do you think your horse is 100% sound?

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Jericho

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After reading so many posts about horses having persistent lameness issues or even just not feeling right during a comp or bad behaviour due to pain issues how many of you think that your horse is 100% pain free? Or that top competition horses really are 100% sound? Or do you think that nowadays we are so much more aware of issues that we spot them much quicker and do something rather than blindly carrying on in ignorance?

We have so much technology and knowledge via the internet these days that it is 'easy' to find so much to go so wrong and some horses can be very good at tolerating pain e.g. my old boy was diagnosed with nav syndrome and various other leg, hoof, conformation issues that he must have been one big aching mess.

I shudder now as I only really noticed he was having problems when a few things fell into place altogether. The odd buck here I put down to being naughty, the occasional shortness in stride (actually 2/10ths bilaterally lame) I thought was due to hard ground, a bit of laziness here and there. The thing about him was that he never really complained, we hacked out a couple of times a week which he loved, he loved jumping so he never refused, he was a gentleman so always did as he was asked. It was largely due to HHO in particular that I started to question things.

Maybe the more expeirenced person would have noticed it a lot earlier (a vet didnt pick up any issues in a 2 stage vetting 9 months earlier) but maybe a less experienced person wouldnt have noticed at all and he would still be hacking out, jumping whatever, in pain. It just makes me wonder. My little mare is the same, she just gets on with her life and work, never complains but I sit on here thinking oh my mare does that or she has that or I do that and particularly since going barefoot I am reading so much about how diet, grass and environment affects them that surely she must be completely broken inside now and I want her blood tested, her feet xrayed - you name it. Even my farrier told me to stop scaring myself by reading too much into things put on the internet.

sorry, just ramblings of an insane woman... but interested to know your thoughts. I can bet if it wasnt for HHO I would be a lot richer (after reading peoples recommendations on must buy feeds, rugs, numnahs, even horse communicators etc) and probably a lot more ignorant but is my horse any better for it ??!! (and I wouldnt waste so much time!)
 
I think that my little one (16months) is always a little bit short on her off side fore. However not going to worry until she's coming in to ridden work!

I think that modern medicine means we can find things when their often arent problems. I think you as their owner have to take a view - I love my horses and I would love to think I know them well enough to know when they're in pain.
 
I've got a New Zealand Thoroughbred and in the four months he's been with me, we've already had a few problems (mud fever, cellulitus, lameness.. need I go on?) If it weren't for my helpful vet, my comforting friends and HHO to give me lots of advice I think I would've killed myself! Horses always have problems, but you've got to love them, his kisses and cuddles are what keep me sane :)
 
,Interesting post :rolleyes:

Having had a horse with low level chronic problems for years it makes me notice other peoples. I am quite shocked sometimes at how people ride and compete horses that I consider not sound. Not hoping lame but defintely "unlevel". Instructors are often happy to ignore these issues until the owner notices/someone else points it out. Then they seem to be unsurprised and say yes well....
Our lad was retired 2 years ago and PTS this year. We still had people saying "he's not that bad" "you could hack him" and an AI who said he was fine for low level dressage:eek: He was not "a gentleman" so would not have obliged(sp?) even if he had been asked. My daughter refused to ride him whenever he was uncomfortable despite lot of "experienced people" saying he would be fine.

So after rambling on, the short answer is - there are a lot of unsound horses out there and a lot of owners who don't want to see/can't see/feel their horses are not sound.
 
No. My old boy was always a bit stiff on one leg. Had to give him a good warm up and stretch sometimes in the cold before he would even out.

Just like when I run, sometimes I lean a bit to the left and sometimes my hip clicks. Doesnt mean I cant run (and its never painful!)
 
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Hmm. Yes I suspect I have had a couple who are not 100%. maybe 1 to 2/10ths on bad days.

However, I am probably at least 5/10th's 'lame' a lot of the time and wouldn't say I was actually in pain.I am definitely unsound but I am not suffering. I know horses can not speak and it is our responsibiltiy to do our best by them but I think people, occasionally, go OTT.

Just MO and I'll probably be shot down in flames for saying that I think that there are times where intermitent low level lameness can be left alone.
 
I don't think any horse or human is ever going to be 100%, it just depends at what point is too much to carry on with, I tend to think that gentle exercise is better than non at all, whether it human or animal.
 
I think if we all got the vets to do every check possible not many horses would pass every test.
Just like us lot they have off days and stiff days.
My old mare (now retired) was horrific when i first got on her in the cold, stiff and short stride, and no she was not the type to suffer any type of pain, but 10 mins of warming up and she would be striding out and very forward going.
But if people had seen her in the first 5 mins they would of thought i was the worst person in the world.
 
Yes I think he is TBH, although I am very aware of looking/feeling for any signs.

He can take a lot of work hunting etc. and have clock cold legs the next day (touch wood) and never feels at all short or pottery. I've had him for 5 1/2 years though so thinking something has to go wrong at some point!
 
My horse appeared to be sound, and passed a 5 stage vetting 18 months ago. His behaviour was the problem. In 18 months I've spent thousands on custom made saddles, chiro checks, vet checks, trainers to help me with his bronking. It was only when I had x rays done of all his joints, feet and back that we realised why he was being such a b******* to ride.

He's only 9, but life as a NH racehorse has taken its toll on his skeletal frame and joints, and after viewing the x-rays I decided to retire him. He's my big pampered pet now. He's so much happier and relaxed now. He's the most beautiful horse, it's such a shame. x
 
Out of our four horses, I would say only two are 100% sound. One is effectively lame and retired, the other is 16, and a little stiff, but he still does everything and has actually improved since going on glucosamine! I mean, I am very achey and I doubt I would pass a vetting (I certainly can't run and jump), but I still enjoy an active lifestyle, so believe that, within reason, horses are the same. The other two are youngsters and passed five stage vettings not overly long ago, and both seem completely pain free (touch wood!)
 
Touch wood, my three are very sound horses, and have never been lame for more than the odd day in the past few years. I, on the other hand, am a lame duck for five minutes every morning when I get up!
 
hmm. hes sounds. but he doesnt have great movement through his shoulders, but then again he never has had. Its weird though cause physio says he has brilliant shoulder muscles; really loose etc.. I dont know, i think its just one of those things he will struggle with, no matter how physically well he is. Also when hes not concentrating on his work/messing about he can loose his rhythm, but i could then go and trot a 15m O on a loose rein or in an outline and he would be totally sound.
 
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