Is this a red flag in a youngster?

[J_sarahd]

Yes she is getting vetted and I have already told them about the lump. I will also mention the findings of the physio when they ring me before the vetting. She was nice to ride - just green and unbalanced; very much expected to be honest. The canter was good and no issues in the transition or in her maintaining it or going on the wrong leg.

I think it’s probably just because she’s a big growing TB who isn’t properly muscled/fit. Plus the seller only has like 2/3 saddles she uses on all her horses so that most likely doesn’t help.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Yes she is getting vetted and I have already told them about the lump. I will also mention the findings of the physio when they ring me before the vetting. She was nice to ride - just green and unbalanced; very much expected to be honest. The canter was good and no issues in the transition or in her maintaining it or going on the wrong leg.

I think it’s probably just because she’s a big growing TB who isn’t properly muscled/fit. Plus the seller only has like 2/3 saddles she uses on all her horses so that most likely doesn’t help.

Exciting! Fingers crossed!!

 

[J_sarahd]

Exciting! Fingers crossed!!

Thank you!! Will update when she’s had the vetting - hopefully with good news!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Thank you!! Will update when she’s had the vetting - hopefully with good news!

When I bought my lad and wanted him vetted the seller tried to convince me he was absolutely fine and I was wasting my money really. I could tell from trying him etc he was absolutely fine but just wanted some reassurance. He had got a few lumps from his racing career and that lump on his spine. He sailed through vetting and when seller rang me to tell me we both burst into tears!! Silly I know but it was so stressful waiting to hear the news!!

 

[JJS]

I would expect here to have tight spots, that's why they have physio and it's good that she's been treated.
The red flag to me would be that she's been trained... make no mistake about what that entails - galloping, hard and regularly at a very young age, before they are really mature enough to cope with that kind of work. May well be fine for years but, it will come back to haunt her eventually.

That said, I bought the same kind of mare, TB, not raced but trained. She lived until she was 27 although she retired at 22 because her legs were damaged. Is she a reasonable price? TBs usually are and if this is the case, I'd definitely take a punt on her, especially if she has a nice temperament.

I agree to an extent, but it’s definitely not the case for all ex-racers. Mine was still going strong at nearly 20 when I lost her to a field accident, and she was in full work with nothing untoward. Admittedly, that makes her one of the lucky ones, but I think she’d have had years of ridden work left in her.

 

[humblepie]

Fingers crossed she has passed. Do you know why she didn't race, as in how long was she in training - so was she destined to be a flat horse and didn't run because not developed enough or was there an issue? Does sound very exciting though and hope you end up with her.

 

[J_sarahd]

Fingers crossed she has passed. Do you know why she didn't race, as in how long was she in training - so was she destined to be a flat horse and didn't run because not developed enough or was there an issue? Does sound very exciting though and hope you end up with her.

Yes so she was in training for a few months, destined to be a flat racer but apparently she was too slow and needed to strengthen up so they didn’t carry on with her. I’ve got all the time in the world to get her (or any horse) stronger and fitter. I’ve got my fingers crossed that she passes but I am also trying not to get my hopes up after the last failed vetting!

 

[Shilasdair]

I bought an unbroken 4 year old Tb despite her having quite a significant bone/tissue scar on her left hind, and a bone spavin.
She stayed sound until shortly before I had her PTS at 23 years old.
Sometimes you have to accept that no horse is without flaws.

 

[J_sarahd]

Not the news I wanted to be posting but she’s just had the vetting and was 3/10ths lame on one of her front feet (can’t remember which one she said) on a circle. The vet said it’s likely a bruised sole but obviously can’t say for certain that it will get better with time off. She also said she has what looks like a colic surgery scar. Again she isn’t 100% certain either way. I wasn’t told she had colic surgery. I am just waiting on the seller to message. I really like this mare - like I said, she’s what I’ve been looking for - but obviously I’m not stupid enough to buy a lame horse.

I think I’m just going to give horse shopping a break for now and probably end up horseless. Maybe this will be where I stop horses all together hah! It’s just a minefield and so heartbreaking.

 

[humblepie]

That is a shame but see what they come back with.

My previous horse (ex racehorse who had done a season's eventing) when he was vetted the vet picked up a heart issue. I raised it with the seller who had had him fully examined on treadmill monitor and all the information. I bought him and he was in fairly hard work for best part of 10 years. I always felt it was strange seller didn't mention it up front but then perhaps that might have put me off. Even if not this one, your dream horse is out there!

Do you know who she was in training with - depending who it is, they may be happy to discuss how long she was with them/any issues?

 

[Jellymoon]

Not the news I wanted to be posting but she’s just had the vetting and was 3/10ths lame on one of her front feet (can’t remember which one she said) on a circle. The vet said it’s likely a bruised sole but obviously can’t say for certain that it will get better with time off. She also said she has what looks like a colic surgery scar. Again she isn’t 100% certain either way. I wasn’t told she had colic surgery. I am just waiting on the seller to message. I really like this mare - like I said, she’s what I’ve been looking for - but obviously I’m not stupid enough to buy a lame horse.

I think I’m just going to give horse shopping a break for now and probably end up horseless. Maybe this will be where I stop horses all together hah! It’s just a minefield and so heartbreaking.

Ah, I’m so sorry to hear this, how disappointing. I think you need to walk away, sounds like those bad feet haven’t been resolved, and colic scar not good.
Dont stop looking, there will be something!

 

[Tiddlypom]

How disappointing. Though the vet picked out what she couldn't rule out as being a colic surgery scar on my mare during her 5 stage vetting, and it was genuinely not - I'm only her third owner and I have her full history.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Oh no, so sorry to hear this. Sounds like you’ve had really crap luck. Lameness in front could be minor or could be something more major, I’d probably walk away as she’s been off work too so you wouldn’t expect lameness.

Are you only looking for thoroughbreds?

 

[J_sarahd]

I have spoken to the seller and she thinks that the mare is lame due to her turning her out in a “rutted field full of debris” and the mare had a bit of a gallop around. Not sure why you would turn a horse out in a field like that before they’re due to be vetted as I think most horses would be somewhat lame after that, let alone one you say has thin soles. It would make sense as the mare wasn’t lame when I tried her but there’s no justification for buying a horse who is 4/10ths lame.

The vet also said about the wither issue that she is quite sensitive along her whole back. She said it’s likely a weakness thing and she will be fine when she’s muscled up but equally, if her back is sore then she won’t be able to hold herself properly to muscle up properly?

 

[J_sarahd]

Oh no, so sorry to hear this. Sounds like you’ve had really crap luck. Lameness in front could be minor or could be something more major, I’d probably walk away as she’s been off work too so you wouldn’t expect lameness.

Are you only looking for thoroughbreds?

No not just thoroughbreds but my budget is very small (up to around £4.5k) as I loaned not sold my current gelding. It’s obviously just mainly TBs as I’m looking for around 15.2hh, young and sporty. I’m half tempted to fly to Ireland to find one out there!

 

[humblepie]

Have you looked on the RoR Source a Horse - there are a few in your price range.

 

[J_sarahd]

Have you looked on the RoR Source a Horse - there are a few in your price range.

Yeah I’ve enquired about a few on there. Some very nice looking ones

 

[Shilasdair]

Colic surgery scars are usually very obvious - my two have both have them. In one it's a weirdly flat line contour to her belly (as it rises to her udders). In the other - they stole her belly button.

 

[J_sarahd]

Colic surgery scars are usually very obvious - my two have both have them. In one it's a weirdly flat line contour to her belly (as it rises to her udders). In the other - they stole her belly button.

The seller said that she’s spoken to the trainer and they said she’s never had colic surgery

 

[J_sarahd]

Would people 100% walk away then? I’ve been offered for the seller to keep hold of her for a few weeks and then revet or to negotiate a reduced price.

 

[AmyMay]

Would people 100% walk away then? I’ve been offered for the seller to keep hold of her for a few weeks and then revet or to negotiate a reduced price.

If her feet are sore her back will be sore. Offer £1k on the table, and let that make the decision for you (?)

 

[ester]

Was the 3/10 on a straight line trot up?

 

[J_sarahd]

Was the 3/10 on a straight line trot up?

2/10 on the road and then 3/10 on a circle on soft surface with affected foot on inside and 4/10 with said foot on outside

 

[ester]

I’d walk away then tbh

 

[Flyermc]

There will be loads of stories of people buying horses that have failed a vetting and have never gone on to have issues and im one of them (horse lame and we got £200 of the price) paying 1k for him at 9, he was PTS aged 23, not due to lameness and was never lame, in all the years. The other 2 horses ive bought over the years, ive not had vetted, so who knows if they would have passed or not.

If your unsure, you might be better getting her feet xrayed instead of another vetting or offering a very low sum and seeing what you get, if you can afford too.

 

[fetlock]

I'd walk away too. Lame, back problems and a scar from some sort of treatment, if not colic. If it were me I'd probably sit tight till next Spring and look again with a larger budget, with the money saved this year.

 

[Shilasdair]

Would people 100% walk away then? I’ve been offered for the seller to keep hold of her for a few weeks and then revet or to negotiate a reduced price.

If I were you, I wouldn't buy this horse.

 

[nagblagger]

I would keep looking, but keep in touch with the owner and if it hasn't sold in a couple of weeks then maybe reassess.
,But i am a sucker heart often rules head.!

 

[ihatework]

Ah, I’m so sorry to hear this, how disappointing. I think you need to walk away, sounds like those bad feet haven’t been resolved, and colic scar not good.
Dont stop looking, there will be something!

Sounds like a typical fooked tb out of training. They type you buy/risk for a few hundred and spend a year rehabbing carefully whilst keeping your fingers crossed it comes right.
Unless you have experience in doing that I’d steer clear

 

[J_sarahd]

But i am a sucker heart often rules head.!

Me too, which is why I need to likes of my trainer and this forum to keep me on the straight and narrow and not buy something totally broken

Another very experienced friend said something I hadn’t thought of that is very true - even if she comes sound in a few weeks, I will always have to be very selective of where I run her and the ground.