would you buy a horse with bone spavin?

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kombikids

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for a couple of grand, aged 12,to be used as hack schooling confidence giver, occasional sj and xc, perfect in every other way??
 
I said yes but depends on the degree of spavin. Has he had it in the past and it has now settled down and he is sound? - if so yes. If it was a forming one - no.
 
My mare was rising 5yr old when I bought her, complete with bone spavin (although unbroken).
I still have her, aged 19yrs...and she's never been unsound on it.
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thks - everyone (instructor/my vet/yard owner) have said dont touch it without seeing. he did stumble with his back leg when i cantered him (probabaly cos my riding is rubbish and unbalanced and he is well schooled!)
 
Depends at what stage - is it fused?

Mine has had it, but now surgically fused, saying that, I think she is now unsellable.

I think, having had one with it, I would.. I think!
 
What is bone spavin?

Bone spavin is degenerative, non-septic arthritis of the smaller hock joints. It is more often seen in older horses and ponies and is a common cause of hind limb lameness. The lameness can range from mild stiffness with toe dragging to quite severe. It may affect one or both hind limbs. Radiographs (x-rays) taken of affected hocks can demonstrate a wide range of bone degeneration and damage which does not always directly correspond to the degree of lameness seen.

Can bone spavin be treated?

Treatment for bone spavin, being a form of arthritis, aims to reduce pain either by reducing inflammation or reducing movement in the joint(s). In some cases there is a good response with anti-inflammatory medication such as phenylbutazone, while continuing exercise. In others it may be necessary to inject corticosteroid medication into the affected joints to reduce inflammation. Alternatively, strong irritant solutions have been injected into the affected joints to try to inflame them sufficiently to heal solid (ankylose), thereby abolishing painful movement.

Surgical treatments are also directed at ankylosing the joints. Once the joints are fused, no movement is possible and the lameness usually disappears. This type of treatment can take up to a year to settle and to know if it has been helpful.

What is a spavin test?

A traditional spavin test is conducted in three stages:

1. The horse is trotted in hand in a straight line to determine the degree of lameness, if any, and the leg involved.
2. The lame hind leg is held up in a flexed position for up to two minutes.
3. The horse is trotted again to see if the degree of lameness has been made any worse.

If the horse is not lame, the test is repeated with the other leg. When the horse is made lame (or more lame) by flexion test it is said to be a positive spavin test. The name is often misleading as many different conditions affecting other joints or areas of the hind leg can cause a positive result and the test is certainly not specific for bone spavin.

As with all disease conditions, diagnosis is the first step to successful treatment and management. Ask you veterinary surgeon for help.
 
no - everyone i know seems to be warning me off! up early tomorow to practise load for sunday if you are around.may chat to vet tomoro as up to look at another horse. x
 
My mares just had x-rays on her hocks and found the start of spavin - she is now booked in Tues to start treatment with a new drug called Tildren...

Is your horse on any treatment or at least bute until its fused?? If insured, i would deffo go for x-rays...
 
Personally I wouldn't. But then I wouldn't ever knowingly buy a horse with any injury or illness - it just ends up too expensive and there are plenty of healthy ones out there!!
 
NO, just because there is no predictable pattern of later problems. You could end up with an unsound expensive pet. Why buy a problem? Its totally different if it happens to a horse you already own.
 
No. OH's horse developed a bone spavin. Took ages but thought it had settled and had a great year with him last year. But near the end of the year he started showing same sort of symptoms & has been unsound for about 5 months now. Maybe not the spavin (vets have no idea despite £'000s being spent on tests) but likely that it has just not settled 100% yet. If we ever get another horse we will do everything we can to avoid buying a horse with a problem. They can develop enough after you buy them!
 
i wouldnt buy one with a problem.
a vet and xrays wil give you an idea of how much of a problem it would be-if the horse is for hacking and not expensive then i dare say it wouldnt be an issue
my YOs mare had bone spavin on both hinds-she was brought back into work last summer and is back doing large occasional canter pirouttes and piaffe no problems.shes 100%sound.xrays due ina few weeks to ensure its all fused before she can be worked hard again.
 
If the horse ticks all the boxes and is a good price then why not? Pidge has hock spavin and it has fused now and he is back in full work. I just have to be careful on hard ground but then to be honest who hammers their horses on hard ground anyway?
At the end of the day it is up to you what you decide to do, but in general the spaving only causes problems whilsts its fusing. once fused it should be ok. If in doubt speak to your vet again about it. Is there any chance of having horse on loan for a month or two to see what happens once it fuses?
To be honest how many 12 yo horses are out there with nothing wrong with them?
 
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