Failed vetting - what would you do?

[be positive]

A flexion "fail" would not bother me too much in a horse of 16 that I wanted to hack and had trialled but the fact he has wastage and a dipped back suggest the issue is affecting him and has been for some time. Bilateral lameness is hard to see and although the hocks could be treated and he may come sound there will be a lot of rehab to do getting him using himself properly, building up the back muscles and he may not come right, although would probably still be ok for the purpose your mum requires.

I would still probably go for it following x-rays to determine the amount of damage but the price would have to be right to take into account that he will not be insurable for the hocks so treatment needs funding.

 

[WestCoast]

It all depends upon how much she can afford any potential big vets bills and how she would feel about having a horse out of action for long periods if there should be further problems.

Paula

 

[Goldenstar]

It all depends upon how much she can afford any potential big vets bills and how she would feel about having a horse out of action for long periods if there should be further problems.

Paula

I have never seen spavins ( making the huge assumption that they are the reason for the flexion failure) be managed by the older horse taking long periods out of work it is more usual to keep the horse in work as much as possible.
But OP if you don't know it's spavins it's a gamble .

 

[Wagtail]

OP, this wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I have just been sitting with my leg underneath me and got up to make a cuppa. I was lame for around 10 strides.
Around half of horses over age eight will have some bony changes in the hocks. Most are never bothered by them.

 

[AmyMay]

Where has op gone??

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Where has op gone??

hopefully not off to buy that horse!

sorry- that was tongue in cheek!

 

[vixann]

another thing is you cold get a completely different vet and horse may 'pass'!!!
Ive had experience of both ways
- our little western mare was very very slightly lame behind on a circle and was not improving so got vet out - he examined her (inc flexion tests) and said he couldn't find anything and would pass her if she was been vetted! eventually convinced him she wasn't right and ended up having her nerves removed from hind legs and will now always be unlevel behind.
- the other one was a QH we bought from a friend in Germany - they bought as 3yo and has had a lot of strenuous work since then - he failed on both front legs but vet thought maybe he was just a bit of a wimp, so had xrays taken, examined in Germany and then sent over here to 2 of our vets and all was fine - he has never had a problem with his legs and he gets some serious leg hammering.
also a local vet failed a horse on flexion because the horse had a dish and couldn't decide if it was horses normal gait or if lame!! (he is a crap vet though and don't think he has ever 'passed' a horse!)

 

[riding_high]

i bought an ex hunter who was on box rest for a tendon injury, after he recovered i had 3yrs of fabulous hacking on him and the last 3yrs it's been up and down but i enjoy having a mooch around on him now. i was more surprised that he came sound enough to be ridden in the first place than the fact he has bad days now. he is 19yrs old. i wouldn't swap him though for a horse that passes a vetting as he is the softest gentle giant you could wish to meet.

i also bought a white/grey mare who i later found out was about 32yrs old, she was sound on her legs, had no obvious health issues but after a year of riding she was found collapsed in her stable, we all thought colic so treated for it and she improved then a year after that she collapsed again, the vets tried everything to get her up and sorted but he came to the conclusion she had a neurological problem and the kindest thing was to let her go. so it can work both ways really.

 

[jeeve]

I would consider it we bought a horse that was not 100 % on flexion test in hind, and been fine since, but does not compete at a serious level.

 

[SizzlerB]

My mare failed a hind flexion test 10 years ago and I still went ahead and bought; she's now 21 and has COPD and Cushings but never any back/lameness problems and I wouldnt change her - or the decision I made for the world!

Good luck x

 

[Orchardbeck]

Well the verdict is...mum has bought him! Sorry for the absence, it has been a trying few days with some big decisions to make - one day she wasn't buying him, and that was that, then the next she decided she was!

She called the vet again who said she could repeat the flexion test again and it be fine, so Mum's going to give him a go! She wouldn't look at your opinions cos she thought it would sway her too much, but she eventually did, so thank you all soooo much for your help. Honestly it could have gone either way but I think he's great so i'm happy!

Now to find a high wither saddle...grrr!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Good decision IMO!

Good luck!

 

[smellsofhorse]

Enjoy him.
hope is all goes well.

 

[Koala Kate]

Good dicision. I'm sure if someone held my leg up for that amount of time I would limp away .
Good luck !