If anyone can enlighten me please. Looking at a 3 yr old OTTB, only ran a couple of times, great conformation, but has some chips and bone spurs in knees. Has always been sound, with no heat or swelling. Anyone ever take a chance on something like this? TIA!
I’d much rather them in ankles than in knees, and it depends on where/how operable. Also, one isn’t a big deal but multiple chips/spurs in both knees is concerning. Also, the short racing career is a negative in this case as well - a horse who raced on a chip for a long time and stayed sound is a better bet.
I’d pass.
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Knees on a 3 year old?
Nope.
Pass.
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I would if the horse had been racing on it sound. But for that limited work, I’d walk away.
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Sadly, a nope from me, too. Every chip I’ve known did not go well. None were mine.
Spurs in the knees? Depends on where they are. Not my personal horse, but I showed a horse for several years, on the flat and in low hunters, that had spurs at the back of both knees. Never bothered him. As far as I know, he’s still sound and showing.
On the other hand, my good friend fell in love with a gorgeous jet black OTTB with chips in his knees. Since she got him cheap, she did the surgery. He was sound for a couple of years as a hunter, and then developed debilitating arthritis and bony changes and became a pretty pasture ornament.
So in my opinion, since you’d be dealing with both spurs and chips (plural) and he’s only a lightly raced 3-year-old, I’d pass. And not look back.
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If it matters they are not in the knee joint, going to talk with the vet, so I guess I’ll decide then! Thanks all!
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Any horse you buy, no matter what the xrays say, is a calculated risk. Either you accept the risk, or walk away and keep looking. If you like the horse, you accept the risk and deal with the outcome, whatever it may be.
I’ve known horses with xrays that look like a jigsaw puzzle that stay sound indefinately on what they’ve got. I’ve known horses that xray perfectly, but are constantly lame. The only thing that xrays on a sound horse do is effect the price of that horse, whether you are buying or selling. If you are looking for a bargain, it’s gonna have some warts. If the horse is sound without drugs NOW, it may remain that way in a sport career. Depends on where the damage and chips are and how they effect the action of the joint. A good vet will have input on that. A not so helpful vet will yell “chips!!!” and let you xray a dozen more and give you the bill for that.
Good luck.
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I have owned two horses with chips just outside joints. One was a chip just outside the front of a pastern joint, the other had to symmetrical chips: one outside of each Hock. I did nothing except keep track of whether or not there were changes. Nothing ever changed. These horses we’re both sound into their late teens, at least.
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Location, location, location. It’s a critical difference. And did the trainer quit on him right away or inject him a few times? If you have personal involvement with the connections I would be more comfortable than if they are an unknown quantity.
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