Pre-purchase x-rays on a 3yo

[GG13]

Do people get x-rays on a 3yo?
Even if not getting a full set I’m debating getting back x-rays but wondering if it’s worth it on a horse that’s not finished maturing

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I think it depends on the horse, and what you want it for.

I didn’t bother with Mim as we were looking for a hack/ general family horse.

I would if I was buying an investment horse, something I wanted to compete or a big warmblood.

 

[Northern]

I just bought a 2.5 year old WB. I opted for extensive xrays for the following reasons:

- The prevalence of OCD in WBs.
- To create a baseline for any future soundness questions marks, as she will be a competition horse.
- The fact I have had 2 unsound horses and wanted to be absolutely sure I was starting with a blank canvas as such.
- It is difficult to do flexion tests on a horse that hadn't been taught to trot up.

My filly had foot, fetlock, carpus, hock and stifle xrays done. They identified a very low risk small OCD chip in the hind fetlock, otherwise clean and cleared for an eventing career. After discussion with the attending vet I went ahead with the purchase, she was priced very competitively as well. This vet had attended her from birth and could send me her entire vet history with the practice (wasn't much!). I didn't opt for back xrays as I was satisfied that she has decent back conformation (short, strong).

As LG said, it depends what you want to do with the horse. Most horses bought without xrays are completely fine for low level riding and hacking. I will, in future, extensively xray any horse purchases. They are too expensive to keep for their lifetime if they end up having problems related to something that could have been found on xrays. Of course any horse purchase is a complete risk, but it gives me peace of mind and stops any guesswork for what may have been missed.

 

[EllieBeast]

I bought my mare at 18 months old. She was cheap and had done nothing, I didn’t worry about xrays.

she had a puncture wound to a hind leg aged 3.5 and had xrays taken at that point to check for foreign bodies... no fb, but it did show early onset hereditary arthritis (she had never been lame at this point). She was barely backed. Started to show stiffness aged 9.

Now, at 11yrs old she’s a hack and that’s all. A massive shame considering the potential she had. The radiograph below was taken age 9 before she was medicated for the first time.

I know I’ve been very unlucky, but it does highlight the need for caution, especially if spending a lot of money or having big plans of a long, competitive future.

 

[lannerch]

My big 3yo warmblood was bought as a 2yo , she was vetted , 2 stage did manage to perform flexibility test and she passed with flying colours .

Recently she was brought in to back , luckily my very experienced friend noticed her stifles did not look quite right , because I still cannot see it , so I have had her X-rayed. her stifles and fetlocks were xrayed. The stifle showed her cartilage in the stifle is not fully developed yet so if we had backed her now and worked on it it would have caused damage , the vet thinks if she is turned out for another 6 months it will correct itself , and if not it can be operated on with cameras . The X-ray also showed very low grade ocd in one area which again should correct itself, and a small bone chip in a fetlock which again is highly unlikely to cause any problems but we know it’s there if it ever does .

So in answer to your question I agree with the above I would certainly consider it if you want a competition horse , particularly if it’s a big warmblood type .

 

[Orangehorse]

Have you seen the article in this week's Horse and Hound. There a long term survey of young horses to see if living a natural life with access to a large area, with hills and pasture results in a horse that remains sound with a long working life. Makes sense to me.

Having heard of so many disappointments with soundness issues, and if I was buying a horse for a competitive life, then yes in your circumstances, X rays would be worth having.

 

[ruth83]

3yos being sold in Europe have full set of x-rays as standard. Done by the seller and produced to all prospective buyers. Much of Europe can't understand why we don't have that.

 

[GG13]

Thanks everyone - you’ve confirmed my thoughts that’s it’s a sensible choice and best to be a little bit cautious. Vet also agrees for the above reasons stated re OCD as I’m looking at WBs with a view to event at a decent level