Bridle Noise

Vixxy

Vixxy

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I am thinking about buying a 16.1hh, 6 year old, Irish Draft cross mare. I have been told by the riding school owner she makes a bridle noise when ridden and due to this would fail a vetting. The mare is from a large local riding school with a good reputation. I want the mare as a happy hacker mostly, schooling on my sand school at home and also for a small amount of local shows (walk and trot tests to begin with and small unaffiliated jumping).

Well I most certainly will get her 5 stage vetted anyway just to make sure there is nothing else wrong and to get a vets opinion on the bridle noise.

What is your experience with bridle noises, why do horses have it, what causes it, does it ever worsen, will she be marked down at very basic dressage levels?

Would be great to hear your opinions/experiences.
 
No he said bridle noise, and since looking for a horse a month ago I have heard this expression twice about different horses (totally unconnected from each other)... in all of my riding years I have never heard this expression before.

He told me that you could hear a noise from her when ridden? He said it was not that bad but he felt sure it was bad enough to fail the vet. There are other horses at this school that are also suitable but I really like this one. I am just totally confused as to what he means, perhaps when I come over in 10 days time I can ask again if I try the mare.
 
Kerilli perhaps you are right on the roarer front, as he (the instructor/YO) made a funny breathing noise and compared it to that and it was as if he had been smoking 40 a day lol! He said that it did not sound that bad but enough to fail the vet.

What is the outcome of a roarer, is it just not nice to hear or is it a huge problem potentially with bad health?

I have had no experience of anything like this before...
 
i think a vet could best advise you, it depends how much work you want the horse to do, and at what speed, obviously. probably fine for hacking, not for faster stuff and lots of exertion. also quite disconcerting to ride a horse making that much noise... depends on the cause though.
sorry to be so vague!
 
Thanks, well the YO did advise that for my use it would not be a problem. If I wanted her to race or XC then it might be a bad idea. At the end of the day all I am looking for is a happy hacker that can take me safely into a dressage arena to make a wally of myself and school at home on my sand school!

I have a muscle disease which really limits my riding, so I have no use for a top horse, so perhaps she might suit. I think if she is still for sale when I come over I will get the instructor on my sisters livery yard to come and try her around a proper decent sized jumping course and see what she sounds like (she can jump I have seen impressive pics).

If I like her and she does not sound bloody awful, I can then get her vetted and see what they say.
 
Yes I understand what you mean!- larger stamp horses in particular can suffer from this- one of mine is not a roarer but he makes a slight noise if he is not deep enough in his outline- (seems to affect the larger stamps of horses, its just the fleshy part of the throat making a noise- this is what I was told by a top dressage rider) and it hasnt affected my horses performance in any way- but I would get it checked out further at the vetting stage.
 
KarenM, that sounds like a good plan. the nice thing about IDx mares is that (in my experience anyway) they are usually "nice people" - gentle, forgiving, won't take advantage if you are having a bit of a weak day.
A lot of horses that make a noise have a tieback operation, so that could always be an option for the future if you really get on with her, and might want to do more in future. Obviously her roaring should be reflected in her price. Best of luck, keep us posted!
 
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