OCD in 2 year old WB to buy or not to buy!

I wouldn't touch this horse either there are lots out there that are great without OCD - unless you can afford and expensive pasture pet, it will get early arthritis especially with WB's as they are on the forehand for quite a while until they stop growing at around 7 so even more stress on the joint. OCD isn't just chips of bone the actual joint surface is damaged and looks like the surface of a golf ball so long term isn't great.

I think OCD is popping up more and more in young horses nowadays, I'm pretty sure due to all the high protein feeds they are stuffed with. All these feeds are marketed as being essential to growing a foal to make them look fat and shiny so they look good when it comes to selling/showing them - how many of the show horses you see in H&H are overweight - the vast majority as this is what judges want and it hides a multitude of sins - the message this gives out is that that is what a horse should look like - heaven forbid you see ribs at the end of winter!! How many people do you know that are feeding their horses when they don't need to or know what they are feeding?
Also people seem to be in such a rush to break them in young and compete them - all of which are disastrous on their joints - you can just about get away with breaking a TB at 3 but now the fashion is these heavier slower maturing big front end moving WB's which people still are treating as light TB's. Lunging has also taken off too as the roads are busier and people don't have the time to walk in hand so it's the easier option, I won't lunge mine if at all until they are 7 or 8 - they get long lined and don't start training till at least 4 or 5, I know people who lunge their yearlings "to get them to behave!!" - sigh!!!
There are of course those that will get it any way due to conformation but I wonder how much is down to management? I think we'll see more and more horses with it as we expect so much so young from a horse, I suppose the only good thing is the treatment will improve as they get more cases.
Hope you find what you are looking for just ask loads of questions when you go to see other youngsters - the more naturally kept the less chance of OCD as a youngster.!
 
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II think OCD is popping up more and more in young horses nowadays, I'm pretty sure due to all the high protein feeds they are stuffed with. All these feeds are marketed as being essential to growing a foal to make them look fat and shiny so they look good when it comes to selling/showing them - how many of the show horses you see in H&H are overweight - the vast majority as this is what judges want and it hides a multitude of sins - the message this gives out is that that is what a horse should look like - heaven forbid you see ribs at the end of winter!! How many people do you know that are feeding their horses when they don't need to or know what they are feeding?
Also people seem to be in such a rush to break them in young and compete them - all of which are disastrous on their joints - you can just about get away with breaking a TB at 3 but now the fashion is these heavier slower maturing big front end moving WB's which people still are treating as light TB's. Lunging has also taken off too as the roads are busier and people don't have the time to walk in hand so it's the easier option, I won't lunge mine if at all until they are 7 or 8 - they get long lined and don't start training till at least 4 or 5, I know people who lunge their yearlings "to get them to behave!!" - sigh!!!
There are of course those that will get it any way due to conformation but I wonder how much is down to management? I think we'll see more and more horses with it as we expect so much so young from a horse, I suppose the only good thing is the treatment will improve as they get more cases.
Hope you find what you are looking for just ask loads of questions when you go to see other youngsters - the more naturally kept the less chance of OCD as a youngster.!

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And there are some, like my boy, who are just unlucky. He has never done a hard days' work in his life. I bought him at 4, he had been backed and done nothing for a year. We rebroke him (classically) and brought him on slowly. He hasnt had any injuries and he has always been kept as naturally as possible. Fed a low calorie diet as he is a good doer, and he has been on a joint supplement since the day I bought him. Never lunged intensively as he is a sod to lunge but did lots of inhand work with him to supple him up.

Now, there is absolutely nothing else I could have done - Sue Dyson said so, it was simply bad luck. I didnt even jump him until he was 5, and even then only on a surface. He never even made it to a competition. He is a stocky sort with good confirmation and decent bone - really, the last horse that anyone would expect would have problems with his legs.

I know a couple of other people who are exactly in the same boat with lame youngsters - again they couldnt have done anything differently.

Sorry - your post has really annoyed me with its sweeping generalisations.

ETA: he lived in a field for the first 4 yrs of his life - not sure how much more naturally he could have lived as a youngster.
 
Thank you for all your experiences, it has been really useful I am just still feeling unsure! I have spoken to my vet who has advised finding out more about the lameness etc.

P.S VictoraEDT my banks are still as straight
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One of our homebred hanoverians ended up at 18.1hh (out of 16hh mare!) and he had OCD in a hock and then futher joint problems up until he was 6yo when I gave him away as a very light hack. The world is full of horses and something else will come along - there is a good chance of heartbreak if you do buy him.
 
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