Vetting for new horse...previous injury!

[emwood24]

Hi everyone,

My name is Emily and I am new on here, I heard it was a good/useful forum for getting some advice so I hope you guys are able to offer some help.

I'm buying a new horse after recently selling mine that I lost my confidence with. I have found one that is absolutely perfect and I fell in love with straight away. But...she has a previous injury from when she was a youngster in Ireland.

She slightly swings her right hind leg outwards when in walk but never in trot, canter or when jumping and she is not lame before or after riding. Her current owner does alot of hunting/SJ/XC with has has never experienced problems. Thye have paperwork from when they bought her and had the vet check it saying it is an old injury that is noticeable when she walks but has no pain or impact on her work!

I really like this mare and she is the only one I have found so far that ticks all the boxes but.....what do I do?

I'm only looking for a happy hacker/schooler and occasional SJ and pleasure rides on a minor level but don't know whether to rule this mare out all together, or not.

I'm thinking perhaps to get her vetted but I know my old pony from years ago failed his vetting due to lameness on his flexion tests, yet we still bought him and had a heavy competition life with no problems or lameness!!

What would everyone suggest???

 

[toomanyhorses26]

Would get her vetted and it will probably be noted on the certificate and possibly excluded from insurnace claims . My horse has had a breathing op and similar to yours has had no issues from it(he used to race so in hardwork) but it is excluded from any claims. If the current owner is doing harder work with her than you would be then I would doubt you would have problems .

 

[emwood24]

Thank you.

It's so difficult because so many people say don't go near her but, really I know I like her and want to hear someone say...."perhaps it will be fine, just check it".

I think I will get her vetted so at least I can hear it for myself whether it will be a problem or not...then if it is, at least I've checked and not just given up on her!!

 

[Angelbones]

I'd definitely have a full vetting, and have a good long and hard ride on her to see if it gets worse afterwards. Would the seller let you have a chiropractor have a look at her too before you commit? Might be worth asking. Good luck with her, sounds like you really want her.

 

[millimoo]

How old is the horse? bear in mind, long term you may have a horse you can no longer ride (and I mean years away)
My mums Affiliated Dressage horse was in a trailer accident 4 years ago, and had a huge trauma to his stifle. The wound took 6 months to close and he ruptured his middle patela (part of it poked through the wound).
He was turned out 3 weeks after the accident to keep the joint moving, and scar tissue to a minimum at the request of the vet.
To a lot of people, they wouldn't notice his action out hacking.
He's very lively and great fun, but in the Arena its noticable that he now swings the leg, escecially in trot. We're also noticing a little stiffness in the winter, and we're braced for arthritis in the long term.
However is he a fit, fat and happy 16yr old and has years of hunting, hacking & low level Dressage in him yet. He was also very well placed in the ridden hunter classes at the local shows last summer (mums like to take him out for a jolly) - he has a home for life too, and mum is fortunate to have another Dressage horse that she competes on now.
I guess what I'm trying to say is get a 2nd opinion, you're aware of an old injury, and it's likely to deteriorate very very long term. Get the vetting and discuss what you plan to use the horse for, and make a judgement on that, and consider the long term implications too.