Advice - New horse has shivers

the only way to put your mind at rest is to get the vet to check it out, farrier could well be wrong and you could be worrying for nothing, don't tell the vet what you have been told, just describe what you have seen for yourself and say you are concerned. once you have a firm diagnosis or the all clear then you move forward.:)
 
Shivering was also missed on my horses vetting as a 5yo. He is a happy healthy 18yo now who has evented to advanced and been competitive at 2*. He has been lucky as the deterioration has been slow and slight. He just needs tactful shoeing and care when studding up.I also make sure Iam never between him and the wall when I pick up a hind leg. Shivers is not necessarily a limiting condition but I would be approaching the vet as to how it was missed.
 
Just as a side point, the Irish in him could be a factor at his age and I'm sure we've all had experience of ISHs and full IDs not being fully aware of where their back legs are or being a bit snappy with them. Just a thought so as to not get so downhearted before you've had a vet's opinion :)
 
I have a 18'2 with slight shivers ive had him 4 years and to be honest youd never know he picks his feet up high all round and it's only if he's been stood in all day which is rare that you would notice it. It doesnt stop me doing all the things I do with him correct shoeing and checks and he's absoltely fine never had a problem at all with him. Gets vet once over twice a year a pre mot before they go and an mot when they come in after summer and he's spot on but every horse is different if your in doubt get the vet and get him checked out and out your mind at ease.
 
Just over a year ago I purchased a lovely rising 5yo from a hobby producer/dealer. I paid a fair sum for him and he passed a 5 stage vetting from one of the countries leading vets for grading stallions. Within a month of coming home he was showing a minor intermittant irregular gait in walk. Over the next 6 months this developed into a clear stringhalt. So a very similar situation to you. Bar having the vet check him I have done nothing about it and chalked it up to bad luck. The horse is lovely and I enjoy him a lot, he will never be for sale so his significant loss of value is immaterial now, so while he is able to do his job for me i just ignore the stringhalt. If it starts to affect his competative future then someone out there will end up with a fab hack/allrounder on loan.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I have thought long and hard about the whole situation and not feeling quite so sick and despondent.

I am not going to persue the vetting vet, not my own but a specialist equine vet attached to a well know equine hospital who was recommended by my vet. Nor do I think its worth pursuing the dealer. I just don't think I could put myself through the stress of it all, plus I am the first one to bemoan the sue sue sue culture.

He has his 2nd jabs in a month so will speak to my vet then and depending on what his diagnosis is will inform the insurers, not that it will make any difference to them because there is nothing medicinally that you can do for shivers. We do high fibre low starch already and had been giving him some linseed to improve his coat so hopefully that will help. As someone said, he could have come home and bust a tendon first time out so could be worse.

Thanks again every one.
 
Speak to vet, get him out to do shivers tests, if it is a shiverer I would send it back. It's more heartache than worth, and even though it's not an issue now likely in future it will be. I've been in your position and so have others I've known.
 
As others have said, i would speak to your vet before making any decisions. My daughter's horse has stringhalt. We knew about it when we bought him. I was against buying him because of it but after a week's trial she was in love! Spoke at length to our vet about it and decided to go ahead with the purchase because he was just about perfect in all other ways. Anyhoo, duaghter had a fab couple of years eventing him - he was brill, the stringhalt affected him not a bit. Sadly 18 months ago he tore his SDFT and he will not now event anywhere near the level he did before. Whatever condition your horse may have it may not be the end of the world. worse things can and do happen. Good luck :)
 
I have read all the posts and so far nothing has been said about a define diagnoses.

Even the best farrier can be wrong and after only seeing the horse once I would not take his word. You need to get that diagnoses by a vet before going any further.

The horse is insured with a 5* vetting certificate, before you say anything to them get that diagnoses.
 
I have a nearly 4yr old warmblood X and noone vets, farriers, trainers, etc can decide whether he has shivers, the farrier changes his mind every time he shoes him. I've heard more positive stories about shivers then negative so I'm not too fussed. At the moment I'm putting it down to him being so weak as he's 17.2 so that's a hell of a frame to hold up on 3 legs.
 
Might be worth a chat to the dealers once you have officially diagnosed it. Think what you want though as if they offer a sw it may not be what you want
 
Sounds like you have taken responsibility for the horse, if you send it back to the dealer you will be very lucky to get a better horse in exchange, and what will happen to the horse?
I think, i would keep quiet, insure to the hilt, and hope for the best. Maybe turn out most of this summer, keep in very light work but allow horse to develop strength.
bttw I would question why he is shod behind.
 
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