Would you buy a horse with COPD ?

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Tadah

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Hello

I am hoping for some opinions please :)

I have been looking for what seems like forever to find a horse for my hubby. He has been learning to ride for about 6 months and we really want a horse he can hack out and maybe do sponsored rides on.

He is particularly "attracted" to heavy horses he is very tall and well built so needs something substantial height wise and able to take a bit of weight.

We were offered an 18.3 Clydesdale, but owner changed her mind at last minute, just this week we were offered a Percheron again on loan but the owner has been impossible to get hold of since we agreed, despite phone calls, texts, emails and something just doesn't feel right.

I have just seen a shire x advertised, not to far from me he sounds fine in every respect but he has COPD, owner says he is just treated with herbal treatments and damp hay or haylage, he coughs when he is excercised but it improves with fitness. .

Would you take the risk and have a look at him ?

I am starting to think I am looking for the impossible, unless anyone has a huge horse that just wants a lot of fuss and pampering hiding in a stable for cheap as chips or loan !!!!

Thanks for any opinions :)
 
I wonder if he actually needs hobdaying - rather than having COPD?

If it's the former, I'd consider the purchase - if the later, I wouldn't.
 
I would be nervous of it tbh! Would you be buying him or having him on loan? If on loan and if you can keep him out year round (helps loads!) then worth having a look. If to buy then I would continue the search. My mare has COPD and it is managed, but there is always the chance of it getting worse and the heartache that would bring.
 
I have 1 and I would buy her a million times over. Yes. We have one on loan who has it worse and for good price again yes. Depends quite how severe. I'd at least go see for yourself.
 
Thanks for the replies.

This is what is niggling me the fact that it may get worse, also he is 15 and while he sounds perfect in all other respects, the heartache and potential financial impact may be too much to risk.

Sigh, I guess I will have to keep on searching, I am sure this elusive horse is around somewhere !!

Thanks
 
Has it been diagnosed as having COPD as just wetting hay and having a cough firstly at excercise sounds more like a dust allergy.
COPD is a progressive disease that is upsetting to see.
Its a matter of weighing it up, personally if the horse had COPD and I was just looking for loan for a year or two and at present you could manage the condition then it could be okay but who would have responsibility for the vet bills? This is something to think about.
 
Tadah said:
Hello

I am hoping for some opinions please :)

I have been looking for what seems like forever to find a horse for my hubby. He has been learning to ride for about 6 months and we really want a horse he can hack out and maybe do sponsored rides on.

He is particularly "attracted" to heavy horses he is very tall and well built so needs something substantial height wise and able to take a bit of weight.

We were offered an 18.3 Clydesdale, but owner changed her mind at last minute, just this week we were offered a Percheron again on loan but the owner has been impossible to get hold of since we agreed, despite phone calls, texts, emails and something just doesn't feel right.

I have just seen a shire x advertised, not to far from me he sounds fine in every respect but he has COPD, owner says he is just treated with herbal treatments and damp hay or haylage, he coughs when he is excercised but it improves with fitness. .

Would you take the risk and have a look at him ?

I am starting to think I am looking for the impossible, unless anyone has a huge horse that just wants a lot of fuss and pampering hiding in a stable for cheap as chips or loan !!!!

Thanks for any opinions :)
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To be honest if you OH has only been riding for 6 months then you haven't been looking that long. It took us 2 1/2 years to find the right one and he was 15 years old and supposed to have had dust allergy. Put him same as my other on to shavings and haylage and it went no coughing or anything but you need to know what your looking at. We lost him recently at 22 to colic.:(

I'd keep looking but would go for an older horse as they've normally been there done it and have no supprises. Better to loan as if it doesn't work out you can return.:)
 
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My first pony had COPD and never ever stopped us doing anything just made sure to manage it properly.
If your other half has not been riding long also then the Chances are he won't be competing lots etc so in a word yes I would buy a horse with COPD.
 
No, I'd rather take a bit more time to find the right horse without an existing health problem, sorry I know that sounds blunt but why buy problems.

We had one with COPD, she coped fine, but we could provide the right enviroment, not always something you can do if for example you keeping a horse on a livery yard and don't have the flexibility of where they are kept an what feed etc is used as well as any on going treatment in the future.

No doubt your OH with in time with further experience will want to do more and it may not be something you can ask of the horse as they will be limited at some point or in the future.
 
My tb has been diagnosed with COPD, course of ventupulmin and then steroids did nothing for him, still snotting and coughing overnight.

Moved him to 24/7 turnout and with NO treatment (and he’s now eating unsoaked dry hay!) he coughed once, lightly, during a 1h lesson. He didn’t have COPD issues either when in an outdoor stable, fed haylage and on woodpellet bedding. So if I sold him he could be stabled under those (pretty normal) conditions. Although my horse was fed steamed hay and bedded on wood pellets, those around them weren’t and they were what was causing the issue when he was kept in the barn.

I would go and see him and look at his living arrangements, is he in an American style barn? Is it dusty? What’s he bedded on? IF he’s living out and fed haylage/soaked hay then I would worry about him, but if there are changes that could be made to the management then I would consider it. Also ask to see him doing cantering work, does he cough or whistle? A cough would indicate COPD and a whistle would indicate a Larynx issue that could be treated with a tie back and hobday. Does a 2* vetting also include breathing?
 
Thanks everybody for the replies, it's really helpful.

The horse is to buy, he is priced relatively cheaply £800 which probably reflects his problem. The owner said he was kept on shavings and soaked hay, until a few months ago, but she has no time for him so he is living out permanently now.

My horses are on a livery yard, but there are only my three and the YO three, it's an American barn and they are kept on rubber matting and shavings, we have all year turn out but during winter they are all brought in at night. I pretty much do what I want re the feeding and turnout.

My hubby is getting on in years ! He certainly wouldn't be competing, all he wants to do is hack around the countryside we have here, he is just getting a little frustrated when he see's my son and I tootle off and he is left behind holding the poo picker !!

Thanks again, I will have to give it some further thought.
 
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