The Epic Horse Hunt: Part 1

Well...he was pretty.  He also had "event" rings all the way up his front hooves to the coronet band.  I'm pretty sure that both front legs had calcified splints. He had a front leg that toed way out.  His hip bones were evident, as was his spinal column, no muscling on his topline, he'd had a lean winter or illness perhaps.  His right eye was squinted, and the cornea looked a little blue.  Out of courtesy I took the lead rope and walked him, head in the air, pushing me with his shoulder, all the while screaming for his trail buddies with his head straight up.  I pushed to see if he'd move off of pressure instead of walking on me.  No go.  I asked the guy to show me the horse's gears, just out of curiousity.  The horse had to be held by someone else (even though he was tied) to be saddled.  He was fine for mounting, walked off okay as long as he could see the other two horses.  He had a nice little jog trot, but no canter, and it looked as though steering was really creaky.  I declined the offer to ride him.   I told the owner that I'd discuss it with my husband and get back to him, which I will.  So my first prospect was a complete disaster.  If the horse had zero health /conformation issues and good ground manners, I'd perhaps have taken the monetary risk on him, but then again, probably NOT.  ~E.G.