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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Twisted foot, would it out you off?

15 replies

FlockOfTwats · 29/07/2014 14:30

Ive fallen in love with a mare. Shes a 12 yr old quarter horse. Only one thing is her foot is slightly twisted.

Would this put you off?

I dont want to do anything more than a bit of light schooling and hacking.

She is currently ridden with no issues, no lameness etcc.

OP posts:
toomuchcoffeetoomuchwine · 30/07/2014 09:28

I would consult two separate vets who are unconnected to the horse or the owner on this matter before considering buying the horse.

My understanding is that if the horse has a pre-existing issue with a foot that no insurer will cover any foot related problems on this horse. You would therefore be exposed to all future vet bills. You will also certainly find this horse very difficult to sell on in the future.

Original poster
FlockOfTwats · 30/07/2014 11:26

Thats a good idea. I didnt think of two different vets. Im actually up north so I can contact a couple who im certain have nothing to do with the mare who is in the midlands.

It is a friend who is selling the horse but he doesnt own her, (he is helping sell a large stock) and I do trust that my friend is telling me everything to the best of his knowledge, but i dont trust the owners - they have tried to get my friend to keep quiet about a couple of issues to potential buyers (which he has refused).

They want 1600 for her too which im thinking is a bit high and would pribbably offer less.

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Booboostoo · 30/07/2014 17:07

Get her 5* vetted. For this she would need to be trotted up on the straight, worked in the school, lunged in the school and lunged on the hard in a 10 metre circle. To be honest I think she will be lame after this but if you love her you can renegotiate the price and take a gamble that you may need to take it easy with her or retire her at some point.

Plomino · 30/07/2014 19:20

What exactly do you mean by a twisted foot ? My bargain basement horse ( who cost me a whole pound ) has what's known as a false quarter , which is basically when the coronet band has undergone some form of trauma , which affects the quality of the hoof that it creates . As long as he's regularly shod , it hasn't made a blind bit of difference to him , and we hack , school , do a bit of jumping and hopefully might do some low level eventing next year , and hasn't had a days lameness . That said , I think £1600 's a lot of money to take a chance , particularly at the moment when it's a buyers market , and you could get a horse without any problems at all for less money .

Original poster
FlockOfTwats · 30/07/2014 19:53

Plo I'll describe it best i can, its from some sort of field injury. It almost looks like shes standing funny, it sort of turns in.

She is barefoot though and i did wonder if shoeing would help or not.

She is broken to ride western so i wouldn't be jumping unless i decided to get her going english too (Unlikely).

I think 1600 is too high, TBH all of them are overpriced in todays market. The owners basically seem to think that they are going to get similar money to what they paid for the original stock plus the cost of importing them (some are imported from america). Theyve all been field ornaments for the last 7 years and the youngsters most of their lives. I wont be offering 1600 if we make an offer - Her teeth also need doing. My friend keeps telling them but they wont get it done. (She is ridden in a rope halter so they seem to think she doesnt need it).I can't imagine vacs are up to date. Plus tack etc to buy.

I'm hoping that if i end up making an offer having the cash on the spot would sway them.

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Original poster
FlockOfTwats · 30/07/2014 19:55

Booboo - I dont think there is anywhere hard to lunge her on though? (Am i being thick?). There is a round pen and a sand school.

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mrslaughan · 30/07/2014 21:29

For 10m circle on hard ground at the moment it could be an unsealed car park........., or almost anywhere the ground is so hard

5OBalesofHay · 30/07/2014 22:10

It's possibly a conformation issue, ie she's pigeon toed, and if she's heavy at all I'd look for sidebone.

Does she dish? Dh has a horse Luke this and we have to be very careful with her (never trot on road, she struggles with camber) lots of things like that. And you can't breed from her as she would pass it on. That said, we love her. But I wouldn't pay that much

Booboostoo · 31/07/2014 07:40

A car park or similar is fine for the 10m lunge test. The vet will need a long stretch of hard surface for the flexion tests as well, a road is usually fine. If the facilities are not available to do these tests the vet will find the examination incomplete, however if the owners import horses they should know about vettings inside out and if they have any worries about facilities they can always box her to the vet's surgery.

Good luck, I hope she passes, but think very carefully about the implications of you buying her is she fails. I don't mean to sound harsh but I keep mine at home and even without the livery bills the costs of retiring my oldies/sicklies for life is substantial. You still need vaccinations, the trimmer, the dentist, food, rugs, stabling in bad weather/illness, etc.

Original poster
FlockOfTwats · 31/07/2014 10:33

50bales - As far as my friend knows, and as I said I do belueve he is being honest to the best of his knowledge, its from an injury, not something she was born with. A foal of hers is on site who doesnt have this, im not interested in breedig herr anyway though.

I dont think she dishes but I cant be sure from memory,

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Lala5 · 01/08/2014 08:08

Vetting would be best idea. As she gets older it may pose more of a problem, but it depends on whether that's an issue for u. I bought my share horse and didn't get him vetted coz I'd already had him over a year with no issues. Vet said to be 'I can vet him but if I tell you there's something wrong would you change your mind?'. Answer was no so we didn't go through with it. Horse us worth only what someone will pay, so I reckon barter if you think it's too much

Original poster
FlockOfTwats · 01/08/2014 10:47

It would bother me if it meant i couldn't ride her at all, and TBH my other half wouldn't agree to buying a field ornament. (I'm already hoping he doesn't notice the three year old i know he will prefer).

I think vetting is the only way really then, thanks ladies.

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Original poster
FlockOfTwats · 01/08/2014 11:01

Here is a picture if anyone wants to see :) Please dont bollock me for not wearing a hat. My mother beat you to it.

Twisted foot, would it out you off?
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SaggyAndLucy · 07/08/2014 13:31

you need an equine podiatrist to do a proper inspection. If she's been a lawn mower it could be as simple as the hoof growing not quite straight and not being trimmed enough. there's a lot which can be done my a foot person with half a brain.

Original poster
FlockOfTwats · 07/08/2014 20:00

12 years around horses and it never crossed my mind that we have horsey podiatrists saggy, thankyou!

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