Gutted

5 of our 6 polo ponies have heart murmurs (arnt we a healthy bunch!!) They all work very hard and have no problem.

BUT and dont want to be the negative, number 7 had a murmur and she collapsed and died whilst galloping last year. She was well in to 20s and had a very hard life, racing in three countries and playing polo in 2. She had a heart attack but we will never know what caused it.

3 of the 6 we have had over 4yrs and never had a problem and never had a ECG done. 2 are in to 20's. FWIW we only found out on these 3 (plus number 7) because the vet listenend to hearts when doing passports all those years ago. Vet gives me vacc to do myself unless on yard for different reason.

Good luck with the test and I hope it is a positive result for you!
 
the echo[ultrasound scan of the heart] (not ECG[just a map of the electrical output of the heart] - they're very different tests) will tell you exactly what the cause of his murmur is. From there you can get an idea as to whether it is just a physiological flow murmur or a pathological murmur likely to cause him a problem. If it's just a flow murmur then personally I'd still buy (at a reduced price). If it's anything more sinister I think I'd have to walk away. good luck - dont get too down just yet - flow murmurs are very common.
 
I once sold a horse a long time ago who failed the vetting on a heart murmur. I was told to rest him for a month and then bring him back into work. When he had another ECG, the murmur had gone and the vet put it down to a virus. He was fine ever after. Fingers crossed for you.
 
i bought a 4yo TB pony with a clear vetting, two years later she got colic, while the vet was examining her she said did you know she had a heart murmer, i think she said it was a 3 on the scale. i never knew she had one. she went to horsepital for colic and within a week the murmer had gone and never returned. my vet said it was probably the stress of the colic, we had also just moved her to a yard where turn out was very limited so she was in her stable for long periods, and was getiing stressy
 
Best of luck for the ECG results, he may well be fine and people are right, they can disappear when the horse gains fitness, my instructor has a horse at 3*, hopefully going to go 4* at the end of the season with a heart murmur,with some of them as long as they are fit and kept an eye on they are just fine. x
 
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I had that too on a horse I had vetted and he had exactly the same problem, its horrible! Had ridden him loads, done xc etc and he was such a talented 8 yr old, came as a shock to us and the owner, you can get treatment for it but he didn't respond to it too well and is now suitable for hacking/light schooling. But on a more positive note, I did then find a horse that I clicked with and was just as talented so it all happens for a reason, he however has one but it goes away when ridden, and the horse we had vetted first although he had one was competing 3ft3 hunter trials and galloping fine and had done a full event season.
Hope it all works out.
 
My home bred 12yr old had the funkiest heart rhythm out! The Vets were quite facsinated by it. At rest its almost impossible to count the rate as it does so many weird stops and starts jumps and 'sloshy' noises.

It improves with work, and he has down Burgie Taster 3DE twice, and never had a prob in the 10 minutes box.

Another of mine was born with a hole in her heart, and she was 6 or 7 before it was undectable. She is now 18yrs and still fit and strong.
 
sorry to hear about it! But yep, i know of another competition horse with a heart murmur-my friend's 13yr old endurance horse's (competes at 90kms) condition was only found at the final vetting, and only shows up when she's worked intensely. However she's totally fine, doesn't affect her at all and she's still out doing what she loves!
 
I believe it really depends on what type of murmer it is and where it is in the heart. One of our horses was diagnosed with a murmer after a virus and because of where it was in her heart(don't know the technical details) we were advised to retire her from eventing as she could collapse. Obviously that would put the rider at great risk. She has competed at dressage since and is always in great form, you definitely wouldn't know there was anything wrong with her to see her! I really hope you get good news about the horse you want, as others have said it can also not be any problem at all.
 
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