pigeon toed - a 'should I go there' rather than veterinary.

millionaire or weakest link

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elsielouise

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So, this mare I have on trial is quite pigeon toed which could be conformation OR bad shoeing - she's an Irish bred 4 year old, her back feet have clearly never been touched and her feet look dreadful with no attempt to cosmetically improve them, which, I'm happy about as I know about moving the clips etc. and would rather see it as it is. The dealer is selling her 'cheaper' than if she was straight but still wants nearly £3k for her... I want to hear what you'd all do in my situation before I have to think about taking her back....

extra info...

My trainer thinks shouldn't cause a problem but... I know it can pre-dispose arthritic changes, navicular etc and I lost a fantastic horse a few years ago with articular ringbone so reluctant to 'go there' unless fairly sure it's not going to be a significant risk. So tomorrow I am getting a farrier to look at her and I'll talk to the vet on the phone to see if a five stage vetting would pass her as fit for hunting with this conformation and if X rays are worth doing to to see of shoeing or structure is at fault then get her vetted if he thinks worth doing.

BUT... she's a lovely little horse and I'm almost certain the vet is going to say ' yes she's pigeon toed and this predisposes to arthritis blah blah'... which I already know!

Since vettings aren't pass or fail just suitability for purpose I think he'll say yes she can hunt and hack but might have problems later...

Should I risk it?
Risk it and ask for further discount fm dealer?
Send her back and spend a bit more money?

I 'could' afford a bit more but since her main job is to be a companion and hack/occasionally do a couple of hours hunting I don't want to spend loads and already have a competition horse to do every day.
 
I have a pigeon toed mare. At 4 yrs old its unlikely to be resolved with shoeing, you can however improve the way it looks and support her with good shoeing. Its very important you have a farrier who is willing and able to work with toeing in. I've had a trouble free 8 years and now she is 15 I've had some lameness issues. However, corrective shoeing has resolved this and I keep her fit and healthy in all other respects. I do give her supplements to keep her supple and watch her weight but its all common sense really. I do long distance hacks and at 15 my mare is fine.
For what you want I doubt there will be any issues if you follow guidance. However, £3k is a bit much. I would try and get her for £2250-2500 on the basis that you will need to pay out extra for corrective shoeing.
 
Not a huge amount to be honest but she's fairly push button walk trot and canter tho' needs to be taught to work in an outline in anything outside walk. Then again, not planning to do much with her - just can't decide if for that money I should be able to get everything she is that is confirmationally fine?

She's green in school - which I can fix, lovely to hack. Everything else about her is really nice, 15 year old girl hacked her out with me today who is relatively novicey and had no probs. my completely novice OH rode her yesterday ditto... what price that safety thing?

I don't know...
 
Thank you

that's really helpful. I HAVE a conformationally correct mare that I compete on whose schooling goes to pot if I take her hunting so she will do the hard work, she isn't an easy ride at all and my OH can't ride her - I really just want an easy to have around companion that will do a bit with him or me. My decision is whether I should just spend another couple of thousand now but 'waste' a better horse or go with this one. Almost certainly I don't have time to compete and work two.
 
I knew a 17.2hh heavyweight hunter who was severely pigeon-toed - at 28yrs old she was still quite happily in full work at a riding school. Schooling, jumping, hacking (including galloping), and she was rarely lame or sorry (though admittedly, she did have a touch of arthritus). Personally, I don't see being pigeon-toed as too much of a problem
 
I think it depends on the degree of pigeon-toedness, what you intend to use the horse for and how much you like it overall, and the price of course.

I viewed a horse once which was pretty good apart from pigeon toedness and would have bought it had it not been pigeon toed. In the end I decided to walk away since the price difference between this horse and a similar one without the pigeon-toedness was not enough to warrant risking soundness issues, if you see what I mean.
 
Thanks to all... Have just spoken to vet receptionist to book vetting. She said they rarely 'fail' a horse for this now but look at bigger picture and it's future job - as I thought so have booked vetting for tomorrow morning and will see farrier tonight.

Watch this space - mind you am planning to hack her out alone this morning so might change my mind if she's bonkers!
 
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