Something wrong with this horse's front legs?

[angelvixy]

So as a relatively beginner rider (walk, trot, canter, small jumps) just getting back into riding after a 6 year break, I ride the school horses at this lesson barn once a week. There’s this one older horse there that seems to have either some strange front leg conformation or just rests/uses them in a strange way. I’m not sure if it’s because there is something wrong with them or it’s just because of his age (or it’s something else) but I wanted to get some opinions on it as it kind of worries me a little.

I have ridden him before and I find that his canter feels like a four-beat movement instead of three but maybe that’s just the way some horses’ canters feel, I have ridden other horses in the past that felt the same way. I also find that he trips a lot. Although I’m not an advanced rider, I stay very balanced when I ride so I don’t think I’m doing anything to cause him to trip. He just trips a lot on his own.

I’ll attach some photos and videos of the way he stands/moves so you can see what I mean, unfortunately I don’t have any videos of him trotting but his front legs stay bent in that way when he’s trotting as well.

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[Highflyer1]

It looks like he is over at the knee (a minor conformation fault) and also has arthritis/limited range of motion in his knees which likely makes it appear more exaggerated. He is probably kind of stiff all around.

[Paint_Party]

Definitely over at the knees. Plus, there appears to be some filling or roundness to the right knee.

Being over at the knees can eventually lead to arthritis and other issues, depending on how the horse is used over the years. The way he keeps shifting his weight while standing makes me think he could be uncomfortable. Related stiffness could be why he stumbles.

[Scribbler]

Yes, hard to tell if he’s over at the knee or just standing funny because he’s sore. That right pastern also looks very long. Here’s the catch with lesson horses. You need saintly safe and very well educated. This usually means older horses often retired junior jumpers etc. They often come with aches and pains that need to be managed. Exactly when they need to be retired is a judgement call. Arthritic horses benefit from regular movement.

I personally would not choose to ride a horse that uncomfortable and I really hate trippers. However, I don’t feel like I can really pass judgement here without seeing the x-rays, the vets report, and knowing what’s being done to manage the pain. And in these kind of lesson programs, the coaches never ever fully disclose situations to clients.

I think it’s likely dangerous to jump him, but he may be happy still doing beginner walk trot

Four beat canter is very common in badly balanced horses but I’ve usually seen it caused by being on the forehand and not engaged behind.

As to whether you should stay in this lesson program, I cannot say. It depends on the quality of the other horses and the instruction.

[Xanthoria]

He looks very sore to me, standing still - shifting his weight all around. At the canter he swishing his tail and moves stiffly. I would say this horse is quite lame.

[IPEsq]

I knew a horse who developed over at the knee conformation as a grown horse following a neck fracture. He did indeed start tripping later on. For him, it was a symptom of a neuro defect resulting from arthritis developing after the fracture.

[angelvixy]

Idk… They had me pop him over a few small jumps when I rode him and it went fine, but I think you’re right that he probably shouldn’t be jumping.

As for staying at this facility, I like my instructor but other than that I’m not too sure how I feel about it. I’m no expert but I’ve been around horses for long enough to recognize when there are red flags. This same horse had a decent sized sore on his withers that I noticed the last time I rode him , and they didn’t do anything about it until a week later (he was given a day off). And I can’t say for sure, but it seemed like one of the other horses I rode had back pain (probably still does because every time I press along his back he seems to twitch or have an uncomfortable reaction).

This is kind of off-topic too but another thing I found strange about this place was their part-boarding rates. It’s like $600 to part-board one of their school horses, and hear this; that’s for their ‘basic part board’ which only includes one lesson and one practice ride a week. I have literally never heard of that before, every other place I’ve been to will give you three days to ride and in my area is usually priced around $400. This place also asks you to specify what time of day you’re coming to ride so they can use the horse later in lessons, since their horses are used in 2-3 lessons a day. I believe they do get one day off a week though. Idk if that’s too much for a horse to be doing beginner level lessons but it seems a bit dodgy.

[Scribbler]

@angelvixy

Idk… They had me pop him over a few small jumps when I rode him and it went fine, but I think you’re right that he probably shouldn’t be jumping.

As for staying at this facility, I like my instructor but other than that I’m not too sure how I feel about it. I’m no expert but I’ve been around horses for long enough to recognize when there are red flags. This same horse had a decent sized sore on his withers that I noticed the last time I rode him , and they didn’t do anything about it until a week later (he was given a day off). And I can’t say for sure, but it seemed like one of the other horses I rode had back pain (probably still does because every time I press along his back he seems to twitch or have an uncomfortable reaction).

This is kind of off-topic too but another thing I found strange about this place was their part-boarding rates. It’s like $600 to part-board one of their school horses, and hear this; that’s for their ‘basic part board’ which only includes one lesson and one practice ride a week. I have literally never heard of that before, every other place I’ve been to will give you three days to ride and in my area is usually priced around $400. This place also asks you to specify what time of day you’re coming to ride so they can use the horse later in lessons, since their horses are used in 2-3 lessons a day. I believe they do get one day off a week though. Idk if that’s too much for a horse to be doing beginner level lessons but it seems a bit dodgy.

If you aren’t comfortable with the health and care of the horses then start auditioning some other barns. Much will depend on the general cost of living and the number of accessible lesson barns.

Are there better horses to move up to as you improve? There’s a role for very quiet old horses for total beginners but if that’s all they have then you will outgrow the program.

No lesson factory barn will provide the same level of care as the beloved pet of a one horse ammie but you need to add up the red flags and decide if this program still works for you once you’ve got some balance and fitness. I expect they assume their students won’t know enough to question horse care standards.

You can’t change these kinds of places. They are making choices based on financial necessity. You can only vote with your feet by going elsewhere.