Missed the November online chat about Selecting Your First Horse? Review the chat summary to see what others asked our experts.
Selecting Your First Horse
HorseQuest Experts include:
- David Freeman Oklahoma State University
- Colleen Brady, Purdue University
- Kathy Anderson, University of Nebraska
- Rusty Miller , North Carolina A&T State University
Get Prepared:
NOTE: This transcript is from an online, live chat. The major topics have been captured in the material below. If you have further questions, please search eXtension for more in-depth and detailed information.
November 2007 - Online Chat Summary
Q: How much does it cost to own a horse per year?
A: There are a lot of variables that affect the annual cost of owning a horse. Some things you need to consider are where you will keep the horse- Do you want to board the horse, or keep it on your property? Do you have existing facilities, or will you need to build facilities? If you have existing facilities, you might want to figure 3-5 dollars per day in costs associated with the horse. There will be some annual and regional variation depending on costs of different feed stuffs, but that should put you in the ball park.
Q: What should you ask the vet during a prepurchase exam? Do you feel x-rays are important at that time?
A: The prepurchase exam can depend on several things...price of animal, intended use, for example. Most vets will do a general health exam and test for lameness, which will involve tracking, longing, flexion tests, etc and they only do x-rays is something seems not right, or if the purchaser requests them. How much you decide to spend on a prepurchase exam is related to how much you are spending for the horse. Exactly where that line is drawn is a personal decision. The backyard horse should have a general exam, however a hunter would probably need a full exam including x-rays. If you are interested in using an animal for breeding, definitely include a breeding soundness exam in the plan, regardless of discipline or use.
Q: In the case of a hunter/jumper horse without any signs of lameness, what would you look for in the xray? A: Your vet may look for signs of wear and tear, or potential old injuries Mostly vets will look for abnormalities in and around the joints, possible bone spurs, small chips, etc when it comes to performance horses. For example, if I am looking for a good beginner horse, and it has some arthritis in the hocks I might be willing to manage that in exchange for a horse that had other qualities I liked.
Q: When you canter, do you prefer cantering in half seat or sitting? One barn that I attended told me to go into half seat but then when I switched barns they said to sit.
A: Typically you would begin the canter in a sitting position and then if hacking around you could be in 2 point position.
Q: My daughter is riding a 5-year-old Quarter Horse who has a right club foot which we knew would be a management issue when we purchased him a year ago. He's a great horse wondering how he will fare over the long haul with showing and if we should limit his time on the trail?
A: Often, as long as you manage (farrier, etc.) the foot, you can do quite a bit with it. At the least you'll need to pay attention to how he strides, stumbling incidences, etc, and if there is any swelling, etc abnormally after ride. You will also want to be sure to keep his feet maintained and shod. He will let you know when things are beginning to bother him.
