09/12/2020
Does a horse exist that is 100% sound?
Answer: Horses can move 100% sound but no horse is perfect. Every horse will fail a vetting at some point in time. Example: Valegro
Why it's easier to sell a young horse....the dreaded vetting!!!
Every horse, like every human, has its weaknesses. A good trainer and management practices can strengthen a horse, hiding weak areas, but sometimes a conformational flaw or innate behavioral issue shows its ugly head and causes a lameness or worse, a systematic problem.
In good time and even good training there is normal wear and tear on a body. This may show up in flexions or radiographs, please do not discredit these horses!
There is no such thing as a sound horse. There is only a horse that as a baby goes correctly due to proper conformation, and over time wants to move correctly due to good training, and thus prevents major injury. But every horse has breakdown somewhere, at some point, if they have ever had any regular training!
I consider myself an athlete...I keep myself active, healthy, and fit so I ride well and feel good on my horse. I broke my femur at 4, couldn't walk. I am significantly shorter on my left side and had to take ballet for years to learn how to move remotely straight. To make things worse I have a chronic clavicle fracture on my left side that is very arthritic from a bad fall. I will never be able to do push ups again but I have trained myself to sit straight on a horse still. I used to run 6+ miles a day until my shin splints became hairline fractures. My left knee has arthritis due to years of getting on a horse on the left side and being made to mount 17 hand baby horses from the ground in Europe (I had to become ninja like). In a vetting I would fail miserably! But I still do my job, feed, muckout, ride 5 + horses a day because
First, I have the will
Second, It's what I have trained my body to know
Third, I do not stop, I stay consistent
Every athlete, from gymnasts to football players to Tennis players train and train and get injured or have weaknesses. But the best ones come back sometimes better than before. Why? They want to, their body knows the job, and they dont stop/give up.
Stop thinking you are buying a machine to fulfill all of Your riding aspirations! Start thinking you are buying a living athlete that will perform for you IF:
You instill or keep his/her will,
Train the body to know, and
Stay consistent
Regardless of minor idiosyncrasies or flaws found in a ppe.