Hi I have been casually looking for a little while but I really don’t have the best eye. I have been looking at canter horses and thought this guy had potential.
I do have a ton of experience with OTTB so that really doesn’t bother me.
4 yr old set osselets though. Would only be used for LL dressage and trails.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-DDUsXqXW8
[QUOTE=pennkaye;8731068]
Hi I have been casually looking for a little while but I really don’t have the best eye. I have been looking at canter horses and thought this guy had potential.
I do have a ton of experience with OTTB so that really doesn’t bother me.
4 yr old set osselets though. Would only be used for LL dressage and trails.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-DDUsXqXW8[/QUOTE]
I don’t think it will pass a PPE for soundness.
A very straight shoulder, which gives a very long back, which means a soft ride, but harder to collect without a bigger effort than necessary.
Then, you never know until you try.
Never say never, have seen the oddest conformation out there still do well, for that one horse be a good fit.
Right fore looks iffy.
Yea, definitely something happening with front right. Something about that horse makes me go “hmm”. Maybe a hoof injury or some sort of troubles in the pastern area?
Disposition seems very sweet and willing, but I feel like he looks uncomfortable. RF motion is not fluid. Could be sound enough for your intended use, but I’d really really check those legs carefully.
with how crushed and flat that RF & LF are, I’m not surprised he’s sore – but I actually thought the LH looked worse.
I think he must be loading off the osselet which looks like it was only just set… take a look at that LF hoof. I would bet you money that’s the issue right there. However, guys, osselet 101 - many of them limit the articulation/motion of the joint. I also imagine the feet are what caused the osselets…
Is it a problem? Only rads can tell… and those with crystal balls.
That being said, take a look at his feet… seriously:
https://canterusa.org/horses/11197/winking-dixie/
For a horse to move as well as he did with feet like that, well, you can only imagine how well he’ll move once the feet are corrected. And for him not to be gimpy, brokenly lame on those feet…
In looking at the pictures, I don’t believe his shoulder is very upright at all. He also does not have a long back to my eye… I am sure the wasp-waist/uptucked stomach certainly makes him look longer than he really is. He is very compact, as are most Dixieland Band/Dixie Union horses. He is just my type and I think he has great conformation for lower levels (besides the feet).
He has a great pedigree for eventing.
I wouldn’t write him off especially if your goal is LL / dressage. He has a fantastic walk, and a very good trot all things considered. Once those AWFUL angles up front are changed and the back feet addressed, I think you’d have a very, very nice horse. He is obviously very sweet and willing despite the horrible feet… so if I got him, I’d pay extra attention any time he seems slighty off as he is obviously very stoic
If I were looking, I’d PPE the front pasterns for the osselets, ask the vet if they thought that RH stifle was worth filming, and throw him out in a field for 3 months and see what I have. Osselets do not bother me too much once they are set. His look like they could use some time though.
Well, first off he looks pretty sensible actually, and like a fairly good citizen! He is a bit downhill, but for what you describe as your goals, that’s not a total deal breaker. His walk does show a bit of promise, but if you look at that the pics there is some fairly significant swelling on his left front ankle right above the pastern. I am wondering if some of the right front iffy-ness, is also caused by whatever is going on with that other pastern.
The feet are really concerning. I know some of that can be fixed but he almost looks dished out, which makes me a little worried that even if you fix the shoeing, he just may not have great angles to begin with. It doesn’t sound like you are wanting to do anything too major, and he does look sweet, but I would def do some x-rays on those front pasterns and feet to see whats really going on.
[QUOTE=MtnDrmz;8731880]
Well, first off he looks pretty sensible actually, and like a fairly good citizen! He is a bit downhill, but for what you describe as your goals, that’s not a total deal breaker. His walk does show a bit of promise, but if you look at that the pics there is some fairly significant swelling on his left front ankle right above the pastern. I am wondering if some of the right front iffy-ness, is also caused by whatever is going on with that other pastern.
The feet are really concerning. I know some of that can be fixed but he almost looks dished out, which makes me a little worried that even if you fix the shoeing, he just may not have great angles to begin with. It doesn’t sound like you are wanting to do anything too major, and he does look sweet, but I would def do some x-rays on those front pasterns and feet to see whats really going on.[/QUOTE]
The swelling you see are osselets. 
they are also called “rounded ankles”.
Hey thanks everyone!
I am glad that I wasn’t totally off in what I saw. I kept going back and forth between LH and RF, but couldn’t decide. I also really thought his walk showed something as well. I think he looks kind and would be a really great project if nothing else. I used to always look for flashy big guys, now I just want something kind and a horse that tries.
If I do decide to look at him I will def pay attention to those feet! I will be taking someone with me as well. I am so jealous of everyones great ability to see all that from such a short clip! Maybe one day my eye will get better, but at least I know what I don’t know lol. Thanks again.
It’s the LEFT ankle. Massive. Stay away. The right is not good either, but that left ankle is bigger than his knee.
I agree Palm Beach. He sure does look like a sweetie though.
Horse is sore on the left ankle, and balanced badly on the right front. He is also base wide… with perfect shoeing you might keep him sound. But I wouldn’t bet on it. Sorry to say I think I’d pass.
Here is some more information:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/10119/osselets-traumatic-arthritis-of-the-fetlock
If you want to proceed with this horse, your vet exam many tell you more and that article explains some your vet may touch on.
The previous trainer may even help with all they have tried with this horse, so you and your vet don’t have to go thru some of it again.
We would not have kept training or running a horse that was looking anywhere this far along to being off, so maybe getting a little more history on him could help.
Even if he was sound, which he is not, I’m not all that crazy about the lack of articulation in his hocks when he moves. I don’t see anything there worth taking on the risk.
I’m saying this as a person who on 2 different occasions took on horses that were lovely, much much nicer than this horse, but a little off. They cost me probably over 10K each in vet bills. One is in ground, and one is retired as a trail horse. Just don’t do it. Too many nice horses out there.
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