Buying a pony with a mark on his side

Pip Burns

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He looks absolutely lovely. Don't let the scar put you off if he's right for you in every other way.

You need to establish for sure whether it is a scar, i.e. not active, or something like a fungal infection, i.e. still active and therefore treatable. The absolute best thing is to ask a vet. Then you can proceed accordingly.

Whatever it is, here's some advice from a very experienced showing person and judge, and please don't take it amiss; it's well intended. If you were an experienced showing person you wouldn't be asking the question above, so I am guessing that you're not, and I'm also guessing that you're not being trained/advised/produced by an experienced showing person or you'd be asking them, not us. In which case, you have quite a journey ahead of you before you are likely to be in a position where, if the hair doesn't grow back, it's going to prevent you from doing as well as you might otherwise. There is absolutely nothing to prevent you entering any qualifiers you like, provided you satisfy the entry requirement, but realistically, if we're talking top level qualifiers for things like HOYS/RIHS, and even BSPS/NPS, you'll probably not be at the top of the line with or without the hair growth until you've got a lot more experience. There are lots of classes you can do with a pony like this at club level, and lots of things you can qualify for like Equifest and all sorts of unaffiliated championships, where you will have a wonderful time, learn a lot and enjoy this lovely pony. At the club and Equifest level it is FAR more important that a pony is well-behaved, goes sweetly and that pony and rider are in harmony, than whether it has the odd blemish here and there.

If it's definitely a scar I recommend trying Megatek. Do a patch test first. I had a dun Connemara who had a horse-fly bite on his cheek about ten days before a major showing final and rubbed his face from ear to mouth completely raw; when the redness had gone down I used Megatek and by the time of the show the hair had regrown and you would never have noticed. I've also had success with long-standing hairless patches by treating with Cornucrescine, which used to be the old-fashioned go-to for hair growth.
Thankyou and I do have many experienced instructors and my sister is completing at HOYS level and so have I and she thought it was a rub at first but it isn’t and as I will be using my own money and I will be producing him my self mostly it’s my decision and I’m already doing hoys practice qualifyers and the judges had asked what it is and many other questions and I was just stuck at a cross road as many people have said otherwise. If I buy him before the hoys qualifyers I will do them and try and qualify as we are ready and Thankyou so much and I will try both and see how they work.
 

Pip Burns

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You say you want to show him in qualifiers, so if you are referring to qualifiers for the big shows, hoys, rihs etc then yes it probably will be an issue. It looks like a burn of some sort to me as well.
Even if you do ridden classes he will need to be stripped for conformation so the mark will be seen.
I suppose it depends on how much you want to show and be successful and at what level. There is nothing to stop you entering him he just may not do as well as he might of without it
I was hopefully going to qualify him for hoys next year if everything goes well and he is a all round type but my family has mostly workers / showing but as I’m getting and paying for him myself my parents feel like they shouldn’t have a input on what I do and as I am producing him he won’t be there’s also thanks for the advise
 

Pip Burns

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Oh he's cute! Unless you're going to HOYS just get him if he's perfect for you otherwise. Get him vetted and get the vets opinion on it but that wouldn't stop me buying a horse that was otherwise lovely.
Thankyou and I want for us to go far as he is going to be my last horse befor all my exams and everything so I’m going to probly have him forever and I think I’m going to get the vet out thanks
 

Pip Burns

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You might have it spot on there - friction burn with gravel. That would account for it completely. Well spotted Sherlock!
Thankyou for both of your replys and the is one of the ones where you’ve acc made me feel like I might have reached something and he was already good when they got him as a four year old from Ireland and when someone was looking after him before I got him he was nervous on roads and actually had a fall with the girl and he’s very clumsy when he’s nervous. I’ve been trying to put it at the back of my mind as I have had 30 different people say different things and I hope it wasn’t this one Thankyou
 

whiteflower

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I was hopefully going to qualify him for hoys next year if everything goes well and he is a all round type but my family has mostly workers / showing but as I’m getting and paying for him myself my parents feel like they shouldn’t have a input on what I do and as I am producing him he won’t be there’s also thanks for the advise

If your intention is to try and qualify for hoys then you need the vet out to confirm if scarring or something else as it's unlikely you will fulfill your dreams with him if it is scarring sadly.
I think you need to discuss with your parents what your aspirations are and if the is the correct po y for you to buy as it sounds like they are maybe horsey and will know you and the pony best. Good luck
 

Pip Burns

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Thank you so much for everyone’s replies you all helped and i
If your intention is to try and qualify for hoys then you need the vet out to confirm if scarring or something else as it's unlikely you will fulfill your dreams with him if it is scarring sadly.
I think you need to discuss with your parents what your aspirations are and if the is the correct po y for you to buy as it sounds like they are maybe horsey and will know you and the pony best. Good luck
Thank you and yes I’m trying to get us to the top and someone had suggested it was a earlier injury just fingers crossed that it isn’t 😢
 

ester

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I'd worry that you are going to get frustrated if you want to do a decent level of showing.
Re. the workers I wonder if it matters that it is clearly not really a leg mark from hunting, and it's going to be very difficult to attempt to cover up and minimise it and if he's had it two years you've got what you've got I should think.
 

Pip Burns

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Thankyou for all the lovely replies you have all gave me. I’m very greatful for all the suggestions and support on what it could be and I’m deciding to do some more research and then do the 4 stage vetting and get their opinion. If everything goes well I will probably be asking more questions on here but thanks so much !!
 

be positive

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My view would be if you like the pony, he is the right price taking the scarring into consideration and if you will not be too disappointed if you do not get to HOYS with him then he could be a good buy for you to have fun on, you will find it goes against him if there are 2 on the same score but it will make you up your game to improve the scores which in turn will do your riding/ producing the world of good.
Best of luck if you do buy him but please ensure he is priced to account for what is a fairly nasty blemish.
 

Pip Burns

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I'd worry that you are going to get frustrated if you want to do a decent level of showing.
Re. the workers I wonder if it matters that it is clearly not really a leg mark from hunting, and it's going to be very difficult to attempt to cover up and minimise it and if he's had it two years you've got what you've got I should think.
You can just about see it from underneath the saddle and when I wear a chunky sheep skin numnah you can just about see it and that’s what I’m worried about Thankyou for the advice
 

whiteflower

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Thankyou for all the lovely replies you have all gave me. I’m very greatful for all the suggestions and support on what it could be and I’m deciding to do some more research and then do the 4 stage vetting and get their opinion. If everything goes well I will probably be asking more questions on here but thanks so much !!

Make sure the vet carrying out the vetting is aware you intend to use him for top level showing then. Surely it would be cheaper and easier to get a vet out to tell you what it is rather than the cost of a full vetting if he will potentially not be suitable for what you want anyway ?

ETA - re your comment about covering it with numnah as I'm sure you are aware you need to strip at hoys level and a conformation judge will look at him without your saddle. I'm sure you said somewhere above your sister shows at hoys level so surely she could give you some good advice on his suitability if hoys is your aim ?
 

Pip Burns

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My view would be if you like the pony, he is the right price taking the scarring into consideration and if you will not be too disappointed if you do not get to HOYS with him then he could be a good buy for you to have fun on, you will find it goes against him if there are 2 on the same score but it will make you up your game to improve the scores which in turn will do your riding/ producing the world of good.
Best of luck if you do buy him but please ensure he is priced to account for what is a fairly nasty blemish.
Yes Thankyou for the amazing advice if he was up for abit lower I would have already got him by now as he’s 5 and hasn’t done much and has only been to some decent shows with me and I’ve put lots of effort in already. He is up for £5000 and I’m not sure if I am willing to pay that price for him considering the mark .
 

Pip Burns

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Make sure the vet carrying out the vetting is aware you intend to use him for top level showing then. Surely it would be cheaper and easier to get a vet out to tell you what it is rather than the cost of a full vetting if he will potentially not be suitable for what you want anyway ?

ETA - re your comment about covering it with numnah as I'm sure you are aware you need to strip at hoys level and a conformation judge will look at him without your saddle. I'm sure you said somewhere above your sister shows at hoys level so surely she could give you some good advice on his suitability of hoys is your aim ?
I am friends with the owner and she said that it’s a cow worming scar but I’m not sure I believe her and I don’t want to get the vet out yet as she has said it won’t effect him. Would it be easier to get the vet out to ask them about it or shall I just get it all don’t together ??
 

be positive

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A vet will tell you he is not suitable for top level showing, they have to cover their backs so their advice would have to be based on facts, it will have a bearing on the marks so no vet would say anything else, not that most vets would be 'qualified' to judge whether a horse is suitable for showing with it being subjective in many ways.

I think you need to make your own mind up with advice from your family, not the seller who is biased, then have him vetted accepting the fact he is blemished, before wasting money on a vet, I do feel he is overpriced for you at £5k regardless of how the scar was formed, you are adding value to him at the moment and if he goes on as an eventer/ allrounder some people may pay for how he is going and not be too bothered about the scar, so he will be going up in value as time goes on, just not as a potential show pony.
 

Leo Walker

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If you want to do HOYs qualifiers this isnt the pony for you. Its hard enough home producing without starting with a handicap. He will be a lovely pony for someone, but that someone isnt you if you are serious about showing.
 

Aru

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If its a chemical burn from applying liquid cattle wormer to a horse (which is a terrible idea for the record and an entirely predictable result that even a quick google would have prevented....) then that hair is unlikely to ever grow back as a burn that hasn't healed in 2 years was likely was severe enough to kill the hair follicles in the area....
Does your friend have a vet report/history from the time it happened to confirm?...or did she just leave the burn to heal with no medical care?

This pony would fail a 5-star vetting if its intended use is Showing due to the Blemish. It's stopping him from being fit for that intended purpose.
 

Melody Grey

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£5k 😱 Run fast and run far!

If he’s truly lovely as a reliable RC allrounder type, possibly scraping the lower side of that, but not worth £5k as a (highly) blemished showing prospect surely?

Disclaimer: I know nothing about showing, so shoot me down if I’m way off the mark!
 

Dynamo

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OP, if you are serious about qualifying for HOYS, if you are an experienced showing person ready for this, with an experienced family and trainers, and the funds, time and commitment to contend it seriously, this is NOT the right pony. And if all that were the case, you would know that, and you would know that 50% of the marks are for when the pony is stripped of its saddle, and that a thick numnah is never desirable in any case in the show ring. To have a realistic chance of qualifying for HOYS, you need a perfect specimen of a well bred show animal, not an all-rounder with a scar.

Connemaras can fetch a lot of money. A really top class, inexperienced pony can go for upwards of £7-8K and for an experienced, successful pony you can expect to pay as much as £15-20K. An all-rounder with a scar is probably £2-3K.

ETS: sorry, is he actually a Connemara? I think I might have assumed that. If not, what show classes are you planning on doing?

Ask yourself honestly... Do you want to do some all-round activities with this pony, possibly some eventing, enjoy what he's going to be well suited to, OR are you determined to qualify for HOYS and do you have the financial means to campaign the circuit, the determination to keep at it for a few seasons and the support to help make it happen? If the former, buy him at the right price. If the latter, no, he's not going to take you to the top.
 
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