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Old 06-27-2012, 04:13 PM
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Riot Riot is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clip-Clop View Post
Caveat Emptor.
That's how and why the seller got caught drugging the horse

How about this situation?

A race horse owner has a $100,000 allowance/grade 3 level horse. It has developed a coffin joint abnormality that had made it chronically, worsening lame (cannot be "fixed). That lameness has decreased it's performance, caused tendon problems in the other front leg due to the horse trying to avoid the sore foot. It has required regular steroid injections into the joint to keep the horse sound, but it's performance has deteriorated as expected with that problem, and it hasn't been able to run for a year. It's clear the horse has ringbone in the lower coffin joint. The horse isn't insured for loss of use due to ringbone. As the ringbone worsens, the horse will quickly be a pasture ornament. That's the only option for worsening, severe low ringbone.

Should that horse be sold privately as a $125,000 allowance/Grade 3 level horse, with the seller actively denying there are any known factors limiting it's performance at that level? The seller literally calls the horse, "the soundest horse in the barn". Even when the seller's agent is asked specifically about specific problems, the agent/trainer lies to the buyer.

What about the owner who uses the trainer as their legal selling agent. The trainer dopes the horse up with four painkillers to make it sound for the sale. And sells the horse for $20,000 more than they originally purchased the horse for.

Is the owner legally liable when the fraud is discovered?

What about the veterinarian doing the local prepurchase exam? (drawing blood and rads) Referred by the seller? The vet tells the buyer that the radiographic ringbone abnormalities are "cosmetic only and of no consequence to the intended use" (a clear lie). When the positive drug tests come back, the veterinarian calls, not the purchaser, but the owner via the owner's agent (trainer) to let them know the bad result. Vet denies giving 2 of the painkillers found. Trainer denies giving two of the painkillers found.

Should the owner continue using that trainer?

The new owner left the horse with the original trainer. The horse continues to move funny, be lame off and on, and cannot be used at the allowance level - or any level. The trainer blames the gallop riders of the horse for making the horse "move funny" to the owners eye.

The owner hires another vet to obtain all the horses documented medical history, and discovers everything said about the horse they purchased was a lie.
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Last edited by Riot : 06-27-2012 at 04:25 PM.
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