Stringhalt?

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moodymare1987

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I am just looking on adverts for horses for sale and come across one that has mild unlateral string halt. I have an idea of what string halt is but could anyone enlighten me any more. Would you buy a horse that has it? Or does it depend on what you plan on doing with the horse? And would it cause any problems??
 
It's a neurological disorder and may or may not degenerate with time. Can make picking feet and shoeing difficult as they snatch leg up under them.

Seen plenty of people riding horses with stringhalt though and it doesn't seem to affect their performance all that much. I guess it wouldn't be wise to buy if you are considering showing or dressage though but I'm sure you already know that.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/1370/88386.html
 
Stringhalt is an involuntary flexion of the hock, the leg springs upward in a reflex-like action. Many horses with stringhalt will flex their hock mildly, while others will jerk their hock harshly up towards their bellies. Some horses won't show symptoms all the time, while others may show symptoms with every step they take. Watch for these symptoms mostly during turns. Sometimes cold weather can increase the symptons. Unilateral stringhalt means that only one hind leg is affected. Horses can recover from it
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I would only buy a horse with it if I knew a lot about the condition
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Thanks for that, yeah i was curious as to what you would be limited to doing, i was aware would not be able to show/ dressage. I just wanted a second opinion as was a nice horse but i wouldnt benefit a horse that has stringhalt, as i do like showing, only riding club level but i want to haev the chance of doing well. And as i dont know much about the condition etc i would not buy a horse that has it, shame i know but rather it go to someone who can give it the best in life.
 
I wouldnt buy a horse with stringhalt, but I wouldnt buy a horse with ANYTHING like that. Why wait to see if a problem gets worse? A horse at college had stringhalt and ended up lame not being able to be ridden.
 
a pony at my old riding school had it and was really bad when you got him out in the mornings but we walked him around for half hour and he was fine after that and was never lame or anything
 
2 of the horses in the RS have it, maybe 3 (cant quite remember) and they're out competing, being ridden regularly etc

Just have to be careful when putting boots on, picking feet out, having shoes done
 
i went to look at a yard the other day and the woman who owned it had a horse with stringhalt and hunted it all the time he has an extra large stable so that he can walk around other wise it gets worse but he was a lovely horse a huge bfg! she didn't seem to be bothered by it i personally wouldn't buy a horse with it because i wouldn't know how to deal with it
 
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