Re: Pre Purchase Vet Checks
Gwen Dluehosh (dluehosh@vt.edu)
Mon, 14 Oct 1996 17:40:17 +0600
Just a note here. I like to request at least two good views of the horse- a
straight on SIDE view and a straight on FRONT view. I have seen several
horses shown only at 3/4 views from the front and rear or in motion where
you could NOT see whether the horse was tied in, crooked or otherwise
unsound. More pictures or videos are good, but if those two views are not
available, I would be hesitant. And believe me, I have seen videos where you
coudln't ever see the horse from straight on. It's amazing. Also a good
thing to learn is the characteristic trot of the sickle hocked horse. It's
quite distinctive, and that you CAN see from a 3/4 view. when they trot. I
don't like having it, but that said, there are degrees of it, and a very
slight sickle may be considered desirable by some. I would never breed it
back to another sickle horse though. Heck Count Dorsaz was slightly sickle
hocked and look what a good horse he was!!
(Or so I have noticed on some pictures of him. NEVER when mounted though...)