Would you buy a horse that windsucked?

by **Little Dragon** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:59 am

I'm looking around for a horse for Mrs Littledragon and I think I may have found one. The trouble is the seller has said "ocassionally windsucks in the stable".

Now he's probably only going to be stabled in bad weather and overnight in the winter months.

What's your opinion - worth considering him or avoid like the plague?

by **abbijade** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:03 am

I would never knowingly buy one that did it. When buying new horses i always think how easy/hard it would be to sell the horse on. Cirumstances change ect,, so you may not keep the horse forever.
A pony did it on my old livery yard and its breathing was awful!

by **Mrs Moo** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:27 am

Personally I wouldn't touch a windsucker with a barge pole :oops:

Wind Sucking becomes a drug addiction with horses. They are addicts. Each time they suck and gulp air they receive a hit of endorphins which is similar to a drug, hence it's addiction, they will windsuck anywhere and on anything, even on humans given half the chance.

The habit is generally caused by boredom in the stables environment and/or copying other horses that do it.
Their front teeth gradually get worn down on an angle because of the horse grabbing on to wooden rails, tree stumps, doors or whatever else they can find to achieve their addiction.

This is just my opinion though :wink:

by **bexwarren85** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:34 am

Yes if the horse was cheap enough to reflect this and good in every other way.

As Abbijade has pointed out it'll be more difficult to sell on and as Mrs Moo said it is an addiction. It can be managed but will never be cured.

I wud want to see how bad the wind sucking was, they say only in the stable but the chances are they'll do it on the rails in the field. Theres a greater risk of colic with a windsucker but saying that my ex had one for 6months that never coliced and my YO has had one for 2yrs that has also never coliced and i wudnt say his windsucking was mild. They also say they can teach others bad habbits but i am yet to see evidence of this.

by **Sasca** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:35 am

i wouldn't buy one for myself only because i tend to sell on but i would consider one if it was just for me.

if you like the horse then dont let mild windsucking put you off. My advice would be to go and see the horse in various situations. It maybe he only does it after a feeding or its constant which would drive you mad!

Constant windsucking causes teeth troubles as they get worn down to just the gums! occassional windsucking doesn't cause any problems just doesn't look that nice. go and test the horse in as many situations. turned out, stabled, stress situation etc. See how bad it is and how you feel about it at the end and then make a decision.

by **kayg** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:49 am

the rqacehorse that was in the field next to me windsucked and it trashed every post in its filed one by one it was a nightmare and in the end she moved to a different yard it stilldoes it in and out of the stable and has had colic becasue of it twice now so i wouldnt no sorry

by **TallyHo** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:07 pm

My horse is a windsucker. He is as fat as butter and not what you wouold expect a windsucker to look like. He is quiet and trustworthy and I like him, so the windsucking is forgiven. I also bought him very cheap because of it.

If you like the horse enough and the price is right (very right), then I say got for it. I'd rather have a windsucker than a nasty, nappy or sharp horse

by **Elvisa** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:53 pm

I look after a 17.1hh warmblood that came as a stable windsucker thru boredom, he lives out 9 out of 12 months now and only does it occasionally when stabled but is given things to help him with it , i.e things for bordom although will try not to allow him to be in too long and get bored, theyve had him 4 yrs now and hes as healthy as pie!!!!

by **stuntbird** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:58 pm

I have bought wind-suckers but at the right price (under £1500 that does a bit of everything) But I have my own yard as livery for a wind-sucker is normally a no no as other horses do pick it up regardless of age, I wouldn't livery a wind-sucker now and I wouldn't buy one as they are hard to sell, it is a shame as it does stem from boredom through people and I think they are extremley clever as it releases the endorphins into the bloodstream so they get a high similar to a person taking speed! You can give them Rennies which slows the wind-sucking down alot. Depends on your circs really

by **stuntbird** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:06 pm

p.s a horse that is sold as 'occasionally windsucks' means it does it all the time on everything! :wink:

And collars don't work I think they are awful and no point as if they do it you can't stop it! Better to prevent it.

by **Little Dragon** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:06 pm

Thanks for all the input folks.

Yes I'd quite forgotten that in horse advertising "occasionally" = "all the time" (and I had to remind Mrs Littledragon that "Forward Going" and "Not a novice ride" is code for "absolute nutter"). He's cheap enough but having the current upset of a horse that had "an episode of laminitis in the past" and is now been on box rest for what seems like forever and may probably be heading for horsey heaven soon I'm going to steer clear of anything that's got a problem.

by **Jersey Girl** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:56 pm

I personally would buy one if they were right in every other way as I tend to kick mine out as much as possible and only bring in for a couple of the worst months of the year. However I think it's not just the habit, I may be wrong but I think it also can result in bad teeth etc

by **stuntbird** on Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:05 pm

Wise words not to buy anything with a problem! I have a field full of horses with problems (mainly ridden)and I have decided I'm not doing it anymore! :wink:

I'd rather save and get trouble free lol

by **sporthorse** on Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:18 am

yes i would my irish sports horse windsucks and shes wonderfull cant fault her in anyway as long as they are safe and do the job windsuckers arent a problem they are far better than some with vices

by **Jodie241** on Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:49 am

If the horse does the job then windsucking should not be disregarded, it's only re-selling where you may come across problems.

My mothers horse windsucks, box walks and weaves but you could trust your Gran on that horse and she would walk through fire for you... It just depends on what you can live with and ignore the vice. We have 2 that windsuck on our yard and have no problems with either of them. It is not proven that others "copy" this behaviour and we would cetainly not turn a potential livery away if their horse had a vice.