Just wondering how many people x-ray their horses prior to selling them? Is it a huge incentive to buyers if it is already done? Or have you not noticed much difference as the buyers would prefer to have their own done? Or do most of you leave it at the buyers descretion incase they chose not to get them done? The reason I ask is I have a 3yr old starting undersaddle and would like to advertise her as a riding horse. Just wondering if it would be hugely beneficial to have her x-rays done when advertising or just leave it to the buyer? Would love some opinions.
I hate surprises. I get mine digitally radiographed before they are backed as late 2yos. It’s a cost of doing business, and allows me to speak honestly and without hesitation to a prospective buyer.
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Wow I just had this convo with my barn manager. She told me not to do it incase we found something. Her reasoning is no one would think we took them “just for interest”. Her thinking was that people would presume we took them due to lameness or something of that sort. I still want to get mine done just to have for myself, and if a potential buyer wants to see them thats fine aswell.
Most of mine are done too before starting. They are also radiographed at the first sign of anything wrong. I have found this eliminates suprises but in sending them out to the radiologist, gives the buyers vet and the buyer a little more piece of mind in calling something a normal variation. I have had way too many GP doc’s make stuff up because they don’t know better because they don’t see enough of whatever normal variant we are talking about. From there, let the pre purchase doc fight it out with the radiologist. Voice of experience, GP will 99% agree with the radiologist. I won’t give them the report until after the flexions are complete.
Any horse that I still own by the age of 2 has radiographs done (fetlocks, stifles and hocks). I will offer them to potential buyers, but I make it clear that they are more than welcome to have their own done. I don’t like to be suprised, either, as someone else stated.
I like to have them just so that I am sure of what I am selling and there are no surprises. I hate surprises except for presents from the hubby, those are always nice :yes:
What if you are the buyer and have a coming 2 year old – would you xray everything just to have a complete record?
Which is it?
[QUOTE=dorthyinoz;2951218]
Wow I just had this convo with my barn manager. She told me not to do it incase we found something. Her reasoning is no one would think we took them “just for interest”. Her thinking was that people would presume we took them due to lameness or something of that sort. I still want to get mine done just to have for myself, and if a potential buyer wants to see them thats fine aswell.[/QUOTE]
Curious… Don’t take the x-rays because:
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“In case we found something” hmmmmm…
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“People would presume we took them due to lameness…”
I don’t think I’d pay too much attention to the barn manager when it comes to business ethics.
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Can I ask what everyone is paying for Xrays these days?? Our clinic has the new digitals now and they are awesome!
Cindy, x-rays are expensive and buyers usually like to have their own vet do that sort of thing. I wouldn’t spend the money to do it unless you are going to put a lot of time/money into training before you advertise her for sale. You wouldn’t want to put a lot of time and money into a horse you can’t sell.
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I also feel that digital pics are the best at age 2, prior to starting. I would encourage a prospective buyer to get their own, for several reasons, not the least of which is buyer confidance. If there are problems with the first radiographs, some idea of that horse’s abilities may be. Besides, I can’t feel comfortable selling a horse that a client is not happy with. Peg
Most buyers will want their own vet to take x-rays if they desire them and most vets prefer to take their own pictures.
If I’m buying a horse specifically for re-sale I have x-rays taken during my PPE.
On the other side of the fence, it’s always nice if the seller has previous x-rays to compare to (if they allow).
I have seen horses advertised with “recent vetting and x-rays”. Make sure you ASK what was x-rayed. I’ve known buyers who just assumed the pictures were of hocks, feet, etc. Could have been of the tail for all they knew!
I have not xrayed any horse unless it has had some type of problem, as each buyer has wanted different views.
What you you guys xraying?
4 feet?
4 fetlocks?
knees?
hocks?
stifles?
spine/neck?
all views of each?
As a buyer, yes x rays would be nice. OCD should be present by 18 months so clean x rays after 2 are nice. Having gone horse shopping with friends lately I must say there is nothing worse than having several horses in a row fail vet checks (not cheap!). Unless they are current people will probably redo them anyways but I think it is a definate bonus to have ruled out some issues before making the leap. The price range of the horse would definately play a factor though.
Sale Horses
I would always xray any baby or horse that I am putting training money into. That way you know that you are investing training money in a saleable horse. It is good business.
Xray the horse. Any trainer that tells you not to would not be MY trainer.
[QUOTE=DressageOPhobia;2954161]
I would always xray any baby or horse that I am putting training money into. That way you know that you are investing training money in a saleable horse. It is good business.
Xray the horse. Any trainer that tells you not to would not be MY trainer.[/QUOTE]
I would never allow any buyer to have foals x-rayed. First of all these x-rays do not show anything. There have been various research studies over here that found that the x-rays in not yet grown up horses can vary to an extend you won’t believe. meaning they can look completely different 3 months later.
To x-ray a foal means to tranq it and I would not want to have that done either. Also to get the foal to a clinic is an additional stress and risk I would never look into if I want to sell it. and I would also not want that as a buyer. If something happens on that way no one refunds me. If a buyer does not feel confident with that. O.k. than we move on. I am not selling my foals in price ranges that are outragious, so I always find buyers, because the foals are of quite good quality.
As a buyer I also would not x-ray a foal. Money that is spend there is thrown out in my eyes. I better rather spend it on having a good clinical exam done with good examination of heart, lungs eyes and such. I also would never allow flexion tests on any of my foals or under 2yo.
Coming back to the original poster. If I would have a riding horse for sale I would do a 12 picture basic x-ray set. I’d try to get them done with a digital maschine to be able to send them along to other vets for examination. With doing this I know what to expect and I also know if it is worth to invest in training or not.
Friend of mine has a very nice Lauries Crusador mare he wants to put up for sale. She has not done a lot looking at shows. She was pretty cheap when he bought her, but she does not suit his purpose so he wants to sell. He wants to go out hnting and she is a pretty tought cookie, that really like to galopp fast in a herd and her jumping is, well as expected from the breeding to put it nicely. She has improved a lot in the year that she has been in partial training. So he took x-rays to find out wht is going on, she was cheap when he bought her so he did not take some. She has xrays class 1-2 due to a change in a bone in the front leg where they can break something which one could take out (no idea on english word for that), but all relevant bones are very clean. So yes he will put her into training and won’t ride her himself anymore, so that she will get some second level dressage placings and will raise much more money than selling her now with her better “riding status”. The mare has pretty nice movement so I bet he may be able to get at least double from what he paid and substracting the training he will even make a profit.
So yes x-rays from sellers point of view make sense and from buyers point, They are a nice to have in advance.
I would certainly not use xrays to decide whether to put a horse into training or not. The world is filled with horses that x-ray poorly, but have stayed sound thru a long, demanding career. There is even discussion amoung vets of why do them at all to predict future soundness, as many don’t feel that they do.
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I’m with ahf and a few others on here… I get digital x-rays on all of my 2-year olds BEFORE I get ready to back and then sell them. Surprises during the PPE are the last thing I want to see, and as much as the new owners may still want some additional images, it allows me to go into price negotiations feeling comfortable that I’m selling a sound animal. I get front ankles, hocks and stifles done, and since I see the horses every day I know that they’re healthy and even movers.
Due to circumstances I sold a 2-year old late last year without having any x-rays on her, so I told the client that I would split the PPE bill with her. The horse vetted out fine and the client was happy that I was willing to take 50% of the risk in case she didn’t.
What it boils down to is that I want to sell healthy and sound horses and I want to know that they are BEFORE somebody asks me about them.
P. S.: Darlyn, I just read your post… Try to sell a 30K youngster with bad x-rays - it really doesn’t matter how some vets feel about x-rays having or not having anything to do with future soundness.
[QUOTE=alexandra;2954211]
She has xrays class 1-2 due to a change in a bone in the front leg where they can break something which one could take out (no idea on english word for that), but all relevant bones are very clean.[/QUOTE]
Splint bone?
Oh, I TOTALLY agree, but bad x-rays on an otherwise sound horse would not keep me from investing in training as another poster said. On the contrary, I would feel the need to PROVE the soundness before offering for sale. Many proven show horses do sell with bad x-rays. If you can show they have had the same bones for several years of work and showing with no changes, it is easier for someone to have the confidence in them, although you may have to be negotiable on the price.
