Anxiously waiting to hear back!

Hormonal Filly said:
Hi all, I still haven’t found a suitable horse. I’m trying to enjoy not having a horse to care for everyday. Problem is I have a low budget and with my previous horsey history, quite particular about what I enquire about.

I was tempted by a young mare in Ireland, but they had poor facilities for a vetting and was concerned she looked a bit off in videos.

I’ve seen this 4yo mare for sale, she flat raced 4 times and was pretty rubbish. Shes had winter off and coming back into work gradually.

The only thing that shouts out to me is her neck, is that standard for a ex racer?

She actually moves quite well in the videos. I’ve had 2 with neck pathology so I want to be wary..

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What is your budget? Im in ireland and a friend has two very nice sport horse fillies for sale!
 
She’s short in the neck and it’s set on low. She’s nice and compact but is built quite downhill. She doesn’t have the best forelimb conformation and I have a slight query over the hindleg. I wouldn’t buy her as a dressage/ eventing prospect because I think you will always be battling that conformation, but for a nice low level horse then if she has a good temperament and you like the feel, you could do a lot worse
 
TheMule said:
She’s short in the neck and it’s set on low. She’s nice and compact but is built quite downhill. She doesn’t have the best forelimb conformation and I have a slight query over the hindleg. I wouldn’t buy her as a dressage/ eventing prospect because I think you will always be battling that conformation, but for a nice low level horse then if she has a good temperament and you like the feel, you could do a lot worse
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Shes actually built very like my half bred mare who jumps 130 :) Maybe mine has a slightly longer neck !IMG_2449.jpeg
 
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CastlelackSportHorses said:
Shes actually built very like my half bred mare who jumps 130 :) Maybe mine has a slightly longer neck !View attachment 162201
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Yours is lovely too (and has better basics IMO)
I also had a mare with similar conformation and she evented to Intermediate- she had a lot of heart, but it wasn’t easy for her and she was an exception rather than a rule I think.
 
TheMule said:
Yours is lovely too (and has better basics IMO)
I also had a mare with similar conformation and she evented to Intermediate- she had a lot of heart, but it wasn’t easy for her and she was an exception rather than a rule I think.
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Agreed. What my lady lacks in confirmation she makes up for in heart! She has also evented to Intermediate! Even with her dodgy legs(Turned in) :)
 
TheMule said:
She’s short in the neck and it’s set on low. She’s nice and compact but is built quite downhill. She doesn’t have the best forelimb conformation and I have a slight query over the hindleg. I wouldn’t buy her as a dressage/ eventing prospect because I think you will always be battling that conformation, but for a nice low level horse then if she has a good temperament and you like the feel, you could do a lot worse
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Thanks TheMule. Good to hear peoples thoughts. Do you think being 4, she might level out in terms of being downhill?

I'm looking for a bit of a alrounder, I want to aim for BE80/90s as the end goal if it all went to plan.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Her neck is muscled underneath, is that because she isn’t working correctly?
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I used to see this a lot (like 30 years ago or more). At that time it was most likely due to not being worked correctly and/or a too tight running martingale which seemed to be common.
Bracing and compensating for other issues does also cause incorrect muscle development and stiffness in the neck.
It's something to mention if you get as far as a vetting. The left hock may have something going on but it could be the angle in the last picture and some lumps / bumps don't cause problems anyway.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Sooooo I’ve messaged about the mare and asked if I can go to meet her.. she sent me some videos yesterday and for 9 months in the field I must say she looks great. Moves nicely too..

they’ve said I could have her on trial and see how things go!

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She is exactly the type I would want to look at , hope shes the right one for you
 
anglo said:
She is exactly the type I would want to look at , hope shes the right one for you
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Sorry, the thread has evolved since that mare. I did take her home and did everything possible in the weeks I had her but she went really quite lame behind after 2 weeks walk work and had a lot of previous trauma making her not easy to do in general. Very sadly I returned her, not a decision I made lightly.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Sorry, the thread has evolved since that mare. I did take her home and did everything possible in the weeks I had her but she went really quite lame behind after 2 weeks walk work and had a lot of previous trauma making her not easy to do in general. Very sadly I returned her, not a decision I made lightly.
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I commented before I realised , sorry .
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Sorry, the thread has evolved since that mare. I did take her home and did everything possible in the weeks I had her but she went really quite lame behind after 2 weeks walk work and had a lot of previous trauma making her not easy to do in general. Very sadly I returned her, not a decision I made lightly.
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Did she have SI pain? Was that the previous trauma? She had a bit of a hunters bump showing on the photo. Sorry HF. Horses are a nightmare.
 

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Hormonal Filly said:
Thanks all, much appreciated.

A recent pic sent over today..She’s been left barefoot and her feet look pretty good to me.

Her neck is muscled underneath, is that because she isn’t working correctly? Strange as she didn’t look like that in racing.

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I would bet this horse has sore feet
I hope you find the one soon .
It’s a marathon not a sprint finding a horse .
 
Id keep looking. Shes functionally downhill so even if she grows a bit she will still ride downhill. Its so common with racers to be built that way and it just makes things harder. They arent all like that though. Start with the cards stacked in your favour.
 
Goldenstar said:
I would bet this horse has sore feet
I hope you find the one soon .
It’s a marathon not a sprint finding a horse .
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I'm Dun said:
Id keep looking. Shes functionally downhill so even if she grows a bit she will still ride downhill. Its so common with racers to be built that way and it just makes things harder. They arent all like that though. Start with the cards stacked in your favour.
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Thank you.. I’ve decided not to proceed with the 4yo mare, as I’m Dun has said I’d like to start with the cards stacked in my favour.
 
It’s funny how things go.
I was suppose to view a lovely looking gelding the other week who was for sale, an ex hurdler who sounded perfect direct from the trainer but the owner decided to let him go to her friend who events. Gutted..

But that race yard do have a 5yo mare they bought from the stud last year unbroken. She raced in one NH flat race end of 2024 but showed no promise, in fact she was PU (not sure if that’s alarm bells?) in the video she doesn’t look keen at all to race..

She has had 6 months in the field and they’re selling her from the field (for a very low price) with 2 months trial to ensure it’s the right home. I can see her move in the school etc. I’m tempted to go and meet her because she is local.

Attached photo of her as a 4yo

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Hormonal Filly said:
It’s funny how things go.
I was suppose to view a lovely looking gelding the other week who was for sale, an ex hurdler who sounded perfect direct from the trainer but the owner decided to let him go to her friend who events. Gutted..

But that race yard do have a 5yo mare they bought from the stud last year unbroken. She raced in one NH flat race end of 2024 but showed no promise, in fact she was PU (not sure if that’s alarm bells?) in the video she doesn’t look keen at all to race..

She has had 6 months in the field and they’re selling her from the field (for a very low price) with 2 months trial to ensure it’s the right home. I can see her move in the school etc. I’m tempted to go and meet her because she is local.

Attached photo of her as a 4yo

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She looks a lovely uphill type!! Very sporty!
 
She's 4 - in terms of body shape she should grow a little and her body shape would normally (but not always) even out. I bought a rising 5yo a few years ago. Never seen anything more weirdly put together in my life. Bum high, back so short I'd never have got a saddle on it, nothing matched - neck or head or anything. She's turning 7 this year and now looks like a nice, solid mare. I have a just turned 5yo now. I was just saying yesterday to my son what a weird shape she is! She'll even out. I'm just not looking too closely right now!!
 
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