Can a injured firkin horse be trained within anything else?
I have recently had to supply my barrel racing horse to pay for college. He is an EXCELLENT drum horse, typically placing in the 1D or 2D. However, when a lady was going to purchase him, the vet found a bone spur surrounded by his hock. I was wondering if there be any other disposition I could train him in so that he would not be in pain, and not own to get the annual shots. He is only 7 years old, so I hatred to see him waste his life away, and I also loathe trying to sell him for far less that what he used to be worth.
Oh man...that is extremely crummy!! I dunno if you could slow him down enough for pleasure riding? It depends on how wired he is and what his self is like if you would be able to slow him down again...but I am guessing any lofty impact event like roping or cutting or reining is just as discouraging, if not worse for the bone spur...can you get surgery done on him for it? is it a possibility for his injury??
I suppose you could vend him as a trail horse...but if hes used to barrels..he may not chill out (depends if you just work him surrounded by the arena or if you also take him on the trails...) enough to be a muffled trail horse...
Good Luck...I'm not totally sure what I would do if that happened to any of my cask horses! Yikes!
BB
Depends on if it make him lame. Many horses can have bone spurs and stay sound on it for years doing what they are doing. If he is lame, then a pleasure horse frequent be the best thing or donating him to vet program, handicap riding facility (ifs hes calm, as they generally with the sole purpose do very light work). You can also try dressage, if he stays nouns or western pleasure walk/jog if that is all he can do. You stipulation to find the extent of what makes him lame and then go from in that.
Well, as much as you hate having to sell him for smaller amount than he used to be worth, that is life. He's not sound presently and you will have trouble selling him for anything in today'ss market. Instead focus on a domestic where he will be taken care of and hopefully loved.
As for a new career? If he's not too spun out, I think just about any horse that have a good handle will make a honourable trail horse. It might take weeks, months or even years, but a good trail horse will usually hold a long career, even if they have some minor lameness issues.
Bone spurs can be removed. I would get a moment opinion from a vet that specializes in equine sports medicine. I don't know where on earth you're located, but we have a wonderful facility here in Texas. I have also used a wierd concoction from a vet surrounded by Ranger, Texas, that he mixed up that actually dissolved the spur in a horse with ringbone. This horse be supposed to be reduced to a broodmare within a yeas, and it has been 4 yrs, and she is still running strong, completely nouns.
Does it build him lame? I know a horse who has a bone chip in his knee, and it have never caused him any problems. He's one of the nicest horses at the barn, and he now competes at training level(3 foot 3inch jumps) in eventing. So nearby is defiantly a chance for him.
This is relatively common when horses are used in this type of racing. They break down intensely young. The ones I have seen cannot even be used for pleasure riding. I know a woman who have paddocks full of injured 6 year olds that cannot be ridden anymore because they are so broken down from barrel racing. So, she breeds them now and it is their just purpose. It is so sad and so wrong for the horses. It is highly likely the eventual outcome will not be positive.(for the horse).
Answers: For me, the spur on xray would be a deal breaker. However, here are others who look at it differently. Lameness is not always predictable just because a lesion shows up on an xray. Definitely, his career within barrel racing should end. It is entirely possible that whether his use is changed to something less stressful to the hock joint, he may live a useful and relatively painfree energy. Anything that stresses the hocks is worst, and that eliminates many favorite pursuits. He may be best suited for training as a nice trail horse. I know that isn't going to give him the monetary utility you are looking for, but you stated it correctly when you said "used to be worth". This condition has changed his future, and his monetary worth. I hope you find the right answer for him.
u could just use him as a pleasure horse neutral rides =] um u can do things like novice classes thye wont be to hard surrounded by english riding tho showign the horse dres ups =]
He could probably be trained for just about anything else. You'll need to reach a deal to the vet that did the vet check to see what disciplines would be appropriate for him - jumping is probably out, but pleasure might be okay. It depends on the severity of the bone spur and the likeliness of lameness down the road.
You may have to sell him for smaller number than expected because he probably will have limited prospects.
