Disappointing .......

[sikaran]

I went to try a horse yesterday which sounded lovely and looked lovely when I got there, but it was lame when the owner rode it. I do believe they were genuine because they seemed so shocked and embarrassed, and said the horse had never been lame before. I have asked if they will ring me after their vet has looked at it. It was advertised as 'open to any vetting'. I do feel disappointed though. Has this happened to anyone else who subsequently bought a horse that wasn't right when they first saw it?

 

[dunthing]

It certainly has happened to me. We went to look at an older pony as schoolmaster for my youngster. His feet were so poor that he had back shoes on the front just to hold his feet together. He also had mild laminitis but we bought him anyway. Fed him biotin and had his feet trimmed properly. He was the best bargain we ever had. Such a genuine little man with no vices, a wicked sense of humour and a fantastic temperament.

 

[Mithras]

Yep, I went to try a horse that ticked all the right boxes and, for what she had done, she seemed a bit sluggish. Then tried her at a show and though she jumped double clear and got a 3rd, she still seemed sluggish and my friend commented she seemed stiff behind on one leg. Still liked her and thought it was because she had been out of work, so got her vetted and vet thought she had a spavin on that leg. The owners were doubtful it was a spavin so got her x-rayed on their insurance. Turned out she had a cracked bone!

I still liked the horse and figured that if she would still jump double clear with a broken leg, the temperament must be exceptional. Plus it was a clean break and there was no reason it shouldnt heal given sufficient time. 7 months later she passed another vetting and I bought her. More than a year later she has never been lame (touch wood!) despite doing a LOT of BSJA and only sign of it is a slightly stiffer on that side which has improved as her muscles have strengthened.

So I would say if theres a genuine cause for the lameness which doesnt trouble you and which will clear up, if you are very keen on the horse, then still consider it, and get a through vetting.

 

[MagicMelon]

I went to see a pony years ago who was lame. But I knew it was lame before going so it wasn't like they pretended it wasn't. A close friend knew of the pony and knew all its background so she could guarantee to me that the pony wasn't normally lame and it was just a short term thing. I bought the pony in the end and it was never lame in the 13 years I had him