[sirius-dressage]

Turns out Lucky has a heart murmur, a grade 3 (according to one vet, we haven't gotten a second opinion yet). We're pretty devastated, I mean...the horse is perfect in basically every other way. But the vet said he has anywhere from 2-5 years of soundness left in him and then that's it. In 5 years we were planning on retiring him anyways...but we just don't know.

What do you guys know about heart murmurs...would it be worth it to ask if we could just have the horse for free and take his health along with him (his owner doesn't know about this condition so I'm thinking he might just hand him over)? I was so sad when my mom called me, and then I went out and sat with Nova for a while, then sat with Lucky for a while. Is it too much of a risk? Should we just move on and leave Lucky to whatever fate comes to him...? I want to cry, we wanted this horse so badly.

[POA]

My horse has a heart murmer, it dosnt bother him as long as I dont ride him really really hard. Maybe get another vet opinion too, but from my experiance with heart murmers as long as you dont want to use him for anything hard he'd be fine. When it does start to show up more then very very light riding and work.

[Jess!]

I'd see if they'd just give him to you. If not, then...offer as much as you think is fair, and if he doesn't take it then he doesn't.

That's too bad, I'd be so devestated.

[Moonshine Zeus]

How old is the horse?
I no alot of horses with murmers and it doesnt seem to effect them at all!

[JBandRio]

What there a reason you went looking for this? If it was incidentally found, I wouldn't worry much about it. Many horses actually have a murmur, and younger horses often grow out of it.

If there was something causing you to go look for something along these lines, then yeah, it's probably something to be concerned about.

How old is Lucky, what's the story on his history/performance/soundness?

[honeydoozy]

I'd talk to a couple of vets to get their opinions about heart murmurs in horses. People manage great with mild heart murmurs, so maybe it's essentially the same for horses?

If you're not going to stress his heart, perhaps it's not really as big of an issue as it sounds.

[Friesiangirl]

awww, that sucks...i would still get oppinions from other vets though

[Shannon]

Oh no, that's terrible!! But I agree...get some other opinions, see what you can find online. Poor horse!

[2000-Flash-2000]

Yah get some other opinions...aww I am so sorry (hugs)

[sirius-dressage]

Thanks everyone. We are really sad, because we'd already gotten really attached, had made plans for this horse. He and Nova already play together.

He is a 16 year old 17hh TB gelding. We wanted to do dressage with him, and I wanted to jump him. But I am concerned for my mom's safety, even with EKG's, I've just got this fear that he will collapse while being ridden. And we're military, so in two years we will be moving. I cannot imagine trying to move a sick horse all the way across country, not knowing if he will be rideable...not knowing where we can put him that will monitor him closely enough. I am going to transfer to an equine oriented college in two years and am taking Nova with me, but am not prepared to take Lucky with me with his health problems if my dad gets transfered oversees or something. I was always prepared to take my mom's horse if that should happen, or to sell it, but with this uncertainty, I don't think it would be the smartest move for us.

If we were stable and staying in one place for sure, then I wouldn't have a problem getting him...but the fact that I know we are moving, but don't know where...and the fact that, if things came to a pinch and we had to sell, we couldn't...I don't think we can take him.

I think we're in the wrong busniess, horses. We get way to attached too fast. I lost my first lease mare who I loved...and I am fine even though I still miss her. But it was the fact that we thought Lucky was going to be ours...it just feels like we lost more there, even though he was never ours to lose.