Proffie
Aug. 17, 2009, 11:04 PM
I bought a 6 yo OTTB last winter. I had a prepurchase done, and he flexed clean. He's built very well. I didn't pay for xrays. In my mind, the horse was inexpensive, had a great mind, and flexed sound. I knew he'd been raced, so I didn't want to get scared by something on the xrays that wasn't showing in his movement. My goals are small -- I want a horse to hack on the trails with, do some very basic flatwork, maybe jump some 2' jumps here and there. No showing, no hard dressage or heavy jumping.
I brought the horse home and he's been absolutely PERFECT. No soundness issues, great work ethic, calm and sweet. However, I've noticed that he constantly rests his back hind foot on the cross ties, and even out in the pasture sometimes. He has a soft swelling, probably a bog spavin, on the inside of that hock. I had the vet out last week, and she examined it and flexed him, and she said she might have seen a little stiffness, maybe a "1 or 1.5". She then had me lunge him, and he looked 100 percent.
She told me that she'd be willing to xray him, but based on his background and what my plans are for him, she (in her words) said "I wouldn't want to send you on a fishing expedition." I agreed, because honestly I can't see any issues in his movement, and if I xray him and find a bunch of arthritic changes I'll just freak out and be afraid to do anything with him. Yet, I can't stop obsessing about what might or might not be wrong with him.
I started him on the loading dose of injectable glucosamine. He's out 24/7, and I ride about 3-4 times per week for about 30 minutes. I always warm up slowly and rub his legs with linament after every ride. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I guess I'm just looking for some opinions as far as how much of a "fishing expedition" I should go on, if any.
I brought the horse home and he's been absolutely PERFECT. No soundness issues, great work ethic, calm and sweet. However, I've noticed that he constantly rests his back hind foot on the cross ties, and even out in the pasture sometimes. He has a soft swelling, probably a bog spavin, on the inside of that hock. I had the vet out last week, and she examined it and flexed him, and she said she might have seen a little stiffness, maybe a "1 or 1.5". She then had me lunge him, and he looked 100 percent.
She told me that she'd be willing to xray him, but based on his background and what my plans are for him, she (in her words) said "I wouldn't want to send you on a fishing expedition." I agreed, because honestly I can't see any issues in his movement, and if I xray him and find a bunch of arthritic changes I'll just freak out and be afraid to do anything with him. Yet, I can't stop obsessing about what might or might not be wrong with him.
I started him on the loading dose of injectable glucosamine. He's out 24/7, and I ride about 3-4 times per week for about 30 minutes. I always warm up slowly and rub his legs with linament after every ride. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I guess I'm just looking for some opinions as far as how much of a "fishing expedition" I should go on, if any.