lorna1
Member
If a 9 years old horse was postive on flexion on left hind showing 3/10 for lameness for four or more strides, should that be considered a fail!?!?
Help! Flexion test - is this a fail?
- Thread starter lorna1
- Start date
Tia
Well-Known Member
A fail for what? Presuming it is a vetting you are talking about - vettings no longer pass or fail horses, vet purely write down what their findings are and then it is up to the prospective purchaser to decide whether this is acceptable to them.
I would never buy a horse which was lame - vetting or no vetting.
I would never buy a horse which was lame - vetting or no vetting.
lorna1
Member
Yes sorry, I do mean vetting wise. I was told it would not adversely effect the horse to do riding club activities and hacking. I'm not so sure though now.
AmyMay
Situation normal
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I was told it would not adversely effect the horse to do riding club activities and hacking. I'm not so sure though now.
[/ QUOTE ]
Was this told to you by the vet that did the vetting?
I was told it would not adversely effect the horse to do riding club activities and hacking. I'm not so sure though now.
[/ QUOTE ]
Was this told to you by the vet that did the vetting?
lorna1
Member
Yes.
AmyMay
Situation normal
[ QUOTE ]
Yes.
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Arrange for the horse to be lunged on hard ground - with your vet present - and see what the outcome is then. That's what we did with my horse after one slightly suspect flexion test.
1/10 lame is ok if there has been an injury or surgery - but 3/10's is a little more significant I would have thought.
How long did you chat things over with the vet for after the vetting?
Yes.
[/ QUOTE ]
Arrange for the horse to be lunged on hard ground - with your vet present - and see what the outcome is then. That's what we did with my horse after one slightly suspect flexion test.
1/10 lame is ok if there has been an injury or surgery - but 3/10's is a little more significant I would have thought.
How long did you chat things over with the vet for after the vetting?
lorna1
Member
There is a bit of a story here, I'm trying to get to the bottom of it.
Since purchase found out horse has a history of pain/behavioural problems from a reliable past owner.
None of these problems were evident during viewings or five stage vetting. Became apparent there was something wrong after only after a week with me. Seller has been dishonest about various things, don't know whats true.
Bloods have come back negative after screening for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sedatives and corticosteroids. Seller was confident that this would be the case.
My vet has diagnosed a hind quarter problem (poss. Kissing Spine or other things, will need to have scans/xrays etc). Hind quarter problem was not picked up during vetting.
Friends have suggested flexion test result is not satisfactory. The vet said most horses are more lame on one leg so the flexion test result would not be an issue. Straight after my 5 stage vetting, the vet then assessed another of seller's horses.
Many years ago I had a pony "fail" the flexion test for suspected premature arthritis, so I didn't buy it. I can't remember what degree of lameness was detected then.
Since purchase found out horse has a history of pain/behavioural problems from a reliable past owner.
None of these problems were evident during viewings or five stage vetting. Became apparent there was something wrong after only after a week with me. Seller has been dishonest about various things, don't know whats true.
Bloods have come back negative after screening for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sedatives and corticosteroids. Seller was confident that this would be the case.
My vet has diagnosed a hind quarter problem (poss. Kissing Spine or other things, will need to have scans/xrays etc). Hind quarter problem was not picked up during vetting.
Friends have suggested flexion test result is not satisfactory. The vet said most horses are more lame on one leg so the flexion test result would not be an issue. Straight after my 5 stage vetting, the vet then assessed another of seller's horses.
Many years ago I had a pony "fail" the flexion test for suspected premature arthritis, so I didn't buy it. I can't remember what degree of lameness was detected then.
christine48
Well-Known Member
Flexion tests are so subjective and a lot depends on how high and hard the limb is flexed, and some people say that any horse can be made to look lame if too much pressure is applied. Vets usually allow for a few lame strides.
cyearsley
Well-Known Member
My horse has an injury to his deep digital flexor......the injury happened two weeks ago and he was 6/10 lame in left hind (quite bad), today was diagnosed as having improved to 3/10 lame which is an incredible improvement after two weeks but still needs minimum of 6 weeks box rest........will let you interpret this or use for comparison but think 3/10 is quite significant.....
lorna1
Member
Thanks for the comparison, I hope your horse continues with the speedy recovery.
ecrozier
Well-Known Member
Our big mare is currenty 2/10 lame in a foreleg with possible suspensory ligament probs, and it is noticeable when she trots, she certainly wouldn't be sound for riding/competition! But if it literally only shows up for a few strides that is a bit different I suppose. I am sure our older girl would be this lame after flexion tests (she is arthritic in various joints!) but she is soound enough the rest of the time for low level RC stuff and hacking etc but we do have to be careful wit the ground etc.
Gentle_Warrior
Well-Known Member
mine failed flexion test, but I knew he would and expected it, had loaned him for 3 years so still bought him, mainly had vetting to cover anything else it may have bought up ! He has not been lame since I have had him
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PennyJ
Well-Known Member
Well I don't know whether this will be of help or not.
I was told when a pony I had vetted failed his flexion test, that the "pass rate" was between 3 and 6 strides depending on the proposed use of the horse. That pony was still lame 17 strides later, so was most definitely a "fail". I can't remember anything about how many tenths lame being mentioned, it was almost a year ago now. I was told it would require further investigations to find out what the cause of the problem was, but the pony wasn't exactly cheap and so I just decided not to buy.
I was told when a pony I had vetted failed his flexion test, that the "pass rate" was between 3 and 6 strides depending on the proposed use of the horse. That pony was still lame 17 strides later, so was most definitely a "fail". I can't remember anything about how many tenths lame being mentioned, it was almost a year ago now. I was told it would require further investigations to find out what the cause of the problem was, but the pony wasn't exactly cheap and so I just decided not to buy.
littlelady
Member
hiya, my horse failed her vetting but i bort her anyway, she also failed her flextion test but since i've had her now over a year she passed a vetting so it does not reli matter to me if they past or not its if u have the time to put the horse right or not
Gorgeous George
Well-Known Member
My horse trotted 2 strides lame in his left hind after the flexion test when he was vetted, the vet said it was absolutely nothing to worry about, so much so that she told me verbally but didn't write it on the report so the insurers wouldn't mess me around! Guess it depends on the degree of lameness and vets opinion and what you want to do with the horse.