Nanna- I need to make a decision.

[BeachRiding]

Well Nanna is just lovely, perfect in every way for me BUT. I don't want another horse with problems, which is what I am finding.

Issues:

1. Her hooves/ angle of her Left front leg is 'twisted'

2. Under her belly, I don't know if its because she has had so many babies but her chest area is noticeably higher/different than her belly.

3. Her left eye. I am told its definitely because she's an appaloosa but it just looks odd/swollen to me.

I am scheduling a vet check on her to get an opinion. I honestly don't think she'll 'pass', but might be fine for my intended purposes.Her hooves are so crappy though, do I need to get them trimmed before a check? I am working on getting a new farrier out (mine was in an auto accident). I only have a week left to make a decision on Nanna. I know she's not in any pain, her work ethic is lovely, but I am a little uncertain on her soundness factor.

Realistically I only need a horse to walk/trot on the trails and have the odd few canters. I'm not big on showing, she is not a horse I would want to jump or do fast work with. As much as I say I want to show and train a bit of dressage, generally I will just be riding the trails. She is a nice solid horse, amazingly perfect for me, but I feel like she is not going to be a long term sound horse. I know I need to get a real vet opinion (which I am) but its just a gut feeling. I have poured over horse ads and she is the only one that so far has proven ideal. I feel safe on her, a feeling I haven't had in a long time with horses.

Theoretically if she passes the vet, how long do I have hope for her to stay sound? with her leg turned like it is? She is 14 years, and has already had a very hard life as a working cowboy horse. I don't have much money to lose on her purchase price, but what about long term. I already have a lame horse in my paddock. I don't need two. ( I was told to just breed her if she goes lame...:eek: Does anyone look at conformation these days!?)

I am just rambling, no need to answer all of this.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation011.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation004.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation014.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation081.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation063.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation021.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation022.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation047.jpg

[BeachRiding]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation050.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation058.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation071.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/NannaEvaluation068.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/willielove/Nannaridden036.jpg

Excuse the flies!

[Petra]

I don't know much about conformation.
Her eye is definitely swolen - nothing to do with being Appaloosa. Poor thing needs a fly mask - it may just be bitten.
Glad you are getting a vet check!
Good luck!

[BeachRiding]

Petra- she does have a mask, just off for pics. She came to me like this and they didn't have flies where she was kept. I'm glad to not be alone in thinking something is 'off' about this eye. I know appy's are prone to going blind so will definitely have the vet take a close look.

[livaward]

Is Nanna registered?

[BeachRiding]

Is Nanna registered?
Yes, but papers are lost supposedly. Why?

[livaward]

What is it that you want to do with her? It is all up to you in the long run.....the question you need to ask yourself is "Is Nanna suited for what I want her for" and depending on what the vet say if there is any underlying problems will you be able to afford the treatments.....

[cheval]

What is it that you want to do with her? It is all up to you in the long run.....the question you need to ask yourself is "Is Nanna suited for what I want her for" and depending on what the vet say if there is any underlying problems will you be able to afford the treatments.....

What she said.

Seems like this is one to pass on just looking at the horse. There are plenty of horses out there to choose from these days.

[BeachRiding]

What she said.

Seems like this is one to pass on just looking at the horse. There are plenty of horses out there to choose from these days.
Yes there are plenty of horses out there, but I am looking for the ultimate confidence giver. I have had my fair share of knocks and this horse is already helping me get through my issues. I am basically looking for a horse to have fun with for a couple years/build up my skills until my yearling is ready to back.

[cheval]

I promise you, there are PLENTY of horses like that out there. And you'd be able to find one that didn't have bad conformation and whatever else seems to be going on with this horse. I'd be surprised if it passed a vet check.

[BeachRiding]

I promise you, there are PLENTY of horses like that out there. And you'd be able to find one that didn't have bad conformation and whatever else seems to be going on with this horse. I'd be surprised if it passed a vet check.
well I can't seem to find them!;)

[cheval]

Sometimes it takes time to find them, but time well spent when it comes to investing on a horse. It's better to find a good solid healthy horse than risk getting a horse with possible health issues that may cost you a lot down the road.

Our BO took a lot of time to find one after she had to put her mare down and she found several. It was just a matter of finding the one that really connected with her.

[<3_RedDuns!]

First off, yes get the vet to check her eye and hooves. Her eye is probably something that can be fixed with ease? But I'm not a hoof expert AT ALL. But that may take SOME more work..

And as for her belly? That's totally normal. A lot of mares have that muscle under there belly..some more apparent than others. It's just a mare thing, and I think what I heard was the muscle was a FEMALE thing for like having foals or something like that? It is NOT from having too many foals and such. My mare has a very prominant muscle under her belly like that and she has never had a foal in her life. So there is no need to worry about that..

If you look closely at Angel's stomach you can kind of see it. This is just a crappy picture I just found though..

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j222/Savvy_cowgurl/012.jpg

[BeachRiding]

UPDATE:

A decision has been met within my family. We are going to vet check her, see what's going on. If he deems her okay for my purposes we will keep her. I only need a riding horse for the next couple years until I start my yearling, if things do go sour she will remain here. She is absolutely what I want, just mainly a walking trail horse to pony my yearling with. My mom wants to learn to ride and she's perfect, if family comes over she's perfect for that. I would trust this horse with a baby.

Thanks everyone. I do know she has awful confo, and its a risk, but we are willing to go through with her. If worst comes to worst we can do parelli on the ground. :P

[BeachRiding]

First off, yes get the vet to check her eye and hooves. Her eye is probably something that can be fixed with ease? But I'm not a hoof expert AT ALL. But that may take SOME more work..

And as for her belly? That's totally normal. A lot of mares have that muscle under there belly..some more apparent than others. It's just a mare thing, and I think what I heard was the muscle was a FEMALE thing for like having foals or something like that? It is NOT from having too many foals and such. My mare has a very prominant muscle under her belly like that and she has never had a foal in her life. So there is no need to worry about that..

If you look closely at Angel's stomach you can kind of see it. This is just a crappy picture I just found though..

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j222/Savvy_cowgurl/012.jpg
Red Duns- VERY helpful! I am mare untrained (she's my first). :doh: Phew.

[BeachRiding]

Cheval- Just wanted to say OT, I absolutely L.O.V.E your signature, so true!

[cheval]

I know! I hate watching the news anymore. It just puts me in a bad mood at the end of the day!

Good luck with the horse, I really hope it works out for you.

[Steelhorserider]

Good luck with Nanna. I also purchased a horse who is actually missing a muscle on one side of her hindquarters. She was used as a weekend cowboy horse and is arthritic, but you could put anyone on her and she will keep them safe. She is almost 100% bombproof. It takes extra effort to keep her sound, but it is time well spent.

[Vibe]

Oh man I just have to tell you. There is something about Nanna I absolutely love. Ever since your first post about her lol. She just seems like a sweet sweet girl that needs a nice loving home after all she has been through. :( I really hope you will give that to her. And NO there are not plenty of horses like that out there.
If you trust her with new riders, kids, and building up your confidence I think she is well worth a little extra effort.

[lisakaye]

My opinion from experience is that if you are happy and comfortable with her then keep her. I have Brutus who is old and very artritic but he is the one who has helped me and the kids get our confidence. I wouldn't give him up for the world. All we can do with him him is walk/trot and that is fine. I think it is good to have a reliable horse around just for friends and kids. The one thing that I would suggest is that you start her on extra supplements for her hooves and arthritis now. They make the world of difference in a horse.

[WashingtonBay]

The biggest concern is there may be arthritic changes in that fetlock, but I would guess they are not new, and if she's 14, she's been on that crooked foot a long time. If she's sound now, and she's not ~on~ anything, then it would just be something to keep watch on and plan on treating, that might be the first place she shows strain or stiffness as she gets older.

Vet check her... I think her eye just needs flushed perhaps, and some ointment.

[WashingtonBay]

On the belly, there 'can' be some bumpy muscles and veins there, particularly on mares, but it might actually be a sign of an allergic reaction also, maybe not completely unrelated to the eye issue too. There are lymph nodes there.

[BeachRiding]

Thanks everyone, very helpful. She gets her feet trimmed and front shoes on tomorrow at 11 am. And is getting a vet check /eye flushed Thursday morning.

Thanks for mentioning that WB, helped when I was on the phone with the vets! :)

[vicklynn]

I like her looks, and if your not showing her, confo means squat to me.
I hope her leg and eye are ok, and hopefully she just has some good muscles under neath her.
Good luck with her. I understand where your coming from on an ANY body horse.

[cheval]

Confo can mean something if it affects their performance. The look of the front legs are a bit of a worry but there's always something to be said for camera angles.

[Mountain Creek]

I love Nanna! Poor girl seems to have had a really rough life.

We purchased a horse at auction whose front legs were a bit crooked without shoes once we put shoes on him it looked really bad. I'm not an expert but maybe she would be better off without shoes? Maybe talk to your farrier about it.

As for the eye maybe she has uveitis? My boy had it and when they would flare up his eyes would be swollen, his left eye was always more puffy than the right. Appaloosas are known for eye issues.

I'm glad you are getting a vet check to better understand her issues. Good luck!

[peace_baby]

I'm not sure, but if your farrier makes some of his own shoes, maybe he can make some shoes for her to help that crooked leg? I really like her.. I think she's a really pretty color. :) As for her eye, I thought it was a little swollen when you first posted pictures of her in the other thread. I think WBay is right about it needing flushing.