Would you buy a weaver?

[NicolaC]

My friend ( who is a dealer ) has just got a little Irish horse in last Saturday who she said would suit me. The only problem is he is a weaver. She dosen't know how bad he is as she turned him straight out when she got him home. She said that if I like him to take him him for a couple of week to see how bad he is.

Now I already have one that weaves and for myself it dosen't bother me, but the new horse I only intend keeping it for a couple of years ( But you never know what might happen ).

The question is would you buy one that weaves. This horse is very cheap aswell.

 

[arwenplusone]

If I was keeping for me, then yes I would.

If intending to sell on then I'm afraid I wouldn't.

 

[alicep]

one of my old ponies used to weave but only really in the stable therefore i used to keep him out 24-7 and it didnt really become an issue. i think i would have to think about it more if the horse weaved when out also but its would depend on the horse and why or what starts it weaving etc.

 

[dwi]

Isn't weaving one of those things that depends on the environment the horse is kept in? It might not weave in a different home

 

[Kenzo]

If they were pretty much just your cuppa tea in every other way, good their job and you could work round the weaving (24/7 turnout if possible) the weaving didn't progress into box walking, separation anxiety and loosing interest in food etc then no it wouldn't stop me, I had a horse that was weaver but I wasn't told this when I bought him because they apparently didn't know, I kept him out as much as possible apart from grooming/tacking up etc where did weave...unless you left him unattended which I didn't do so he never got the chance to weave hence why I had him for many years until he was pts (old age).

But if you cant change their lifestyle to help prevent them from weaving or you can change your lifestyle to suit their needs/requirements then no, because its a vice and its not fair on the horse, plus you don't know how long they have been doing it for and what strain/damage it may of already done, plus it would make it hard for you to sell them on if that is your purpose.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

i believe its also a psychological thing and some horses just cant help themselves a bit like windsucking, boxwalking ect.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

there is no guarentee you'll never have to sell it so i'd rather not unless it was perfect for me and everything else about it was what i wanted.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I bought a weaver without realising. It got me seriously frustrated to begin with. He got better once I turned him out 24 7 and as long as he has a big haynet when he's in he is 85% ok. He'll weave at supper time or breakfast time and when he sees someone when he's bored but I think he knows he'll get a reaction if he does it.

I was told once that what a horse did in his own time was his business. obviously I'd prefer a horse that didn't weave but still. I think people worry about it a bit too much because it looks so dramatic.

 

[Flora232]

you could try a stable mirror to see if that helps

 

[ClareHasler]

My boy is a weaver and my horse previous to him was as well (this is because they are both ex-racers who are renowned for this behaviour). It really doesn't bother me at all, but then i am not on a yard where people will complain. 24/7 turnout as much as poss as BIG haynets when in normally sort out the problem 99% of the time. Mine only does it now at feed time.

 

[Starbucks]

Yea I would. I had a pony who used to weave quite a lot and we didn't haveany problems selling him.

Also - if he's cheap then at least you won't loose money if you have to sell him on cheaper because of the weaving.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

[ QUOTE ]
My boy is a weaver and my horse previous to him was as well (this is because they are both ex-racers who are renowned for this behaviour)

[/ QUOTE ]
This is because alot of racers dont get turned out and so get bored and once they start doing it, it becomes a habit. My friend worked at a racing yard for a while and alot of them had vices or were just plain grumpy.

 

[NicolaC]

My friend went and fetched him last Saturday and he had only just come over from Ireland with a load more. She said he looked very stressed from all the traveling and moveing about. He has since not weaved since he has been out.
Not really sure what to do.

I might pop over at the weekend and see him.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

you could always have him for the 2 weeks trial she said and if it just doesnt work out she will take him back. no harm in trying as she is a friend, i wouldnt do it with just any dealer though.

 

[Kenzo]

Some horses even weave in their fields...depending on how stressed they get, say for instance you take their field companion away, so I really think its best that you see how he settles in to his new surroundings ...because new surroundings can either hide the problem or indeed can go the other way and make the problem seem far worse than what is actually is, sorry I know that doesnt help but its true.

 

[RagazzoSam]

I worked on a stud in Newmarket and very few of the mares weaved yet all had raced. I think you have to factor in the level of hard feed racehorses eat.

 

[MellyMoo]

On a good note to weavers and cribbers, because of all the extra 'exercise' they do they are always soft over the neck and good in the rein! I have never ridden one that wasn't easy to get in an outline. This should outway the weaving if the horse is good enough.

 

[SunshineTallulah]

Also depends if the yard you want to keep it at allows vices.... as some dont want weavers, cribbers etc etc.

Go and see the horse and then decide.

 

[carys220]

QR, any horse that I bought would live out so it wouldn't matter to me.

As you said, he has been out in the field and not weaved so that would suggest he doesn't like being stabled - easy solution there.

 

[CBAnglo]

[ QUOTE ]
On a good note to weavers and cribbers, because of all the extra 'exercise' they do they are always soft over the neck and good in the rein! I have never ridden one that wasn't easy to get in an outline. This should outway the weaving if the horse is good enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont agree - a horse that is being left to crib and windsuck in an unsuitable environment e.g. stabled 24/7 develops unnatural neck muscles which doesnt allow it to soft its jaw and relax on the bit. Also, the damage they do to their teeth can affect the rein contact. Also anti-crib collars can cause poll tension.

As for weaving, I think you need to consider any damage that may be caused on his legs and whether you could keep him in a suitable environment - I have seen weavers stabled 24/7 and it is very upsetting as the horse progressively works itself up. Everyone has given good advice about management.

Also, you may have trouble with livery yards - people do not like horses with vices regardless of whether they are copied or not. I have a cribber and I would say that 50% of the yards had concerns but not one of them said they wouldnt take him although he has to wear a collar etc when he is in.

 

[Bosworth]

I would have said yes until 12 months ago as I believe that you can go a long way to helping a weaver by changing feed, increasing turnout and exercise routine. However one of my liveries is a chronic weaver when in so we left her out - until she had a bad fall on the roads and needed to be box rested to try and heal her knees. Unfortunately she weaves so badly she was preventing her knees from healing and was actually causing more damage. the vet tried to imobilise her legs and she was racked, she carried on weaving but in doing so caused pressure sores on the back of her legs, She damaged her feet weaving, caused problems in her neck and back as despite being restrained she continued to fight to weave. It was horrific it took far far longer than it should have done to heal simply because of the behavioural problem So now I think I would say no

 

[Parkranger]

I didn't know Oscar weaved until I happened to go up to the yard and catch him doing it!

It doesn't effect him now that he's settled with us and only did it occsasionally while he was on box rest - usually when it was dinner time!

There are benefits - he didn't need his fronts trimmed while on box rest! ;-)

 

[rara007]

Fred weaves, but only when you doing something with other ponies. He would be bad on a busy yard, but as most of the time there are no people about ours he doesn't do it much. It wouldn't put me off TBH. Fred does have an upside down neck though, not sure if that is to do with the weaving or just his very tense way of going, but he is probably never going to releax enough to work well.

 

[Parkranger]

Rara - that's a good point actually, Oscar is a lot more settled at our new yard....

 

[lynsey1808]

Mine weaves, although he is much better in his new yard and tends to only do it when he sees me at feed time.
I don't have a problem with it, it looks worse than it is.
I do however have a problem with anti-weave grills, cribbing collars etc. I believe that they just make the horse more stressed as they can't do the thing that relieves their stress ( if that makes sense?).
I think they are very old school and unnecessary as studies have shown that it is not copied behaviour. The only complete cure for mine and plenty of others I'm sure is 24/7 turnout, and unfortunately I'm not in a position to do this.
Sorry, yes I would buy one!

 

[Skhosu]

No I wouldn't. I have one and it's annoying, and you can get the perfect horse that doesn't weave. Nevermind the poor doing, joint issues, rubbing the hair on their neck.

 

[Silverspring]

If you want the horse don't let the weaving put you off

I have a weaver and to be honest it is quite managable. To begin with she used to drive me crazy but I found that she only did it when seriously stressed (new yard when I got her so I had a good month of serious weaving and then it settle to intermittent weaving and pretty slow) and when she wants out.

Some horse will stop weaving altogether if kept on a strict routine, it depends if it's a habit and if he has excess energy to burn. That's often why the hot blood never stop weaving, they have the nervous energy all the time but most WB and CB lack the energy to weave unless there is a good reason(be it boredom, stress etc)

I wouldn't worry about selling a weaver on, you wouldn't get quite as much if they didn't weave but I don't know many people that would say weaving was a deal breaker unless it meant the horse was unstableable (is that even a word!)

PM if you want to chat weavers, I'm in a horse weaver owners anonymous society

 

[star]

my old boy weaves. didn't bother me when i bought him, although i never intended him to sell him.