Horse lame 4 months after buying… where do I stand

[sjdress]

Purchased horse 4 months ago. Went lame and upon diagnostics is found to have terrible hoof balance and needing remedial shoeing to hopefully correct this. Horse was 5 stage vetted and feet were not mentioned at all as a concern. Did not take x rays at the time.
Feeling very deflated that I’ve only had the horse 4 months and am now facing large vet bills and potentially further lameness or careful expensive management. Should I contact the seller/vet who did the vetting or just suck it up.

 

[Red-1]

If it were a private seller, then I think you would just set to, helping the horse back into balance.

Hooves can go out of balance very quickly. Did your farrier not flag up a concern? A change of work, change of surface, change in living conditions, change of farrier, poor saddle fit etc etc could all contribute to the feet putting out funky compensations to help compensate for issues elsewhere.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I think in 4 months the horses hoof balance and soundness or lack of is probably more likely related to a change in ownership than anything sinister going on before you bought the horse.

Change of feed, grazing, exercise routine, regular trimming and or shoeing, tack and numerous other things could have happened. Looking back to blame sellers or even the vet who did a pre purchase exam for you is probably a pointless waste of time. I think you need to sort out a decent farrier and talk to your insurers if you believe you are facing huge vet bills, but to be honest apart from remedial trimming and shoeing and guidance with appropriate checks from, vet, saddler, and physio what are these huge ongoing vet fees you are expecting?

 

[maya2008]

If they were awful at the vetting, it would have been mentioned. I would use whichever farrier the vet recommends perhaps and see what happens from there.

 

[gallopingby]

Purchased horse 4 months ago. Went lame and upon diagnostics is found to have terrible hoof balance and needing remedial shoeing to hopefully correct this. Horse was 5 stage vetted and feet were not mentioned at all as a concern. Did not take x rays at the time.
Feeling very deflated that I’ve only had the horse 4 months and am now facing large vet bills and potentially further lameness or careful expensive management. Should I contact the seller/vet who did the vetting or just suck it up.

No! Sorry, you bought a horse, had it 5 stage vetted - good move but sadly something has gone wrong. Any number of reasons can contribute to things not going as you’d like especially in the first year With any horse, it’s a risk you take unless you buy a rocking horse! If, however you now know the horse came from a ‘dodgy dealer’ you may have some comeback but more likely it’s to do with change of circumstances and different management.

 

[Backtoblack]

I'd get a second opinion from a different farrier and vet.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

I was thinking hurray it’s only a foot balance issue which can be corrected with good farriery , as horse owners we know they drain our bank accounts from time to time, have patience things will come good.

 

[ycbm]

I'd get a second opinion from a different farrier and vet.

You can look at the x rays yourself and see the imbalances, it's not rocket science.

Fixing them is another issue and often easier done by removing the shoes for a few months.

 

[Goldie's mum]

Too long ago to have any chance of a claim I'd say.
The good news is, if nothing was officially there when you bough there won't be any exclusions on your insurance.

 

[ihatework]

That’s a suck it up situation I’m afraid.
If the horse was sound on vetting it was sound.

Visually I can only assume the foot imbalance wasn’t too bad? I mean did your farrier not say anything on horse arrival? To play devils advocate maybe farrier has worsened something?

Anyone can choose to pay extra money to X-ray at vetting- you’ve chosen not to.

Crappy luck but that’s horses. Insurance should cover it.

 

[alibali]

A vetting is simply a certificate to say that the horse is sound and in good health at that precise moment. It could walk back to the field, slip and become unsound. Such is life with horses!

In order to have any comeback on the vetting you would need to be able to prove the condition was pre-existing. I have claimed after finding sarcoids within the first few weeks of ownership. However to be honest 4 months is plenty time for foot balance to get out of kilter.

I've had one lame due to foot balance. Had to shoe him as he just wasn't growing enough heel causing broken back h/p axis. Not the farriers fault, externally the hoof looked not bad. Was a perfect storm of horse being known not to grow much hoof, conformationally being a bit prone as long pasterns and moving to situation where the terrain was more challenging. Hopefully with x-rays and good trimming/shoeing it will be soon sorted

 

[Birker2020]

In order to have any comeback on the vetting you would need to be able to prove the condition was pre-existing.

Yeah and best of luck finding a vet that is prepared to go against another member of their profession.

Despite my first vet knowing full well but not verbally admitting my horse should never have passed his vetting and the second vet verbally confirming he shouldn't have passed neither was prepared to help me take it further. A horse with neck, coffin bone and hock arthritis, potential PSD, chronic S.I and K.S. In fact the first vet tried to claim that the considerable arthritic changes in my horses neck visible on xray could have been caused by the pull back accident he'd incurred 11 days prior, thus my fault! I mean come on, it takes between 4 and 8 months for bone to remodel.

OP I hope you get your horse sorted.

 

[sjdress]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Guess I’m just feeling a little upset that this has happened so soon after just retiring my older horse, it feels like here we go again with the vet visits/lame horse. Feet visually looked ok but obvious low heel/long toe, but not horrendous.
Farrier immediately picked up on this and has been trying to give more heel support and did say just before she went lame we might need to do a bit of remedial. Then bam went lame. I guess I just feel really unlucky!

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Hoof imbalance is very easy to fix. if it’s taken 4 months to go from sound to unsound you can expect at least the same in correcting the balance.

Good vet, good farrier, good nutrition and a quality rehab vet/physio will get you there swiftly.

In the interim spend some time learning, maybe join a quality group where there is help from professionals. Personally I like the Hoof Care and Rehabilitation Group as it’s a group of very experienced farriers, vets and barefoot professionals.

 

[Gloi]

Long toe, low heel hoof conformation is often more easily fixed by removing shoes.

 

[ihatework]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Guess I’m just feeling a little upset that this has happened so soon after just retiring my older horse, it feels like here we go again with the vet visits/lame horse. Feet visually looked ok but obvious low heel/long toe, but not horrendous.
Farrier immediately picked up on this and has been trying to give more heel support and did say just before she went lame we might need to do a bit of remedial. Then bam went lame. I guess I just feel really unlucky!

Every right to feel unlucky! Disappointing but hopefully easily fixed x

 

[Pinkvboots]

It's quite easily fixed either remove the shoes or mine had natural balance shoes for a while and he immediately was sound after having these fitted.

 

[mustardsmum]

Long toe, low heel hoof conformation is often more easily fixed by removing shoes.

Second this, we had a mare with NPA and broken back HPA, very low heels, long toes and quite honestly her feet were awful. The only way we could keep her sound was in wedges (and she literally went sound the moment the wedges when on which I couldn't believe). The wedges did work but after about two years in, she ended up with underun heels. So we took the decision to take shoes off and after a year her feet are completely different. She finally has heels, toes are not long. She wears hoof boots for hacking, and to be honest, in seven years I have never seen her feet look so good. Its bad luck when it goes awry when you have just bought a horse, but to be honest, I would far rather deal with a bit of foot imbalance than behavioural issues. I do know that feeling (after having lost a pony) when you have the vet in for your new horse and you feel like its all about to go wrong again. But it wont, this is just a blip so try not to let it spoil the enjoyment of your new horse. Hoof imbalance can be sorted with some good remedial farriery.

 

[SEL]

I understand completely how disappointed you are - I ended up with 3 off work at one point. Middle of winter too so about as demoralising as I've ever felt.

My vet once told me that unless she saw my PSSM Appy having an episode she'd pass a vetting - it's so dependent on the day. Is the lameness you're now seeing definitely hoof imbalance related?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Purchased horse 4 months ago. Went lame and upon diagnostics is found to have terrible hoof balance and needing remedial shoeing to hopefully correct this. Horse was 5 stage vetted and feet were not mentioned at all as a concern. Did not take x rays at the time.
Feeling very deflated that I’ve only had the horse 4 months and am now facing large vet bills and potentially further lameness or careful expensive management. Should I contact the seller/vet who did the vetting or just suck it up.

Just a question did you have the bloods checked in case it was bute when vetted?? I always say to vet " I don't care I want bloods checked on vetting for bute/danilon or calmer"


If its poor hoof balance then maybe a good barefoot trimmer or remedial if it requires shoes.

Def speak to the seller or maybe check passport for previous owner and maybe contact them.

My mare was worse with shoes on barefoot has really helped her just check my "Opinions on t these hooves thread"

I found my amazing trimmer here https://www.barefoothorse.info/barefoot-trimmer-association/

 

[Hallo2012]

can you go back to the farrier who shod horse for prev owner?

i would more guess your farrier has altered something and it doesnt suit the horse.

 

[sjdress]

I understand completely how disappointed you are - I ended up with 3 off work at one point. Middle of winter too so about as demoralising as I've ever felt.

My vet once told me that unless she saw my PSSM Appy having an episode she'd pass a vetting - it's so dependent on the day. Is the lameness you're now seeing definitely hoof imbalance related?

She nerve blocked out to hoof so we presume so. Nothing else has shown up and she looked very ‘footy’

 

[sjdress]

can you go back to the farrier who shod horse for prev owner?

i would more guess your farrier has altered something and it doesnt suit the horse.

The dealer I got her from had only had her a couple of months and before that she was in Ireland

 

[sjdress]

Relieved to say my horse has just trotted up sound! So who knows if it’s actually unrelated but at least we can prevent anything further by getting her feet right!

 

[Portly]

Mine went lame after 3 months, operated on 4 months later, £14k in total of vet bills over a year, put down a year later never coming back properly, with rehabbing continuously.
Putting it down to experience, im devestated but no come back on anyone. That's horses for you.

 

[Backtoblack]

Mine went lame after 3 months, operated on 4 months later, £14k in total of vet bills over a year, put down a year later never coming back properly, with rehabbing continuously.
Putting it down to experience, im devestated but no come back on anyone. That's horses for you.

Very sorry to hear this, how awful .

 

[Puzzled]

He/She isn’t a rocking horse….unfortunately things go wrong! If you had or the vet had any concerns then it should have been flagged up on vetting. 4 months later I’d be questioning his/her current shoeing/management/many other reasons why they could have gone lame. Hoping they with corrective shoeing/management they will come sound for you.