Question RE: horse shopping

[lmlacross]

Starting to poke around for a horse to hunt. Found a 7 yo TB who seems to tick all the boxes as a reasonable prospect (rides out alone and in company, good brain, 3’ courses, etc.). Horse is relatively inexpensive, located 4ish hours from me.

Current trainer says horse’s fetlock (front) was injected for the first time several months ago for some “bony changes.” Not routine (or not yet). Am I wrong to think this should be a deal breaker for me? I don’t know if it was cortisone or something else, but my head tells me that it doesn’t really matter. Pre-arthritic changes in a seven-year-old probably shouldn’t be something I want to get into, and, given that I know it up front, is may be reason enough not to even travel the distance to try him and X-ray.

Opinions?

[gumtree]

Considering the seller offered up the information before you took the trip is a good thing and speaks positively of the seller. So people/vets “inject” as a matter of course based on flexing, riding and observation. IMO a vet should take a picture or 2 to see exactly what is going on before hand.

I wouldn’t pass on a good horse for reasonable money because it has “maintenance issuers” just depends on them.

I would ask to speak to the vet and or get a written statement on exactly what was injected, how much and for what reasons. Will this be a continuing “maintenance” issue? What is the long term viability of the horse for the riggers of hunting.

Has this horse been hunting and if so for how long. If it is a “prospect” based on the sellers opinion I hope the seller has a lot of experience with picking out and prepping hunt prospects. If so they should have some references. The Masters of the local hunt are good people to check with.

The “boxes” you have mentioned are certainly a good place to start. But until a horse has actually been out about with 20-30++ hounds, 20-30-60++ other horses it really doesn’t mean a lot. At the very least hound walking is a good start and a good indicator if they have the “mind” for hunting.

[lmlacross]

Gumtree, thanks for the input. Certainly, there are no guarantees with this one. He’s totally untried with hounds or riding out in a large field of horses, and I don’t get the impression that seller has a tremendous amount of hunt experience. Maybe that’s why I’m so inclined to pass given the joint changes. I do agree, though, that the seller’s candor speaks well.

[shezabrazenmare]

Look at the Virginia horse boards for good hunting horses. A lot of good TBs are on sale in VA, with and w/o hunting experience.

[VAevent]

Can someone direct me to the “Virginia horse boards?” Sorry to be dense…

[Hinderella]

You should also look at joining the “Foxhunters on Facebook” page. There are often made hunt horses posted there for sale.

[Huntin_Fool]

Yeah, it matters why the injection was given. If they say “boney changes,” I mean, did the vet x-ray it and say that? Or is it just someone’s WAG? I’m just about to post a similar situation-it’s hard!!!