horse buying question

[HopeMissouri]

I would walk away. As a first time horse-owner, there are enough challenges with horse ownership than to purchase one with a previous history of founder and currently on meds. The thyroid condition/medication would concern me the most. Look at more horses.

When buying my horses, my husband video taped and visited with the seller as I test rode the horse. Very interesting to listen to those taped conversations that I didn't get to hear first hand as I was riding.

Be sure to get a pre-purchase exam. It's a buyers market. There are some very nice horses for sale at reasonable prices.

You might also consider leasing a horse. You'll have the responsibilities of horse ownership for a shorter term. If the responsibilities are more than you can manage, you could walk away. Buying the horse is the least expensive part of horse ownership.

 

[believer01]

We've had horses for 12 yrs so here's my 2 cents worth:
They are wonderful critters, and can bring much joy to a family. They can also cause great distress should they hurt someone or fall ill themselves. It's far too big a decision to make if you are the least bit unsure.

A friend kept her horse at a barn where there was a mare for sale that was kept loaded with some sort of med to keep her from freaking out. They had to practically sedate her for the farrier to work on her feet. So what folks suggested about having a vet check and farrier go look at any horse you are serious about is really good advice.

When we bought our first fella we a trainer come out and help us a few times. He is Mennonite, very gentle and easy going man ~ and he had some great ideas. Johnny pointed out that horses are used to having many things done to them and will normally react just fine as long as they are comfortable with what's going on around or to them. After saying this, he stuck his thumb up Trackers nose (Way Up), was banging on the back of his fetlock with his toe, pulled the horses tongue out and hung on to it for a few minutes, even as Tracker shook his head and pulled back. Said he always did these and other 'strange' things to horses he was considering .... it was a good way to see how they would react in unusual circumstances. Tracker just stood there except for the head shaking when Johnny first grabbed his tongue. As Johnny said, if a horse started acting spooky, jumping around or jigging with such mild new things then how would they react if your daughter were on him when something really weird happened?

My husband said he was just glad he'd already shaken Johnny's hand!!

Please take your time! Show up unexpectedly or call from the sellers driveway and ask to see the horse so that there's little opportunity to dope one up. Never get on a horse that the owner hasn't ridden in front of you. Ask around at local feed stores, 4-H clubs and other horse gathering places about the reputation of the seller and their animals. Folks are so leery of libel suits nowadays that you may need to approach it in a round about way, but horse people generally like talking about horses!

Above all- pray! That'll get you the best guidance available!

 

[patandchickens]

I would suggest a vet exam, possibly with bloodwork and/or xrays done (as per vet's recommendation, probably), before committing to a horse like that. If he were STELLAR in all other respects and you are financially and emotionally ok with the possibility of repeat founder, and the knowledge that a 19 yr old horse's future working lifespan is often pretty short (some horses continue working to age 40, of course, but most of them "not so much"), then IF the vet report is favorable I could see a case for buying him.

I think it would be a bad idea to skip the vetting on this one though, or to try to cheap out on it. Lameness, laminitis/founder, or simple "old horse loss of use" can be pretty expensive things, you want to know where you stand probability-wise.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[kfchickenlady]

It sounds as if youre not 100% sure on this, and many others have given great advice. Remember if you buy, and it doesnt work out, its not easy to resell a horse that has health or other issues, esp at that age and in this market. You sound like someone who would represent a horse honestly, so be very very careful, and for a kids horse that you trust, throw looks out the window! It just doesnt matter, there are many plane janes out there who people overlook as babysitters. And ditto to the poster who said dont take the kids with you.
Good luck, and get pro help.

 

[ND]

I haven't read all the replies, so forgive me if I repeat something...

IMO, $1000 for a horse with problems, ANY problems, is too much in this market. Granted, there have been occasions that I have bought horses that were overpriced because *I* wanted *THAT* horse... but I was well aware that I was NOT getting a 'good deal', price to market wise. So, if it ends up that this IS the horse for you... only you can decide if $1000 is a 'good price'.

I would have a vet check....with good Xrays of the hooves. Sure, horses can recover from founder (but are usually always more prone to it again, depending on the reason for the founder), but not all founders are alike. There are certainly different degrees of founder. Some quite recoverable from with the right care and knowledge, and some that permanently 'disfigure' the bones within the hoof. If the horse is truly recovered, there won't be any abnormal rotation of the coffin bone, there won't be any 'ski-tips' on the coffin bones, there won't be any significant deterioration. You cannot tell these things without Xrays... you cannot tell these things from the way the horse moves or doesn't move. Most horses are quite 'noble' creatures, and attempt to mask pain/lameness until they cannot anymore. (in the wild, lame horses will be run from their herds as liabilities)
Pain indications might be subtle enough for a newbie to completely miss...not understanding what they're looking at...

At least is sounds like the seller was honest... so far. (just don't assume there's something STILL NOT being unsaid)


Another thing I'd like to touch on is this...

Many non-horse people, or those new to owning horses, are under the impression that one trains a horse... and the horse is trained. There. Done. Well broke, trained horse. Forever.

This is SIMPLY not the case... at all. Now, there are VERY FEW old souls that are far more honest than others that this MAY be true for... in a way... but 99.9% of the time, this is NOT how it works....not at all.

There is no such thing as a trained, finished horse that'll remain that way no matter what. You can find the safest, calmest, most well mannered animal that is superbly trained... and in a month...six months... a year... have an entirely different beast in your pasture. This isn't necessarily because the HORSE suddenly 'went bad'...

It's because EVERY single second you spend with a horse... not just riding... but feeding, petting, leading, riding, handling in ANY way... every single second... you are TRAINING the horse. For it's entire life. Really, every second. Or... in MANY, MANY instances with inexperienced or new owners... you are UNTRAINING the horse... or rather, retraining it to be a very bad horse in many instances.

Unless you know how to properly handle, ride, and reprimand the 'perfect horse' (and know what things need to be reprimanded), you will soon NOT have the perfect horse anymore...

You are ALWAYS training... or UNtraining. Always.
And you really should understand 'horse language' and herd hierarchy (even if you own just a single horse...YOU are part of the herd) to even begin to know how (and why) to properly handle them. Or even...when THEY are slyly handling YOU instead of the other way around...

I'm not saying any of this to deter you necessarily... just to make sure a prospective new horse owner KNOWS what they're getting into. So many people even want to train them or handle them almost like a big dog... with the same tactics or under the impression that they even *think* the same way. They do not... in fact, nearly completely opposite in many ways. (one must understand that a dog and a horse have very different places in the 'food chain' even...one a predator, one is very much prey and THINK and react exactly spot on for their 'food chain' status) Many people...that some less experienced people may even look up to as knowing a LOT about horses...as even 'good riders'... don't even have this concept in their tool box...

When you find the PERFECT horse... your very next step should be finding the PERFECT mentor/friend/trainer that actually knows...truly...what they're doing-- and even better-- is good at teaching someone else how to handle any given things that WILL pop up. WILL.
Sounds easy enough (ha!), but I'd hate to be a newbie trying to decipher who knows what they're doing and who doesn't... As a lifelong horsewoman, I've seen far more of the latter... in ALL levels of actual riding skills. It'd be a daunting task to find a good trainer/mentor if I didn't know what I know now... especially because even the very worst can, at least initially, make themselves SOUND like they know what they're talking about... ugh!



Anyway... I do hope you find what you're looking for and are extremely happy with it... just be wary of buying 'problems'. It IS true that this is a buyers market...and there are some amazing 'deals' to be found. In OUR area (not knowing where you're at...) a $1000 aged horse with past or current problems? NOT a deal... not at all. HOWEVER, like I said... sometimes it CAN be the *perfect horse*...you know you're being taken for a ride in the pocket book... but it doesn't matter because you WANT THAT horse...that specific horse. It happens...and, at least to the buyer, it's "worth it". Yes, you could get another horse for even half the price (or less) that, on paper, is exactly the same...but no two ARE exactly the same...and sometimes, you do have to have THAT horse...

 

[welsummerchicks]

you are beautiful.

 

[verthandi]

I'd keep looking. Market is down, costs the same to keep a good one, as one with a medical condition. The thyroid meds are inexpensive, but the horse's blood level should be checked yearly (minimum requirement). Many with this condition can not go out on pasture. Hay quality has to be matched with amount of medication and any changes have the chance of causing a recurrence of laminitis. Horses that have a thyroid problems are also more susceptible to become insulin resistance and develop cushing's disease.

 

[txredneckmedic]

IMO $1000 is too much for a horse with problems. I purchased my last horse through a horse trader friend of mine for $750. He is 18 with no problems....and is very kid friendly. BTW...he is 16 hands tall and my 7yo has him trotting by herself. I would keep looking.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I don't mind horses with problems, but I don't think it's a good situation for someone new to horses.

Also, if a horse I bought at an old age, dies with me, I am not so broken up, I figure I made their last days more comfortable and happy. and gave them some peace. But for a child to have its first horse, get so they really like it, and then have it die...boy I don't envy parents sometimes.

 

[vmdanielsen]

A $1000, 19 YO on thyroid meds. I'd pass. There are plenty of horses out there that would meet your needs w/o the issues. Having a prepurchase exam is always wise. Keep looking! Something will come along. Have your kids start taking lessons somewhere to get them going on the path of horsemanship.