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Gaiting or limping? please help

6K views 20 replies 17 participants last post by  Cowgirls Boots 
#1 ·
I'm looking into buying this horse.... He is a 12 year old MFT gelding.

He has a head bob and the owner says that he is SLIGHTLY off in the front right shoulder.... she thinks.

is this true??? Or is he just gaiting? I'm new to this breed :)

If he is limping, how does one fix it? Chiro?

Can you spot the lameness? - YouTube
 
#3 ·
He is definitely gaiting, but I can't say what the head bob is from. A little extra head bob is normal in a gaited horse... THAT much extra head bob makes me wonder, especially considering it seems unilateral [he bobs more when one leg hits the ground than the other].

But, I'm not a gaited person, so do take my advice with a grain of salt regarding this horse.
 
#8 ·
Looks like he's limping. The MFTs I've seen do have a head bob but its a steady one. This horse has a more pronounced bob every other stride. I'm no expert but that's just how it looks to me.

As to how you help him heal it, it depends on why he's limping. A vet should look at him if you aren't sure what it is.
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#9 ·
Yes, he is off a bit and I agree with Walkin' about possible thrush being a cause, among other reasons... or it could be he needs a better/different hoof trim.
FYI not all gaited breeds bob their heads. TWH are known for it, but for example Rocky Mountains (my horse breed) do not bob their heads. :D
 
#12 ·
I think he is limping as well but then again, he's on what looks to be a slick icy type of path...
 
#14 ·
Seriously gimpy.

Fix it? First, get a vet to diagnose it. Then after you get the diagnosis you can do a full SOAP.

But why bother? It's not your horse. The world is awash in good, sound horses for sale. Messing with a "project" might lead to a "good deal" but more probably will lead to a large stack of vet bills.

Pass it by and keep looking.

G.
 
#16 ·
To me it looks like a hoof issue by the way he's short striding on it and the head pop. That isn't the same as a head nod on a gaited horse or it would be rhythmic. It could be an abcess coming on or something else. If you really want him do get the vet check done. We've heard too many broken heart stories on here from those who didn't. If you don't want to do a vet check, wait about 6 weeks and if he's till for sale, try him out again. If it's an abcess it's usually run it's course by then and he'll be fine. Since he's white, I wonder about his age as most greys are white in their late teens or later.
 
#20 · (Edited)
This horse is not limping. And not gaiting either at this point. This horse is seriously LAME. Should not be ridden at all, nor sold.

There is something really wrong here. Could be many many things, but to take on this horse if you don't have to is doing yourself a disservice.

This could be only a small issue, such as abscess, could be navicular, could be leg problem, could be shoulder issue, could be neurological too.

This can run into thousands of dollars, and the owner should be shot for not doing something about this, AND for selling a horse and lying to a prospective buyer.

Do NOT buy this horse, you will regret it. Even a PPE may not get to the root of the problem, and unless you have a qualified equine lameness specialist look at the horse, and that means X-rays and other testing, you may not get the straight of it either. Not all vets are the same.

There are too many sound horses out there to get one that is not.

Run away from this one.

Saw you passed and am glad of that.

I remember another person who was all excited about a horse she was getting, in spite of several cautions from more experience horse people as to some things we saw. She got horse anyway, and has not been able to ride him but once in couple of years now. All of the things we saw, and cautioned about, were sadly right on target. She is out price of horse, hauling across the country, and many many meds and treatments, and still has no horse to ride.

You have learned a good thing about horses.
 
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