Would you buy a horse with a bone spavin???

holt889

holt889

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Just been to see a horse that seemed perfect for what I want and was going back next week to have a longer hack out, check passport, etc but had a phone call from a very upset owner to say she has come in from the field lame and has been diagnosed with a spavin !! ARRGHHH !! Not sure of all the ins and outs but I don't know whether it is something that I should meddle with once she is sound again or whether I should leave well alone???
If anyone has any experience with spavins I'd be grateful for some advise..I know horses with them can still work etc but just not experienced them before....
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I would speak to owner again as very quick diagnosis! Spavins are usually diagnosed by xrays which show the bony spurs and extent of the problem etc.
 
Good point ! I guess it is suspected by vet as she said they were going to be doing more tests next week. I did notice she was abit short on one hind leg when trotting/cantering and asked if she had any back probs. or had arthritis ( just things that sprang to mind at the time !) so obviously there was more to it as I would imagine she must have been sore before now..horse has just been back in work after a foal for 8 weeks so maybe it hasn't come out until now....
 
I did - a mare who was due to be PTS. I've had her for eighteen months. We spent a year hacking, schooling, competing etc with no probs at all. She's had a two months holiday and has just started coming in slightly short in walk on one hind leg (thread about it below) so its possible its developing in another one of the joints.

With regard to the one you have been to see- I agree its a bl00dy quick diagnosis. I wouldn't buy a horse with a developing spavin - once they have fused, they cause no pain but I've been told some may fuse completely despite treatment so you'd end up with a field ornament. I'd ask the owner for more info but I wouldn't be buying a horse with an unfused spavin. Or a fused one, for that matter - there are plenty of good horses out there without.
 
if horse perfect then no harm in waiting to see what the vet says IMO. Pidge was diagnosed with hock spavin and its now totally fused and certainly doesn't affect the way he goes at all. We do pretty much everything, school, hack, jump, lunge, and compete in dressage (badly due to me stressing
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), SJ, HT, showing, and even done a mini ODE too
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fingers crossed.....
 
I knowingly bought a Connie with a spavin in May. But, his number one role is companion to my other horse. He is perfection to handle, happy to be left at home alone and very cuddly (important as other horse isn't!).

If I hack him more than 2 days in a row he becomes awkward about mounting ie hurting. I am currently waiting for vets to call back re some exploratories to give him some treatment. This is likely to be long term bute or hock injection.

he is 16 and I paid £800, which the vet agreed was an appropriate price. he requires a competent rider for hacking. I would buy him again tomorrow without hesitation, but he is not my only horse.

TBH unless the vendor has had the xrays/scans done I would walk away if this is to be your only horse. They all cost the same to keep, and medical bills soon add up.

Don't forget, the asking price should also be reduced dramatically.

My little guy was sold for £5K (competition pony) in 2004, £2Kas hack in 2006 when diagnosed with Spavin, and £800 to me when previous owner found him to hot to hack and didn't bond with him.

Sorry to be so negative.
 
Another here who bought one with a bone spavin!
Mistake? - i still have him over 10 years later, hes been retired nearly 5 years now, its getting a LOT harder to manage and i am having to face 'the decision' but, i love him to death and he is such a character and i am so grateful for all we have been through together. Would i do it again, hmmm tough one, i felt sorry for my boy as the old owners couldnt manage him, neither could the girl who tried to loan him nor could the yard he was stabled at so he was locked in a cow shed.... (so i couldnt really have left him there could i!) I agree with the others, very quick diagnosis! I dont think i would buy the horse if it is in its early stages. You mention that she has just recently had a foal - do you know why she was put in foal? was it due to unsoundness hence they thought give her a 'break' and see if she comes right?
I would be very wary i am afraid. is this horse really the 'one' or is it just a 'horse that you could own'? i would say only consider the horse if it really is the 'one' hope that makes sense???

ETA - i paid way too much for my spavin horse but it was one of those situations where i couldnt leave him there, i had just lost a horse and i guess it was a rush decision! (which i went and did again earlier this year - some people never learn!) i also am very lucky in that i was in a position whereby i can have other horses, i already had another when i bought him (admittedly outgrown though) but if this is to be your only horse, hmmm.
 
I knew my horse had hock problems when I got him. I had him a year before stiffness and a bit of pain became obvious and x-rays confirmed bone spavin.

He had 2 injections and after 2 years his joints fused.

With bone spavin its important that they receive regular gentle exercise, are not trotted on hard ground/roads and are not turned in tight circles as this increases pressure on the inside hind leg which can be painful.

Lateral extension shoes can also help.

I have had my horse 7 years and have not had a problem with his bone spavin.

My vet said that most horses at around 10ish have bone spavin.

The onset of my horse's BS was gradual and not overnight.

My advice would be to wait and see what the vet says before rushing to any decisions.

My horse's side bone is more of a problem to him than the BS.
 
I think that there is a difference between your horse getting a bone spavin and buying one with the problem - why would you want to do that? My mare failed flexion tests on a vetting and was found to have small arthritic changes with x-ray. There are various treatments available - steroid injections, glucosamine supplements etc. She was never lame and 18 months later I sold her to a lovely home BUT for a very reduced price.
It seems odd to me that a bone spavin has suddenly been diagnosed - usually it is physically visible on the hock at that stage, it's often first picked up as shortness on a circle or failed flexion tests. I'd steer well clear TBH
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I would buy a horse that had bonespavin and it had fused etc BUT not in early diagnosis.Had a mare that diagnosed with bone spavin and it can take a good while to fuse (was told 18months to 2 yrs).Also can often be bilateral so would check other leg.
plus theres that chance that it won't be rideable in the end afterall.If I remember it is low chance but there all the same.
 
Great to hear everybodies experiences. I too wonder whether this mare was used to breed with because of unsoundness..owner did say it was cos she was having twins herself though ! I think it is an old problem that has just flared up again cos she's back in work after a long break. I know it could be ok as many of you have found once they have fused but it could also NOT be ok and I'd be left with vets bills and no horse to ride..someone said that they need regular gentle work...I'm looking for something that can be ridden as and when and do abit of hunting/jumping so think I will have to keep looking for my perfect partner !!
 
I am in this situation at the moment. I looked at this cob last August, had him vetted and he failed on flexion tests. Owner had him into the vets and they diagnosed Hock Spavin and said it was quite severe, the owner claims she had not noticed it before. He has had anti inflammatory injections and she now claims he is sound. She has offered him to me for £1500 including tack and rugs but I am still wary. I may suggest she loans him to me but a part of me also thinks there are lots of nice cobs for sale at the moment for similar prices who don't have these problems. Good luck with what ever you decide.
 
I hope you come to a decision that you are happy with...its so fustrating isn't it !! After speaking to vet and farrier I think I will look again as there are going to be vets bills, days off etc. with this mare and I really don't have the money to mess about with a lame horse from day one !!
Good luck with your search...who knew a nice cob was so hard to find !!! If you find a spare one let me know !!
 
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