Vet vs Trainer

[BeeHoney]

I think it is a little strange to have complete inflexibility about “allowing” clients to use their own veterinarian.

I admit, as a BO, I do sometimes cringe when clients use other vets. I’ve had outside vets come in who practiced outside the norm, or who were terrible, or who gave very impractical, unnecessary or unusual care instructions. Honestly, I really have seen a couple terrible ones–vets who performed enormous workups at great expense to the client, only to diagnose something very common and easily treated. I’ve also had outside vets come at odd hours, be very difficult to get ahold of for follow up, and there’s one vet in the area with an alcohol problem that I really don’t want treating horses on my premises. Also, when an outside vet is called in, sometimes I end up out of the loop–which is completely fine if the owner is planning to do all of the horse’s layup care. There’s a level of trust when I work with the vets that I know, and I feel comfortable messaging them if I have a question or need a clarification.

Still, if a client has a relationship with a respectable vet and the vet has been successfully treating the horse, I’m happy to partner up with that professional to get the horse treated and cared for.

Re: the kickbacks, yes, sometimes a BO does get a waived farm call or a reduced rate for something. However, I think the type of kickbacks described earlier are fairly rare. In fact, often as a BO I find that I am able to save my clients money. More than once I have negotiated a reduced rate for a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure on behalf of my clients. The farm vets offer “farm rates” for some things because as a group of customers we represent a nice chunk of business. (I have also more than once seen an outside vet blatantly rip off a client by charging them ridiculously excessive fees.) Often I am able to schedule appointments so that farm call fees are either waived or shared. Often if I am a part of the vet appointment I can help clients ask the right questions to determine if a certain procedure is a good value or not.

[st_francis]

[QUOTE=Marla 100;8506868]
I’ve found that if a barn owner (or trainer) is pushing boarders to use one particular vet, dentist or farrier it’s been because the BO or trainer is getting discounted or free services for their own horses from that practitioner.

If there’s nothing covering that in your boarding contract, you SHOULD be able to use anyone you want.[/QUOTE]

or maybe the trainer knows which one is the best vet in the area and prefers to use that one for client horses instead of going through the hassle, expense, missed training and competing time and drama of not using the best vet.

[horsenut_8700]

We do not allow outside vets or farriers into the barn without prior approval. This is not because we receive any ‘kickbacks’, but because after much research and trial and error, we have picked the professionals that best complement our style and philosophy of horsekeeping.

We never had this policy until the last 2 or 3 years. It became necessary after seeing farriers trimming improperly and horses always being lame, or the vet that came in and used a power float on a boarder’s horse for TWO hours! The horse couldn’t eat correctly for weeks afterward and was sore. Our vet was horrified at what her mouth looked like when we insisted the owner have someone else take a look

[SonnysMom]

I have always been able to use the vet I want. I currently use the farm vet for Coggins and routine shots but use another vet for hock injections/lameness exams. This farm has one vet that is not allowed at the farm. He used to be a boarder there and it ended ugly. However BO tells people up front. They can still take their horses to him. It is no great loss on that vet anyway. While he is a nice guy he does not have an ultrasound machine or digital xray machine. I am also not convinced he really keeps up on on-going education and he is nearing retirement age.
Another barn I was at had one particular vet that was not allowed on the property. Once again a falling out between BO and vet.
I don’t have a problem if there is a particular vet/farrier/dentist that the BO does not want on her farm. It is their property after all. But they need to ask who the HO uses for professionals before they come to board and let them know they will not be able to use that particular person.

[twostinkydogs]

ugh, this is my exact problem for the last year

[QUOTE=nu2u;8506803]
Bottom line is you probably technically have the right to use whoever you feel is best for your horse, but the “barn” may do their best to make you regret it so if you have any hint you will get any grief about the decisions you make for your horse then start looking for a new barn. [/QUOTE]

This is exactly my problem, I’ve got to deal with it. I love the turn-out, really like my trainer with the exception of this issue, really like most of the other boarders, and the care is really good, except…I cannot use an outside vet without the relationship going south fast. It is not part of my boarding contract, but I’ve broached the subject and it went very badly. I am on pins and needles dreading the next time my horse is sick or lame because I will have to force the issue. I want to get my own vet before this happens, just rip off the bandaid and hope for the best, but I have a feeling that I would be looking for somewhere to land immediately.

[sdlbredfan]

[QUOTE=sweet17;8506691]
If you are at a “show barn” and they have a vet that they use for most stuff, not all. You as the owner do not like that vet for lameness or complicated medical issues. Should you as the knowledgeable & experienced horse owner have the right to choose the vet you want to use?
or
Does your trainer tell you what vet you have to use?[/QUOTE]

Yes, you have that right.

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=tabula rashah;8506719]
Nope, would be a total deal breaker for me. My horse, my decision on which vet to use. I can see the idea of a main farm vet for stuff like vaccines, coggins, etc. Any trainer who thinks that his/her vet is the only one is a pretty craptastic horseman IMHO.[/QUOTE]

This. I don’t mind if they require everyone use a single vet for vaccinations/coggins just to ensure all the horses are done the same but for anything else it is a deal breaker for me not to be able to use my regular vet(s)

[Renn_aissance]

I won’t board at a farm that won’t allow my choice of professional to treat my horse. I ensure that I have this information up front before considering a barn seriously. I understand that some farms have valued long-term relationships with professionals they trust to manage the care of their entire herd and I understand that a barn’s management’s philosophy on health care may be such that they prefer to work only with professionals with similar opinions. (I’m thinking about opinions on frequency of joint injections, whether a daily Previcox is an appropriate maintenance strategy for the given workload, etc. Mileage varies, and I’ve boarded at farms whose philosophies on these things differ from mine, and their vets’ philosophies differed from that of my vet.) I have valued long-term relationships with my vet and farrier, too! The farm vet and farrier are excellent and I use the farm vet for routine work like shots, Coggins, etc. as it’s always a good idea to have a second number to call in case of emergency who is also familiar with the horse.

Although it isn’t a written policy in our barn, it’s common courtesy that I don’t schedule any appointments on the days where the farm vet/farrier are commonly out for farm work. That’s really about it at our barn.

I haven’t found it true that farms who recommend a certain vet or farrier do so because of a volume discount. My experience has been that the recommended professional was highly qualified, highly regarded, and had a long relationship with the farm.

[mountainhorse]

When we had our facility, we offered an approved list of a few (2) farriers, vets, and equine dentist we allowed; all were extremely professional and competent, ones we knew and trusted, to avoid ending up with a sore or seriously injured horse due to neglect or malpractice. Especially with competitive training and rehabbing sport horses, it is just too high of a liability to have “joe off the street” come in to work on a horse because the owner “thinks he is nice” and end up with a lame or hurting horse. I was always open to adding another professional if one was suggested and met standards, but usually that was not the case, and clients were quite happy to have top professionals looking after their horses and seeing results, as opposed to a (true example) self-taught, part-time farrier their neighbor knew…

ETA: To answer the OP,…please note in our case, it was very clearly explained in our contracts for our facility. It sounds in your case, it is not the facility’s concern, but your trainer pushing a vet to his/her clients. If you have not signed anything agreeing to use a certain vet per your trainer’s (or barn’s) contract, use whomever you prefer!

[QUOTE=horsenut_8700;8515374]
We do not allow outside vets or farriers into the barn without prior approval. This is not because we receive any ‘kickbacks’, but because after much research and trial and error, we have picked the professionals that best complement our style and philosophy of horsekeeping.

We never had this policy until the last 2 or 3 years. It became necessary after seeing farriers trimming improperly and horses always being lame, or the vet that came in and used a power float on a boarder’s horse for TWO hours! The horse couldn’t eat correctly for weeks afterward and was sore. Our vet was horrified at what her mouth looked like when we insisted the owner have someone else take a look :([/QUOTE]

[PhoenixFarm]

People can use whatever vet or carrier they like, provided they make all the arrangements themselves and meet the practitioner. If I’m making the arrangements, were using my practitioners.

That being said there are a few (thankfully very few) local vets and farriers I don’t respect or think they are good practitioners. I will tell prospective clients if there practitioner of choice is on that list. I won’t forbid anyone using them, but I won’t participate in their use, and I will make clear my objections because it may show where a client and I would not be a good fit.

In the case of one particular local, they are ok as a vet, but I’ve been burned by them on one too many emergency calls. (As in I’m standing there with a shocky, bleeding horse for two hours because they wanted to finish dinner, or had a colic crash and burn in the night and never got a return call until the next morning, after id driven the thing Davis, because they “were really tired.”) so, if a client wants to use them As a vet I have an addendum on my contract that says I’ll call their vet first in an emergency, but if I have no response after 30 minutes I can call the vet of my choice.

[snowrider]

I’m fine with using the barn vet for vaccinations etc and I’m fine with barns requiring that because I know how terrible people are at staying on a schedule if left to their own devices since I have been in that BM position. Also if I have to take off work to go hold my horse for shots, those are some expensive shots!!

I will be using the farrier of my choosing though, the dentist and the lameness vets or specialist vets.

[mswillie]

I wouldn’t board at a place where I couldn’t choose my own practitioners. Even for vaccines.

This is how my horse reacts to the rabies vaccine. We figured out the culprit by process of elimination. My vet knows what happens and is ready in an emergency. While a “house vet” may be quite good, I want the vet who knows my horse the best to see him, even if it is only for shots. I feel the same way about my farrier and dentist.

I can’t post the picture, but it’s my horse covered in hives.

[Gainer]

There’s a certain vet around here who has a lock on a number of larger barns. He’s great at marketing himself, is quite personable and can schmooze with the best of them. Unfortunately, he’s a really lousy vet! I’ve seen some of the messes he’s caused with his incompetence. And he can run up a bill like nobody’s business.

His presence as the barn vet makes me question the facility in general. I would not board anywhere that told me I had to use him as my vet.

[4THEHORSES]

If there isn’t a contract you should be able to use which ever vet you want. If there is a problem with that then maybe you could haul out to your vet of choice?