Would you buy a quality horse with an injury?

[Inthemud]

I saw an ad on the H&HO sidebar for a quality KWPN being sold partway through rehab from an injury.

It got me thinking of the pros and cons of such a purchase. Without reference to this particular ad, would you consider taking on a rehab project in the hope of getting a very good horse cheaply, but at the risk of rehab not being successful?

Just a theoretical question.

 

[WelshD]

yes, if it was a horse I could otherwise not afford and if the main vets fees were done and dusted but I would want a more definite prognosis than the example you mention

 

[BeingKate]

I brought a lame, thin horse on gut instinct and my vet, trainer and everyone on my then-livery yard went "What the eff did you buy him for?" he's now winning Advanced and training PSG
Depends if you can cope with being "stuck" with her if it all went wrong... she does look lovely!

 

[southerncomfort]

No I don't think I would, but then things are pretty tight financially and I couldn't take the hit if it never came right. For others if the price was right then it may be worth a punt.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

maybe. for a few hundred and no more than that.
and only if it was a case of rest and time, i wouldnt take on anything still needing months of box rest and hand walking or more vet treatment.

 

[ihatework]

I've done it in a round about kind of way a couple of times now.

One was given to me for free, on the basis of a loan that I could return if unrideable. Silly me fell in love with him and I now have an old retired pet!

The other I purchased for a reasonable amount of money with some vet history. But this wasn't a strange horse to me and I knew that it was manageable.

I would be reluctant to hand over money for an unknown quantity. That said I sold on one that had psd surgery shortly after rehab, admittedly not for a huge sum.

 

[Pigeon]

I read about someone who bought a PSG horse that had long term low-level lameness for $100. They changed farriers and horse got miraculously better and was out competing successfully again. I know the old owners kicked up a bit of a fuss but the bill of sale held. So I think it can be done successfully but it's a gamble.

If I had my own land I might give it a shot for a schoolmasterly type, but livery bills mean that I can only really have one horse (I know I sort of have two but shh) so really wouldn't be worth it for me personally. It's lovely reading success stories on here though

 

[wench]

Maybe... if I knew the horse, and the owner.

Otherwise no. Unless it could be purchased very cheaply, and prognosis for recovery was excellent

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes I would if I had the space and the time and the research I did before taking it on made me think it was worth the punt .
I saw the horse over >>>>> and thought how sad it was I hope the owner finds someone experienced and sensible to take on the horse .

 

[FfionWinnie]

I'd take it on free if I really liked the horse/knew it.

 

[Auslander]

I did. Paid £1 for an aging dressage horse with undiagnosed "problems". He is now the love of my life, and finally sound enough that he could go out competing if I wanted to.
He has cost me an absolute fortune to get right though. Having said that, sound, fit and competing at the level he was competing at, he would have been worth 25k+ as a conservative guesstimate. I've spent around 7k getting him right- so I feel that I've got quite a good deal really. I still wouldn't begrudge him the money I've spent, even if he was a retired field donkey, because he has done amazing things for a common old Irish bog horse, and he absolutely deserves to be spoilt to death in his twilight years.

 

[StoptheCavalry]

Along a similar line to this...

I have been offered a horse for free. They have offered to cover the livery bills for said horse. The horse was bred in Germany specifically with dressage in mind. They bought her as a broodmare to put to their stallion but for various reasons their stallion was gelded so it never happened. As a 3 yr old she had an operation on her stifle as it was filling with fluid (no more info as of yet) she is now an un-backed 6 year old. They were advised they could begin backing her 6 months after the op but for various reasons never did so she's just a field ornament for now. She's very well bred and extremely beautiful, lovely temperament etc. Would you consider it? My reservations are that I will be spending time caring for something that may not stand up to ridden work, without a doubt I would become attached and want to keep forever and I wonder whether the offer of paying for livery will last for her lifetime... Decisions decisions...

 

[Red-1]

An ex (but he was current at the time) bought a lovely mare who was recovering from proper pulled tendons, she had flares and everything. She had been rested, and turned away, and was sound, back in hacking work with some schooling and even popping a small fence. We paid about 1/5th of what she would have been worth without the injury.

As my ex was a novice she had yet another year doing small stuff, then he started to hunt her and I prepped her for that by having a few outings, and she was a DREAM. When we split up I liked her enough to buy, she won a Newcomers, went round Open Team chase as well as being a top hunter.

Eventually she had a sesamoid problem, but she was well worth the time, effort and risk for the wonderful mare that she was that we could not have otherwise afforded.

Similarly Jay man was about half price as he had severe behavioural issues. Again that was a huge risk as if it had not worked out for me he would not really have been saleable. He was also worth the risk, and is absolutely stunning.

I also had one that had a history of being a bit off. He was sound a lot of the time, but did not stay that way in hard work. He is living the life of Riley with a friend as he clearly would not stand up to the type of work I wanted from him. He is the horse of a lifetime for my friend, and sound with lower intensity work. I know my friend thinks he is worth the full £1 he paid me for him!

I think it helps if you are looking for a horse as a partner rather than as a moneymaking business.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Probably not because I get attached very quickly and having had to work through many injuries already they can take a heavy emotional toll and I couldn't afford to keep multiple unsound horses. However if your expectations are lower at the outset you are probably less likely to be disappointed. I already have my 20yr old who will be kept and cherished for as long as he lives.

 

[be positive]

Along a similar line to this...

I have been offered a horse for free. They have offered to cover the livery bills for said horse. The horse was bred in Germany specifically with dressage in mind. They bought her as a broodmare to put to their stallion but for various reasons their stallion was gelded so it never happened. As a 3 yr old she had an operation on her stifle as it was filling with fluid (no more info as of yet) she is now an un-backed 6 year old. They were advised they could begin backing her 6 months after the op but for various reasons never did so she's just a field ornament for now. She's very well bred and extremely beautiful, lovely temperament etc. Would you consider it? My reservations are that I will be spending time caring for something that may not stand up to ridden work, without a doubt I would become attached and want to keep forever and I wonder whether the offer of paying for livery will last for her lifetime... Decisions decisions...

I would go for this, especially with the livery covered, although I think to expect it for life may be too optimistic unless you are a pro rider, I would put a time limit on and then pay a token £1 to take her over completely, if she doesnt stand up to work but is ok and suited to hacking she could always be moved on as a hack, if you will get too attached to do this then maybe the owners should look for someone else I don't think they would struggle to find someone as apart from the time put in there is nothing to lose really and possibly a lot to gain if she proves to be sound and talented.

I took on a horse part way through his rehab, 1 year after injury, he is now just about sound 12 months later, I would be unlikely consider the one in the ad for several reasons, it is very big, big horses often struggle to stay sound or come back from injury, they are expecting too much money for a horse that may not come back to dressage and they do not say what level he was at, if he was at a decent level, med at least, it may be more tempting.

 

[StoptheCavalry]

I would go for this, especially with the livery covered, although I think to expect it for life may be too optimistic unless you are a pro rider, I would put a time limit on and then pay a token £1 to take her over completely, if she doesnt stand up to work but is ok and suited to hacking she could always be moved on as a hack, if you will get too attached to do this then maybe the owners should look for someone else I don't think they would struggle to find someone as apart from the time put in there is nothing to lose really and possibly a lot to gain if she proves to be sound and talented.

I am by absolutely no means a pro rider but my boss knows I love my horse and they are much more concerned about her having a nice home. They had her full sister too and sold her on and she is doing very well in the dressage world with pro rider. I'm pretty sure if she didn't stand up to work or for whatever reason it didn't work out they would have her back. My main concern is being given the horse and ending up with serious vets bills that could potentially end up just being as pet. I could never have enough horses especially if she is a nice character, going to see her again tomorrow so we will see...

 

[el_Snowflakes]

I'm sure there are plenty of positive stories like this but for me-no, definitely not.

 

[be positive]

I am by absolutely no means a pro rider but my boss knows I love my horse and they are much more concerned about her having a nice home. They had her full sister too and sold her on and she is doing very well in the dressage world with pro rider. I'm pretty sure if she didn't stand up to work or for whatever reason it didn't work out they would have her back. My main concern is being given the horse and ending up with serious vets bills that could potentially end up just being as pet. I could never have enough horses especially if she is a nice character, going to see her again tomorrow so we will see...

I would get her insured, obviously they will not cover the previous injury but if that is fixed it should cause no real problems, at least you would be covered for any other issues if they should crop up so you shouldn't end up with too many bills, if the original injury does cause problems then I would just stop if it looks as if any major work is required and turn her back out as that is an option.
As you are close to her owners they are likely to continue their support whatever happens, unlike getting one from a stranger who may offer the world then change their mind when it comes down to it, you would still be in control but with a get out of jail card provided you actually want another horse and have a job for her.

 

[SadKen]

Under my current circumstances, no chance.

If I had my own place and the price was right, yes, on the basis that I don't get too attached, have a time limit, and pts if the injury doesn't improve. I'd quite like a project if I had the time and space, and I'd far rather work on a pleasant horse with an injury than a sound crackpot!

 

[gunnergundog]

I bought a very well bred eventing irish chappie a long time ago now from a local dealer who couldn't shift him; he had picked him up from ireland due to his breeding and potential. Unfortunately, he had had an argument with some agricultural equipment that had been dumped in his field as a youngster. Consequently, he had had skin grafts (pin tucks from the belly) on to both fore legs. The hair never grew back and the legs looked hideous.....he had to be bandaged rather than booted but it never caused him a problem. He novice evented successfully, even though he was a bit too heavy in build in all honesty, and was a great hunter. He eventually went bi-laterally lame in front, but was due to foot problems. He was the best two bottles of scotch malt that I've bought!

 

[Tobiano]

A 'quality' horse would be totally wasted on me! So the question wouldn't arise.

Obv to me my horses are perfect paragons but nobody else would describe them as 'quality'

 

[Spring Feather]

Yes I would, and have done. I totally lucked out with 2 showjumpers I bought for not insignificant amounts but a heck of a lot less than if they were IFWO.

 

[pip6]

We bought a top quality ish novice eventer who was found to have an old injury to her withers which affected her sj. She was only 6, stunning horse, came from pro yard. Paid £200 for her, knowing of her injury, had 3 wonderful foals from her over 8 years until we lost her last year to a tumour. Gave her a lovely retirement, she loved having foals.

 

[MargotC]

My gut response is a firm 'no'. However that is not entirely true as there are in the world maybe two horses that I wouldn't hesitate a second to pick up even with an injury (deemed fixable to some extent, that is, and if my circumstances permitted it). Neither horse is probably quality in terms of what is meant by the word, but are horses that I know personally and that have qualities that to me would override most any restrictions an injury might bring. Might be my heart ruling my head but I can see why people would weigh the risks and choose to give it a go. Especially if the risk of financial loss was low.

 

[Lucyloo25]

A 'quality' horse would probably be wasted on me unless it was a schoolmaster with a lot of patience! I don't think I would unless it was something that time could heal and not re-occurring. Or unless it was a mare who could be put to use as broodie/surrogate if she couldn't stay in work as I know a lot of people who look for surrogate mares

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It would depend on the injury and the horse. I brought one home from work with a completely ruptured tendon based on the fact that he was stunning, I knew he would cope with box rest, if he got sorted I had a great show horse with a fun attitude and great hack. He could also jump for fun.

The downside - he could spend 6 months on straight box rest and then get put down. If he healed how much would he heal, would he then just be an expensive field ornament.

I took a gamble. I have a horse with a banana leg but its solid, it's scar tissue between 2 pieces of tendon so I just have to be careful what I do with him and on what surface. He is a phenominal show horse when his head is right and the leg doesn't look to bad at first glance -being grey helps blend it in slightly.

Would I do it again? Yes. Would I do it for another injury? It would depend upon the injury.

 

[glamourpuss]

Sort of. I've bought a horse that failed a vetting on issues that may or may not effect him in the future. The seller was keen for me to have him because she thought the way I keep/work/compete my horses was the best way for him to stay sound. I was given him on a loan for quite a while so I could assess that he was what I wanted. Obviously fell head over heels in love with him & so he's mine.
On my side I do have my own land & I really enjoy hacking him so if he ends up just becoming a light hack it's not the end of the world.

 

[Polos Mum]

My big horse I took on because his current rider couldn't keep him sound at top level. He has 400 BE points including a handful of 4* runs. He was 14 at the time and has a list of exclusions on his insurance that ran to three pages (no joke)
He is now 21 and he;s competed at the max of my (not his!) abilities inc eventing, hunting etc all that time, the only lameness being 6 months off for a ligament strain he did being silly in mud (which any horse could have done)
He is my absolute horse of a lifetime and I would clone him again and again if I could
He as free though so buying one - it depends on how much and the big difference is we have our own land so if he;d have gone lame after 2 weeks retirement at minimal cost is an easy option for me.
If I could only have one at a time/ or had to pay livery I'd think very differently