Stringhalt... Would you be concerned?

[Lippyx]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but is this when one leg has a more noticable action than the others? Can this cause future problems, and would it put you off looking, trying or even buying an otherswise good horse?

Cheers!

 

[Orangehorse]

My best ever horse had stringhalt. A Grand National winner had stringhalt and one was running in the race last year. If you want to show - no it is a technical unsoundness. And it depends on how bad it is. Some snatch their leg up at every step and I wouldn't think a vet could pass that for a riding horse.

My horse wasn't too badly affected. He would come out of the stable in the morning and take a few strange steps and then was OK. It would sometimes be visible in a dressage test, but just the odd step, nothing too obvious. He was 9 when I bought him and the vet said he would be fine for what I wanted, hunting, eventing, general riding club. He was never lame.
I don't know what happened as he got older as I sold him when he was 15 and the buyer's vet said "I hope you are not going to leave this horse in the field doing nothing" because he was far too good for that.

He was a small TB, very wiry and strong.

 

[china]

try putting it in youtube and youl get a better idea, it depends in the severity of it, it would put me off buying a horse but again it depends on the severity.
found a video thats shows it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVaQqQp7OhQ&NR=1

ets- there are more videos of this horse showing improvement so i guess it can be helped.

 

[rema]

I may be wrong but wasent one of the Badminton horses this year had stringhalt.It was held in the holding box after the final trot-up but then trotted up again and was passed.

 

[baBs1]

Not if it is mild. I had a horse with this condition and he hunted all his life until 22yrs..never lame and jumped everything. If you are planning on doing dressage, perhaps not. The condition is not considered an unsoundness.

 

[Lippyx]

So is it something a horse developes then, as aposed to something a horse is born with? Are there any proven/effected treatments? The link of "Red" looks really servere!

ETS - What causes Stringhalt?

 

[Ezme]

mild stringhalt is fine, it's only the sevear cases that have any issues. I watched a demo on H&C tv couple of weeks ago with geoff billington and he was using a horse with stinghalt and it was jumping big (by anyone's standards) courses with no problems whatsoever!

 

[Damnation]

I used to share a horse who had relatively severe string halt. Everytime he stood still then walked on the leg would go up, and if you walked him backwards it would go up for the first few steps. It also went up more when he was in pain (from other causes). This really only happened inhand and on the ground. It rarely went up when you were on him and if it did it felt funny but nothing unseating.
This gelding raced until he was 12, and now does low level SJ and DR. He is 20. Never been lame on that leg.
Izzi

 

[muddy_grey]

Mat Ryans old horse had it Balmoral Mr Slinky. It wasn't severe and he went to Badminton etc.