Absolutely pass.
For $20,000 you could buy a cheap horse that just needs training, without soundness issues.
My friend and I were just discussing the differences between a $500 horse and $10,000 horse. She takes in cheapo horses all the time, trains them and sells. Mostly as a hobby.
I had another friend buy a $10,000 horse who she was terrified of as he reared near traffic. That friend would have been better off spending $1000 or $2000 and getting something dead broke and calm.
I would focus on a horse with a passing vet check and spend the extra money on a full set of x rays, and drug testing. I would rather get something young that has only been lightly started, and is not being jumped too young.
I remember seeing a seven year old holsteiner who was already crippled and being sold as a broodmare only. She was jumped cross country and messed up from being jumped too hard too young.
If you are looking for a warmblood I would probably purchase a younger animal like 1-3yr old, and invest in training. There are several issues with buying older horses, as they could be injected with adequan or other arthritis drugs and you would not know until the horse goes lame months later. Even young horses are sometimes injected in their joints.
Finding a sound and sane horse is not always easy! Make sure to invest in a full set of x rays and flexion testing! The racehorse trainers often have the heart checked as well.
I would personally look for a horse out of a stallion who was shown even into his teens. A horse that is retired early may have had early onset arthritis. Arthritis is partially genetic and you want to avoid a horse who is not going to stay sound. Definitely try to see the side and dam or the horse you are buying, if you can. If they are sound, that is a good sign.
Proper conformation is important too, but I've seen horses with horrible conformation stay sound, yet the nice looking animal is crippled. Definitely a genetic component to joint health.
For $20,000 you could buy a cheap horse that just needs training, without soundness issues.
My friend and I were just discussing the differences between a $500 horse and $10,000 horse. She takes in cheapo horses all the time, trains them and sells. Mostly as a hobby.
I had another friend buy a $10,000 horse who she was terrified of as he reared near traffic. That friend would have been better off spending $1000 or $2000 and getting something dead broke and calm.
I would focus on a horse with a passing vet check and spend the extra money on a full set of x rays, and drug testing. I would rather get something young that has only been lightly started, and is not being jumped too young.
I remember seeing a seven year old holsteiner who was already crippled and being sold as a broodmare only. She was jumped cross country and messed up from being jumped too hard too young.
If you are looking for a warmblood I would probably purchase a younger animal like 1-3yr old, and invest in training. There are several issues with buying older horses, as they could be injected with adequan or other arthritis drugs and you would not know until the horse goes lame months later. Even young horses are sometimes injected in their joints.
Finding a sound and sane horse is not always easy! Make sure to invest in a full set of x rays and flexion testing! The racehorse trainers often have the heart checked as well.
I would personally look for a horse out of a stallion who was shown even into his teens. A horse that is retired early may have had early onset arthritis. Arthritis is partially genetic and you want to avoid a horse who is not going to stay sound. Definitely try to see the side and dam or the horse you are buying, if you can. If they are sound, that is a good sign.
Proper conformation is important too, but I've seen horses with horrible conformation stay sound, yet the nice looking animal is crippled. Definitely a genetic component to joint health.
