Just scan dreamhorse and you will see examples. I don’t think the forum rules allow me to post links to sale ads. But if you search Iowa ads for Casey , Alotta Good Candy, Mia Fancy Investment, Slash, Willow. All look like decent prospects for a safe, nothin’fancy, fun trail horse, some <$5k. One trip to Iowa and a rental car and you could line up a bunch of trial rides.
Hard pass. In August 2020, a dear friend of mine bought a 6yo appendix with obvious issues (failed neuro exam and significant lameness concerns) on PPE because she suspected that the sellers would just keep working him until he fell apart. He’s the sweetest horse, just a big puppy, but his body is FUBAR. I tried to talk her out of it, the PPE vet tried to talk her out of it. Her trainers tried to talk her out of it.
It was a mid-high four figure purchase. She ended up having to treat for EPM 2 months after she bought him. He recovered nicely but was maybe serviceably sound at best. She just wanted a primarily pleasure riding horse. Mostly walk trot, maybe the occasional lap of canter.
Well, turns out that he can’t take the left lead canter under saddle 90% of the time. She finally had a complex lameness evaluation done last month. Arthritis in both hocks, significant soft tissue damage in both stifles. She wants to give him the best possible chance at a good outcome so she went ahead and treated with $2500 worth of ProStride in hocks and stifles. Vet prescribed 6 weeks of stall rest and twice daily rehab.
6 weeks later he’s relapsed into a more severe case of EPM than the one he originally had. The stall rest likely stressed him into a flare. So he’s back on Marquis and there’s still no guarantee that he’ll ever be recovered enough physically or neurologically to even be a light riding horse. So she’s having to prepare to pay board on a retired 6yo, after investing thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars on medication, treatment, chiro, massage, bodywork, you name it.
Long story short: There are some findings on PPE that can be managed. What you describe sounds like an expensive heartbreak waiting to happen. After watching what my friend is going through, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Walk away.
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