Re: [RC] [RC] Disclosing past health issues when selling horses - Marlene Moss
I think sometimes I disclose too much! I tell a
prospective buyer about every bruise or training issue the horse has ever had
even if it’s not a current issue. I provide my file of
records. But that has bitten me. I recently asked for advice on whether
it could make sense to let someone trial a horse for an extended period
including doing an endurance ride. We agreed only to them being able to
take the horse to their place to have their vet do a pre-purchase and I had
them sign a contract saying that if for any reason the horse was returned
needing veterinary attention they would have to pay for it. The horse got
injured during the few days they had her and she was lame and kicking out.
Because I mention every little bump the horse had ever had, they decided that
her past injuries (we’re talking silly minor bumps 4 years in the past
when she’s done several 50’s and multiday’s since) were the
cause of her lameness and returned her. I immediately got my vet out to
figure out what was wrong and he did x-rays and found nothing real wrong and
said her joints looked fantastic, probably a soft tissue bruise she got in
their trailer - she was fine 2 days later. They are refusing to pay her
vet bill claiming that she’s hurt herself in the pasture before therefore
I should just suck it up and that I should have just taken the word of their
vet who told them she shouldn’t be an endurance horse any more.
They’ve definitely made me look at inexperienced horse
buyers a bit differently! They acted loike I should have to pay for them
traveling to see and then later return the horse even though I’d come
down in my selling price.
I will still be completely forthright in the information I
provide about a horse I might sell, but I will never let the horse leave my
property outside of my control until after the sale is completed. And I’ll
be fighting this one until justice is done, but I just hate not being able to
trust the basic honesty of other horse people. I even threw in free tack
that I let the girl keep even when she returned the horse (yeah, I’m an
idiot!)
