Confirmation and dressage?

[Zipper]

I was just looking for some help, I was thinking about buying a horse to train up to do some dressage, the thing is that she has a dropped hip (it had been broken some years ago). I would like to know if her gait wasnt really affected would this dropped hip be a negetive in competition?

 

[cpendle]

I suppose it depends what level you want to ride at.

And what impact the injury has on the horse's way of going and what level you want to ride at.

The horse could be sound, but really struggle to flex and engage, in which case you'd probably be OK doing some unaffilliated Prelims - but it's unlikely she'd be able to cope with the stress of higher level affiliated work.

Obviously you'd want a vetting before purchase and the basis of the vetting is 'fit for purpose' so the vet should be able to advise as to whether the old injury will affect what you hope to do.

 

[neverlate]

As far as im aware, just because a horse is sound now, doesnt mean that an old injury can cause problems later on, be it a month, year or decade later. Ie artheritus could suddely flair up where the break was, even though the was nothing wrong before. This is based on my own experience of breaking a finger wich caused me no problems till 2 years later. The hip is a pretty important part of the horse. how can u expect it to engage its hind quarters if its sore

 

[Orangehorse]

Er, I don't think it would be a very good idea, if you really want to do dressage. Even unaffiated prelims are getting pretty competitive now, the standards are really rising, and any unevenness of gait would be severely penalised. It is the quality of the paces that is being judged as well as the training.

If you wanted the horse to hack about, do pleasure rides, etc. then it wouldn't matter. Some hunters hurt their pelvis and trot sideways for ever more, but it doesn't affect their ability to be hunters once everything is healed.