People selling horses who seem unable to be truthful

[19simeon56]

I went to view a horse a few weeks ago,8yo,15.1hh,laid back temperament and 1.5 - 2 cwt underweight with too big,too heavy BACK shoes on his front feet.Please do not insult the prospective buyers intelligence by trying to tell them that:
a) the horse has lost weight because he's been fretting because he hasn't seen the people who'd supposedly been looking after him up until 3 weeks previously and
b)horses lose topline when they stop being ridden,unless there is something wrong with the horse the usual reason for weight loss is lack of food.
c)or, in the case of a horse I bought previously (and ended up wishing I'd never set on) the sellers exact words were 'and he's not a stress-head'(definitely buyer beware)
I have bought the poor lad after having him vetted - which he passed - in the space of ten days he has been wormed and had the shoes removed and his feet trimmed back, he has visibly put weight on and is as happy as Larry and he won't be getting ridden until he has built back up to the shape he should be.
Most of the people on here are hopefully responsible, honest horse owners,for those of you who would come out with the similar sort of drivel as ab&c just remember that people think more of honesty than a load of bull s***,moan over now,thanks for reading.

[kayleigh]

I'm sorry but have to disagree on some of the points, yes a horse does lose topline from not being worked, topline is muscle. No amount of feed will maintain muscle tone if the muscles are not being used.

And I'm assuming by your comment of back shoes in front feet you mean the shoes had quarter clips not toe clips on the front feet. This doesn't mean the shoes were "back shoes" such things don't exist, farriers will often use quarter clips instead of toe clips to bring feet more upright and correct the hoof pastern axis on feet which have gotten to long in the toe

[sarahp]

I only saw this post late last night, and made a mental note to say exactly what you just have kayleigh in terms of loss of topline and hind shoes. I'd add that some owners do shoe cobs with heavy shoes to alter their action to one they prefer - the OP didn't say what sort of horse it was.

It doesn't mean though that some buyers don't talk rubbish in the hope of a sale, and I'd definitely put a) in that category. Sometimes we have to make our own judgement according to what we have seen and ridden rather than what we're told and make up our minds accordingly, as19simeon56 has done, with the confidence that we can sort out any issues. Good luck.

[comanchediva]

My old horse was shod in front with "hind shoes" to help his navicular disease, I can't even try to explain the mechanics behind it but it kept him sound.

As your new boy has passed a vetting there shouldn't be anything sinister behind him being shod like this in front but knowing why my boy was shod in this way I would be wary when viewing a horse shod like this. Good luck with your new boy x

[19simeon56]

Thank you for your replies,
Without any comments from me (I wanted to see what he said) my farrier made the comments about the shoes,there is nothing wrong with the horses feet - now - and those shoes were his first set and hopefully his last.I can understand fitting 'back shoes' for remedial purposes but these were so big that there was about 1" hanging over at the heels.By the way,he isn't a cob.
'No amount of feed' are the operative words!If you don't feed you end up with no muscle to make topline, by time the Spring arrives I'm aiming on having a horse that is nicely covered and fit enough to do all the things I'm aiming on him doing