Reality check...

[Clodagh]

I see you are having him vetted. I am not keen on the roach back and the way he stands with his hinds under him, but a photo is only a moment in time and see what the vet says.
He looks like a poorly looked after hunter that has done two days a week as a hireling all season tbh.
Dehydration wories me - was he kept that way to be quieter? Was the water potable?

 

[concorde]

Sorry FF but I think he looks worse than on the previous pictures.
And pretty odd conformation.
Did you ask about their claims that he had evented ?
I think I would walk away.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I wouldn't fancy trying to keep weight on him. If he was yours now, would you be happy to take him to a competition looking as he does, or a clinic? If no, then what sort of person thinks selling a horse in that sort of condition is acceptable. If the people doing the sales livery think it's fine, then you have to wonder about their ethics frankly.

It must be costing a fair bit to keep him on sales livery as well. He isn't worth 3k in that state and there could be more than just the time of year at fault for him being so poor. Unfortunately you cannot tell what the reason is, without extensive blood testing the vetting won't and even with it, it may not find the cause, so why risk it.

I think you just sold your last horse? Is the money burning a hole in your pocket, there really isn't a rush to find the right horse, buy in haste and all that.

 

[FlyingCircus]

I wouldn't fancy trying to keep weight on him. If he was yours now, would you be happy to take him to a competition looking as he does, or a clinic? If no, then what sort of person thinks selling a horse in that sort of condition is acceptable. If the people doing the sales livery think it's fine, then you have to wonder about their ethics frankly.

It must be costing a fair bit to keep him on sales livery as well. He isn't worth 3k in that state and there could be more than just the time of year at fault for him being so poor. Unfortunately you cannot tell what the reason is, without extensive blood testing the vetting won't and even with it, it may not find the cause, so why risk it.

I think you just sold your last horse? Is the money burning a hole in your pocket, there really isn't a rush to find the right horse, buy in haste and all that.

Agreed, I would walk away if I walked into the yard and saw a horse in that state. So the fact someone is selling in that state, a dealer no less...the mind boggles!

 

[FfionWinnie]

Agreed, I would walk away if I walked into the yard and saw a horse in that state. So the fact someone is selling in that state, a dealer no less...the mind boggles!

I'm really struggling to keep weight on one of mine - well actually I'm failing. Just turned her out on my lambing field because it's at the stage where I don't want to ride her and I know grass is the only thing that will do it. She's nothing like as bad as him tho and I have owned her long enough to know she doesn't keep weight on off the grass. There is still a little devil on my shoulder wondering what the heck is wrong with her tho!

 

[concorde]

I have just looked at the photos again and quite honestly I am appalled.
He either has a medical problem or is being starved ( into submission ?)
Poor , poor horse. Almost bad enough to be reportable.
What sort of yard would think it ok to sell a horse in that condition , especially for £3000 !

 

[ester]

He looks worse than I thought he would from the previous pics too tbh. I am also amazed that anyone especially a pro would sell her horse in that condition.

If they are feeding him a lot I would be seriously worried that he looks like that and that there is something underlying although granted he may have stressed some off since being there- though they said it was because previous owner sort of forgot about him when they got a new one iirc, if they aren't feeding him a lot I'd want to know why!

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Thanks guys. I think I just feel desperately sorry for him...he's such a sweet lad just seems a bit unloved but ultimately it seems everyone agrees he's in a pretty sorry state (I was worried I just had a warped sense of condition after my cobby boy who is a solid 4).

To be honest the fact he's underweight and dehydrated is a solid red flag for me.

 

[ester]

He might be fine for some Dr green, a chill and a rest but I wouldn't want to pay 3k for the privilege of doing that/taking the chance.
I would also feel pretty bad that doing so would make it seem like it was ok to sell him like he is.

 

[Red-1]

I would not buy him, looking at those photos. I am sorry, but I would suspect he has had a fall or something, and there is something wrong with his back/quarters. I would suspect ligament damage, SI issues and all the rest.

I would not even pay out for a vetting. If I really loved him I may make a token offer.

Out of interest, if you go to see him again, it would be very interesting to have him stood up square, and see how far off balance out of centre, his backside is. I would hazard a guess that one side would be higher than the other, and one hip bone further forward than the other.

 

[FlyingCircus]

I'm really struggling to keep weight on one of mine - well actually I'm failing. Just turned her out on my lambing field because it's at the stage where I don't want to ride her and I know grass is the only thing that will do it. She's nothing like as bad as him tho and I have owned her long enough to know she doesn't keep weight on off the grass. There is still a little devil on my shoulder wondering what the heck is wrong with her tho!

It is a worry sometimes isn't it! The ex-racer I had a few years back used to drop off very quickly and it took a long time to work out a routine that was good for him. Like with yours though, essentially lots and lots of Dr Green with minimal exercise for a time.

Thanks guys. I think I just feel desperately sorry for him...he's such a sweet lad just seems a bit unloved but ultimately it seems everyone agrees he's in a pretty sorry state (I was worried I just had a warped sense of condition after my cobby boy who is a solid 4).

To be honest the fact he's underweight and dehydrated is a solid red flag for me.

Please don't buy him because you feel sorry for him. There's oodles of free/cheap horses about if you want to pity buy...no use wasting £3k on one when you'll need more £££ to get them right!
If your vet isn't shocked at his condition, I'll be surprised. Yes, some horses do drop off over winter, but their owners don't sell them in that condition (usually) and not for 3k.
Maybe if your vet shows concern, you can say you'll have him but only for half of his asking price. I really really doubt anyone would pay 3k for him in that condition, so maybe they'd rather take 1.5k than lose a sale.

 

[only_me]

I wouldn't touch him.
Not only is he not a schoolmaster (sounds a very basic all rounder tbh) he has poor conformation and odd muscle development with poor condition.
From your pictures alone he looks awful, if fact imo he looks like a point to pointer that's been poorly looked after yet has run all season. Or a horse that has fallen, been on box rest for a long time & has been kept thin to be quiet when bringing back into work.

I know you like him, but you need to get some basic facts about him - how long he has been in that condition, how much work has he done since at sales, what have they fed him to try and get weight on (if they have tried...) have they had him vetted, bloods checked, vaccine record & wormed him recently. Also ask how many people have tried him before you.

If you are intent on getting him still, I would be getting the vet to do the full works - blood tested (priority), ulcer scoped, x-Rays (I know you want low level stuff one but if he has navicular or kissing spines then you won't be able to do that), worm count, teeth as well as a normal 5 stage. Might be more expensive but so is a horse that you can't ride.

 

[alliwantforchristmas]

poor, poor lad what a difference to the pics when he was with his old owner.

Have you asked them why he is so thin? (sorry if you've answered that somewhere earlier and I missed it). What do the other horses on the yard look like?

by the way, have you checked this dealer out on the dodgy dealers site on fb?

 

[FestiveFuzz]

poor, poor lad what a difference to the pics when he was with his old owner.

Have you asked them why he is so thin? (sorry if you've answered that somewhere earlier and I missed it). What do the other horses on the yard look like?

by the way, have you checked this dealer out on the dodgy dealers site on fb?

Apparently old owner bought a new horse and lost interest so he was just turned away. I suspect he's also stressed out at the moment as he seems a bit of a worrier.

Have checked on the dodgy dealer site and apparently she's nothing but honest but yes, would worry about someone selling a horse in that condition.

 

[meesha]

Poor chap, don't walk away, run!!! Mine had come over from Ireland 6 weeks before ibought him was tbx and very fit having I suspected hunted a full season but was ideal weight and that was march last year. What do the other horses on the dealer's yard look like? If worried contact whw.

Such a shame he looks like a lovely person but may be unrideable when up to weight, if they are not keeping him that way intentionally God knows what health issues you would be buying !

 

[Hepsibah]

He looks very sad.

I bought a similarly underweight warmblood several years ago. She had the same stripped out quarters and roached-looking back. She even had the goose-rumped jumper's bump you can see on this gelding. Feeding her was like chucking pennies into a well but she picked up immensely once she got on decent grazing. Her temperament didn't change at all.
When she arrived.


After six months - happy to carry a nervous rider.



A year later - taking a teenager around a novice course.



If I was the one in your position, I would buy based on his performance and wouldn't hold his weight or his seller against him.

 

[ester]

The rest of what she has for sale looks pretty good, which is why I would worry about there being something quite wrong with this chap.

 

[alliwantforchristmas]

find out as much as you can through the vetting and then, if he passes, have a good chat with vet and call it ... either heart or head will win.

Their story of him being chucked out in the field by his previous owner doesn't really wash ... they've had him long enough to build him up.

did you get his passport and comp record clarified?

lovely transformation, Hepsibah!

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Got the passport details in the end but no real detail on competition record. I think ultimately my decision has been made now as there are too many question marks.

 

[Goldenstar]

Good call .
ONG those pictures poor boy .

 

[alliwantforchristmas]

sad but sensible x

 

[honetpot]

He looks like he is big horse, that looks small because he is so thin, with very short legs.
I can understand why you want to buy him, but 3k seems very expensive. It will be interesting to see what the vet picks up and if the chip matches the passport.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

He's 16.2/16.3hh so a fairly big boy. I don't think I'm even going to go as far as vetting him as much as I'd like to hear what they have to say as I just don't think he's right and having shared pics with my yo she tends to agree.

 

[ihatework]

He's 16.2/16.3hh so a fairly big boy. I don't think I'm even going to go as far as vetting him as much as I'd like to hear what they have to say as I just don't think he's right and having shared pics with my yo she tends to agree.

I wouldn't waste your money on a vetting. Walk quickly in the opposite direction.

 

[BethH]

So sad - he looks the sort you'd offer to take home for free as a companion. He looks very uncomfortable, sad and depressed, what a heartbreaking picture, I can understand why you'd want to save him as I bet he is a real softie/nice person. But unless you have your own land to let him have time, I think buying him to use as a riding horse is a no no and it would take you a long time to build him up and fix what's wrong and even then it might not work. I also don't like the way he is standing, he looks like a horse in pain, just miserable, I suspect at the very least his hocks are sore which may also be the reason for the buck.

I have to say as well that I think it's disgraceful he's owner has just dumped him and doesn't seem to care about what is happening to him, that is a horse in serious need of TLC, makes me want to cry - how selfish are some horse owners sometimes, they take but are incapable of giving back and putting right what they've made wrong.

 

[Fun Times]

I'm not sure I would take him even if he was offered to me for free to be honest, because I would bankrupt myself and break my heart trying to get him fixed.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I know what you mean. If money were no object and I had my own land i'd take him anyway and stick him out to grass for a little while to see if it made a difference. He's a complete softie who just needs some TLC. It's sad as the pictures of him with his owner show a totally different horse...just wish I knew how he came to look the way he does now.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I don't mean to sound like I am stating the obvious, and I completely agree with your decision as it is. (Despite the fact I feel sorry for him too) but dealers are people too, why can't you just walk in let them know you think his body condition is unacceptable, point out that you are no mug and that the story isn't washing, say that you are considering buying him if they can be can be honest about how he is the way he is.. If you think they are lying, or the story doesn't wash when you get the vet out (I would also probably mention that you know they lied about his eventing history) then you will walk away and let it be known to many people, the sorry state that they are trying to flog this horse in.

 

[AmyMay]

Going totally against the grain here, but I think there's a lot to like him, and I'd lay money on a couple of months dr green turning him around (providing there are no underlying conditions). I'd have him vetted.

 

[RunToEarth]

I just wouldn't spend my money with a dealer who thinks it is appropriate to sell a horse in that condition, let alone at £3k.