Would you buy a 2 year old who has coliced in the past? Once a trouble maker always1?

[Cowgirl Lindz]

Looking at another horse, the never ending search it seems! I want to make the right decision. There is a colt who is pretty much exactly what I want but he coliced at 7 months old after a stabling issue force him to be taken to another barn and 2 buddy up in a stall with another gelding. This past january he try to jump the fence and cut his stifle but it has healed well. Breeders do you find that if a foal is a trouble maker they stay trouble makers? Do you think the stifle would have any issues later? Would he dislike jumping now? I'm looking for a jumper!
Do you think it is just a little bad luck and that these may simply be things I could use to get him for a lower price?
If a foal gets colic are they more likely to get it as an adult?

Thanks guys

[siegi b.]

Lots of variables in your situation....

When you say the colt had colic - did it require surgery? If not, then it wouldn't prevent me from considering the purchase. Young horses, just like kids, have a tendency to get into trouble and that, sometimes, results in injury. If what young horses do could be a predictor for their future I probably wouldn't have sold any of my youngsters.

Good luck!

[kippermom]

I am just new here but our 2 year old coliced last month due to a sudden change in the weather etc...tubed and it resolved, probably juist gas. I had a long talk with the vet about the horse's future even though she is a keeper. I think it may depend on whether a vet thinks the colic was situational (can happen to any horse at any time at any age), or somehow physiological or the result of a systemic problem with digestion etc...that you would be fighting its whole life.:confused: Problem is I do not know if you can always tell the cause of colic??? We've had it with the older horses like you all have, and many times there is no obvious agent. Sometimes it is terrifingly random and some horses seem prone.:confused:

[Amoroso]

The events you described wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, but I'd want to know the specifics. Find out the cause of the colic, type of colic and treatment given so that you have an idea of what could potentially put this horse at risk in the future. We have a mare that doesn't do well in very cold weather, she stops drinking. We moved her to Alberta this year from a much milder climate, and we had to make adjustments. We have an extra tank heater in her water, and I feed her sloppy beat pulp with yessac and a few other supplements. As a result of our efforts, we've never had a repeat colic.
In terms of the fence jumping, I wouldn't be too worried. Get a vet to look over the horse, take x-rays if necessary and then you'll know for sure. Best of luck.

[Oakstable]

Maybe you can find one that has been bubble-wrapped since birth.

Ditto what Siegi says.

There are colics and there are colics.

I have taken care of many mild upsets with a probiotic.

[Amoroso]

Maybe you can find one that has been bubble-wrapped since birth.

They make that for horses??? :winkgrin:

Anyhow, I just noticed something about your original post something I hadn't caught before. How did you get the history on the horse? I would assume that the owner has given you a full history, which is admirable and honest. If you are concerned ask to speak to the vet who treated the horse. When the owners are happy to disclose all previous problems, they generally don't have issue releasing vet records. I know I've done that in the past, allowed the purchaser to contact our vet to go over the health history of the horse.

[camohn]

Yes if the colic did not involve surgery

[Equibrit]

It doesn't sound to me like it is the horse that is a "troublemaker". He seems to have suffered from management problems caused by his caretakers.

[kookicat]

He sounds like a horse. -Shrug- None of what you said would put me off buying him.

[szipi]

Almost all horses have colicked at least one point in their lives. Colic is just belly ache...and most resolve without a problem. Unfortunately, sometimes they do not. I had to have surgery done on 2 of my weanlings a few years back....nephrospleenic enrappment...very rare. So I have a couple of top-notch 3 YO's who I'm not sure I can sell. I decided to start them, ride them and the right match will come along. But I checked one thing: they both can be insured for colic now, after they had no incidents for 2 1/2 years.

[patch work farm]

I think the major issue here is that you are mentioning a colicy stomach vs. surgical colic. Most horses have gas at least once in their lives-been tubed or given banamine and been fine.

I have a 2 year old that had surgery at 32 days old, he has never looked back but it was a torsion and pretty touch/go for the first week after surgery. (I had told my vet when the foal was a week old that I thought something was not quite right). I tell everyone that steps foot on my farm (whether they are shopping or not) about his surgery and they are shocked I even bring it up since he is 2. I feel it is something I MUST disclose but I can tell you there are many people who would never even mention it. The good news is, if he doesn't sell I will be exstatic to ride him but I also have the opinion if he keels over, I did what I could for him when he needed it and it just wasn't meant to be. As someone else posted, they are horses and they just do stuff to themselves! I have two other riding horses for sale who have just moved into their stalls due to stupid antics that require some rest.

As far as the stifle, I think I would be more concerned that he will jump out of your paddocks when you move him. It certainly could not hurt to get a radiograph of it. Good luck with your decision and remember, buying them is really not the issue, it is the maintenance of them that cost $$ and drives us crazy!

[Cowgirl Lindz]

Thanks guys, I asked the owner for more info and he said the colic was not bad they did have the vet in but it resulved itself. As for the stifle it did not require stiches just some cleaning every once and a while.

I love the bubble wrape idea!!!:lol:

[JenRose]

I bought a 10 month old who had coliced at around 6 months of age. Due to bad weather she was brought up to the "big barn" with mom. I am not sure if it was the stress of being brought up or the weather but she coliced. It easily resolved with a shot of Banamine. Breeder was up front about all of this.

Filly is now 2 and (knock wood) has had no other colics.

She did jump out of a stall as a yearling with no injuries (mental or physical). Hubby saw it happen. I am hoping to make her into my ammy hunter so once I knew all was okay I asked about her jumping form! :lol:

Horses will be horses!!! Bubble wrap would be nice! :winkgrin:

[Portia]

Sounds like the colic is not an issue at all. Any horse can have a gas colic or a stress colic.

On the stifle and jumping, at 2 you could ask the owner to free jump the horse and check his attitude towards fences. You'll likely find he has no problems, but you'll be able to check both his general attitude and his form. Of course, if he's never free jumped before, give him a chance to figure it out before you judge him.