Would you ever buy a horse that had coliced before?

It sounds like he has a few negatives. It would depend on what caused the horse to colic. Was it over fed or loaded with worms. Generally a horse that develops colic for no good reason will have problems having colic again. 5 seems pretty young to have colic that severe. I would want to know all the circumstances about it. What caused it and why surgery. did they wait too long before they called the vet. I would be concerned that they dropped the price from $35000 down to $10000. That is a big drop. I would think hard about this one.

Ask the seller to provide veterinary records from the surgery and have your vet review them. The cause of the colic will be known since it was resolved through surgery. There are different causes for colic, some are prone to repeat and others aren't.

Depending upon what I learned from my vet, I would consider the horse.

The EPSM horse would probably not be my choice. An e- friend who gave hers the best of care just euthanized her horse with EPSM at 18.

Are you looking at "scratch and dent" horses in an attempt to get top quality appearance/breeding for a bargain? Long term, you'd probably be better off buying a very young horse (yearling or weanling) and working with a trainer to develop him/her.

Hmmm...that is a little tough. I have met horses that are quite prone to colic, and I find that once it happens it usually tends to happen again. Surgery is a big deal (in the area of 10,000 to 15,000 dollars big), and I am sure that you wouldn't want the problem to get that severe again. I would maybe find out why he might of coliced in the first place...i.e. sand, feed, etc. You might be better off researching other prospects but if you really have you sights set on him then try to look at the silver lining.

Your horse when collicing can and may die if you don't get him walking and fluids pumped into BOTH ends of the horse. My horse colliced and shes fine because we found her and were able to help her. Its usually because of the owners neglegence. My parents just bought another horse and this horse and mine both live side by side and the new horse knew how to get stalls open (even though we close the stall and put a metal bar in place so she can't just push it open, well she actually lifted the bar of MY horses stall and my horse got out and ended up eating 25lbs of grain. My horse did live and is perfectly fine now. Now we lock the stalls with a big lock so that she can't lift the bars and get out. My horse was VERY lucky to be alive.

5 years old is very young by the way. Most horses will live to be 20 - 30 years old.

p.s. my horse did not need surgery.

I would buy one if it is that good of a horse and not extremely expensive then go ahead. He is worth having money spent on him getting better by you than being bought by someone else who might. My pony, Dusty, usually gets choke pretty often and the vet bill comes around about $300 AUD. But she is a brilliant mare. We also bred this filly whom, on her first day, got colick. Her vet bill was $1,000 AUD she is now 4 years old and has just been broken. She is an amazing pony so. I would buy him. Hope it helps:D

I've had horses that coliced once, and never did it again their entire life. The other things you mentioned would bother me way worse than colic.

i would never pay even close to 10k for a horse, but thats me, but horses colicking is very common and hes young and it could stop with age or it could get worse. who knows you just have to trust your judgment and listen to the people around you. (just because the runt of the litter look like he'll be a champion to you while everyone else is telling you no doesn't always mean your gut is the only one to listen to)

good luck- choose wisely : )

I would pass on this particular horse. He has a lot of problems for so young a horse and honestly he sounds like he's a potential money pit. Sorry!

Thats alot of money for a horse with alot of "hangs ups" this early in life. I would pass. Unless they are willing to free lease him to you to see if his condition subsides. Then you could discuss dollar value's after a year or so. Good Luck

I would consult your vet and ask him to look him over or suggest anything.

alot of money for a sick horse. or one that is prone to colic. Whats a roarer???