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Discussion on To Buy or Not To Buy...
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 9, 2003 - 9:54 am:
Hi All,
First of all, I apologize if this post has appeared in the wrong place...I spend most of my time in the Advisor soaking up the info and rarely have I posted.
I'm looking for some insight and know that there are no hard and fast answers to my dilemma, but just wanted some feedback from people with more horse experience than I.
Here goes: After retiring my 10yr old TB(arthritis in every joint), I have been looking for a dressage partner. After looking at quite a few horses, I found nothing suitable (or they didn't vet check out). So, at my trainers suggestion, I started leasing a 12 yr old Holsteiner mare with the intention of seeing if the partnershup would work--if so, I had the option to buy the mare. This is an exceptional mare, trained to 4th level, with beautiful pure gaits and a wonderful even temperament and great work ethic. Although the horse is way better trained and much more talented than I, we worked things out and I have been successfully riding her and thrilled with the progress we have made together. So, I decided to have a pre-puchase exam done.
We were VERY thourough with the exam, with multiple x-rays to the hocks, front feet, knees, etc. The vet was unable to make the horse step wrong after the flexion tests. When he called with the results, he found a bit of arthritis in her hocks. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being perfect, 10 being terrible)he rated her about a 2 and said that in his opinion, he would be surprised if she DIDN'T have any signs of ware and tear, since she is twelve. Again, this does not yet affect her movement and since I have been riding her, she has not taken one bad step. All other test were negative and this horse is in great shape all the way around.
My questions are this: Is it unreasonable to think that I could find a horse trained to this level that doesn't have any joint issues? (After reading many of the articles, I see that even young horses that haven't been started sometimes have joint problems). Since this mare is so sound at this point, does slight "wear and tear" mean that with good care, she most likely will remain so sound and keep the quality of her gaits for years to come? I have read that horses that are sound at this age are likely to remain sound (unless of course there is major trauma/accident).
I am unsure what to do. I have enjoyed this horse tremendously during the period of the lease. She is of exceptional quality and at a very reasonable price--but I am just a bit paranoid after my experience with my TB--it broke my heart to have to find another home for him as he could no longer train.
A few other bits of info to provide some insight: This mare was started slowly as she was born/trained in Germany. Also, I am new to dressage, so in the next year or so, I would like to show at Training level. Being an adult who has not ridden for very long, I probably will never reach 4th level (Just don't learn anything as quickly or easily as I used to when I was younger!!)
Thanks to all who can provide some guidance!
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 9, 2003 - 4:00 pm:
Grab her.
I bought my daughter's horse for her three years ago. He was seventeen, an ex-champion eventer. We did what you did, vetted him out thoroughly, and for his age he was in fine shape. He did have normal "wear and tear," some arthritis in his front left, but nothing serious. In three years he has had no more than a few unsound days and has taught my daughter the world, brought her confidence from very low to VERY high, adorned her beDrOom with blue ribbons and become her best friend. He is now twenty and will be going off to college with her in the fall.
Schoolmasters (and mistresses) are worth their weight in gold. At twelve, your mare is not at all what I would call aged. She has many many good years in front of her. Being started slowly, in Europe, is a tremendous plus--they are much more cautious over there about stressing a horse too early and as a result their dressage mounts are often serviceable schoolmasters well into their twenties. I would call your experience with your TB more the exception than the rule; don't let it scare you off what seems like a perfect match.
Like I said, grab her. And if you don't, send her to me--I'll take her! LOL.
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 9, 2003 - 5:07 pm:
Thanks so much, Zoe for your speedy response. I have to admit that I'm hoping most members weigh in on the side that you did. As I said, this is an absolutely lovely mare with incredible gaits (one of the reasons I needed to "try her out" during the lease was to see if I could even manage to ride a horse with such huge suspension--it hasn't been easy!). And I love her temperament--she is the same horse day in and day out. She isn't flighty, spooky or even very "mareish" at all. Her idea of a spook is to flinch and then it is over...back to work we go. However, I do want to make a decision that is based on being well-informed and not based on emotion as I have grown fond of her during the lease.
Thanks again!
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 9, 2003 - 5:15 pm:
Fran--
I am chuckling as I write this. You say that you want to "make a decision that is based on being well-informed."
Well, based on the following "information":
"As I said, this is an absolutely lovely mare with incredible gaits . . . she is the same horse day in and day out. She isn't flighty, spooky or even very "mareish" at all. Her idea of a spook is to flinch and then it is over...back to work we go. "
What on earth are you waiting for? This horse sounds like a dream come true. Especially since she is a mare (I have a mare. LOL. )
No wonder you have "grown fond of her." I'll repeat my earlier advice: GRAB HER. Before someone else does. :-)
Good luck with your new horse.
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Member:
Sross
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 9, 2003 - 6:18 pm:
How long have you been leasing this mare?
Sandy
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 - 5:59 am:
Hello Fran,
Your concerns are addressed at: Care for Horses » Disease Prevention and Health Care » Horses and the Prepurchase Exam. Though you should read the entire article see the Lameness Exam section of the article. If you would like a bit more detailed information try » Equine Diseases » Lameness » The Interpretation of Radiographs.
DrO
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 - 10:26 am:
Sandy, I've been leasing the mare for 3 months and she has been at the barn where I ride since this past September--so, I've been exposed to her for more than 6 moths.
Dr. O, thanks for pointing me in the right direction--I read a bunch of the articles but am not sure if I read the ones you recommend above
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Member:
Ntucket
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 - 10:55 am:
Fran
I'm with Zoe - GRAB HER! She sounds awesome. And when you say that you are trying to keep emotion out of it, that you've grown fond of her - don't discount that emotion. No matter how perfectly a horse vets out, there will be issues, accidents, etc. If you've grown to love this horse, taking care of her when things pop up (and they will), will be a labor of love. Throw your arms around her and tell her she's yours forever and start forming that bond without reservation.
Good Luck
Mary
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Member:
Chrism
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 - 11:36 am:
Based on what you've written, she sounds like a peach for your needs.
Has she ever had a foal? Does she have her breed papers? How is she built? Positive answers there would only add to her useability if you should decide to retire her some time in the future.
Remember, a vetting is just one moment in time. You've 6 months of being near her to evaluate her - much more than many of us have when purchasing a horse.
If a decision to buy feels good, then it must be for the best!
Cheers.
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Member:
Sross
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 - 7:04 pm:
I agree! Six months is long enough to know what you've got. If she's been sound the entire time, that's another plus in her favor. I'm showing some signs of wear and tear myself, but I've still get plenty of good years in me yet! 
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 - 8:52 pm:
All that and reasonably priced? If all you say is true, then her temperament and ability alone are worth it. When you are new to a discipline, there is no better instructor than a well-schooled horse. If she's shown no hock trouble in 6 months.....well, that's a lot more "checking out" than most of us get to do when making a decision to buy a horse. Put me in line for her if you don't take her ( psssst...infrontofZoe..ok?)
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 - 9:37 pm:
HAY!
"Put me in line for her if you don't take her ( psssst...infrontofZoe..ok?)"
Who answered this thread FIRST????
;-)
Z
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Friday, Apr 11, 2003 - 8:30 am:
Hi all,
Thanks so much for your advice! I promised the owner an answer this weekend, so, I'm going for it!
Christine, to answer your question: we think the mare may have been bred before she was imported but I have not had the time to run a search to see if there are any babies out there. The pre-purchase vet said that this is a mare that SHOULD be breed--and she is papered. I did have a preliminary check on her internally and everthing felt OK, but the vet said the best way to know was to do ultrasound. Since my primary purpose for her isn't as a brood mare, I decided that I'd hold off on that for now. Part of my thought was that eventually, I could breed her when she gets older and have a "jr" waiting in the wings for when Mom needs to retire.
I have been wanting this horse--no doubt about it. She has not put one foot in the wrong place nor has there been one day where she has shown the slightest bit of lameness. And she is just a sweety.
Well, ladies, I do appreciate your help in pushing me in the right direction. You've confirmed what my gut was telling me--thank you.
(And Zoe and Elizabeth...I'll let the two of you duke it out amongst yourselves!!  )
I'll keep you all posted.
Fran
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 12, 2003 - 1:23 am:
Good Luck Fran! ( ummm....keep me in mind...don't worry, Zoe can't read this...I'm typing with my eyes closed!)
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 12, 2003 - 9:10 pm:
Yup, can't see a thing. LOL.
Any chance we can have picks of the new mare??
Zoe
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