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 Shoot Yeah
Posts: 4273
  
Location: Where you need a paddle... Oregon! | I'm acting as the middle person for my daughter to sell her horse. I called our vet today to find out the cost of a pre-purchase exam - nothing intensive - just the bare bones. This isn't a performance horse. The buyer is looking for a nice trail horse.
The receptionist couldn't tell me what the cost is and said she'd have to talk to the vet first and call me back. Does that seem typical? I would think that the cost would be pretty standard and then they might add on travel expenses.
Also, what do no-frills exams include, and what do they cost, in your area?
Edited by Lady 2016-08-15 4:53 PM
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
 
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | There are a lot of vets in my area that won't even do them anymore. Mostly because the results are so scattered on what someone says should be a pass or not. They don't want to be held liable. But they sometimes will do a flex test, x rays where needed, but again in my area I have to find a vet with a digital x ray machine. Some are so outdated they still have to develope the film and that takes forever just to see if what you were trying to x ray actually shows anything and if it didn't work, you have to try again. | |
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Shoot Yeah
Posts: 4273
Location: Where you need a paddle... Oregon! | wyoming barrel racer - 2016-08-15 4:58 PM
There are a lot of vets in my area that won't even do them anymore. Mostly because the results are so scattered on what someone says should be a pass or not. They don't want to be held liable. But they sometimes will do a flex test, x rays where needed, but again in my area I have to find a vet with a digital x ray machine. Some are so outdated they still have to develope the film and that takes forever just to see if what you were trying to x ray actually shows anything and if it didn't work, you have to try again.
No xrays necessary.... Probably not even a blood draw. I figured maybe they'd do a flex test? What else, though? I mean, unless there's something they do that I haven't considered, I can't imagine that the fee would be much higher than just the farm call itself. I'm pretty ignorant about these things, though, since I've never had one done. Which is why I come here and ask - so I can have some level of knowledge and expectations and know if the cost seems really out of line. I like to have some level of understanding going into it. | |
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Shoot Yeah
Posts: 4273
Location: Where you need a paddle... Oregon! | I got 2 quotes and I am shocked!
The mobile vet who is coming to check the horse my friend is selling is $50 for a simple wellness check, plus a dollar a mile for travel - so another $50.
My vet, who is about 15 miles from me, is $415. For the same thing.
Ridiculous | |
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 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | I'm actually a receptionist at an equine clinic myself, & yes it is standard to have to get the quote from the vet. I'm not allowed to give any quotes over the phone aside for basics things; coggins, health certs, vax, dentals. That's pretty much it. The problem with lameness & prepurchase exams is that many of them tend to drag on for hours & hours. Our clinic bills prepurchases by the quarter of an hour. If it turns out to truly just be a basic exam, there is a simple "brief exam" charge. I'm still not allowed to quote it over the phone without a vet's ok tho, lol. | |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8552
Location: sunny california | I would not buy a horse with a $50 vet check | |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I was going to guess around $125 | |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| $50 + $50 for mileage sounds cheap to me. That hour it takes to get to your place is time that could have been used to see a patient at the clinic. The last basic pre purchase I did was $150, included checking for soreness all over, watching him move in round pen and flexing him at the clinic.
Edited by rodeomom3 2016-08-15 7:42 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 926
| I would count on a few hundred for the very, very basics. I agree if you have a $50 vet check, you get what you pay for..not a lot. I am a strong supporter of vet checks, for performance horses it's maybe $500 to $1K or more.
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | I have just been calling a vet a little distance from me about a prepurchase exam, and was not surprised that the vet had to do the quote. I understand that it is a trail horse, but there are so many variables. The vet I talked with has a general price for a basic exam, and that includes vitals and flexion, seeingg how the horse moves, hoof testers, etc. and do xrays based on how the basic exam goes (the horse I'm looking at has a particular area I want to xray any ways). The xrays are a certain amount for the first 2, and then a certain amount per xray after that. I figure I'd spend somewhere between $200 and $300 dollars for a prepurchase exam with the xrays I want and probably closer to $500 depending on what else the vet may find that I would question. But then again, I'm looking at a barrel horse.
If it was a trail horse, and I wasn't doing trail competitively, I probably wouldn't even bother with a prepurchase exam, depending on the price of the horse.
Edited by mtcanchazer 2016-08-15 8:58 PM
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Shoot Yeah
Posts: 4273
Location: Where you need a paddle... Oregon! | If it were me, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of these horses. Both are under 10 years old, neither have done ANY type of competition work. Both horses have had "some" arena riding, ie. loped in circles a few times a month. Both horses have done trail riding, but both of them have had the last 3 years basically off and have been standing around being fed and brushed.
Yes, a $50 vet check is really cheap, but I think it's $50 I'd keep in my pocket if it were me.
We aren't talking about performance horses here, or horses who will be doing performance, or horses who have ever worked a long day in their lives. Again, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of them, but I'm not the buyer or the seller here and they feel like they should, so I'm supporting what they feel like they want to do. A $415 vet check, while I'm sure is money well spent on a performance horse, is money wasted on these pleasure type pets.
To have a vet come out and check their heart rate, look at their teeth, check their eyes and ears and maybe watch the horse be lunged both directions is not worth $415.
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Lady - 2016-08-15 9:38 PM
If it were me, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of these horses. Both are under 10 years old, neither have done ANY type of competition work. Both horses have had "some" arena riding, ie. loped in circles a few times a month. Both horses have done trail riding, but both of them have had the last 3 years basically off and have been standing around being fed and brushed.
Yes, a $50 vet check is really cheap, but I think it's $50 I'd keep in my pocket if it were me.
We aren't talking about performance horses here, or horses who will be doing performance, or horses who have ever worked a long day in their lives. Again, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of them, but I'm not the buyer or the seller here and they feel like they should, so I'm supporting what they feel like they want to do. A $415 vet check, while I'm sure is money well spent on a performance horse, is money wasted on these pleasure type pets.
To have a vet come out and check their heart rate, look at their teeth, check their eyes and ears and maybe watch the horse be lunged both directions is not worth $415.
If there is a predisposing defect, it costs the same to treat a trail horse as it does a competition horse.
Buying the horse is the cheapest part of it.
You are bias as you know the horses.
The people would be smart to do the 450 vet check. I have seen a lot of horses people think are sound that fail miserably a vet check.
I also had an 18 yr old who passed a flexion test, but X-rays showed severe osteoarthritis (wasn't selling and I alread knew about the OA) | |
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Shoot Yeah
Posts: 4273
Location: Where you need a paddle... Oregon! | cheryl makofka - 2016-08-15 10:42 PM
Lady - 2016-08-15 9:38 PM
If it were me, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of these horses. Both are under 10 years old, neither have done ANY type of competition work. Both horses have had "some" arena riding, ie. loped in circles a few times a month. Both horses have done trail riding, but both of them have had the last 3 years basically off and have been standing around being fed and brushed.
Yes, a $50 vet check is really cheap, but I think it's $50 I'd keep in my pocket if it were me.
We aren't talking about performance horses here, or horses who will be doing performance, or horses who have ever worked a long day in their lives. Again, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of them, but I'm not the buyer or the seller here and they feel like they should, so I'm supporting what they feel like they want to do. A $415 vet check, while I'm sure is money well spent on a performance horse, is money wasted on these pleasure type pets.
To have a vet come out and check their heart rate, look at their teeth, check their eyes and ears and maybe watch the horse be lunged both directions is not worth $415.
If there is a predisposing defect, it costs the same to treat a trail horse as it does a competition horse.
Buying the horse is the cheapest part of it.
You are bias as you know the horses.
The people would be smart to do the 450 vet check. I have seen a lot of horses people think are sound that fail miserably a vet check.
I also had an 18 yr old who passed a flexion test, but X-rays showed severe osteoarthritis (wasn't selling and I alread knew about the OA )
I think you are totally right. Because I know both horses I am totally biased. If these were horses I didn't know, or horses who had a history of competition, I would support a thorough vet check and not wince.
But, I know what they've done (and haven't done). The buyer of my daughter's horse does know the horse and has been riding with me recently as I ride the mare on trails and a couple of times in the arena, so she has seen the horse after 3 hours up and down logging roads and has seen her walk, trot, lope in the arena. But if she wants to do a vet check I totally understand - I'd just feel really guilty seeing her spend over $400 on this 6 year old $1500 horse who is likely as sound as anything else as a trail horse.
I feel better knowing the vet, for $50, will confirm what I already know to be true about this mare and the buyer can feel like she did her due diligence. If she were willing to spend over $400 I would encourage her to just spend the extra little bit and have x-rays done, too. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| I actually just called my vet today to get a PPE price and his was $250 total and its very thorough. A friend of mine paid $120 for a vet in Washington when she bought her show horse and I think most vets around here are about the same. | |
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 I Want a "MAN"
Posts: 3610
Location: MD | Whinny19 - 2016-08-15 7:16 PM I'm actually a receptionist at an equine clinic myself, & yes it is standard to have to get the quote from the vet. I'm not allowed to give any quotes over the phone aside for basics things; coggins, health certs, vax, dentals. That's pretty much it. The problem with lameness & prepurchase exams is that many of them tend to drag on for hours & hours. Our clinic bills prepurchases by the quarter of an hour. If it turns out to truly just be a basic exam, there is a simple "brief exam" charge. I'm still not allowed to quote it over the phone without a vet's ok tho, lol.
I'm a receptionist as well and agree with everything stated above. That is standard policy for our vets office. | |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | The last prepurchase exam I had done was 12yrs ago. They did a flex text, listened to heart and lungs and just did a basic evaluation. It was 300 or 400 just for that with out xrays. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 878
Location: "...way down south in the Everglades..." | Lady - 2016-08-15 8:06 PM I got 2 quotes and I am shocked! The mobile vet who is coming to check the horse my friend is selling is $50 for a simple wellness check, plus a dollar a mile for travel - so another $50. My vet, who is about 15 miles from me, is $415. For the same thing. Ridiculous
I just did one last month and it varies so much by area. I got three quotes and it was just for basic wellness and flex tests. NO X-RAYS. Prices were from $300 to $500. I was pretty surprised how high. I ended up paying $320 with travel included. | |
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 Independent Cuss
Posts: 3977
Location: Dearing, GA | I once paid $600 for a pre purchase exam on a $6,500 horse. And I'm glad I did, turns out he had cataracts and a stifle problem that was either being masked or developing rapidly. I almost paid $6,500 for a horse who would've been limited to trail riding within 6 months. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| nicole.b - 2016-08-15 11:05 PM
I actually just called my vet today to get a PPE price and his was $250 total and its very thorough. A friend of mine paid $120 for a vet in Washington when she bought her show horse and I think most vets around here are about the same.
Depends on location to. Vets tend to charge what they know they can get. I know a vet that charges cutters, reiners, jumpers, people with money 1500+ for a vet check. CONSIDERABLY less for same vet to come to my neck of the woods. lol | |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | So pre purchase exams will vary from individual to individual. Most have a base rate, which is probably where some of y'all are getting the $150-200 ish price. If you do blood work for drug screens, that adds up. If you do any radiographs, you are going to get charged usually around $40-50 per view. Some places give you discounts if you do a bunch of them. But say, standard hock x rays are 4 views. you do two hocks, thats 8 views: $400. You add 4 view X-rays of the feet: another $400. So then you are looking at around $1000 for a decently thorough pre purchase getting full sets of rads on two areas and the baseline exam. Some vets will just shoot a view or two if the owner wants it, but that's really not thorough because you can easily miss obvious big problems if you only take part of them. Plenty of people will pre purchase without radiographs, which would get you a fairly cheaper pre purchase but you don't have as much evidence to corroborate the soundness of your animal. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 926
| One thing that drives the price is how far do you want to go...so you do a basic flex, etc and they find an issue in the hock. Do you want to x-ray that? He's a really nice horse, so yeah you do. Then you find a small issue there, what's next. It's all relative. If you're spending even $10 K on a nice horse, you really like and fit, you might want to dig deeper into an issue found early on. You may want to know what's wrong? how bad? can I manage and if so how... With what we expect from our horses these days, if you find one that doesn't have issues...well you're not looking hard enough. It's more, what's wrong, how bad, how can I manage, and how much is that going to cost.
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Veteran
Posts: 144
| Lady - 2016-08-15 9:38 PM
If it were me, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of these horses. Both are under 10 years old, neither have done ANY type of competition work. Both horses have had "some" arena riding, ie. loped in circles a few times a month. Both horses have done trail riding, but both of them have had the last 3 years basically off and have been standing around being fed and brushed.
Yes, a $50 vet check is really cheap, but I think it's $50 I'd keep in my pocket if it were me.
We aren't talking about performance horses here, or horses who will be doing performance, or horses who have ever worked a long day in their lives. Again, I wouldn't do a vet check on either of them, but I'm not the buyer or the seller here and they feel like they should, so I'm supporting what they feel like they want to do. A $415 vet check, while I'm sure is money well spent on a performance horse, is money wasted on these pleasure type pets.
To have a vet come out and check their heart rate, look at their teeth, check their eyes and ears and maybe watch the horse be lunged both directions is not worth $415.
I was selling an occasional use horse I just didn't click with for $700. Lady came out and looked at her for her teen daughter. They clicked and the mom wanted a vet check. Okay, sure! Nothing to hide! She's always been healthy and sound. She paid $300 for a basic listen and look. First thing she did was look in her eyes and ears. Next was to listen to her heart. Frowned and listened again. Turns out she had a heart condition that was a ticking time bomb. Was told the horse should never be ridden because she could drop dead at any moment with a rider. You would have never known from outward appearances. Even cheap horses can have issues that could cause the rider to become injured. Ended up giving her away to someone else with the disclaimer she never be ridden again. | |
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Pre-purchase exams