Stringhalt- info please!

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lil_babe

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I have just been to see an absolutely cracking horse, the only problem is- he has stringhalt. Its not vasible in his trot and canter and when he's warmed up you can't really notice it in is walk, either.

I just wondered if anyone could give me some more details, as I have never had a horse with stringhalt and it is only because he is so brilliant in every other way that I am even considering him. I am buying him with a view to showjumping- he is doing up to 1.25 now and I would be competing up to around 1.45. Would jumping him over these tracks make it worse? I have been told by some people it is a degenerative condition resulting in the horse becoming unrideable. Others have told me that it stays the same and some more people have told me it can get better, so I am very confused!

Tea and chocolate biscuits for getting this far!
 
I don't know anything on first hand about this condition, but wasn't there a series of videos on YouTube with a horse that had severe Stringhalt, and over time, it was bearly noticeable.

I can't say whether I would agree to buy said horse with this condition or not? Can I ask what price they are asking?

With regards to SJ him, has he any proven record?
 
I will have a look on youtube now!

He has winnings up to 1.25 and is schooling round 1.50 tracks at home. The owner said he has had no problems with the stringhalt. They are asking for 9k as a horse with his talent, record and breeding would be worth around double without the condition. But they will take an offer! He is the best horse I have seen by a long shot!
 
My hunter has a mild stringhalt. It doesn't affect him in any way. He passed a 5 stage vetting with it - the only thing the vet said it might stop him doing was top level dressage.

I've had him 3 years now and it hasn't got any worse. You hardly notice it in the summer when he's out 24/7. In the winter it's noticable when he first walks out of the box if he's been stood in and perhaps the morning after a hard days hunting, but it soon eases off after he's moved about a bit.

It certainly wouldn't put me off buying another one with the condition.

Also as a note he does have a high oil diet which seems to help. I have found the saracen feeds fab for that.
 
I am still in two minds, I might get a vetting and see what they say!
I feed most of my horses alfa A oil and Allen and Paige power and performance. Would that be a suitable diet, maybe with a cup of oil in each feed? I do like the P+P as it is a competition feed but is low in starch and sugars.
 
That should be ok diet wise. I don't think it will fail a vetting because of it. My horse passed all of his flexion tests perfectly. I got the pickiest vet I know to do it and she said it was ok!
The other thing with my horse is he's kept in work all of the time. He doesn't have the summer off like some hunters do as this isn't supposed to be very good for stringhalt.
 
I would definitely have a chat with my vet and ask him what experiences he has seen, etc etc.
You shouldn't need to add extra oil if you use Alfa Oil, as it will already be in there.

I feel for you, always the way, you find the perfect horse, but there is always a catch..... My catch is the horse belongs to a RS, so I have to convince them to sell her first!!!!

Let me know what your vet says, it would be interesting!!
 
Thank you so much for your help! I think I will speak to the owner and see if I can take him to my vet for a vetting- he is very thorough and I trust his advice 100%. I will keep you posted!

Lippyx- keep at it! A girl I know just bought a horse froma riding school...it took a lot of convincind as the horse was previously the owner's daughter's favourite showjumper! She managed to get it though and she couldn't be happier!
 
My best ever horse had stringhalt, he hunted and evented and was never lame in the time I had him. I had him vetted before I bought him, and he was vetted again at the age of 15 when I sold him to a quieter home as I had a youngster to bring on. Both times the condition was noted but for what I and the new owner wanted it was OK. I don't know if the condition got worse with age or not. You couldn't show a horse with stringhalt, nor probably do high level dressage. I did dressage for eventing and sometimes he would take an odd step, but when warmed up he was quite OK and it was hardly noticeable.

A stringhalted horse ran in the Grand National last year, and one won it once. It might be a condition that gets worse with age, but then there are lots of ills that befall horses that do as well.

Obviously there are some cases that are worse than others, mine and the one in the post above had it enough to be noticeable but not to effect their performance. In some horses they snatch their leg right up and bang it down hard on the ground - not comfortable to ride and sure to lead to soundness problems eventually.

Have a word with the vet and think about price in the light of that, or if you might want to sell it one day. But if everything else is OK - what horse is perfect?
 
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