| Finally, the last recommendation before making | | | | in your best interest to have a veterinarian |
| your decision to buy your first horse, is making | | | | perform a physical check on the horse and |
| sure the horse is sound. This means that the | | | | maybe take x-rays just to be sure; depending on |
| horse does not have any lameness. Unsoundness | | | | the amount of money you are willing to spend. |
| can come in many forms, not just the obvious; | | | | Also, feet problems are a very big issue and can |
| from respiratory problems, to muscular or skeletal | | | | sometimes be difficult to diagnose. If you put |
| problems, to feet problems. You also want a | | | | your hands around the coronet band, (the very |
| horse that is mentally sound in his or her way of | | | | top of the front and side of the foot), where the |
| thinking and dealing with life's everyday issues. | | | | leg meets the foot, you want to feel if there is |
| Lets' assume you have found a horse of interest | | | | any heat in that area and you need to do this on |
| and you are going back for a second look. Now | | | | each foot. Also by picking up the feet and looking |
| you are familiar with the horses' ways and | | | | at the bottom, you will notice a v-shape what is |
| mannerisms. This will give you an advantage as it | | | | known as a frog. The frog should be a little |
| will make it a little easier to detect some of these | | | | spongy, yield slightly to a pressured touch, should |
| things I am about to discuss. | | | | not have any odor and should look full and not |
| It is important that you look for evenness in their | | | | partially eaten away by fungus. Also the walls of |
| gaits, (walk, trot and canter); no head bobbing as | | | | the foot, similar to our fingernail, should be |
| they go through their motions and when you are | | | | extending further down from the frog meaning if |
| on their backs, and that every time they put | | | | you look at the foot from the side, the walls of |
| each foot down while at a walk, trot or canter, | | | | the foot, (darker outer fingernail), should be a little |
| that each step feels the same. When you are | | | | longer than the frog, but not too long. A good |
| riding a horse, they should feel smooth and even. | | | | blacksmith is invaluable in today's horse world as |
| You are looking for a comfortable ride, the | | | | some sound horses need a little more care in this |
| smoother the better. Of course, if a horse has | | | | area in order to keep them sound, especially if |
| not been ridden in several months or years, their | | | | they are being ridden or campaigned a lot. |
| gait will not be quite as smooth perhaps as it | | | | The next issue of soundness is respiratory. These |
| should be, as their fitness level will determine this | | | | problems can be physical malfunctions which will |
| to a degree. When you are on a horse's back and | | | | not allow the proper flow of air called a palate. |
| they are jolting you in the saddle and the horse | | | | The palate is a mechanism located in the throat |
| seems to be pounding the ground, (instead of | | | | area which separates the flow of air and food. |
| moving easily across the ground), this should be a | | | | That means that if the palate is not working |
| red flag for you. Sound and good moving horses | | | | properly it can cause some distress for your |
| just seem to float across the surface. Each horse | | | | horse when breathing. Horses can also suffer |
| is an individual, and each one will feel different and | | | | from allergies and a problem called heaves. I will |
| you have to take that into consideration. The | | | | be going in depth about these problems at a later |
| way in which we ride a horse will also change the | | | | date, but for now, you should pay attention to |
| outcome of his or her ability to please us. | | | | how the horse you are considering is breathing |
| Let's move on to muscular, joint and feet | | | | when at a stand still, and how quickly their nostrils |
| problems. If a horse has been ridden too hard on | | | | start getting wider and wider at what stage of |
| a particular day, they may be moving a little off, | | | | riding. Of course, horses who are not being ridden |
| (meaning that they are not moving evenly and | | | | often and/or are overweight, their nostrils will |
| smoothly), and they may experience some | | | | start to flare very easily. If you just started |
| stiffness and soreness due to the build up of lactic | | | | riding, and the horse is breathing heavy, and you |
| acid in the muscles. But as the lactic acid is | | | | can hear them breathing or they are making a |
| absorbed by the body, the soreness should | | | | loud noise, this is not a good sign. Horses with the |
| subside and the horse's gaits should go back to | | | | heaves will show signs first, (with little or no |
| normal. If there are chronic muscle issues, then it | | | | exercise), of coughing, sometimes severely, and |
| will take much longer for the horse to | | | | their stomach's will tighten up and then drop |
| re-cooperate and this is another red flag. If, when | | | | suddenly, tighten up and drop suddenly. Horses |
| you go to mount the horse, and they go down in | | | | with heaves are usually not very usable and need |
| the back, this of course means that their back is | | | | special care as far as their feed and hay regiment. |
| sore, but why? This behavior may not just be | | | | So in conclusion of this series Buying a New |
| the back, but may also involve the stifle muscles | | | | Horse, I wish you the best of luck. May it be the |
| or other muscles adjoining these areas. Usually, if | | | | beginning of a very long, happy and healthy time |
| a horse is unsound because of joint issues, there | | | | for you with the possibility of many more horses |
| will be some heat or swelling involved which may | | | | in your life to come. They will be as much a part |
| or may not be easily detected by a beginner | | | | of your family as any other member and will give |
| horse person. | | | | you endless hours of happiness, fun and love. |
| If you are suspicious of joint problems, it may be | | | | |