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 Expert
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Location: Mississippi | I know that hock & stifle injections are very common - when horse shopping, does the fact that they have been injected influence your decision to buy? I am in the early stages of looking and it seems most every one I inquire about has had something done (these are horses in the 5-8year old range). I don't mind routine maintenance but I don't want to buy an ongoing problem (aka money-pit) if that makes sense. Just looking for a little input. I plan to do a prepurchase vet check on whatever I finally go with but I am just curious where you draw the line. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 713
Location: ND | For me it would depend why they are being injected.. get x-rays so you know why and go from there. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | Personally for me, I don't think horses should need to be injected between the ages of 5-8. It makes me think, what problem did the previous person create that it needs to be injected or what issue does the horse have that it already needs help. Also a horse shouldn't be completely used up at that point that it needs it. I do get mine injected but didn't start until 10 yrs and was highly competitive and competed a lot. Between 5-8 should need very little maintenance in my opinion. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Me I wouldn't buy a horse that has been injected with depo medrol or cortisone as my vet will not fuse hocks if injected with either as it will prevent healing.
Also both are proven to destroy cartilage. This was proven by scientific research |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | IMO 5-8 shouldn't need injections. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| If the horse has been running hard they will need maintenance and if the owner is letting them run in pain I expect problems and them to be priced accordingly. I see it as a negative if they have not been took care of.. |
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 I Want a "MAN"
Posts: 3610
Location: MD | astreakinchic - 2015-05-19 7:58 AM If the horse has been running hard they will need maintenance and if the owner is letting them run in pain I expect problems and them to be priced accordingly. I see it as a negative if they have not been took care of..
I agree |
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 I too, shall remain nameless!
Posts: 2248
Location: Wearing a winter coat...... | I almost feel the exact opposite on injections. Most of my younger horse will need some sort of injection but seem to outgrow the issues by 10. Seems I have more SI- Stifle and hock fusing issues until 10. Injections don't bother me. Bone chips- bother me, lol. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | astreakinchic - 2015-05-20 6:58 AM
If the horse has been running hard they will need maintenance and if the owner is letting them run in pain I expect problems and them to be priced accordingly. I see it as a negative if they have not been took care of..
I agree as well....m |
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 Veteran
Posts: 234
Location: Oklahoma | Injections dont bother me, I know lots of horses that need them from 5-8. I would never consider one used up. by needing those. Heck mine is 8 gets her hocks and stifles done twice a year... I just look at it what does this horse need to run at the best it can so if they need it so be it. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | In my experience, "100% sound no maintenance" means one of a few things 1. Sure he's sound...for now 2. Owner is lying 3. Owner is not observant/educated enough to notice issues. From this point on, if I see a horse that requires hock injection or something routine like that, it's almost a relief because it's one less issue I have to try and locate down the road. I'd much rather know upfront. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Learn your lesson from me. I bought a gelding that (at 11) had never been injected. Hocks x-rayed clean and so I was sold, but let me tell you... we're having plenty of pain in other places.
Instead of seeing "routine maintenance" and thinking that the horse has issues I see an owner that can detect pain in their horses and act accordingly. Just be sure and get x rays and make sure that it's routine maintence and not bigger issue that they're just patching over.
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-05-19 12:59 PM
In my experience, "100% sound no maintenance" means one of a few things 1. Sure he's sound...for now 2. Owner is lying 3. Owner is not observant/educated enough to notice issues. From this point on, if I see a horse that requires hock injection or something routine like that, it's almost a relief because it's one less issue I have to try and locate down the road. I'd much rather know upfront.
^^^^^ exactly!
If you say 100% sound in your ad I assume your not educated. If you ask if they are 100% sound I'll tell you to check vet and see for yourself.
No horse is 100% sound! A good vet can find something (it might be extremely slight) wrong with any horse.
Edited by astreakinchic 2015-05-19 12:31 PM
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| It is not a deal breaker for me but I definetely consider their price compared to other horses of the same caliber without maintenance. I know injections are super common but I do question their longevity. Also because so many people get horses injected without proper diagnosis. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | I have zero concern with a horse needing injections as long as its not temporarily covering up a problem. I think its one of those things that people can be apprehensive about until you get your horse joint maintenance and see/feel the difference yourself. A horse that has distal limb pain most likely has compensatory soreness elsewhere. A good vet during a vet check will seek areas of concern for you. Barrel racing horses are extreme athletes, and need to be taken care of like one. If the horses joints feel good, as a whole, it probably does. Like someone else mentioned, I'd much rather buy a horse that you know needs maintenance after the current owner managed the horses soundness/comfort its whole career rather than buy a horse that you " think" has a behavioral issue you can fix and then cant and then the diagnostic vet bills start rolling in because it may need maintenance. This is my opinion based on my experiences, it may not be the answer for you. ;) Have fun horse shopping! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2013
Location: Piedmont, OK | Injections do not bother me for hocks or stifles or even whorl bones. If it were knees, coffin bone, or fetlocks I would be concerned. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | For the 5-8 age range, it would depend on WHAT is being injected and WHY. I think it would be a case-by-case basis.
My horse was 8 (last year) when we finally figured out his right hock was fusing, and it had been going on for a while. The injections made a world of difference for him. He's now completely fused so hypothetically he shouldn't need them anymore, and has been good so far this year. But for those that are saying a young horse is USED UP if they need injections that young .... well that's just not true. There are other reasons why a horse may need to be injected, that has nothing to do with how hard they were worked when they were young.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| My mare is 10, so not this young but here is my input.
My mare was not off in any way, but she was tender in her hocks so we went ahead and injected her so she would feel her best when running. Just because they are getting injections doesn't mean they are lame or anything without them. The owner could just be ensuring that any slight tenderness is helped to keep the horse comfortable and prevent any pattern problems from just small pain. |
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 Night Watchman
Posts: 5516
Location: Central Montana | I would agree that it depends on what is being injected and why. My mare I have had since she was about three months old I have had zero problems with. She is 9 this year and has a good start on barrels. She is about the age I expect to see hock "fusing" issues if she is going to have any at all.I totally understand your concerns.....My trained reiner is the same age...passed a vet check...shipped him here and we had two good months before he went lame. He is my money pit. He has navicular and is insulin resistant which caused some laminitis. Once we get the front end sound who knows what the back end will look like. Xrays, Tildren, Osphos, coffin joint injections, plus other meds....has been an expensive expensive experience I wouldn't wish on anyone.I had made up my mind to put him down but at long last he is almost sound and looks better every day (switched vets) but I think I need my head examined since I put my mare up for sale and continue the struggle with my gelding. |
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| It would depend on why they are getting injected but I personally tend to stay away from those that need maintenance. |
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Blessed 
Location: Here | mruggles - 2015-05-19 8:23 AM astreakinchic - 2015-05-20 6:58 AM If the horse has been running hard they will need maintenance and if the owner is letting them run in pain I expect problems and them to be priced accordingly. I see it as a negative if they have not been took care of.. I agree as well....m
Same here. But I would always do a thorough vet exam including xrays prior to purchase |
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Location: Texas | A horse in the 5-8 year old range, the way I look at it is if they haven't been injected or needed to be injected during that period of time, throws up a red flag for me. To me it says the horse hasn't been working very hard. And this is fine if they have set in a pasture for the last 5-8 years, but if your being told "I have been running him for the last 5 years", well then he hasn't been using himself very hard, or he has and the owner hasn't taken the care to maintain him right |
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Maintenance/Injections - horse shopping question