hobdayed horse. Would you buy??

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jens

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Hi
Second post! Feeling slightly braver about it now as the first was so well responded to! Thank you.

Ok, so have found a horse nearby which sounds pretty good. 3yr old ex racer, 16hh bay mare but she has been hobdayed. Would you buy a horse with this done?? Does it affect them anymore after op being done and what are potential downsides??
I have no experience of this and have never met a horse who has had it done so just after some advice. I wouldnt do much with her over the winter, maybe just introduce some hacking and then start work in spring. Would want to mainly just do RC stuff.
Thanks for anyhelp in advance.
 
There are no downsides to a hobday. They have just scarred the tissues to make them stiffer and stop her making so much noise. It was almost certainly done to ease her breathing to race, and you are never going to need her to have that much breath for RC stuff.

Just check it's not a tie-back AND hobday. The tieback makes them more likely to get upper respiratory tract infections, can make them cough and almost certainly will invalidate your insurance for all coughs and colds.

Having said that, one of mine has a tieback and you would never know, except that he can breathe now when he couldn't before. I would still buy your racer, if she is the right price, the hobday is nothing to worry about. You can work her normally as long as the external wound is closed (or a couple of weeks off if it was done by laser).
 
I have one and would say two things - keep the horse as fit as possible really helps with stopping them inhaling food and keeps the coughs at bay and also shop around for insurance as some policies wil exclude the whole respiratory system but I have a policy that only excludes the op it self so I can still claim on the majority of the respiratory system
 
I would be wary but it would not necessarily stop me getting the horse if I liked everything else about her. She looks sweet in the pic but I would be very curious as to what she has been doing between stopping racing and now. It could suggest an injury or that she is not suitable for what the seller bought her for so I would defininitely ask alot more about that side of things.
 
The tieback is extremely difficult to find. It's a scar about 2 inches long on the side of the neck about half way down, below her ear. To be honest, at that price, and if her temperament is good, you should just buy her if you like her. I've had loads of ex-racers and most of them make good riding club horses. I would try riding her in company - she may go nuts - and alone - she may nap VERY badly as racehorses work in strings and never alone.

Let us know what you do.
 
oh dear, good and bad to think about then. I cant go this weekend but will call and have a chat about her. I did wonder what she might have been doing between now and then but know it is usual to give time off after racing. I probably wouldnt buy a horse with previous tendon damage so might be a quick call. I hadnt considered the insurance implications either so might call my insurer to chat first and see what they say. I am used to napping to quite extreme levels but every horse is different, and riding in company is only something i can do fairly irregularly. Thanks for all the replys. I am still feeling quite positive at the money. will keep you posted.
 
Personally I would prefer the horse to have been tiebacked and hobdayed than just hobdayed as hobdaying usually is cosmetic and dosn't really fix the problem very effectively.

Unless the of course she was only a very low grade roarer in which case just a hobday would be adequate.

And if hobdayed and tie backed If the operation was successful and she makes no appreciable noise, does not cough, has no food coming from nose then chances are she would also pass a 5* vetting so no I would not be worried.

My young chap has just had the op, and I have spent hours online researching ( I have hours as I cannot ride as he is on box rest for 30 days ) its so far so good he does not cough and does not aspirate his food , however until I can excercise him I cannot tell how sucessful the operation has been. With this mare you do not have this disadvantage if you listen to her when she canters you will be able to tell.

Looks a very nice type
smile.gif
 
yes wouldnt stop me. it (the horse) wont be able tto whinny!!!!! if its hobdayed and tied back then dont swim it as it may drown! but other than that not a problem. the op is very common in big 16.3 plus horses and masjority go on to lead full and active lives. have fun, at 1000 purchase well worth the risk. cheap as chips!!!!!!!!!link says 700 ono ...... only a few weks at tesco!
 
We have bought a number of Racehorses that we have turned into eventers which are now competing at Novice level and above and as other people have said hobayed horses should not be a problem. *** However***
In looking at the link for the horse that you are thinking of buying I would be raising series doubts over, if this horse has won in its short career so far why it is now being sold privately rather than at a Bloodstock Auction.
If horses have shown promise on the flat they are normally given time and then schooled over fences to try hurdles.
To find out more about this horse you need to obtain her race name and then go to the Racing Post website, put in the name on the search box and all of her race details will appear along with her breeding information. You need to look for any long layoffs between races.
Having a racehorse is not for the feint hearted and one of the main things you will contend with first of all is trying to get them to go on the right rein as 80% of the racetracks in this country are left handed so going on the right is very alien to a racehorse. Use lots of poles and grid work to help build up the back end as this will be weak as a racehorse hardly ever sits back on its hocks when racing and therefore does not use those muscles.
As the advert says Cumbria I am pressuming that you live in the North of England, so if you really want a ex-racer go to the Bloodstock sales at Doncaster (check the website for dates)
If I can help with the horses details and checking her out then let me know and I would be happy to help.
 
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