How do I find my next forever pony/ horse?

Ali27

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So my 20 year old Connie x cob needs to slow down and potentially stop jumping ? Absolutely devastated but need to keep her happy and sound! Love her so much and had her since she was 6 and she is with me until to the end! Wish I could breed from her as she is just perfect for me although a little quirky at times! I’m looking for a 2-4 year old Connie/ Welsh cross! 14.2 + ! I was looking at Welsh Ds but completely paranoid about PSSM! My friend’s mare has it aged 8 and was pts! How do I find a PSSM free pony/ horse?
 

I'm Dun

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The pssm 2 test isn't reliable sadly.

Can you learn to spot them? I can tell some have type 1 just from a side on photo. I can absolutely tell without a doubt in person. Type 2 is a bit trickier and not always easy to spot. You can hedge your bets a bit by going for something 7yrs upwards that is in the sort of work you want to do. Most will display symptoms by 6 and both tend to produce issues under saddle although type 2 is more noticeable as it tends to be the explosive type.

I'd avoid all welsh and welsh part breds. Early research is showing type 2 is rife in the breed sadly, and probably goes some way to explaining why there are so many sharp and unruly ones. Warmbloods and TBs are the other 2 breeds that its relatively common in.

Cobs and heavier horses can have both, but more commonly type 1.

I bought a 7yr old TB, but made sure he wasn't and hadn't ever shown symptoms, and that's all you can do really.

Honestly, its a bit of a nightmare and not enough owners and or vets are aware of it.
 

SO1

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New forest pony society are doing testing for type 1 and have done extensive testing on a lot of stallion lines in order to attempt to bred out the gene.

If it is found in other breeds then other stud books may start doing the same.
 

TPO

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The pssm 2 test isn't reliable sadly.

Can you learn to spot them? I can tell some have type 1 just from a side on photo. I can absolutely tell without a doubt in person. Type 2 is a bit trickier and not always easy to spot. You can hedge your bets a bit by going for something 7yrs upwards that is in the sort of work you want to do. Most will display symptoms by 6 and both tend to produce issues under saddle although type 2 is more noticeable as it tends to be the explosive type.

I'd avoid all welsh and welsh part breds. Early research is showing type 2 is rife in the breed sadly, and probably goes some way to explaining why there are so many sharp and unruly ones. Warmbloods and TBs are the other 2 breeds that its relatively common in.

Cobs and heavier horses can have both, but more commonly type 1.

I bought a 7yr old TB, but made sure he wasn't and hadn't ever shown symptoms, and that's all you can do really.

Honestly, its a bit of a nightmare and not enough owners and or vets are aware of it.

That is complete BS. I know you type a lot of it on various subjects but this is too far.

No one can see just by looking. My horse has been involved in research tests and and studies by vets leading new research into diagnosis. They, trained experts with years of experience, actual qualifications and a clear subject interest in pssm cannot diagnose a horse just by looking. As an aside its also illegal for anyone other than a vet to diagnose a horse with anything. I've seen the tests, read the papers frommdraft to published and have drafts of yet to be published papers because my horse was involved.

People of the Internet check your sources before blindly believe faceless entities who don't do or know half of the stuff they regurgitate on here, from pssm to thoracic slings and everything in between, that becomes the diagnosis of the day ?
 

Glitterandrainbows

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The pssm 2 test isn't reliable sadly.

Can you learn to spot them? I can tell some have type 1 just from a side on photo. I can absolutely tell without a doubt in person. Type 2 is a bit trickier and not always easy to spot. You can hedge your bets a bit by going for something 7yrs upwards that is in the sort of work you want to do. Most will display symptoms by 6 and both tend to produce issues under saddle although type 2 is more noticeable as it tends to be the explosive type.

I'd avoid all welsh and welsh part breds. Early research is showing type 2 is rife in the breed sadly, and probably goes some way to explaining why there are so many sharp and unruly ones. Warmbloods and TBs are the other 2 breeds that its relatively common in.

Cobs and heavier horses can have both, but more commonly type 1.

I bought a 7yr old TB, but made sure he wasn't and hadn't ever shown symptoms, and that's all you can do really.

Honestly, its a bit of a nightmare and not enough owners and or vets are aware of it.
Wow that’s a great eye I wouldn’t even know we’re to start to look for it any tips on spotting it?
 

I'm Dun

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Its nothing to do with a great eye or anything special :) Symptomatic type 1s have hard tight muscles, particularly across their hindquarters. They often have a defined heave line. You can often see muscle tone in a side on photo. You can absolutely feel it. Once you've touched the muscles of a type 1 who is symptomatic its not something you forget.

Its not guaranteed of course, but its indicative of an issue and if avoiding PSSM is important to you then its enough of a warning sign to not pursue it any further. It is worth bearing in mind that almost all type 1 PSSM horses lead a useful and productive life, its just a condition that needs to be managed like EMS or similar.
 

paddy555

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I would love to test for PSSM 1 and 2 but wonder how many owners would allow it?

very few I would imagine. PSSM1 test is regarded as being accurate so if they allowed you to test and it is positive so you decline the horse would they have to declare it to a future purchaser.

PSSM 2 test is not considered reliable ATM so I doubt anyone that knew anything about PSSM2 would allow a test which some could latch onto as being accurate which would devalue the horse.

The other problem is time. Test results take time to come back. Why would anyone with a decent horse for sale wait for 10 days or longer for a test result when others may be snapping their hands off for the horse with only a 5 vetting.
 

SO1

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If you really want a PSSM free breed then then you are probably looking at new forests. Most of UK stallion lines have been tested as part of the work that breed society has done and they have gone back quite a way back in terms of tracing any ex stallions as well.

My pony was an ex stallion was tested as part the scheme.

Ironically in breeds where there is a problem there will be more testing and you are more likely to be able to identify individuals who don't have the gene.

It is a bit like connemaras and the HWSD there is a lot of testing going on there as well. I would not surprised if other breeds are affected by HWSD but as yet unidentified.
 

SEL

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I've just brought a cob and although there's no guarantees you can do a lot upfront to try and avoid PSSM - I already have two horses with type 1

Firstly make sure you know that the parents were both in work without issue. My Appy with PSSM isn't really rideable and she's the kind someone would have bred from. The parents of my new cob both had "jobs" as well as breeding - his dam had hunted.

Secondly buy a horse that's already doing the job you want. Look at videos of trot and canter. Is the horse moving freely behind? Any signs of struggling? Is it on grass?

When you meet the horse ask when it was last exercised and palpate those hindquarter muscles. If they are rock solid then you may have an issue (I've palpated a lot of bottoms!). Any sign of stiffness, nappiness or laziness then I wouldn't buy

Specifically ask the vet to consider it at the vetting and take bloods for CK (muscle enzymes) at the end of the vetting. Not a guarantee but my symptomatic one will always come out on the high end and it's just another check.

I'd like to say PSSM isn't the end of the world but a friend retired her 6yo cob yesterday sadly. What's worse is she came with a BOGOF 3 years ago so now she needs to test the youngster too.
 

I'm Dun

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If you really want a PSSM free breed then then you are probably looking at new forests. Most of UK stallion lines have been tested as part of the work that breed society has done and they have gone back quite a way back in terms of tracing any ex stallions as well.

My pony was an ex stallion was tested as part the scheme.

Ironically in breeds where there is a problem there will be more testing and you are more likely to be able to identify individuals who don't have the gene.

It is a bit like connemaras and the HWSD there is a lot of testing going on there as well. I would not surprised if other breeds are affected by HWSD but as yet unidentified.

Only type 1 unfortunately. Its a shame the type 2 test isn't reliable and it doesn't look like there's anything else on the horizon. I think its absolutely brilliant how quickly the new forest society acted and dealt with it though. It shows it can be done and its really not that hard!
 

Wishfilly

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So my 20 year old Connie x cob needs to slow down and potentially stop jumping ? Absolutely devastated but need to keep her happy and sound! Love her so much and had her since she was 6 and she is with me until to the end! Wish I could breed from her as she is just perfect for me although a little quirky at times! I’m looking for a 2-4 year old Connie/ Welsh cross! 14.2 + ! I was looking at Welsh Ds but completely paranoid about PSSM! My friend’s mare has it aged 8 and was pts! How do I find a PSSM free pony/ horse?

Others have mentioned New Forests doing a lot of testing, and I would say a good New Forest can do anything a connie can do- I think they are quite underrated as a breed.

Otherwise, I think I'd be looking for a slightly older horse who's in work, as you're more likely to know they can stand up to doing the sort of thing you want them to do. With a youngster, I think you have to accept you're taking the risk of buying an unknown quantity to some extent and they may just not suit what you'd like them to do for a variety of reasons.
 
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SO1

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More information here. They are asking people to test mares as well but the breeding society are not paying for this in the same way the stallion testing.

They offered to pay for my pony an ex breeding stallion now gelded to be tested. He tested negative and I spoke to my vet about it at the time and he said he thought from knowing my pony it was very unlikely he would test positive.

The list of tested stallions can probably help mare owners work out the likelihood of their mare having the gene.

In case people are interested my pony is Lovely hill Home Touch on the list of tested stallions.

NF being a rare breed perhaps has been easier to get breeders and owners engaged in the testing and it is smaller number of ponies involved and possibly easier to trace owners than perhaps with Welsh ponies which are more numerous.

https://www.newforestpony.com/2021-pssm-update/

They're doing a good job - just wish they'd be a bit more proactive in insisting on the mares being tested.
 
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