TB owners?.. not TBs but appys and they are home! update 4/11 NEW PICS

[patandchickens]

If they've been off the track a few years then sure, go take a look, see if they're something you're comfortable with, they certainly might be.

Bear in mind that unless they have had Significant Good Training since their racing days, it can be easy to misunderstand their level of comprehension of normal riding horse things... some ex-racers have little clue about standing still to be mounted yet are fully solid about most other things; many or most of them will take "a constant pull on the reins" as a cue to go FASTER, especially once you are cantering; many have no clue about leg aids; etc. So you need to think of them, even more than you would any other horse that's new to you, as a patchwork of different levels of training, not something all-of-a-piece.

Also it is worth trying to find out how they spook -- either by trying to provoke a mild spook if the seller permits, or at least by ASKING the seller what they do when spooked. With OTT TBs especially (moreso than many other horses), novices should really try to avoid the type whose reaction to something scary is to leave at 40 mph and not stop til your legs fall off. By no means do all TBs react this way but there is a certain subset who that IS their natural pattern of response to anything that worries them, and it is NOT a confidence-building horse for someone who has not got years and years of experience, preferably including some bolters, under their belt. What you want is more along the lines of a horse that spooks in place, or at worst backs off a few strides and then stops and faces the scary thing.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
I love reading your advice Pat, you are very well spoken as well as knowing your stuff!

To the OP, the only horse I've owned was a TB who was never raced, he was a show jumper that was retiring from active competition simply because his owner was moving up to larger jumps. He was absolutely fantastic personality wise. Total gentleman, very affectionate. Now I know this is definitely not the same as what you're getting but here's the reason I bring it up. What Pat said about finding out what they spook at and how is incredibly important. The only time I was injured riding is when he spooked on a trail ride. Had a buddy with me for safety but she was left in the dust when he spooked. I don't even know what he spooked at. He ran a quarter of a mile flat out galloping. There was nothing I could do to stop him, he had the bit. Completely ignored me. Bear in mind, he had spooked before and never had this reaction.

What finally stopped him was an asphalt driveway because his shod hooves lost traction and his back legs swept out from under him. Had I not seen it coming and prepared myself I would have suffered broken bones, instead I ended up with only some abrasions and swelling on my hand and was very sore for a while. I simply let go when I felt him slip and was thrown away from him instead of being pinned. My friend caught up to me a few minutes later as her QH was nowhere near as fast. Fortunately we were close to home so we walked home together and found him waiting for us because of course he didn't stick around after going down. He didn't break anything but had a very nasty wound on his rear "knee" (of course I can't remember what that part of the leg is called). It was not the back part of his leg (his hock) but on the front closer to his body. Needed lots of care before it healed completely because there was no way to wrap it that high up.

That being said, I loved that horse and miss him terribly to this day. Sounds like you've got enough horse experience to be generally prepared for them but if you have someone that is more familiar with TB and especially OTTB that could go with you, might be a good idea.

 

[booker81]

I loved my OTTB, but he was a complete pistol. Very sensitive, but very willing....sometimes too willing. I really had to watch him when stopping him between two "walls" (like the entrance to our indoor arena), and then asking him to move forward (into said arena). Think starting gates

For him, I couldn't ever "get after him" for something like some horses tolerate. The first instant of aggression or pushing the limits on a riders part, he would just go bonkers and take off. I really learned how to "ask" him to do things, not tell him. I would have to use a lot of patience to try and match what I wanted him to do with what he understood of my asking, and sometimes we would have to try different exercises just to get where I wanted him (like walking on the rail and not jigging, found out to "train" him, I had to teach him shoulder in and haunches in, and then slowly train him to walk straight. He needed the additional "task" to keep his mind busy and his feet on the ground. Once we got that, we could take the "task" away, and he'd walk normal.)

I think they are fabulous, but they are definately not easy in general. I've ridden a lot of other OTTBs and though they have different personalities, most of them rode well when treated gently, quietly, and with calm persistance and patience. The second you get frustrated with them is the second they turn into nitroglycerine fruitcakes.

I did 4H and dressage with my OTTB. He was not a top showing guy, but he taught me an immense amount about horsemanship.

Of course, he had the best name - "Nothings Ever Easy"

 

[bufforp89]

Well I went and saw these guys and although they were great they are not quite right for my family. I personally would have no prob with these guys but some others in my family are not as horse savvy so needless to say they just wont work.

I do however have 2 more prospects that I was hoping someone could give me some feedback on. I will be going and seeing them in a few weeks and they will be vetted before coming home.

The first is a 18 y/o lepord appy. Used for trails for most of his life and is great for confident beginners and up. Apparently has a moon blindness issue that affects one eye caused by an injury that happened 5+ years ago. They say that his sight has not gotten any worse as he has aged and it does not seem to bother him at all. He does not need any oitment or drops regularly for his eye. Here are a few pics of him undersaddle from this past summer...

The other is his companion, a 22 y/o painted draft/QH cross. She is used for trails as well and apparently in great health other then the beginnings of swayback. I only have the one pic of her but should have more shortly. The current owner says that the vet who was out a few months ago says since the swayback is not sever and at her age it should not cause her pain to be ridden in the future as long as she is kept conditioned. The current owners say they condition her daily by making her arch her back and do carrot stretches. The also lunge her several times a week for short periods of time. I dont know much about sway back so I am really looking forward to opinions on this...I have ridden a horse with sawyback a few times though at a local hack type stable and it didnt seem to bother the horse. This pic was taken just this past fall...

Thanks in advance for any replies!

 

[patandchickens]

I guess my big questino at this point would be (pardon me if you've answered it earlier and I missed it), What do you actually want these horses FOR? What is their job description. Who will be riding them, doing what, and who else will be handling them (when you say your other family members lack sufficient horse experience to handle those other two TBs, what does that mean?)

It is hard to have a sensible opinion on suitability without knowing suitability for *what*

As far as the leopard app, be aware that moonblindness (assuming that is a correct diagnosis) can be *set off by* an injury but it is more than just that. It is an infectious or immune-mediated disease and can easily spread to the other eye as well, five years of only one eye being affected does not say much of anything IME about the likelihood of the other eye packin' it in later on. Moonblindness is pretty common in leopard apps in general, and since this one you *know* has it, I would not buy him unless you are OK with the possibility of winding up with an entirely-blind horse and you have several good plans (A, B, etc) for what you will do if that happens.

The draftX pinto does not look *especially* swaybacked to me although of course a saddle can hide things, if it's just that her back is very-beginning to drop then it is not a concern if she will not have to carry heavy riders or do very much.

Both of them have a set of ears and head and body attitude that suggest they may be a bit on the "perky" end of the spectrum, though, they may certainly still be dependable but they do not give the impression of being the quiet ignore-the-world-and-go-slowly type. Some people like one kind of horse, others like other kinds; I'm just noticing this about those pics and pointing it out.

Those are "interesting" fences they've got there

Pat

 

[pbjmaker]

That horse in the background in the third picture down looks like a good, safe prospect...

 

[welsummerchicks]

From me, that would be a no on the moonblind horse, as well as the other one.

Depends on what they're calling 'moonblindness'. Periodic Ophthalmia. It's supposed to be applied only to that one disease- a chronic disease of the eye called these days, 'Uveitis'. Or 'periodic uveitis'.

The reason it was called 'moonblindness' was that it seemed to flare up every few weeks. Over and over and over and over. Eventually the entire eye would be destroyed, and then it's dstart on the other eye.

There are a number of diseases and infections horses can get that people refer to as 'moonblindness' - some people use the term for any sort of eye problem. There are also hereditary eye conditions horses get - and these are not unheard of in Appaloosas, actually.

While an injury have seemed to start the process off, it's usually much more complicated than an injury. The disease process usually continues, spreads to the other eye, etc.

You shouldn't start out with a horse with moonblindness. It's generally progressive and requires a lot of expensive veterinary care, and despite that it will continue to progress - the treatment is mostly for the severe pain - enucleation (removal of the eye) eventually, spreading to the other eye - in other words it's a huge, huge mess.

A friend of mine's Appy got uveitis. They got the eye 'seeded' - implants of medication in the eye (surgically), about 1500 bucks an eye. The problem continued to deteriorate, the treatment did slow it down some. Eventually she was completely blind and was kept as a pet. Some horses adjust to blindness, some don't. Most can't be ridden - some it's dangerous to handle them. It's not always like in the movies.

Of course occasionally there is a horse with 'just a touch of it', but that never seems to be what it turns out to be - you get the horse home and it turns out, 'gee, it isn't really 'just a touch of it''.

The second horse has a very severe foot deformity, the whole structure of the hoof has collapsed and twisted, usually caused by chronic untreated/untreatable lameness. The foot can't healthily support the horse's weight and the horse is unlikely to be pain free. Sure you can try to treat it, but it looks like it's been neglected for an extremely long time. In those cases, generally not a good outcome. A horse needs 4 good feet. Otherwise he's done for.

Please be careful. If I can do anything to help let me know. Please have a veterinarian examine and advise on ANY horse you decide to buy - BEFORE you buy.

When you're a novice buyer, people 'see you comin' from miles off. Please be careful.

 

[babyblue]

no no no NO. please no because it sounds like you have kids or beginners in your family.

First off like wc said the paint has a MAJOR hoof deformity issue going on, from injury or hereditary I dont know. but the paint is not a safe (not safe as in I wouldn't ride it for fear of it tripping and falling) ridding horse nor will it even be a sound pasture pet.

the appy is already partially blind, does not look like the most willing animal, but what makes me leery is if its barn buddy has such a serious untreated hoof issue, what the heck is the tougher appy most likely hiding.


Id take track horses over these two with very obvious deformity's and blindness.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I wouldn't. A horse off the track is not appropriate for a novice buyer with children.

PLEASE FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE. You don't know it but you're headed for an awful lot of trouble and disappointment if you keep at it this way.

Everyone and his brother has got a horse for sale today. And most of them are blind, lame, untrained, dangerous - you name it - most of them would hurt you or your kids or both, drain your pocketbook and make you miserable.

FIRST OF ALL GET SOME HELP FROM A MORE EXPERIENCED SKILLED, PRACTICAL OLD SORT - IF YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE.

PLAN TO GET AN OLD BEEN THERE, DONE THAT FAMILY PET HORSE THAT IS USED TO KIDS AND IS DEAD QUIET, CALM, EASY AND ALREADY TRAINED, BEEN TO LITTLE LOCAL SADDLE CLUB SHOWS, SMALL, PLAIN AND ALL THAT - NO FANCY PERKY HIGH STEPPING SHOW HORSE - JUST A QUIET, PLAIN, AVERAGE OLD FAMILY HORSE.

ONE THAT IS IN WORK TOOOOOOO-DAY - RIGHT NOW, BEING RIDDEN, BY KIDS, LITTLE KIDS.

AND WHEN YOU GO TO LOOK AT THE HORSE TAKE THAT MORE EXPERIENCED PERSON WITH YOU - PEOPLE TIRE OUT AND/OR DRUG HORSES TO MAKE BUYERS THINK THEY'RE WELL BEHAVED - AN EXPERIENCED PERSON HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF DETECTING THAT.

GO TO A LOCAL RIDING INSTRUCTOR WHO TEACHES CHILDREN AND BEGINNER ADULTS. And even if that person says the horse is perfectly suitable - HAVE A GOOD HORSE VETERINARIAN EXAMINE AND EVALUATE IT FOR DISEASE AND LAMENESS.

 

[patandchickens]

Good lord, I did not notice that foot, but yeah, RUN DO NOT WALK away. Could be several things, but that is not a functional horse and never will be.

Pat