I’m really glad this popped up because I think I found a horse today. Let me address a few of the recent posts. My horse retired due to an injury was grade, looked QH crossed with a few other something breeds tossed in. His build wasn’t ideal and he always struggled with on and off weird issues. I also have 2 mutt dogs that have major physical issues, IVDD and a young dog with horrible hip dysplasia. I don’t really buy into the mutt hybrid vigor at this point.
I would LOVE to just hack and walk my 4 year old but he is not having it. If I could just walk and hack him some honestly I’d just keep him and wait a few years and not feel like I need a second horse. Bareback, 2k perfectly fit saddle, old saddle, bareback saddle pad and he plants his feet when you get on, when you ask him to move off he starts to buck in place. This is not normal behavior for him, he’s broke I rode him for months he’s really easy going but started this on and off behavior a few months ago which is why the vet was brought in. I did have a trainer work with him and she pushed him through it but he still consistently tried stopping and bucking and was not happy nor comfortable. I had another vet visit just for vaccines but she watched video of him going. Confirmed he’s not “lame” per say but is unwilling to move forward (he knows the commands just physically isn’t comfortable) and is very uneven on his sides, the right being significantly worse. We’ve literally checked all of the main and known boxes for treatment and I’m just not willing to throw more money into more xrays/possible injections to try and ride him at a walk. I spent a few months handwalking him while he was treated for EPM and he willingly follows me but has his ears back a majority of the time and I have pics and video of him previously happily walking along ears forward under saddle and hand walking and doing groundwork. I’m not making this decision lightly if he was telling me he was ok with hacking out I would but that’s not what he’s telling me. I’m not willing to throw him back into a training program (aka harder work) to try and push him past this mis behavior. It’s very frustrating I had a friend out and she said the same thing he doesn’t look “lame” just push him through it and ride at a walk it can’t be that hard. Except I can’t unless I want to eat dirt and it’s starting to rock my confidence continuing to get on a horse who I love to death and used to trust to carry me anywhere who is flat out telling me get off my back now. There may have been some tears in this conversation because all I want to do is get on and walk him around flat beautifully mowed grassy trails.
So onto horse shopping which is just a nightmare, videos of lame horses, videos of like 2 steps of trot out in a field how can I tell anything from that. Video of something super green supposedly being re-trained but all of the transitions are cut out of the video. Showed up to ride a super broke been there done that lower level hunter horse who had what looked like a broken tail that stuck straight to the side who was lame and bucked 30 seconds into a trot because the owners kept swearing he was sound and in work and I hate confrontation and didn’t feel I could walk out without trying the horse they were so excited to show me. I also have a cousin who is a horse vet who I send video’s too and she’ll nix them if she sees any lameness or un-eveness.
So today I tried and LOVED a 7 yr old OTTB. He’s a warhorse with 39 starts, made 111k and raced without any major break until he was 5. Retired sound when he slowly started not placing well in races. His current owner has been trail riding him for 2 years with zero soundness issues and no maintenance. She used to foxhunt and her daughter trains horses and events so they’re experienced. He’s green in the ring and still needs to be fully re-trained at the trot and canter but is really willing. She trotted and cantered on trails but not in the ring/smaller circle environment. He’s quick and does get amped up once you canter but as soon as you come down to a walk you can go straight on the buckle. I was able to try him in the ring then go out on a beautiful trail ride on the buckle up and down some steeper sections, across a big open field, through a creek etc. The awesome part was he felt so even and sound, there isn’t a major difference for each direction or when you’re changing direction. He balanced really well on the slopes and wasn’t rushing or uncomfortable. So I put a deposit down and Monday morning will be calling to schedule a vet appt. Fingers crossed!
