Have you had any issues with the feet? Do you keep him shod up front suzyq?
Hmm I got this question via email and replied did you get it?
These X-rays sound similar to the X-rays I saw on a 3 year old gelding before I bought him. He is still going strong at 26. I think we can all agree that most of us would not pass a PPE ourselves. I wouldn’t let those X-rays discourage me from buying a great horse that I planned on keeping forever but if you have resale in mind, best to start with clean X-rays. I also like the other advice to maintain regular X-rays so you could show future buyers that there is no change over time.
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What area of the country are you in?
Where in the front end is the chip? My apologies if you already answered this, I skimmed through the thread.
What do his feet look like? Are they well balanced? No heel? Boxy? Answering those questions would help me conclude on navicular.
I had a horse that I bought who had navicular changes in both front feet particularly the right front and hock changes as well. I bought him on the recommendation of a vet who know me very very well. He had been a Medal/McClay horse, and I converted him into a dressage horse and put the tricks on him through Grand Prix.
I had him evaluated at new Bolton Center back in the day, and some shoeing recommendations from them. But please bear in mind, what he had was far more severe than what the horse you are looking at clearly has.
I never regretted it. He was seven when I bought him, and in his 20s when I finally put him down. If you really like the horse and you’re not buying him for resale, in particular, just go buy him and have fun!
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Had the xrays sent to the best lameness vet in the area. He felt the navicular bones were excessively defenerated for his age, also notesd hock changes that will eventually need maintenance and found additional bone chips the PPE vet did not notice/disclose. He said the foot conformation was bad with low heels and poor cushion, and he felt it was highly likely the horse would be unsound in the future. He also felt it would be in the horse’s best interest to start him in eggbar shoes now to help prevent future issues. That is a huge expense and the horse is a 5 figure horse. Not a gamble i am willing to take.
That second opinion was the best $100 i’ve ever spent. I think the PPE vet was working in favor of the seller. SO GLAD i trusted my gut and got that second opinion.
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Really glad you got that second opinion. Think you made the right decision, but I am sorry about the horse.
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Was it the seller’s vet or someone you picked out?
What a good call to send the rads for a second, expert opinion.
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She was a random vet in the close vicinity of the sale barn. I had never met her, she just had the quickest a availablity. Never again will i do that! So many (expensive) lessons learned with this experience. It is such a shame, he is SUCH a nice horse. I suspect the trainer that had him rode him far too hard for how young he was and didn’t manage his feet properly. Really such a shame and i feel sorry for the horse.
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Good thing you got another opinion - poor guy!
Well, DAMN.
I keep going back to this post of yours, OP (bolded mine):
…and every time I read it I think “that’s a lot of accomplishments for a 4yo…” It’s also, reflectively speaking, a bit of an optimistic outlook compared to:
…because honestly, that’s what I’ve been thinking this entire thread. I am very glad for you that you got the second opinion. For how much money this cost you, it’s nothing compared to the tens of thousands you’d be out long term given that prognosis.
And it’s a classic example of why if there’s even an inkling of navicular changes, that’s a hard nope-ity nope nope nope from me.
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And navicular changes will forever be a hard nope for me as well. Honestly i am pretty scared off of quarter horses in general after this!! Which stinks because i really had my heart set on one for western dressage. I don’t know if there are QH breeders that focus on breeding for good hoof conformation out there but if there are i’d love to find out who.
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And i was optimistic because the vet (who told the SELLER about the findings 2 hours before she told me!) was trying to convince me to buy the horse. She painted a very rosy picture of it and made it all sound like it was totally normal and nothing to worry about. The lameness specialist strongly disagreed with her sentiment.
I am so burnt out now on horse shopping every ad i see i am just looking for how they are trying to scam me. I feel like i need a horse shopping break because i have such a bad taste in my mouth i feel like everyone involved in that transaction was trying to scam me out of SO much money. Ugh!
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I have worked for a breeder of reining and reined cow bred horses for 8 years and not one time had a horse PPE with navicular changes. Feet are the most important thing on a horse.
If you wouldnt mind sending me a PM with the breeder/trainers info that would be great 
You made the right decision. I have never regretted a horse that I passed on. Only one that I bought even when something come up on the PPE that I wasn’t entirely thrilled with.
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If it was just the bone chips and arthritis i would have bought him for his full price. With the navicular i just couldn’t get there for his price. The woman at the sale barn is furious with me for having the PPE done. Speaks volumes about her business.
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Indeed it says a lot about her
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What bothered me most about the one I bought that had something on the PPE was no so much the finding (I bought him anyway) but the sense that it meant the seller was being less than totally honest with me. And, it turns out, that was the case. That was the worst part. If a seller gives you bad energy… walk.
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I wouldn’t buy a 4y with arthritis, much less chips in addition. Not for $500 and certainly not for the price this one was
Yikes, good info on who to stay away from!
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