Would you buy a horse with a crooked leg?

[lesgarcons]

Hi everyone, I’m new here and I had a question about a horse with a slightly crooked leg. A friend of mine is wanting to give me a 5 y/o 17.2 hand Appendix QH. He’s out of one of the top Appendix sires in the nation, I won’t say which one, but it’s not hard to guess based on his size. He’s broke but has never really done anything besides get trained and occasionally be ridden by one of my friend’s students.

I recently sold my last project horse and have the time for another, but I’m on the fence about taking him for a few reasons. Here is the main one: he’s got a slightly crooked front leg. Slight enough that I can’t even describe it very well, but it’s there. According to my friend, the horse has never been lame. I plan to talk to his vet about his thoughts on the leg as well. Assuming he says the issue is purely cosmetic, how important is it? If you were faced with a kind, huge, solid lower-level dressage or hunter horse with a slightly crooked leg, would you buy it? I’d like to eventually sell this horse if I take him, and I’m wondering if the leg will make that process unnecessarily complicated. Please give me your thoughts on crooked legs. Thanks in advance!

[cmdrcltr]

It depends.

Years ago a Morgan breeder I worked for gave me a mare that had crooked front legs, one worse than the other. The mare was 4 and started under saddle; she’d failed a vet check (flexions) as a 2-year-old. I rode her for 3-4 years–dressage, trails, and elementary eventing. She never took a lame step. When I got married I decided (silly me) that I didn’t need a horse for a while, so I gave her back. (I didn’t feel right selling her myself.) That mare was sold for a good dollar and went on to do Pony Club and Training Level eventing. At 26 she’s still teaching beginners on the flat.

If you have the opportunity to have the horse without buying it, I’d take it. Perhaps you can work out an agreement (written) with the owner about what happens with the horse if it is ever unsaleable. If it’s a nice horse with a show record and a few years with no lameness issues then it should be easy to find it a home.

[Brooke]

My question is, crooked as in…? Toes in? Toes out? Offset knee? Over,back at the knee? I don’t mind a horse that toes in some, don’t particularly like one that toes out, would really have to think about one with a crooked knee, so for me, it would depend. If it is sound, doesn’t move oddly, I would go for it, especially if your vet thinks it won’t bother a big horse.

[Patty_Stiller]

It depends. Some kinds of crooked will not cause problems. But other kinds of crooked are such a weakness that they are an invitation for eventual unsoundness. Pictures would be a big help.

[lesgarcons]

I’d say that he toes in slightly on the right foreleg, and his cannon bone is not 100% straight from knee to fetlock. Like I said, it’s pretty slight. Plus, I haven’t seen him standing on even ground yet, just in a well-bedded stall. I plan to stand him on concrete tomorrow and take some pictures. I can put them in a public album and post a link here if it will help.

[Parrotnutz]

there is now more than 1 gigantic appendix sire so you did not give anything away.
I agree that it all depends on what the “crooked” is. And the rest of the leg conformation. Have a horse at my barn that the owners own and you would never know she was crooked. No one did until radiographs were taken and her cannon bone showed crooked at 14 yr old and always was but you cannot see it to the naked eye.
Yet when I was looking for an appendix horse one I l;iked was very crooked and in investigating I found out his famous sire was known for crooked legged babies as he was crooked and so was his daddy. I passed on that one was he was very crooked.
So it all depends on the crooked and you really need an expert opinion…a vet and a farrier are who I would ask. I have 100% faith in my farrier and he would tell me.

[Sunny_s_Mom]

I used to own a mare that was over at the knee on one leg and it was never a problem. I wouldn’t prefer to get a horse that had a crooked leg, but a free horse? That didn’t show any signs of lameness and that my vet/farrier checked out? Sure.

[spurgirl]

Last fall I adopted a registered QH mare who has an offset knee on her right front. Actually, it sounds like her leg conformation is similar to your geldings’… She was trained and ridden lower level dressage from age 3/4, until she was 10. She hadn’t been worked in almost two years when I got her last July on a 30-60 day trial. I started her back up slowly with no problems, the owner did tell me, however, in heavy work/rough footing with no front shoes, that hoof would wear unevenly. She was only jumped over little logs in the woods, and teeny crossrails.

Within two weeks I put fronts on her, because I was riding 2-3 times a week. I have a nice sand arena, but lots of gravel roads. I ride in the arena, and trail ride-through some pretty trappy stuff, too-no well groomed trails here:lol: I didn’t want any problems, so the shoes went on. I let my guys go barefoot all winter (late Nov., 'til March), now she’s grown out nicely-but a bit uneven on that foot. Her toeing in is more obvious. I’ll put shoes back on her fronts since it’s time to get going again.

So, in my opinion, if this big fellow is worked carefully, and trimmed or shod with an eye to keeping him balanced for his conformation fault, I think he’ll be fine. I would also watch his weight carefully. But, I’m talking about lower level dressage, and flat work. Since we don’t know how severe his crookedness is, I won’t venture a guess on if he should be jumped.

I would also have a good vet give him somewhat of a “prepurchase” exam-get a pro opinion. Wouldn’t hurt for a farrier give some input, too. My farrier, who’s wonderful, was not concerned at all that she couldn’t handle my level of riding-which I would say is moderate work.

I love QH’s…He sounds like a nice boy. Pictures of the leg-and the whole horse, pretty please!!

[superpony123]

how crooked are we talking? i’m pretty sure one of my pony’s legs was a little bit crooked, but it didn’t affect him much–he was an ugly mover, but he jumped beautifully and could jump the moon, so it didn’t affect him too much.

however it depends on the angle, which leg, etc.

[Showpony]

I would and have, as long as it is not too severe.

[Thomas_1]

“Crooked” can’t be cosmetic.

[sarah88]

I recently vetted and bought a QH, who had been and will continue to event (which i would say can be pretty strenuous w/ all the galloping etc) i knew going into the vetting that it could be an issue, but what i though might be a big deal the vet said he wouldnt be concerned …so i think it just depends. get a vets opinion and good luck (keep in mind the way he moves and whether he lands evenly or twists on landing

[EqTrainer]

Most horses are crooked legged to some degree or another. The truly straight horse is rare. The question is always, can you deal w/whatever presentation of crooked you are looking at?

I won’t touch a toed out horse. I trim too many of them and see their issues; they are issues I personally do not want to ever deal with. A horse who toes in… I don’t worry so much about that as long as they move straight and don’t interefere. Something to consider is that if a horse wears his feet unevenly due to conformation you may have to keep them on a stricter shoeing schedule than the horse who doesn’t - and even a few weeks of being late can add up to problems since the foot is not wearing between trims.

I began trimming a mare a few years ago who has the most crooked knee I have ever seen and resulting offest cannon - the entire leg bows out. When I started her outside hoof wall was underrun and the inside high - the inside wall had begun to develop a distinct curvature and flare - and the horse was lame. It was obvious that it would not be long before she was rolling over the outside of that hoof entirely. After 8 or 9 months she was fixed and landed flat and moved nicely on it and was sound. Fast forward to her returning to shoes - even w/a good farrier, the shoe cycle is too long and she has returned to her previous state and is not exactly sound… the bottom line is, that foot cannot stay balanced on a 5 week trim cycle. I trimmed her every 3 weeks, no more than 4.

[Ozone]

Makes me think of Honey a lovely Qh we had for years. She looked like 4 different horses in one. She toed in on both fronts, off set knees and was just a mess confirmationally wise. She was the best horse ever! Jumped 3’3" comfortably and was an excellent lesson horse. She never, and I mean never took a bad step in 28 years.

So, for me as long as I feel/vet feels that said horse can perform for what I want it for then I am ok with a crooked horse

[dutchboy]

I did - she was a fabulous TB jumper. A bit on the wild side, but one of the soundest horses I have ever owned. Never tried to alter her stance with shoes, etc., and she never had a lame day. Did the full PPE with her with the best leg vet in my area at the time and she passed with flying colors. I think it just depends on the horse.

[lesgarcons]

Hey everyone,
Thanks for all the replies. I did not end up taking this horse. He’s super sweet, but under saddle he seemed very uncomfortable, almost to the point of being lame. I am young and by no means wealthy, and I did not want to take something I’d have to be spending money to fix from day one. Luckily he had another person willing to take him, so he’s off to his new home today. Hopefully I’ll find a nice sound horse soon. Thanks again!