Would you worry about these feet? Conformation advice please

[millitiger]

I'd be confident my excellent farrier would fix those feet and it wouldn't put me off buying.
However, her leg conformation is not good at all and she also looks light of bone and I'm afraid I would be walking away for that reason.

Good luck whatever you decide, I've yet to find the perfect horse, you just have to weigh up the risks of each horse.

 

[Wagtail]

Not read any of the other replies so I won't be influenced. I don't think the problem is upright pasterns, but poor foot balance. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some counter rotation of the coffin bones going on and her pasterns have been forced upright because of this. She also has sickle hocks, straight shoulder and long cannon bones. However I LOVE her face. There is something I really like about her and if she was cheap enough I might take a punt. Her foot balance can be sorted with a very good farrier or trimmer. Sickle hocks can be a problem but also they can lead to nice movement and a good jump and they are not too severe.

 

[katiper]

I'd be confident my excellent farrier would fix those feet and it wouldn't put me off buying.
However, her leg conformation is not good at all and she also looks light of bone and I'm afraid I would be walking away for that reason.

Good luck whatever you decide, I've yet to find the perfect horse, you just have to weigh up the risks of each horse.

What is wrong with her leg confirmation?

My budget is 6000, and I live in the south east where everything is inflated in cost.

I just want a forward going horse, that wants to jump. Temperament is also essential. I did try another that was 7 and proven to newcomers, but I just felt it was too much horse for me and this one I just got on and was flying around a course in 15 minutes!

It is such a difficult decision! The vetting is scheduled for Monday at 9.30. Are her feet bad enough yo fail?

 

[Slightlyconfused]

To me if your vet says she will do the job then I would buy her.

I have never gotten any of mine vetted. Last year we went looking for my brother. found a lovely beast of a horse, moved okay the only problem I saw was his hocks. very very close together but we took a chance as his temperament was what we wanted for my brother and after six months of straight line hacking and getting him balanced and off his forehand his hocks improved no end. Vet agreed he would have failed a vetting when I first got him on those hocks but six months later he had a lameness work up (totally unrelated to conformation) and he said he would have passed him that day.

so my view is as long as you know the cons, if everything else ticks the box go for it but just get her work load right to build up the right muscle. Lots of hacking, get a good farrier or even take shoes off and let her sort her feet out her self and see what happens.

Ive met plenty of horses over the years with shocking comfo doing high level events.

 

[SpringArising]

I just looked at the full-sized pic and I don't like anything about her.

She looks incredibly weak all over, is in poor condition, looks slightly sickle-hocked, her front feet point to the right and her hinds to the left from the looks of it.

With 6k you can easily find something better.

 

[katiper]

Not read any of the other replies so I won't be influenced. I don't think the problem is upright pasterns, but poor foot balance. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some counter rotation of the coffin bones going on and her pasterns have been forced upright because of this. She also has sickle hocks, straight shoulder and long cannon bones. However I LOVE her face. There is something I really like about her and if she was cheap enough I might take a punt. Her foot balance can be sorted with a very good farrier or trimmer. Sickle hocks can be a problem but also they can lead to nice movement and a good jump and they are not too severe.

She is lovely, super chilled, and seriously wants to jump. Took her cross country the second time I rode her, she jumped everything, despite my tragic lines. She does need work, but I don't think the owner would decrease the price unless the vet said it was a problem.

I've emailed he vet and asked them to contact me before the vetting. It's just a shame, because really clicked with her but I need to make sure my head rules and not my heart!

 

[twiggy2]

for 6k you can get much better conformation, she looks a bit poor to me, could do with more weight and tonnes more muscle, I would not even view her she does nothing for me but that is not what you are asking so in answer to your question I would be concerned about her conformation full stop, her feet look like they would be fine with a good farrier.

 

[cornbrodolly]

Apart from poor conformation, alarm bells are ringing when O P says she got a deal for a 'quick sale'. This is to be your first horse? Go for something older with a proven record and decent conformation. This may mean horse is a bit aged - over 10 at least, but would be a better buy than this one,pretty faces mean nothing ,I m afraid.

 

[be positive]

for 6k you can get much better conformation, she looks a bit poor to me, could do with more weight and tonnes more muscle, I would not even view her she does nothing for me but that is not what you are asking so in answer to your question I would be concerned about her conformation full stop, her feet look like they would be fine with a good farrier.

When you said you had a lowish budget I was thinking this horse was far less than 6k, I think you should be able to do far better, temperament is a priority but it is no good if the lovely natured horse cannot stand up to the work required, I would want to know why she looks so under muscled to me it reflects her conformation and may well be because there are underlying soundness issues.
It could be that they just haven't fed her but if she is a valuable asset you would expect them to at least keep her looking fairly well.

 

[concorde]

Wow, I wasn't thinking anywhere near that sort of price.
I think you could get much better for your budget.

 

[ester]

Thpse that say see what the vet says - I wouldnt pay the expense of having a horse vetted if I didn't think it had the Confo for the job. You have a decent budget OP I'd keep looking for something less likely to be a veterinary moneypit.

 

[FfionWinnie]

She does nothing for me and she looks very poor all over. She may become too much horse once she is more muscled up.

I would say that the photos are not really very good for judging conformation as the leg ones appear to be taken looking down at an angle.

For 6k you could get an absolute cracker so I would avoid avoid avoid that one.

I'm just thinking of a horse a HHOer sold then got back to sell for her owner who found out she was pregnant soon after she bought her. That horse might be just the sort you are after.

 

[katiper]

She has lived out all winter and don't think she has done much so has lost condition. That is something I would be able to work on, so I didn't mind as much. Ok, well I've actually dent pictures to the vet and asked him to advise as to whether I should bother or not, but I'm inclined to swerve it, even though I really clicked with her to ride.

I have been sharing other horses, I want something between 6-9 because I want plenty of years of use after the purchase. My instructor is happy with this decision, even though it is my first horse. I think that for this, there are other compromises to be made before the conformation of the foot/leg.

 

[katiper]

She does nothing for me and she looks very poor all over. She may become too much horse once she is more muscled up.

I would say that the photos are not really very good for judging conformation as the leg ones appear to be taken looking down at an angle.

For 6k you could get an absolute cracker so I would avoid avoid avoid that one.

I'm just thinking of a horse a HHOer sold then got back to sell for her owner who found out she was pregnant soon after she bought her. That horse might be just the sort you are after.

Really, where is it based? Details? Oops, if it is Scotland, that might be a problem as I am in Kent!

 

[mudmudmud]

Wow, I wouldnt pay anything over £2,000 for her. Looks very weak in general, unproven and needs work, it would all put me off as a first horse.

Try maybe looking a little older, I bought my first eventer aged 11 who had evented upto Novice for under £3,000- I am up North but still you should be able to get something very nice for your budget!

 

[katiper]

Wow, I wouldnt pay anything over £2,000 for her. Looks very weak in general, unproven and needs work, it would all put me off as a first horse.

Try maybe looking a little older, I bought my first eventer aged 11 who had evented upto Novice for under £3,000- I am up North but still you should be able to get something very nice for your budget!

See I think the south east is a nightmare, I think you pay more for everything here. I have been looking for a while and have never seen something with that kind of record for under 3000. Perhaps I should look out of the south east within reason, it just makes viewings difficult and of course I want my instructor present and that becomes difficult and costly.

 

[angel7]

Think your instructer and seller are taking the OP to the bank with this one TBH..

This horse is worth 1.5K max with tack!
Why is it in such poor condition if its working so much. It must go like a giraffe to have a neck like that while competing regularly!
What's the horse's history OP?
It does look like its just off the boat from Ireland...
Walk away, or vet it and make a very cheap offer!!

 

[Tnavas]

I'd be cautious - When looking at Pastern angles I always look at the shoulder angle as often a horse that is upright in the pastern also has an upright shoulder. This will mean the horse generally has a short choppy stride (uncomfortable), and won't walk out well, nothing worse than riding a horse that minces along in walk.

The feet could be improved but not to the point where it will correct the angle of the pastern.

Words of wisdom, from my old coach many decades ago - after she had dragged a reluctant me away from a horse that had stopped at a jump at home. It was black - I wanted it, but she was right.

"One day you may have to sell this horse - do you think it will be easy to sell?"

If you are unsure of its conformation - you will find the same thing happening when you try to sell.

I'd keep looking

 

[MotherOfChickens]

you have £6K, its a reasonable budget (£2K more than I've ever spent even at the height of the market) even for where you are-I'd keep looking fwiw. Remember you can transport a horse from bottom to top of UK for £500, you don't only have to look right on your doorstep

 

[mudmudmud]

I think your going to have to be prepared to travel.

Look what you can get for your budget a bit further up north
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...e__unit=4831&height__unit=4902&age__unit=5497

 

[katiper]

I think your going to have to be prepared to travel.

Look what you can get for your budget a bit further up north
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...e__unit=4831&height__unit=4902&age__unit=5497

Funnily enough, I looked at that ad yesterday. Cheshire is actually not far from where my parents live. Point taken...I'll widen my search!

 

[FfionWinnie]

No it's not it's well South. I think she is only rising 5 tho but a really lovely type. I will check of it's ok to pass on her details ok?

 

[Polos Mum]

OP - she might be a lovely ride and be nice to handle because she's so poor - once she's fit and muscled she might be much stronger and opinionated.
I'm another one who thinks £6k is a good budget for something sensible but you need to find something that's doing what you want to do right now - the compromise might be age but age= experience
I took on a 14 y/o ex 4* eventer who has been absolutely perfect for me for 6 years ! (starting to slow down only since he turned 21)

 

[Polos Mum]

OR take on something from a charity for nothing and spend £6k on lessons/ schooling etc. You'll end up with just as nice a horse in the medium term.

http://www.bransbyhorses.co.uk/re-homing/re-homing-future-friends.html

Orpheous looks nice

 

[mudmudmud]

Funnily enough, I looked at that ad yesterday. Cheshire is actually not far from where my parents live. Point taken...I'll widen my search!

While your up here you might aswell see a few http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...-17/height__unit-4902/sort_method-score-desc/

 

[mudmudmud]

I like this one too, http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...e__unit=4831&height__unit=4902&age__unit=5497

also not a million miles away from Cheshire.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Malnourished poorly conformed moose. Keep looking OP.

 

[be positive]

I did a search on HQ just to see what there was for your budget, which I felt should get you a horse ready to event at the lower levels and I was surprised to read you were struggling to find anything, there are some nice looking horses available which fit your criteria, the grey on the bottom of the first page looks very smart, he is fractionally over budget but open to offers, most have a record of some type and several are well within budget.

http://www.horsequest.co.uk/search....&maxa=10&at=18&s=&r=24&ds=1&c=2&sc=33&ld=&rn=

 

[thatsmygirl]

Sorry but I also can't find anything about her that I like, I wouldn't pay very much at all for her as she's v v weak all over and I can see her being a problem.

 

[mudmudmud]

I did a search on HQ just to see what there was for your budget, which I felt should get you a horse ready to event at the lower levels and I was surprised to read you were struggling to find anything, there are some nice looking horses available which fit your criteria, the grey on the bottom of the first page looks very smart, he is fractionally over budget but open to offers, most have a record of some type and several are well within budget.

http://www.horsequest.co.uk/search....&maxa=10&at=18&s=&r=24&ds=1&c=2&sc=33&ld=&rn=

Very nice! Definitely worth a look at that one!