How to tell a doped horse

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also_shasha

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I have very little knowledge of the characteristics of doped horses as Ive never been a big believer in doping. That is apart from the geldings have relaxed boy bits
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what are the tell tale signs that you look out for to determine if a horse has been doped when going to try horses that are for sale?
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when one of my mares is on sedalin (given under vets instruction) she hangs her head low and her eyes start closing like she is falling asleep. But that is after having a fair whack of it. Ive also seen sedalin used in smaller amounts to make a lunatic horse look sane but suspect this was not given under a vets instruction!
 
Similar to above posts, tripping, lazy & generally not too alert! Don't always go off that though - there are loads of horses that are naturally laid back & dopey! Also depends on how they are ridden.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Your vet will take bloods at the vetting (assuming you would have vetted) so it would always come to light.
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Many years ago, I lived next door to a well known & respected dealer in high class hunters. When he was looking at a possible purchase, he always asked the seller if he would object to the vet taking a blood sample, making the point it was for their mutual benifit, as both the purchaser, and the vendor each retained a sample. The idea was if the horse had been doped, or was on Bute, it would show up after vetting, and it was an additional safeguard. If the vendor refused, he would walk away from the deal. He said he had never had to resort to a test, as the seller was obviously honest!
 
a full 5 stage vetting includes taking blood samples which are only tested in the event of something going wrong later. It benefits both parties, as one respondent said, and it generally insures that at the time of vetting the horse was clean. It is difficult for anyone to detect some of the milder calmers/sedatives but these should not be used on a horse being tried
 
Over here it is absolutely simple to spot a doped horse as they dope them via injection here. All you have to do is run your hand down both sides of the neck ... feel a pin prick or ruffled spot ... voila! Easy peasy. This is very useful when a horse has been standing in an auction pen for hours and you only get round to seeing it later in the day when it is somewhat coming out of its comatose state, but not enough to show you it's true "worth".
 
I bought a TB years ago and Im convinced she was doped when I tried her. It was a small time dealer, didnt know that at the time though. I couldnt get her to canter but then the trial facilities were awful. She seemed lovely and sensible, just what I was looking for. The lady walloped her on her chest at one point when we were chatting in the stable, probably to wake her up. It was all odd, looking back. There was a bucket full of uneaten feed, she was so so thin and like a wally I bought her. (She was cheap and I felt sorry for her)
When she was delivered she was a raving loony. I put it down to her new surroundings but she never changed.
 
The eyes are the best indicator. On Sedalin, my horses develop a slightly glazed look and their eyes are watery. They often feel warmer to touch, especially along the neck. They are also clumsier.
 
If a seller really knows what they're doing then I doubt many would notice the condition. Enough is given just to take the edge off, not sedate. The signs & symptoms given by many here are of true sedation rather than taking the edge off.

If you are interested in the horse arrange to try again another day & if you are really interested arrange a vet to come at the same time so vetting can be done & bloods can be taken following your trial. This is the only sure way to know if sedation has been used. If the seller is anti vetting or anti bloods etc then walk away.
 
One way is to turn up earlier than arranged. I know for the honest folks that that would be a major pain in the wotsit though
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I wanted to see a horse - very happy to see him in the field/in a stable, didn't need him tacked up and working etc., but the owner wouldn't let me, even though she was at the yard, not busy (we'd been chatting earlier), and I was near due to work (would normally have been over one hundred miles away). After a couple of minutes she suddenly changed her mind and said I could come in an hour, she'd meet me out on the main road. Short story: I waited for over an hour for her, she never called and did not answer her phone. I was worried about her, but heard later from another source that she was okay.

I spoke to friends and my vet as I liked what I knew of the horse, and they all told me to walk away. The general concensus was that he was to be doped before being seen. I have no idea if that was true, but the lady also said I couldn't ride him as his regular rider wasn't there (it was a riding school and no-one else could ride him? He wasn't for sale as a difficult horse!). I still think about him occasionally and wonder how he is.

As TZ says, it would probably be hard to spot doping carried out by a real pro
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Totally agree, I always rocked up early to view horses, and had many people do the same when I sold them, and I have no issues with it at all. As someone said, if they do it right, most people wouldn't be able to tell, however, it isn't an exact science, and I have seen the whole range from something they thought was ACP'd up to its eyeballs (that then threw the rider off...) and one that was so doped it wouldn't move. I will always ask for the owner to ride the horse first, I am not a crash test dummy. Those who have doped just that teensy bit too much, will show in the eyes, dragging toes, and lower than normal head carriage, and they often don't 'perk up' as much to food stimulus (crisp bag in my pocket was my usual tell!)
 
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