what to do, what to do?

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daney

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hi. we are buying a new horse at the mo. we found a 15.3hh grey event mare who i feel in love with. we had her vetted and she failed three tenths in the flexion tests on a hind leg so we decided not to touch her because there was a chance it could be the early signs of arthritus. then some other people had her vetted and she passed on that leg perfectly but failed one tenth on a fore leg in the flexion tests. i know the flexion tests can be a bit unreliable as anything can effect them, so we went and made an offer £1500 less than asking which was accepted. i love this horse to bits and im just wondering if it was a mistake (not that we've bought her yet) cos is there a chance i could end up with a crippled horse in my last few years in pony club? i know its hard for anyone to say because they dont know the horse, but would you buy a horse who failed on one leg then passed and failed on another by a small amount in the flexion tests? thanks for reading
 
Flexion tests IMHO are fairly pointless.You can make any horse lame with them if done incorrectly. I have had a few horses sold as 1/10th lame and had no problems.

To be frank if something is going to go wrong with a horse, its highly unlikely to be picked up at a vetting.
 
Just to say...my ideal horse, a grey mare, there never was a bad one and I'm sure she'll be fine. If shes the one, then thats what matters.
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The only real way are Xrays, flexion tests in my opinion are a complete waste of time, you can make anything limp if you hold it's leg up long enough, try it with your own leg held tight behind your bum, you'll limp I bet!
You have agreed to buy the horse so it's a bit late now to back out, but if you are worried, don't go ahead.
We have a livery selling a mare who had a long term injury two years ago, she's selling it as a hack only as it is 1/10 lame before the flexion test and 2/10 after. If you turn that into 20% lame it makes you think, "Hang on, that's quite lame!"
It all depends on how much the horse is, if it's quite expemsive it may be worth your while getting it vetted yet again, but purely on a lameness only vetting.
In your position I would just pay for a third and very good vet to check her again..
being lame on different legs does worry me a little, but suppose each vet held the leg up longer causing the problem? As I said, flexion tests are a waste of time.
Our vet lunges on a rough surface which although I hate it, weeds out the lame ones immediately.
 
erm, i did buy a horse who failed slightly on both front legs... and i never had problems with him, although ive only had him a year. not sure i'd do it again though, cos it did worry me a bit... and my new one passed completely so yeah. i had x-rays done on both of them...
 
I normally have a 5 stage vetting on any horse I buy, but the decision to buy or not is yours in the end. As for flexion tests I think the same as Henryhorn above. If you hold a horses leg up long enough of course it's going to limp away for the first few strides, it would be stange if it didn't. Try it yourself & the same thing happens. One of the most important things to try the horse & then go back another day & try it again. Additionally have a blood sample taken at the vetting. This sample can be retained & should your horse's attitude drastically change or an injury appear then you can have the sample tested. Some sellers are not too honest & you never know what they could have dosed the horse up with to either mask an injury or change it's demeanour. I'm sure she'll be fine but take as many precautions as you can. Good Luck
 
Dont worry. Flexion tests are crap. As Ive said many times on here - one of my boys who had been competed every weekend for 4 years (in BSJA etc.) had a flexion test as part of a 5 stage vetting when I came to sell him. The vet failed him saying he had a lameness of 1/10 on one hind and 2/10 on the other. It was rubbish! I got my own vet round for a second opinion and he said he was absolutely fine. I lost a sale because of that arse of a vet who did it wrongly. If your really worried, how about getting another vet round to see what they say? Might put your mind at rest.

I really wouldnt worry too much about it. You've bought the horse now so really dont have much choice!!
 
I agree with what others are saying about flexion tests... they are rubbish. If someone held my leg up like that then asked me to run off straight away I would do a few 'lame steps' no doubt.

Why don't you buy her on the condition you get some xrays done...
 
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