Following the fetlock fragments post -

I've had a KWPN Dutch Bred for 5 years who has never had a lame day in his life apart from 1 abscess, they aren't all the same. I also owned another, now 8,never lame. But both these were bought unbroken and not ridden in any serious way until they were four. I currently have a Westphalian who I was pleased to find out was not broken until he was way past his 4th birthday.

I am very wary of warmbloods broken on the continent at three, they seem to me to be worked much too hard much too soon, to get them worth most money to sell. Last year a friend had two of those fail vettings on bone chips, one in a hock and one in BOTH front feet, this case undeniably due to overwork as it had pulled the tendon attachement off both pedal bones. That horse had been imported unbroken by a seriously high level British rider, so his damage was probably done in Britain.

And don't start me on dressage competitions for three year olds!!!!!
 
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Mine is 16 and apart from a few weeks off after a kick to his hock by another horse resulting in a nasty cut (he wasn't lame though!) he's never had a day off lame! He was bred in this country, but backed at 3 and evented and SJed hard until I bought him as a 9 year old. He's going better than ever this year :)
 
I have a WBxTB (potentially an even worse creature?) that hasn't ever been lame in his 6 years on earth. He is built like the proverbial brick out house and is as tough as old boots.

The TB thing that I keep on the other hand does everything to live up to her stereotype! Hateful animal costs me a fortune in vets bills!
 
My mums first Warmblood (17yrs now) was bought as a just backed 4 yr old.
Has never been lame or had problems - although a trailer accident and associated stifle injury have left him mechanically lame now, but not bad, plus he's a large pampered pet now.
She bought a 5 yr old from a good dealer (who are friends) in the UK, who had bought him from his contacts in Holland.
Within 3 months he went unlevel. So we took his shoes off to see if it would settle, and in the meantime arranged for an assessment with Peter Schofield.
We MRI scanned the hoof (following lameness work up), and there was an old soft tissue injury in the hoof, and sadly treatment was not going to secure his soundness at all.
It broke my mums heart, but he went back to said dealer as they had also bought him in good faith (although my mum would have prefered to put him down - it was all a bit awkward really).
My mum and I both agree that he was probably injected and made sound in Europe - 6 months is a standard time for things to start appearing again.
I think anyone buying a backed horse from the continent should have a 5 stage vetting, and insure for loss of use for the first 12 months to be on the safe side.
My mums horse had clean x-rays, even when with Peter, and it took the MRI to find out what was going on. And all you have to do is read all the posts on this forum of people with ongoing low grade lameness - its the worst kind, and at least with hopping lame theirs usually an obvious cause. I've become very synical in my old age.
I think alot of these foot issues are also caused by too much work too young, poor farriery and delayed diagnosis - chucking in a field to see if they come right.
 
My warmblood is sound and strong, but I was advised by a very sensible person to keep him lean till he finished growing, basically grass, hay and a balancer. do not try to get weight anc condition on as that was a sure fire way to shorten their lives. Mine was supposed to be 16'3 - he finished growing at 8, 17'2 and filled out after that, never lame, goes over all terrain, moorland and grassland. jumps, hunts events and I am 100% sure it is because he was allowed time to mature without becoming over topped . Breaking them at 3 is just far far far too early, and the need to put condition on them young so they look impressive really is for short term gain - long term pain
 
yup we do need to know those breeding lines!! No, its not a safe bet buying from Uk breeder BUT I really want to lessen the risk knowing that the mare is state premium/elite etc and has produced proven progeny. When you buy abroad more often than not you are shown horses that have been randomly bred by the local farmers who have never had thier mares Xrayed to see if anything iis physically up or have proven stock or are premium mares
 
I've got an imported WB and she's never lame. I do a lot of looking at her and not a lot else though, hope this helps. ;)
 
Oh and she's pink papered from Paul Shockemohle's stud, so with this in mind I make certain that I tell everyone how very special she is just in case they breathe on her and damage her. :)
 
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