Buying dilemma

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chaps89

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I am in a godawful position and need some outside views.
I have been looking for a new horse since about May this year and have had 2 fail the vet. I have finally found one who is just what I'm looking for. He was vetted yesterday.
Unfortunately he was supposed to be re-shod today, the day after the vetting but the seller moved it to Tuesday, the day before the vetting.
Yesterday we noticed his off-fore really turns out, from the mid-pastern down. This was something not noticed by me or my experienced mum on 4 previous visits. So we suspect having the farrier has excerbated/highlighted the problem somehow?
He also was scuffing his hind feet. Again, this isn't something either of us have noticed before and we have re-watched various youtube videos the seller has and he isn't scuffing his feet in them. So we're not sure what this is from.
Vet passed him as fit for general riding, schooling, hacking, local shows, pleasure rides. I would like to get back into endurance, it was felt he should be fine to do the lower level rides but she didn't know if he would stand up to rides of 50km +. Realistically working 55-60 hours a week I am never going to have the time to get him fit enough to do more than that and as he is only 4 those rides are a fair few years off yet.
He has old splints on 3 of his legs, the only leg that doesn't have them is the off-fore with his turned out foot.
He came from ireland in july, broken in and supposed to have hunted etc so what we know of his history is that he probably has done alot.
It's now a case of how long is a piece of string. My old horse who has recently been pts had longterm lameness problems and its alot of heartache that i'm not keen on going through again.
I walked away from the other horses because they weren't sound at the vetting, this is totally different as he is definitley sound even after flexions.
My mum wants me to walk away and I fully see the sense in it but I really really like this horse and the kind of horse I like seems very hard to find (as you can probably tell by the fact I've been looking for 6 months!) so now I don't know what to do :(
I know no-one can tell me what to do but outside opinions are welcomed.
 
Which would you prefer - to not have a horse and be looking for one or have a field ornament, vets bills and nothing to ride?

I know any horse can go lame at any time but dont buy trouble.

Blitz
 
Without seeing him, it's hard to say... but if he's perfect in every other way and not expensive, I'd probably take a chance on him. However, I don't shoe horses anymore, so he would be unshod/BF and booted if needed. Looking at the Rockley blog, this does seem to suit 'wonky' horses and it could be significant that he looks worse now he's freshly shod.
 
I would be a bit worried about such a young horse passing a vetting with reservations about how much work he may stand up to, unless he is cheap I would want to think he would pass for most purposes including hunting or eventing which it sounds as if he may not be considered up to, if he was older I would be less concerned as you expect either some wear and tear or he will have proved himself fit for purpose.
Usually having new shoes makes the balance look better not worse so that is unusual, I prefer a foot to turn in if they are not straight as there is less stress on the joints, dragging behind could be anything, possibly just lacking muscle but again unusual that it is worse with new shoes.
 
Go with your head, not your heart. You obviously have reservations (for good reason) so walk away. The fact you've been looking for 6 months makes me think you fear looking for another 6 months. The perfect horse could be just around the corner.
My issue would be the vet limiting the horses capabilities so much.
 
I would explain carefully to the sellers your concerns, stress that you arent wasting their time but ask would it be ok to phone again in a week or two and re-look at the situation if the horse is still for sale

I'm a great believer in things always happen for a reason
 
I'm with your mum, walk away. You are not going to be doing low level riding, its high impact on their legs not worth the risk.
 
Walk away... theres so many horse out there, if you want to avoid future problems as much as possible.. don't start with a horse that has a question mark over its head already on what its capable of due to problems that have already occurred at 4.. thats very young to have splints like that aside from the turned out foot..
 
Bu@@er. This is horrid. He is so so lovely and what I have been struggling to find for so long & after losing my old boy I was so so hopeful. He is priced reasonably for what he is but is the top end of my budget. There were other interested parties so I can't see him staying around if I ask for time to think. As it stands we were going ahead with the purchase and haven't voiced our doubts to the seller. I was looking at going barefoot with him but I am concerned that messing with his feet will cause problems elsewhere. Think I have to be sensible with this one :( If someone would like to find me a 15hh gelding green that needs bringing on but safe, sound and nice to be around feel free.
 
Splints at 4??? Jeeez! That's a major concern in itself let alone with other problems combined! ...Walk away OP, it really isn't worth it and from the sounds of things it's as if you're settling for second best because you're afraid there's nothing else out there for you??

What comes easy leaves easy, right?
 
hq 81969 tad long maybe. 83650.

Keep looking OP, they are out there. Splints would be a no for me, especially at 4 yr old. Turned foot and poor hind gait would also make me run.

Think in the longer term, a well conformed horse will have a better chance of staying sound and giving years of fun.
 
Thankyou all. We have called the seller who is furious. No doubt we will be branded timewasters but I wouldnt have spent £120 in fuel and got up at 5am some mornings with all the too-ing and fro-ing i've done going to see him or spent out on vetting and having his vaccinations if I hadnt been serious. And I can understand her reaction as it has come out of the blue. Cest le vie.
I think from memory shadowflames horse is too big, I can ride bigger horses but generally find around 15hh to be comfortable. The grey is too far away (ive done 700 miles this last week looking at horses, mostly this one so I now want to stay more local if I can!) and the mare is out of my budget but the bay gelding seems a nice sort so when ive worked out how I feel about everything i'll call to see if hes still for sale and where he is in the south, so thankyou.
What I find hard is i've seen a few horses now and this last year i've ridden a few belonging to other people and I tend to know almost instantly if I like a horse or not. So where ive looked at horses that are similar on paper in 'person' ive found them to all be different. I definitley couldnt buy unseen or just to do a job, it has to feel right and I have to like them. Which I suppose is why its hard to find something as thats not something you can put on paper, its just instinct &/or feel. Is that normal? I have a friend who finds it strange.
Apologies for any grammer errors/typos, im on my phone and in a hurry
 
Sorry this hasnt worked out for you. its so frustrating when everything seems right apart from a couple of 'minor' things that could become 'major'.
The scuffing of the backs are worrying - they could indicate arthritus in the hocks. So IMO you've done the right thing.
good luck with your quest - im sure the right one will turn up soon, its a buyers market so chin up and onwards.............
 
the bay gelding is near andover, B+B comes up if you google the phone number.

I think you were right to pass on the vetting. Fwiw we saw loads before we bought either of our horses and did start to get dejected but I certainly knew when I saw Frank- he wasn't even for sale at the time as he had just been purchased by somebody else (who then sold him 3 months later!). Hang on in there, they are too much time, money and effort if they aren't quite right for you.
 
Oh joys, now the nasty texts have started from the seller, as if its not bloody hard enough. She wants a copy of the vetting as compensation to show other buyers to explain why hes back on the market, despite his ad having nevrr come off horsequest anyway. What a disaster
 
The vetting belongs to you, not her. You are not in the slightest obliged to give it to her no matter what she says. A horse is not sold until it's sold and her horse is not sold; silly her for assuming it was before she had the money in the bank.
 
In this instance I probably would give her the vetting certificate to show other people.
I would also be pretty cross if i were the seller and you had taken until the 5th viewing and a passed vetting to decide you didn't like the horse after all. Horse's legs don't suddenly turn out over night and feet don't get scuffed in that short time either
 
Trust me, I understand her being cross but the unpleasantness feels one step too far. He was vetted because we were concerned about the splints and his feet (i have already posted about this elsewhere) and because im not experienxed enough to makd a judgement call myself so wanted a pros opinion. At the end of the day for the purpose of general use hes passed but thinking further on it, endurance is something I want to try and if the vet doesnt feel hes up to it then I would be silly to compromise on what I want to do. I went through no end of heartbreak with my old lad and although I appreciate anything can happen with horses to set off with something predisposed to go wrong would be a mistake and I would always have it in the back of my mind and it would ruin it all for me, which isnt fair on me or the horse at the end of the day. What a disaster todays been :(
 
TheMule said:
I would also be pretty cross if i were the seller and you had taken until the 5th viewing and a passed vetting to decide you didn't like the horse after all.
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I wouldn't be cross. I wouldn't have a buyer come to view one of my horses 5 times. That's excessive imo and I'd have stopped allowing visits after the 2nd or 3rd time.

Anyway, what's done is done. OP says she's not that experienced with buying horses so seller should either have stopped her coming anymore or gone with it but expecting it may not to turn out the way she would like. Seller sending nasty texts is uncalled for though.
 
:)
TheMule said:
In this instance I probably would give her the vetting certificate to show other people.
I would also be pretty cross if i were the seller and you had taken until the 5th viewing and a passed vetting to decide you didn't like the horse after all. Horse's legs don't suddenly turn out over night and feet don't get scuffed in that short time either
Click to expand...

I agree.

Hope you find the one OP:)
 
NOTHING is sold until the money is in the hand of the seller. Period. The vetting belongs to you. Period. Move on and find yourself a horse with no issues. (You can always block her number):eek:
 
My mum went to see him first on weds last week, I went to see him friday, then we went back together sat am and put a deposit down. The fourth visit was to be present at the shoeing (mutual conclusion for this to happen) and so not a viewing as such. Fifth visit was vetting. Apologies for any confusion. I wouldnt normally expect to view a horse more than twice.
 
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