Pickled Pigs Feet:

It’s terrible if you aren’t prepared to properly treat the horse’s shape up. It’s also terrible if your one of those people that “can’t afford to take care of a horse you can’t ride” because like any unsound horse, there will come a time when he is no longer fit to work. Another terrible thing about it is that there is the likelihood that horse’s work will have to be restricted in order to keep him comfortable. If you can’t deal with that, then yes it’s terrible.

If you’re keen to do right by the horse then it’s fine. If you can’t place the horse’s needs first then it’s not. An arthritic horse will need his comfort placed above your riding pleasures at some point.

Ang:

It depends on how terrible the arthritis is, and what you want to do with the horse. There are lots of horses out there being ridden all the time who are showing some signs of arthritis. At a lot of example barns that I’ve visited, over 50% of the horses show some signs of mild arthritis. Maybe a horse with mild arthritis can’t jump 4 foot fences anymore, or race around the barrels, but he could still be a excellent example horse, pleasure horse, or trail horse.

If you want a competition horse or you want to really ride and train hard, don’t even consider a horse that already shows signs of arthritis. But if you just want a horse to pleasure ride and just have fun with, then you should find out more about this horse. Maybe he just starts out a modest stiff at the beginning of the ride, in which case putting him on pasture board rather than stall board may be all he needs. He may need a reduced workload, like he can walk and trot just fine but can’t go galloping around anymore. Or he may be so crippled that he really should not be ridden.

Like I said, it depends on how terrible the arthritis is. There are many veterinary treatments for arthritis that do help, but can be expensive. I know people who spend hundreds of dollars each month on supplements and injections for arthritis. Other horses do just fine with no treatment at all as long as they are not ridden hard. Also, reckon about what you would do if the arthritis gets worse and the horse has to be retired. If you can just turn him out on your own property when he needs to retire, you can still take pleasure in his company and it won’t cost you much. But if you have to pay expensive board and can only afford to pay for one horse, you could spend many years paying to own a horse that you cannot ride.

gallop:

Usually “showing signs of arthritis” means there is some form of stiffness and lameness going on that has not been evaluated and diagnosed. So, you have an unsound horse with no thought what is causing it. Just being paid a valid diagnosis can cost plenty. Then there is the issue of treatment, and any limitations on function. None of that is known until you have a diagnosis first.

If the reason you are looking at free horses has anything to do with your skill to afford one, then realize that the up front cost of a horse can be nothing compared to what it costs to maintain a horse. If there is any soundness issue, the costs can add up quick.

If you are still interested after riding the horse and hopefully having a knowledgable person go with you to also ride and evaluate him, then you should have a thorough pre-buy vet exam performed by an equine vet who can grant you with a realistic thought as to whether this horse is the right one for you.