 surgery in the US as opposed to where he is now. Anyway seems you’ve already decided to pass. Good choice.[/QUOTE]

In addition, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around a trainer who isn’t following through for a client who wants to drop $35k on a horse. That budget may be on the low side for the really high-end BNT, but still…