Opinions on this horse.

[Zebrarosen]

I have been offered this horse (for free). I have heard very good things about his temperament although to be honest he is not what I would have chosen if I had been going out and spending money (I would have gone smaller and native). I know it isn't much to go on but just wondering if anyone has any opinions or anything that is glaringly obvious. Hope the link works as it is from a video my sister uploaded of him to my Facebook, so not sure if it is publically viewable, not me riding him by the way. I haven't been to see him in the flesh yet.

https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=ht...Mbjvy-MUPI65DI&ithint=video%2Cmp4&h=yAQHcE9uC

 

[joulsey]

Link doesn't work. How come is he being offered for free etc

 

[Zebrarosen]

Oh damn, I will have to find a way of sorting the video out. Thanks for trying.

 

[Ceriann]

If you click on the link on the Facebook page you are directed to it works. He looks lovely sort - I'm terrible at confo (and more inclined to consider temperament and attitude). Why free and what do you want to do with him?

 

[Equi]

He looked a bit lame maybe?

 

[JJS]

It worked for me too. I'm no expert to start with but I couldn't judge anything beyond how overbent he is (obviously that has nothing to do with conformation though)!

 

[Zebrarosen]

I would use him for general pootling about on, nothing too fancy really, maybe a bit of clear round jumping and fun rides. He my sister is head groom at an event yard abroad, horse currently lives there and has been gifted to my sister when she leaves as there isn't a job for him there. She has a horse so will be mine if I want him.

 

[Shavings]

i watched the video and i am no pro but i think he is a lovely chap, didnt seem at all bothered by the other horses being ridden in him, seem a quiet sort

 

[millikins]

I didn't think he was very forward going but if he's more used to hunting, maybe school's not his thing.

 

[hihosilver]

Looks lovely but unlevel behind but he is really not tracking up or going forwards. I would have him though!!! x

 

[Zebrarosen]

Thanks guys, my sister is only just starting to bring him back into work so there is much improvement to be made and as you say and she agrees he is not the most forward going but to be honest that suits me fine.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Is he very young/green? He looks like he's leaning lots on the forehand. I do really like the look of him, tho. Worth a vetting, I reckon.

 

[TheMule]

He looks sore all round, certainly bilaterally lame behind and I suspect lame in front too.
What a sweet, honest little thing he is. I'm assuming he already has a condition diagnosed hence why they don't want him any more, he doesn't look up to school work that's for sure

 

[saddlesore]

He seems much freer after the canter so perhaps he is more stiff/tense than truely lame. He seems to have a nice attitude but I'd want a vetting.

 

[Moomin1]

I always find these threads so amusing. Every single one ends up with the diagnosis of the horse being lame.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I always find these threads so amusing. Every single one ends up with the diagnosis of the horse being lame.

It amuses me too! For about half the video the horse's feet are invisible and for most of the rest the film is so fuzzy that no-one can see anything useful.

Not having a go at you OP, surely your sister is the best person to pass an opinion on the horse, she sees it everyday and has started riding it, she can tell you all about it.

 

[Moomin1]

It amuses me too! For about half the video the horse's feet are invisible and for most of the rest the film is so fuzzy that no-one can see anything useful.

Not having a go at you OP, surely your sister is the best person to pass an opinion on the horse, she sees it everyday and has started riding it, she can tell you all about it.

Yes, agree.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

It is not a good idea to buy a horse because it is cheap, poor thing has been worked like that without thought, , probably draw reins, lunging in side rens and every contraption one can imagine.
I would want to ride it and see if it has an engine, and if it is sound to ride. If I thought it would look good in about 18 months and would do my job, then I might have it vetted, and then decide. If I took it home, I would turn it away for four months, feeding it evry day.
If you wanted a native because they are tough and hardy, and don't need lots of tlc, please don't buy this one. At the moment it looks weak, underconditioned, unbalanced and unschooled.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

My estimate of cost to make this a nice animal : vettting £160-200, cost of keeping for six months £1200, cost of training [instructor, maybe physio] £300.

 

[charlie76]

It is not a good idea to buy a horse because it is cheap, poor thing has been worked like that without thought, , probably draw reins, lunging in side rens and every contraption one can imagine.
I would want to ride it and see if it has an engine, and if it is sound to ride. If I thought it would look good in about 18 months and would do my job, then I might have it vetted, and then decide. If I took it home, I would turn it away for four months, feeding it evry day.
If you wanted a native because they are tough and hardy, and don't need lots of tlc, please don't buy this one. At the moment it looks weak, underconditioned, unbalanced and unschooled.

How can you possible assume the horse has been ridden in every contraption imaginable for that video?? The horse just looks weak and needs to be ridden more forward, he looked better after his canter work as he was taking the rider more forward. You can make any horse appear lame behind by not getting it sufficiently in front of the leg. We have a made on our yard that when her novice owner rides her she looks very lame behind as she goes along in a shuffle, with my staff on her riding her forward she is totally sound .

 

[Booboos]

It amuses me too! For about half the video the horse's feet are invisible and for most of the rest the film is so fuzzy that no-one can see anything useful.

Not having a go at you OP, surely your sister is the best person to pass an opinion on the horse, she sees it everyday and has started riding it, she can tell you all about it.

Looks lame to me.


You can see quite a few lame strides in the video where you see the entire horse, but in any case you do not look at feet to tell if a horse is lame! In front leg lameness you look at the head nodding and in hind leg lameness you at a comparison of the top of the hip dip from behind.

 

[Noodles_3]

I always find these threads so amusing. Every single one ends up with the diagnosis of the horse being lame.

Oh my god moomin you have taken the words out of my mouth! It's hard to differentiate when a horse is actually lame now to one that's not schooled to an exceptional level as they seem to be labelled 'lame'. You can guarantee anyone who posts advice on whether or not to buy a horse someone will say its lame and crippled etc. Yes some are unfortunately true but others aren't always necessary!

For what It's worth I'd say the horse is worth taking a deffinate interest in he looks really sweet.

 

[Wagtail]

If that horse is lame, it's not as bad as the grey in the same arena. I think that 80% of horses have some amount of unlevelness. However, my advice to the OP is to go with her heart. If you want a native type, wait and get what you really want. I would never take on something just because it's free or cheap again unless it was also just the type of horse I wanted.

 

[millikins]

Unlike many posts on these lines this horse is not an unknown quantity. the OP's sister knows him well and presumably wouldn't fob off a lame horse on her sister. I think though that as Wagtail says, if you wanted a native, would you be happy with this chap?

 

[Ruftysdad]

I never feel that I can comment on "what do you think of this horse" threads as I even that even as a pretty experienced horse person I could get it wrong from a photo or brief video. However I often have a wry chuckle when someone asks views on their new horse. Usually the reponses are "what a lovely horse".I never see any criticism. I wonder what would have been said if the owner asks for comments prior to purchase.

I will now put my head back under the parapet .

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

How can you possible assume the horse has been ridden in every contraption imaginable for that video?? The horse just looks weak and needs to be ridden more forward, he looked better after his canter work as he was taking the rider more forward. You can make any horse appear lame behind by not getting it sufficiently in front of the leg. We have a made on our yard that when her novice owner rides her she looks very lame behind as she goes along in a shuffle, with my staff on her riding her forward she is totally sound .

I did not say horse was unsound, but no horse looks like that when it has been trained sympathetically, ridden naturally and conditioned for the work it is asked to do.
I said probably draw reins because that is something people do in order to get ther heads in, and they end up overbent and un natural head carriage, as this horse has. In my experience people who do this also try pessoa and all sorts to try and speed up the process.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Looks lame to me.


You can see quite a few lame strides in the video where you see the entire horse, but in any case you do not look at feet to tell if a horse is lame! In front leg lameness you look at the head nodding and in hind leg lameness you at a comparison of the top of the hip dip from behind.

And it is very difficult to diagnose lameness on a soft surface. Far better to see the horse move on a hard surface. There are many reasons for a horse dipping/tossing its head which have little to do with lameness. The head does often nod in trot when the horse is lame but rarely in canter.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

 

[Bedlam]

It's not that hard to see the horse is uneven and unbalanced. Why that is is harder to say. I agree though that it doesn't sound as if you really want this type and the cost of keeping him would be money you could be saving until what you actually want comes along. It's a rotten time of year to be taking on a horse. If there was any value in the horse I would imagine he'd have been sold rather than given away and if you decide in 6 months time that he's not the horse for you I expect you'll have to give him away as well.......tricky situation as it's often a descending spiral as soon as this starts. My advice would be to leave him. But I might not be right.....

 

[crabbymare]

Shame the video is not clearer so that he can be seen properly but he looks like he has a nice temperament and is on the laid back end of the scale which is a lot better than being a sharp one that is all go. seems to be weak in his back at the moment so not going forwards into the bridle which would help relax and lengthen the slightly short strides that he is doing. he was not worried aout the poles and did not hurry at them so if you are looking for an allrounder that you can go out and have fun with and your sister thinks he would suit you then why not go for it with the proviso that if you have recently had a huge row with your sister and she may want to retaliate in some way then he could well be a lunatic in disguise

 

[Booboos]

And it is very difficult to diagnose lameness on a soft surface. Far better to see the horse move on a hard surface. There are many reasons for a horse dipping/tossing its head which have little to do with lameness. The head does often nod in trot when the horse is lame but rarely in canter.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Are you familiar with the difference between lameness caused by a tendon injury and that caused by a ligament injury? I'll give you a hint: one makes the horse lame on hard ground but sound on a surface, while the other makes the horse lame on a surface but sound on the hard. I'll let you figure which one is which, knowledge is not appreciated unless it is hard gained.