Horses with heart murmurs- lack performance?

What do you mean by "slight heart murmur"? TB's often miss a beat, which only gets filled in when it is doing harder work. This is not a true heart murmur, it's normal and perfectly safe. Many "true" heart murmurs are also perfectly safe, I used to have one and the vet who vetted him told me he would be happy to send his wife hunting on him. I did ask whether he still loved his wife :) Some heart murmurs are also temporary and disappear for no known reason. My friend bought a horse half price for £5,000 with one and has just sold him for £9,500 without it!
 
Might be a total bargain. Get a vet to tell you if it's safe. I had one with an aortic regurgitation murmur and it never bothered him in the slightest.
 
It can mean nothing - or a don't ride it. Sometimes it is due to anemia, sometimes to lack of fitness. In a resting horse it isn't considered serious, but there should be no irregularities when it is being exercised hard. Knew one pony that failed a vetting on heart,but following extensive tests at an equine hospital, they found that there was nothing abnormal for that horse, it was just the way he was.

On the other hand I had 7 year old pony and the vet told my daughter to get off it straight away and wouldn't continue with the vetting. Cue me in tears as it was a lovely pony.

Isn't there that story about human doctors not being able to resist listening to their horse's heart and then running round in a panic as they think there is something wrong, but for a horse it is normal.

You can only take your vet's advice.
 
I had one fail a five stage vetting at the first stage in April with quite a bad one. He was being vetted as a potential RC all rounder to include small scale ODEs and the vet said unfortunately to leave well alone, as he could go on fine for a few years or could go from under me on an XC course six months down the line - there was no way of knowing which.

It was sad (mostly for the concern about what would happen to him) but I would only take the advice of a vet who's examined the actual horse, personally.
 
As everyone has said!

The fact they have said 'slight heart murmur' does seem to mean it hasn't been investigated as the vet would have 'graded' it and given it a name.

The best thing is to ask the current owners for the ECG from the horse and ask your vet to look over it to see if its worth going to view the horse.

Good luck
 
My OH's old horse evented up to Novice level with a heart murmur. Their vet said problems which may arise would be keeping the horse fit and her heart beat returning to normal after strenuous exercise. They never had any problems with her though.
 
I have had my gelding for 7 years and he failed the vetting with a grade 4 heart murmur. He does everything we ask of him and did Pony club for a few years when we first had him.
 
I rode one that was eventually pts with one and owned one that went to 2* with a murmer sold with murmur priced accordingly then resold passed 5* vetting without! So I would get a good vetting and take your chances!
V best of luck
 
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