Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
Did he have an injury no one knew about. Did the splits? Fell over in the field?
I bought my horse as a 2 year old and he was vetted as far as possible. The vet saw "something" in a hind leg, but couldn't get him to do it again during the vetting, so told me but said buy him and insure him well! He was turned out with other geldings and 2 colts and was covered in bite marks.
That hindleg never caused any serious issues although I thought there might be "something" it always went away with getting fitter and stronger. Vets could never find anything with flexion tests, etc. (although didn't have a full investigation as there was nothing to see!).
In his late teens he developed what turned out to be arthritis in his hip - so there was something there all along. And there were other issues which may have stemmed from the same thing with hindsight. But he looked and felt sound and competed in dressage and showing successfully until he showed a reluctance to canter in a circle, which now makes perfect sense. He carried on being a hack until just over 12 months ago when retired at 25.
I am guessing that when turned out with the other horses he had a fall/fight and there was some slight injury that healed but he carried for the rest of his life. We can't know what happens when we aren't there.
My physio, in one of her last visits to see my horse said that 70% of young horses have had field injuries before they are broken in. So I guess that message is to have them checked over before starting the breaking-in process.
I bought my horse as a 2 year old and he was vetted as far as possible. The vet saw "something" in a hind leg, but couldn't get him to do it again during the vetting, so told me but said buy him and insure him well! He was turned out with other geldings and 2 colts and was covered in bite marks.
That hindleg never caused any serious issues although I thought there might be "something" it always went away with getting fitter and stronger. Vets could never find anything with flexion tests, etc. (although didn't have a full investigation as there was nothing to see!).
In his late teens he developed what turned out to be arthritis in his hip - so there was something there all along. And there were other issues which may have stemmed from the same thing with hindsight. But he looked and felt sound and competed in dressage and showing successfully until he showed a reluctance to canter in a circle, which now makes perfect sense. He carried on being a hack until just over 12 months ago when retired at 25.
I am guessing that when turned out with the other horses he had a fall/fight and there was some slight injury that healed but he carried for the rest of his life. We can't know what happens when we aren't there.
My physio, in one of her last visits to see my horse said that 70% of young horses have had field injuries before they are broken in. So I guess that message is to have them checked over before starting the breaking-in process.