If all goes well with my vet and farrier PPEs, I would be putting money down in May and picking him up in July. Do you think that will be enough time, or should I wait even longer? And he’s had the cracks since he was 2, maybe even younger. He was foaled at this facility, and then sold to another student, who sold him back last year because he didn’t have time for his horses anymore.
Having got a horse with cracks in three out of four hooves I feel perfectly confident saying that if he is sound I bet your farrier can fix them. It’s amazing how many horses have unbalanced feet. With proper trimming a well balanced foot heals. (I also recommend a supplement)
Quarterhorses are good athletes. Unless your guy is completely clumsy theres no reason you can’t easily do low jumps. And with his lovely temperament you’ll enjoy every ride. Can you show us a picture of him now?
[QUOTE=lalalaura107;7435046]
Wow, talk about inspirational! I’m so happy to hear that you went with the draft mix; it sounds like you two will make quite the pair! I absolutely feel the same way about this horse. He just makes me happy. He’s so affectionate and eager to learn. I would love to go back to jumping, but if he wants or needs something different, I would be glad to find his groove with him.:)[/QUOTE]
Yay glad it was helpful! And thank you! Fingers crossed for you PPE and such, I really hope it works out!!! 
Maybe I missed it but I didn’t see that the OP mentioned “tiny” feet anywhere. His feet are cracked. Not all quarter horses are muscle bound standing on tiny feet.
If the OP likes the horse she should get a PPE done, and discuss with the vet the suitability of the horse for what she’d like to do. Just being a QH should not preclude him from jumping at 3 feet.
My (grade) QH had some pretty lousy feet when I bought him. Good nutrition and a good farrier have done a world of good for his feet.
From what I am hearing, he’s not the horse I would choose for your goals, eventing, hunter classes - but it sounds like you have really connected with the horse and are willing to change your goals.
If so, I’d have a really long hard conversation with myself about what’s more important to me, the goals you have or a horse you really connect with.
And then from there, get the farrier opinion as it doesn’t cost much. And depending on that, and the conversation with yourself then the x-rays.
I would certainly post pictures of him, if I knew how! I’m planning on taking some of his feet today.
Okay, for what it is worth, I have a stock horse with cracks in his front feet. According to the vet/farrier/lameness specialist, these are a conformational deformity which appear in about 15 percent of all horses. There is a small patch of tissue beneath the crack, which once it contracts from the wall, allows the crack to set in and become a permanent problem. Often times, it leads to white line disease, which can be managed, but will be an issue. In our case, no matter what we do, at some point the cracks will always return. If white line has set in, ongoing management will most likely become part of your care regimen. So a discussion about this with both the farrier and the vet is desirable.
On the other hand, I went the same way the OP is going, and bought a horse with crumbling feet. Shoes and a hoof supplement cured the problem. Best horse I ever owned. I will say I took him as he was and did not try to convert a western QH to be a jumper/eventer. That is a separate issue, and one that should be looked at with an experienced eventer or a qualified eventing trainer before purchasing the horse. JMO.
ETA: When you get the PPE done, the vet should ask you what you intend to do with this horse. Tell him or her all of it. Then listen to the feedback. The horse’s conformation and way of going will play a lot into the answer. If the horse has a heavy downward build and is heavy on the forehand, the vet might suggest looking elsewhere for your horse. And yes, by all means get the radiographs done. Good luck!
I would have thought twice about buying my current guy (OTTB) if I didn’t have as good a farrier as I do (he is also a vet). If you trust your farrier and after s/he sees the horse, s/he thinks she can deal with the feet, then (with navicular x-rays), there isn’t any reason I wouldn’t go forward. I’ve known plenty of QH eventing at novice level, which is what the OP seems to be aiming at. Hoof supplements and good care can make a big difference.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;7434715]
So if she said she was looking for a 3ft eventer or HJ you would instantly think of a western trained QH with tiny feet?[/QUOTE]
No one said this horse had tiny feet, except for you.
My mistake. The rest still stands.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;7434715]
So if she said she was looking for a 3ft eventer or HJ you would instantly think of a western trained QH with tiny feet?[/QUOTE]
I wouldn’t instantly think of that, but some of my best English horses have been ‘ranchy’ QH. My current horse was a head horse, then a pick up horse, then a bucking horse. Guess who jumps 3’ with ease and style? Added bonus? He is broke. Cowboy broke and is super smart and willing to learn. I stick to jumpers with him and do XC play days, but I hate showing dressage and he wouldn’t pin well in it either.
So to answer you, as a 3’ jumper? Hell yes I would choose another western QH. As an eventer? Maybe if that QH was a better runner than my horse…
Hate to be a finger pointer, but a QH who did well on ranch work, survived the seasons and mileage, is PROBABLY not the same kind of Western QH built type that is found in the show ring breeding. Tiny feet keep getting mentioned because it is TYPICAL to find that show QH breeding with feet too small for their bodies. We all know horses like that who do not stay sound. Ranch horses are not “managed” with bad joints, hoof issues, they get sold off because they are useless for the ranch, undependable soundness.
Feet under a horse do not have to look like a comic illustration, to be too small for the horse above. Horses with smaller feet, in work, TEND to have problems because those smaller hooves can’t handle the loaded weight coming down on them well. No room for expansion, shallow soles FEEL everything under them. QH stereotypes of build and problems come into being when they are so common! Same with the downhill build, loading those front feet even more!!
THIS particular animal may have none of these issues, but prospective buyer NEEDS to look sharply at horse so they can tell if he does have future problems built into his body. Owning him and issues can be expensive in time and money, lots of heartbreak if he won’t stay sound for ANYTHING. I know way too many worn-out, unusable QH types at very young ages. Still costing money to keep owning them for MANY years to come, owners can’t bear to put them down even so terribly unsound so they become a burden. Owner never does enjoy horse riding activities because they can only afford to keep this unrideable one.
Sorry, you can like a horse to pieces, but to CHANGE your whole goal aim might be a poor choice, particularly if horse may not be up for long term work. He is a BABY still, so this is as good as he will EVER be in bones and soundness. Not worn out yet. Hooves may not be an issue, but looking hard at him now, making hard choices, could save a lot of grief later. This is not a fiction story, where there is always a good ending “because you love him enough”. Have to say there is not so much fun just feeding and cleaning up after him, looking at him, if he should become unusable, but has many years yet to live.
Look with your eyes open, though it does sound like you have already made up your mind to purchase. Guess I am wasting my time on this. Write again and tell us how it went in a couple years, if he is still such a nice horse and usable.
I would not even look at a horse in full work at 4.
Update: I spoke to the facility manager this morning, and apparently, he had mild white line disease when he was 2. I got the number of his current farrier (the only one he’s ever had). I was told that the cracks are expected to grow out. Does anyone have experience with this? Is it likely to be a reoccurring issue? Also, I’d just like to clarify, I don’t intend to make eventing his career. I really enjoy the Western work that we are doing together right now, and I think I might want to continue that as well. I’d just like to be able to jump him without hurting his feet.
I was totally rooting for you to go get him and make him your eventer, but with the white line update, I wouldn’t touch him with a 10 foot pole 
I would imagine this is why he is going for only $2,500. A nicely trained QH (even if western trained) will go for more than that and usually it is easy to retrain them to English and jumping. Two of the best jumper mares I ever rode were both around 15.1 and QHs. I showed one in the 4’ jumper class and the other I never got to show but she schooled 3’6 - 4’ with ease. Both would have been phenomenal eventers if they hadn’t had a weenie for a rider who wouldn’t jump something so solid with any horse without having a panic attack!
ETA: And seriously guys, what’s with the QH hate? Anyone who has ridden a nice QH or Paint (which we all know is just a QH with color) will tell you that all the stereotypes are ridiculous. I wish I could remember the COTHer that has the amazing grey QH that wins all over the AA circuit, but that’s just another example of the versatility of this great breed!
[QUOTE=OveroHunter;7435901]
I was totally rooting for you to go get him and make him your eventer, but with the white line update, I wouldn’t touch him with a 10 foot pole :([/QUOTE]
Well thank you for rooting for me, haha. But I take it that this is going to be a problem in the future then, given your comment? I’ve never dealt with a horse with white line disease before.
It can be a wonderful thing to have found a horse that you click with! It can either be a quick or a very long time but that relationship (given you’ve already been riding him for a month+) can be rewarding for both of you.
BUT is it because you are in a ‘rush’ to buy and have a horse of your ‘own’ ? Or is it because there is a true connection ? I’ve made the mistake before because I was in a rush - confused about the two and forced the connection. It worked out okay but in the end, i knew it wasn’t a connection but a forced one because I wanted a ‘horse’ (a pretty one too!)
As far as his cracks, a good farrier and care program (including food) can help a horse out tremendously. The farrier will able to give you a more indepth perspective and offer insight into his future. Get your farrier to look at any ppe xrays you may get done.
Depending on what your farrier/vet (make sure both are highly regarded) say, you can then make a decision armed with the info.
And counter offer - while a school program, they may still take less for a horse with potential issues.
Good luck! It may be something simple to fix and you may have a a wonderful partner for 25+ years
Hello all,
Here’s a link to my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/117878794@N07/
I just uploaded the few pictures that I took this morning. Now you’ll be able to see what I mean about the cracks!
[QUOTE=lalalaura107;7435932]
Well thank you for rooting for me, haha. But I take it that this is going to be a problem in the future then, given your comment? I’ve never dealt with a horse with white line disease before.[/QUOTE]
Shouldn’t be if it was properly treated.
![https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/1495504_10202089553993693_1796708755_n.jpg[/image]](https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/1495504_10202089553993693_1796708755_n.jpg%5B/image%5D){kind=link}