Would you buy a horse that swaps leads behind?

[alishaarrr]

I have a lovely horse on a 7-day trial to purchase. 16.3 11yo AES gelding, really lovely chap with a mostly low-level SJ background. He has only been brought back into work for about a month, so is very lean at the moment ... not completely under-muscled everywhere, but has no topline and his hind end is skinny. He's also built a bit long.

He consistently swaps leads behind in canter, on both reins. My trainer is attributing this to weakness, which is a fair assumption but it's still putting me off a bit -- especially as he's not exactly priced for his current lack of condition.

If you were considering a horse in this situation, would you go ahead with the sale if it passed a five-stage vetting? Or are there too many unknowns here that it's better to just pass in favor of something else that was in better shape and gave you less concern?

 

[Zibby]

In my opinion, it depends how much he is as to whether I would be willing to take the risk, but if he passes a 5-stage vetting and you can work on the weakness, i would potentially take a chance.

 

[alishaarrr]

In my opinion, it depends how much he is as to whether I would be willing to take the risk, but if he passes a 5-stage vetting and you can work on the weakness, i would potentially take a chance.

He's £8750 ... gentle giant with a really good brain and lovely temperament, I think quite athletic when he's fit and healthy ... being out of shape now he was jumping 1.40 with relative ease (not that I need anything that jumps that big).

 

[DabDab]

No, I don't think I would buy a horse that did that.

 

[Zibby]

Can you extend the trial period to see if it resolves as his strength improves?

 

[Polos Mum]

I would have your usual physio out with a specific assessment of hind end.
If you know and trust your vet I'd also get them to look at it specifically - issues in that area might be the sort of thing thing that might be missed in a 5 stage by a slightly inexperienced vet.

Has he got better in the 7 days or still doing it as much?

I would worry as to why they are selling him out of condition with a reasonable price tag - rather than get him fit and well again - but I am a suspicious person.

 

[Equi]

Why was he out of work? Even if he was weak I wouldn’t expect a totally fine horse to switch too often unless the rider is accidentally making them.

 

[Goldenstar]

No I would not.

 

[Tiddlypom]

No.

 

[Ossy2]

Why was the horse out of work in the first place and how long was he out of work that would then factor in to my decision on the leg changes.

 

[muddybay]

It does sound like something more is going on there and he's quite pricey for his condition at the moment

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I have a lovely horse on a 7-day trial to purchase. 16.3 11yo AES gelding, really lovely chap with a mostly low-level SJ background. He has only been brought back into work for about a month, so is very lean at the moment ... not completely under-muscled everywhere, but has no topline and his hind end is skinny. He's also built a bit long.

He consistently swaps leads behind in canter, on both reins. My trainer is attributing this to weakness, which is a fair assumption but it's still putting me off a bit -- especially as he's not exactly priced for his current lack of condition.

If you were considering a horse in this situation, would you go ahead with the sale if it passed a five-stage vetting? Or are there too many unknowns here that it's better to just pass in favor of something else that was in better shape and gave you less concern?

My pony does that, in canter, no issue she just does it, uncomfortable like disunited but yes I would if vet passes and I liked the horse. I would though have him on trial if this was ok.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I know prices are crazy at the moment but that’s a lot of money for something just coming back into work. Have they said why he was out of work and for how long? My worry would be he’s been turned away for a bit due to injury and they’re selling him on now rather than getting him fit as they know he most likely won’t stand up to proper work, but then having been burnt once before I tend to be quite suspicious these days.

 

[NinjaPony]

No no no. Who knows what could be the underlying reason for that. Worst case scenario, a very expensive field ornament....

 

[stormox]

Yes I would. My mare constantly swapped behind as a 4/5yr old. With work and especially raised polework, jumping grids and plenty of hacking she'd totally stopped doing it by the time she was 6
But an older horse - I'm not sure. I would want to know its full vet history.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

At that price tag? Not a cat in hells chance.

 

[PSD]

Not at that price. Plenty of other horses available in that price region who won’t have the same issues.

 

[ihatework]

An 11yo previously jumping 1.40’s who has essentially been ‘dumped’ and now being flogged for 8k ..... there is a reason for these ‘weaknesses’ and no I wouldn’t be paying 8k for this horse.

If I wanted a low level horse, I really liked him and I had the motivation, experience and funds, I may consider buying for meat money. With the expectation it was high risk and was likely to fail, if it didn’t then it was a bonus

 

[greenbean10]

Absolutely not. Why is a 1.40 horse being sold for such little money?

 

[Littlebear]

Sorry but for me it would be a no way, not at 11y/o, i would lay a lot of money on that horse having issues and them taking a punt at selling off for a bargain price.

 

[Bellaboo18]

No

 

[Bellaboo18]

I think weakness is a very unlikely cause

 

[SEL]

Nope. Friend had a freebie TB that did it - turned out to have a host of hind end issues (SI, suspensory, stifle). No idea what was primary but he'd had a fall in a lorry at some point during his racing career we heard so perhaps it originated from that.

 

[Red-1]

No. IME, even unfit horses don't swap behind if they are comfortable. Totally green ones learning to canter for the first time might, but one that is trained to the level this one must be (to jump 140s) certainly should not be swapping legs, unless there is some discomfort there.

I would give him a swerve.

 

[w1bbler]

Another who would say a definite no, Alarm bells already ringing about a horse with that talent given time off & sold whilst unfit.
Over the years I've brought several older horses back into work & swapping leads behind has never been an issue. Have known a young just backed horse do it & grow out of it,but I was concerned at the time.

 

[Archangel]

Why on earth hasn't the owner got a vet/physio out to get it sorted at that price (or any price tbh). I wouldn't put it down to unfit/weak at all, I would put it down to discomfort.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Nope, not in hells chance. Especially for that money.

If he was under a grand then I would get my vet to have a look and take a punt with the knowledge he might end up a feild ornament.

 

[maya2008]

In my experience, weak horses might favour a canter lead but do not randomly swap behind.

 

[AandK]

Edited as I clearly can't read...

Either way, no I wouldn't buy it and would be wary as to why it's been off work (unless OP already knows?) If I did know, and wasn't put off, I would not pay that amount of money. Even in these mad times, I'd expect a horse to be in full work for that price. My younger horse had a similar issue, and that was due to a hock ligament injury.

 

[alishaarrr]

Why on earth hasn't the owner got a vet/physio out to get it sorted at that price (or any price tbh). I wouldn't put it down to unfit/weak at all, I would put it down to discomfort.

He's coming from a (known, reputable) dealer who's had him a month. She uses the same physio as me, so I've got a message into the physio to ask her opinion, as apparently she did his back recently. But this is all feeling risky at best and sketchy at worst ... too many good horses out there to spend that kind of money with concerns about soundness, even with COVID prices.