Odd gait only under saddle

[maiamae]

Hi all! New here but hoping to get some feedback.

I’m looking at buying a gelding who I really like in almost every way. However, my only hang up is on his trot. When I first went and saw him, his owner (who has owned him his whole life) rode him around and you could clearly see something odd at the trot. Before I even asked, she said he’s always had a quirky trot.

She let me take him for a week long trial, and we’ve ridden 3x now. First day it was jarring how the trot felt, so I tried lunging to see if I could see anything and he moved beautifully. Absolutely nothing weird. The next ride was a 9 mile, mostly walking ride in the hills. We did trot a bit and he felt completely normal, and my riding companion said he looked normal. She did note his underside of his neck is a bit over developed, so we do think he’s hollowing out some. Tonight, I just focused on trotting in the yard and half the time he felt normal, half was this weird trot. I took a lot of videos and sure enough, odd sometimes and normal others. But nothing really looks lame. I pulled the saddle and lunged him again and again, he looked fine.

He has been a trail horse and I’m wondering if, as she’s mostly used him to walk, he’s just never found his balance and learned to collect himself at the trot. He takes a lot of nagging to get him to trot and stay trotting, which I think is contributing. He’s fairly young (8 yrs) and hasn’t been ridden a ton lately (a few times last year, 1x after this last winter), so thinking maybe it’s a combo of lack of balance and excitability, but curious if anyone has other thoughts on why he’d be hit or miss on if it’s weird under saddle and never weird lunging?

My other horse ended up lame from navicular, so I’m just being extra cautious, trying to make sure I’m getting a good, sound horse. He’s such a sweetheart and really relaxed, if this is just a balance/collection issue, I don’t mind working through it. In an ideal world, I’d just get a PPE. In reality, I live remote and the nearest vet couldn’t see horrific navicular and a nightmare bone spur on my current horse, and the other vet in the area doesn’t do equine xrays.

I took some videos, so can try to upload those in the morning, but figured I’d start with this!

[Scribbler]

If something appears with a rider but not without I would think about the back.

Green horses can be wonky under saddle but honestly I wouldn’t buy this problem.

[GraceLikeRain]

I would pursue a PPE. This sounds like the sellers problem to figure out. A “wonky” trot is a not sound horse.

[Lusoluv]

Did you mean to say you wouldn’t pursue a PPE? Based on your followup sentences, I think this is what you meant to write. If so, I wouldn’t either. Sound horses can trot normally and it’s not buyer’s job to figure out why this one can’t.

[GraceLikeRain]

Sorry. Yes. I would NOT pursue a PPE

[furlong47]

What breed or type of horse? Is it possible horse has both a trot and some kind of gaited movement and is switching back and forth?

[Posting_Trot]

Yes, this is what I was wondering: whether he was slipping into a pace and, if he’s naturally going into it, it may be that he’s more comfortable pacing than trotting when he’s carrying a rider.

If it were me, I probably would do a PPE on the horse if I liked him otherwise. This may simply be (as the OP has suggested) a problem of a lack of balance, lack of fitness, lack of training.

The OP could also suggest a longer trial (perhaps a free-lease) for a month or two, to put some work into him and see how he progresses. Or regresses. Again, that assumes that the OP likes the horse, and thinks he’s got good potential (barring physical limitations) for doing what she wants to do.

I’d love to see the video, if that’s possible.

[red_mares]

@maiamae

I took some videos, so can try to upload those in the morning, but figured I’d start with this!

You may not want to post videos of someone else’s horse here without their permission. I know you’re curious for others’ opinions, but it’s not your horse.

[hoopoe]

dont try to reason up to this horses acceptability. The owner said his trot has never been right. They offer ( did you ask) no explanation or diagnostics. they chucked him to the side for a year off. I would suspect spine and then hocks or stifles with a small suspicion of the neck /spine.

Walk away. There are plenty of nice horses who are sound that will suit
That they gave you a trial tells me they are eager to get him gone
Dont fall for it