buying a horse with an obviously asymmetric pelvis...thoughts?

vallin

vallin

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 April 2009
Messages
5,016
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
As title really. Went to see a horse this afternoon, fantastic attitude, hacked out without fuss and generally seemed like he would do the job with some work. Only problem is that he has a very obviously asymmetric pelvis, with offside being about 1 inch higher. There's some muscle wastage and granulated tissue on the gluteal (?) Muscle but no outside scarring. Horse drags that hind but there is no pain response either on hocks/back/hooves etc and horse is very willing. Current rider is very novicey and has done no corrective work/conditioning (horse is lacking in condition generally not just muscular. )

So...thoughts?
Thanks
V
 
I really don't know but there are conformation issues and then.... It sounds awful and fraught with problems for the future.
 
As above, you could put loads of work and money in only to find it has a serious underlying problem that is not covered by insurance as it is a pre existing condition and it will not do the job you bought it for, it will not pass a vetting with such obvious problems so why waste time and money, it can be frustrating looking, there are not that many decent horses out there when you are really looking but there will be one for you just be positive and patient.
 
Glad people seem to be confirming my thoughts :) annoying as I (and I know this sounds a bit silly) felt really safe on him and really thought he would do the job. Teach me not to pay attention to the basics before sitting on the horse!
 
What do you want the horse for?' is the obvious question.

And what do you mean by 'no pain response'? He drags the toe, yes? So the leg doesn't function optimally.

My best guess would be that he is coping well now precisely because the rider doesn't expect much and lets him go the way he goes. Lots of horses do lots of jobs with fairly obvious problems and as long as they are allowed to get on with it they are okay.

It's attempts to change them or up the work load that often do them in.

So if you want the horse to do effectively the job he's doing now, he's been doing it for some time, and the price reflects the fact that he is broken, but he ticks every other box, then it's worth consideration.

If you're considering buying him because you think you can fix him, I'd say walk away. I have been involved with managing lots of horses with various issues like this and, if you can keep everything in stasis, more or less, it's often very doable. But I would not advise any one to enter into such a situation with any expectations.
 
Walk away please - from someone who didn't and suffered huge heartache over 12 months of vets treatment rehab and ended in very sad way.

As others said there are plenty of horses out there you just need to find the right one. good luck
 
IME a misaligned pelvis is very rarely, if ever, a problem restricted to the pelvis and usually indicative of, or before long will be, problems elsewhere.
 
Would say avoid with a bargepole, however...
I have known one that had absolutly no problems but was very cheap, through the sales and to be riding school pony not competition horse.
 
An asymmetrical pelvis and muscle wastage are 2 completely different things.

when I started on my current yard there was a horse they had purchased that passed a vetting (?) with an asymmetrical pelvis, I was there for a couple of months before I had to start lunging the horses, he was lame had bosses vet out who disputed it, horse started putting in very dirty stops show jumping but always clear x country, again I questioned soundness bosses vet disagreed, dirty stops put 13 yr old rider hanging from the wings, horse went to my vet for lameness work up, horse was lame, vet commented on abnormal muscle build up (finally someone listening), turns out horse had severe damage to the stifle and had to be retired to light hacking.

this horse never had an asymmetrical pelvis the pelvis was xrayed and was symmetrical it was muscle wastage on one side and build up non the other creating the illusion of asymmentrical-personally it indicates a problem so why would you buy it?
 
Can you get a good chiropractor look at the horse for you to see if it is something that seems fixable and did the current owners know is was there/ try to fix it already (and fail)?
 
I had one, and didn't really cause the horse any problems. On the other hand I did have an idea how it happened and the horse had been in hard work
 
This could be a serious problem from sacroiliac disease to muscle atrophy due to chronic lameness. You wouldn't know unless you had a good vet look at the horse and spent quite a bit of money on diagnostics.

If it's not your horse you have the chance to walk away, that's what I would do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top