HORSE SELECTION

1. HORSE SELECTION Selecting a Horse Determining Unsoundness in a Horse

2. Owning a horse can be a lot of fun.However; always make sure that you get the last laugh.Know what to expect and know what to look for.

3. Don’t let your horse take you for an unexpected ride!

4. Costs Associated with Owning a Horse • Purchase Price -depends upon age, degree of training, if registered $450 - $1500 and up • Tack/Equipment -saddle, bridle, bit, halter, lead ropes, grooming & feeding supplies $250 - $2000 and up • Boarding (2 options) -home care (grain, hay, bedding) $100 per month -full / partial board away from home (indoor riding arena, feed, stall cleaned / shelter, feed, share work) $150 - $350 and up per month • Additional/Miscellaneous Costs -veterinary, farrier $400 and up

5. Before Purchasing:Consider the quality of the horse • Blemish– an abnormality that does not affect the serviceability of the horse • Unsoundness– a more serious abnormality that does affect the serviceability of the horse

6. What to Look For in Selecting a Horse: • The horse should appear to be Balanced • A relatively short backand a long underline in comparison to total body length • Long, sagging backs (indicates weak loin) or short underlines (can cause gait problems)are a problem

7. A well balanced horse will appear to • be proportionately the same length from: • - the point of the shoulder to the heart girth • - the heart girth to the rear flank • - the rear flank to the tip of the buttocks • be proportionately the same height from: • - the top of the withers to the heart girth • - the heart girth to the ground

8. The horse should show quality • Withers should be prominent and drop evenly toward the back • The head should be clean and refined • The head should proportionately fit the rest of the body

9. The horse should be structurally correct • The horse on the left is camped out(legs set back too far) • The horse on the right issickle hocked (leg set too far under) • From the rear the hind legs should be straight and parallel and show evidence of muscling in the gaskin

10. The horse on the left is cow hocked (hocks in / toes out) • The horse on the right is bow legged (toes in / hocks out) • From the front the horse should have straight legs, a broad chest, and be well muscled • The horse on the left is toed out (hooves turn outward) • The horse on the right is pigeon toed (toed in = paddles)

11. The nose should be slightly dished; ears small -A Roman nose (left photo) is undesirable • A ewe neckis when the neck curves downward and the throat appears to bulge • The rear legs should be placed squarely under the horse

12. The horse on the right shows a good, straight foreleg with large, flat knees The horse on the left is calf kneed (knee is set too far back) • The cannon bone should be short, vertical, and in proportion to other parts of the leg -it should appear wider from the side than from the front • The pasterns should form a 45 degree angle with the ground

13. This pastern is too straight (will deliver a jarring ride) • This pastern slopes to much and is weak (will be a bouncy ride) • Inspect the feet and hooves

14. Tap the hooves to see if they are tender • The horse should have relatively small hooves that are widest at the heel • Contracted feet– a contracting of the heel -caused by leaving shoes on too long • Founder (laminitis) causes the hoof to grow rapidly • Ringboneis a bony growth around the coronary band

15. Quarter cracks and splitsare caused by dryness • A bowed tendon causes the back of the leg to extend backward • Acapped hock is an enlargement at the point of the hock (interferes with normal movement of the joint)

16. Other feet and leg problems • Splints– abnormal bony growth found on the cannon bone • Ringbone– a bony growth found on the pastern bone • Spavin – affects the hock (two types) -bog spavin– fluid fills the depression on the inside of the hock -bone spavin - bony enlargement on the lower front of the hock • Curb– a swelling below the hock on the backside • Sidebone– ossified cartilages just above the hoof head

17. Other physical problems • Fistulous withers-inflammation at the withers • Parrot mouth– lower jaw is shorter than the upper jaw • Poll evil– inflammation of the poll • Sweeney– depression in the shoulder due to muscle atrophy • Hernia – protrusion of any internal organ through the wall of its cavity

18. Unsoundness of a Horse

19. Ashoe boil is a sore caused by the shoe rubbing against the front leg when the horse is lying down • Other Things to Check: • Eyes should be large, round, and without cloudiness • Check the horses vision; the horse should be alert and responsive (check for partial or complete blindness)

20. Also check the horses vision from the side; a horse should have good peripheral vision • Age can be determined by checking the teeth; as a horse ages its teeth become more triangular • As a horse ages its teeth form a sharper angle

21. Watch the horse on the move from a side, rear and front view • Make sure the horse is calm, well behaved, and cooperative to saddle and mount • The horse should be responsive to all of the rider’s cues

22. Vices to Watch For • Bolting– -horse tends to eat too fast (can lead to colic) • Cribbing– -setting their teeth against hard object then sucking air • Halter pulling– -constantly pulling back and resisting being tied • Kicking – -takes pleasure in kicking something or someone • Tail rubbing – -persistent rubbing of the tail against a wall or stall • Weaving– -rhythmical swaying back and forth while standing in the stall • Miscellaneous problems– -balking, backing, rearing, running away, striking with the front feet, difficult to saddle or bridle, champing (playing with the bit)

23. What vice is this horse exhibiting?

24. What vice has this horse been exhibiting?

25. So, now that you know all there is to know about purchasing a horse; do you still want a horse to ride?