buying horse with tail to the side??

[vetmedbabe]

trying to buy a horse at the mo but its holding it tail to the side while being ridden and in stable - any ideas?? worried its the spine and as i dont know much about the horses history im worried. also has problems with wolf tooth- i know that holding tail to side indicates pain- could theses be related? im buying it throug a third party so not much is know- a big worry but a nice very smart horse.although hes 9 and hasnt done anything but is VERY well schooled. HEs 4000??!! i want him for showjumping only hopefully up to 1.20, higher would be fab! also pigeoned toed on one front leg. He seems to hold the tail to the left on the left rein and when going from right to left looks only slightly unbalanced maybe even lame in trot, canter ok. Any ideas anyone on should i investigate further or run a mile? my instinct is to run but i want to learn something from this experience as i still need to buy a horse lol! thanks all

[CBAnglo]

With a name like vetmedbabe I had assumed that you were a vet med student.

I wouldnt buy a horse that held its tail to the side and was lame in trot. It sounds as though it probably has something like a sacroiliac ligament strain (common amongst showsjumpers) in which case I would be surprised if you could jumpt more than 3 ft if at all with the horse.

Aside from the potential lameness issues, £4k for a 9 yr old who hasnt done anything? no chance. buying "through a third party" also sounds a bit dodgy.

Not meaning to be rude, but sounds like you need to learn quite a lot before buying a horse - perhaps take someone who is more experienced, like an instructor, and get a 5 stage vetting. It wont guarantee your horse wont go lame, but at least you may avoid a very expensive lesson.

[Cliqmo]

Blimey he sounds like he's got some problems! Wolf teeth, pigeon toes, slight lamesness, odd tail holding and no experience? He is massively overpriced at £4k!! Also, because you'd be buying him with these problems, your insurance wont cover the cost of getting him fixed!! I wouldn't run the risk, there are too many good horses out there for that kind of money to be gambling with a horse with that many problems!

[Stencilface]

I think sometimes if they switch which side they hold the tail on, it is just a way of them going, rather than an indicator of pain. Might be worth getting a physio/chiro to have a look over to see what they think, could be nothing

If you really like the horse, then faults can be overcome, and pigeon toed horses can live quite healthily and compete well, just depends on the extent.

Prices can always be knocked down

[George123]

When you read how you have put it I would say, run a mile!!!
too many issues...
We'll find you something nice....will get that website off Lu 2nite.....
G xx

[chestnut cob]

Well I wouldn't buy it! There are plenty of nice horses out there for sale for 4K for you not to need to buy one that is lame, might have a bad back, is pigeon toed and has problems with its wolf teeth

FWIW, my boy held his tail slightly to one side...was diasnosed with spavin. He now holds his tail straight, having had a fortune spent on medicating his hocks and getting osteopath treatments to mend his sore back...

[cellie]

????????????troll

[Orangehorse]

Well I wouldn't pay that much for that horse! Or buy it at all. I used to have a vet that wouldn't pass anything with pigeon toes - not for compettitions/hunting, etc.

My horse carries his tail slightly to one side but doesn't have any lameness problems at all.

He used to have a weaker hind leg, but is over that now, so whether it is a legacy of that I don't know.

[SillyMare]

My horse has a bend in his tail! Think he must have injured it at some point, kinks about 3/4s of the way down!

Based on what you have said above, I would agree with the 'run a mile' view. It is a buyers market at the moment - £4k should get something quite reasonable if you shop around a bit.

[teddyt]

Holding tail to one side can be a sign of nerve damage