Another "should I buy this unsound horse" thread

Peace

Peace

pAin't Nobody's Bidness
Nov 12, 1999
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South Carolina, US
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There's a mare at my RS. And I love her.:eek: But she has hoof fungus.

RS got her for freebies several months ago because her owner could no longer afford to keep her. RS got her up to date on shots, teeth, and farriery. YO knew about the fungus but figured she could clear it up with regular soaking and good farrier care. And her feet have improved dramatically, but one foot is still crumbly and weak and for that reason she can only be ridden at walk and trot in the indoor sand school ATM.

Her farrier, who is also my farrier, says he is nearly positive that the mare will come sound. Maybe within a few months, or maybe six or eight months. Of course, there is the chance that she will never be completely sound, but farrier thinks this chance is fairly small.

Mare is not a beginner horse. So y'all can see where her limitation is a problem for the RS, right? Because most students content to just walk and trot round the indoor are beginners. Well, except for me. I think the lovely shady indoor is a perfect place to ride in the blazing heat of a South Carolina summer. And, well, I still haven't quite got the hang of canter. On purpose.:eek: Spontaneous canters I'm fine with, for as long as it takes to bring them back to trot.:D

So YO needs to sell the mare yesterday. YO keeps three lesson horses - no more, no less. So when one isn't working, it's a problem that needs to be remedied quickly. For that reason, she's letting her go for the amount of money she has invested in her shots, teeth and farriery.

Although not a beginner horse, this mare appears to have lots of serious training behind her. Even my novice self can get her to collect up and get on the bit and OMG she's like riding on air when that happens. Even with a fungus-y foot.:)

So what would y'all do? I might have the option to lease her for a month but no more. Because YO needs the mare sold before she buys another for her lesson program.
 
If you like her and you want her then have her.
But just remember you need to make sure you can afford what ever she needs doing with them feet as well as basic costs and also that you are sure you have the time to tend to her feet, because if you buy her and then realise for one reason or the other you can't keep her, she's going to be a LOT harder to sell than your average horse.
Good luck on whatever you decide and if you do get her, photos is a must!! :rolleyes:
 
Depends. If you are likely to be able to clear up the fungus at some point in the future then GO FOR IT:D
If, however, you're going to be walking and trotting around the indoor school for the foreseeable future then I think it might be a mistake.
 
Personnaly no I would not buy this horse, if the problems she has could be treated and the horse is able life a normal life and be able to walk, trot, canter and possibly jump then yes I may consider it..However I suspect the YO knows this horse is gonna cost more money and may never be right.

There are good horse 100% sound out there looking for a good home and I'd be more inclined to look at those.

Demson
 
Cost to treat foot fungus is minimal - it's just time-consuming.:) One soaks the foot in a dilute solution of Lysol every other day or so. And keeps up with regular trimming. And provides regular gentle exercise. Not too difficult.:) And I've never heard of a horse who didn't get rid of the fungus eventually. But sometimes one has to adjust the diet and other things to help the immune system before they can shake it.

YO is also my RI. She's pretty much a one-woman operation, which is why she keeps the number of school horses low. She can't really keep lavishing time on a horse none of her students but one can ride. Mare is too forward-going for a nervous rider, but won't be jumping or cantering for a few months so doesn't suit the more advanced riders. I'm still a novice, so I'm thrilled to bits just walking and trotting her around the school and finding out where all the gears and extra's are - she's quite a step up from the steady eddies I'm used to. :)

I have a farm, and actually need somebody to come eat more of my acres of grass so DH and I don't spend the entire weekend mowing. So if she didn't work out long-term she could just come home - but I have only two stalls and two horses at home already so I'd have to build more shelter. Since she's a lot more horse than I'm used to riding, though, I'd rather board her at least through the winter and have lessons on her.
 
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Not yet.:) I'll try and get some and post them. She's 15.2 hh, a bright bay with black mane, tail, and stockings. One white foot and a blaze. Plus a little sprinkling of what looks like stars on her hip.

You know how we occasionally have those "what's your least favorite breed" threads? I always picked TBs. And Cochise and I have joked for years about what I believe is a secret Appaloosa plan for world domination.

I suppose I sealed my fate with this mare, when my RI told me she was getting in a TB/App cross and I said, "Oh, was someone attempting to genetically engineer the world's worst horse?":D:eek:

God likes to laugh at us sometimes.:)
 
Of course you should have her. And then stop with the lysol ! It's one step forward and one back with Lysol, because it's hard on the good tissue as well as the fungus. You'd be better off blasting it with thrushbuster oe time, and then scrubbing with a gentler more progressive product like huufmagic. Or if you have to go the heavy chemical route, go with DMSO, furazene and butt-paste squirted into the sulcus. (Or wherever you've got the fungus). It's not a good year for foot rot, but it's a positively scary year for using Lysol because all this damp will exacerbate the damage it does.
 
Peace said:
Not yet.:) I'll try and get some and post them. She's 15.2 hh, a bright bay with black mane, tail, and stockings. One white foot and a blaze. Plus a little sprinkling of what looks like stars on her hip.

You know how we occasionally have those "what's your least favorite breed" threads? I always picked TBs. And Cochise and I have joked for years about what I believe is a secret Appaloosa plan for world domination.

I suppose I sealed my fate with this mare, when my RI told me she was getting in a TB/App cross and I said, "Oh, was someone attempting to genetically engineer the world's worst horse?":D:eek:

God likes to laugh at us sometimes.:)
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When I was looking for a second horse I did not want

Full Hackney
Chestnut
ANyhting under 4 years old
White Socks

i then got an email about Spike ticks everything I didn't want and.... I bought him, he's turned into a fantastic horse and would never sell him.

Funny how things don't go to plan and great how they all click into place
 
Have you tried Cleantrax for her foot fungus? Cleared my little one's white line disease up in one soaking....very good stuff and doesn't harm the healthy tissue.

http://www.centaurforge.com/CleanTrax-Hoof-Cleaner-25g/productinfo/10701/

And as for buying her....I'd go with your instincts....if you really think she's the one then buy her! :)

ETA...Cleantrax also worked on my friend's shire mare who suffered hoof infections, fungus and abscesses for over a year. One soaking with cleantrax was all it took to sort her out.
 
Tiy said:
Have you tried Cleantrax for her foot fungus? Cleared my little one's white line disease up in one soaking....very good stuff and doesn't harm the healthy tissue.
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Yes, actually, RI did Cleantrax several weeks ago. The farrier says the problem now is letting the mare grow out new hoof. She was trimmed very very short when her old owner moved here (I guess she didn't know a good farrier at the time). Then she got fungus in the little bit of hoof she had left and it got all crumbly.
 
Peace said:
Mare is too forward-going for a nervous rider, but won't be jumping or cantering for a few months so doesn't suit the more advanced riders. I'm still a novice, so I'm thrilled to bits just walking and trotting her around the school and finding out where all the gears and extra's are - she's quite a step up from the steady eddies I'm used to. :)
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The foot fungus sounds like it shouldn't be an issue long term.

My main concern would be whether this horse is suitable for you in the long term. If she's not suitable for a novice now, she won't be suitable for a novice once she's fully fit. And you probably aren't always going to be thrilled to be walking and trotting round the school - you will want to try new things on a horse that makes you feel safe and gives you confidence. Will this mare do that job for you?

In your position I would probably have a long serious talk with my riding instructor to get an idea of whether this is the right horse for me. If she knows your riding, knows the horse and honestly thinks the 2 of you would be a good match (hopefully she would give you and honest opinion despite the fact she wants to sell the horse) then I would go for it.
 
id go for it :) by the time shes fully sound you would be a better rider so possibly up to her level .

but i would talk with your instructor in depth first but IMO if shes offering the mare to you she must feel that you can handle the mare in the short & long term and not just as a quick fix for RI.

good luck in whatever you decide :)
 
Hullabaloo said:
If she's not suitable for a novice now, she won't be suitable for a novice once she's fully fit. And you probably aren't always going to be thrilled to be walking and trotting round the school - you will want to try new things on a horse that makes you feel safe and gives you confidence. Will this mare do that job for you?
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Sorry, I wasn't clear.:) The mare's fine for novices - just not for beginners. She's very kind and sane but she will do as she's asked - whether the rider meant to ask or not.;)

So a novice, like me, who will say, "Gee, we're cantering - I must've been leaning forward again darn it," and bring her back to trot is fine. A nervous beginner, who will say "Aaaagh! This horse is running away with me!!!!":eek:;):D Not so much. (And not to make fun - I have been that beginner myself in the past.:eek:)

I like trotting around the indoor right now because outside it's like being in an oven full of wet cotton. Since that's the only place this mare can be ridden right now - she needs soft footing while her hooves grow out - it's just sort of a happy coincidence.

I asked my RI if she thought I'd be overhorsing myself. She says I ride this mare better than any other horse she's seen me on - including my own. And she said that a week before she decided to sell the mare.:)

TBH, I think this mare would be a bit much for me to have at home alone right now. But I think I'd learn a lot on her if I kept her at my RS, had lessons on her, and rode her outside of lessons at the school where someone's always around.

I dunno - I suppose it's really the money that gives me pause. Board would be a big expense. But when you factor in how much I'd save on the purchase price (over what this mare would cost without fungus and in a normal economy) - that's more than the cost of a year's board.
 
It seems like you have pretty wellmade your mind up I was thinking the same as Hullaballu about once she gets better will she be too much for you, but if she has good manners and is a kind mare like you say, they are hard to find so go with your heart and gut instinct, its what I normally do
 
You know, I've been saying I need a third horse for a while now. Because with two, of course, someone is always being left home alone.

Last winter I was looking for just a companion, but I got scared of every horse I called about. Their owners, actually as a selling point, would tell me "Oh, this horse won't run up your farrier (or vet, or dental) bills - s/he hasn't needed to see one in years!":eek: So of course I'm picturing myself treating for founder, and ulcers, and a whole host of other ailments brought on by years of neglect.

This girl, OTOH, has been well-taken care of and gently handled pretty much all her life. She's even micro-chipped, which is a very uncommon thing in my part of the world and suggests that someone either loved her very much or felt her to be of great value at one time.

So I guess the way to look at it is that I've found that companion horse I was looking for, and if she turns out to be more, well, that's just gravy, idnit?.:)

I'm still not positive I'm taking her - I think I'll ask RI if I can on-premises lease for thirty days with an option to buy at the end, just to make sure I can comfortably handle her all by myself over a month's time.

Thanks all for your advice and for helping me think it through. Next lesson is Tuesday - so I'll update with pics after that.:)
 
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