Advice on Likits/ Salt licks for feild horse

[NewerRider89]

Hi all,
I've just started to loan an ex racehorse from a local rescue center.
He is in a feild on his own all day on only gets to do something different on the days I visit him.
I was thinking of buying him Likit/ and/or salt lick, and tying it to the fence where I tie him to be groomed as a treat/ and some mental stimulation.
Is this a good idea? I know they are meant for stabled horses, but he's not all that happy about being tied up so I thought it could be something for him to look forward to.

Or would a salt lick be a better idea? He's fed hay, and the lady at the center has started giving him hard feed now he is on loan. (He's very skinny, you can see his ribs and he has nexto no hindquarters) He only does light work, lunging or riding for 20 mins-ish. Would he need a salt/mineral lick?

-Sorry for the essay, but I am new to all this horsey business, so if you have any recommendations, please help

- Also, do you have any recommendations as to something I can give him to give his health a boost. I'm not the one that feeds him, so it'd have to be something I can give him.

- One more thing (sorry), anyone tried the Likit snack-a- balls for horses in the feild? Are they a good idea, or do they just roll under the fence and torment the horse that can't reach them?

Thanks

 

[Bettyboo222]

I use a decahedron for B but only if she is turned out alone

 

[Theocat]

If he's skinny, is there a reason why he wasn't on hard feed before you loaned him?

What do you mean by "give his health a boost"? If you just mean putting more weight on, it's just a question of more food, appropriate rugging, and not too much work.

Is he still living at the rescue centre? TBH the best stimulation for him would be other horses for company - can you tell us a bit more about the set up so we know what's possible?

Lots of people use a lick when their horse is tied up to help keep them occupied, so that's certainly something you could look at, although it might just be because he needs to settle in with you

 

[TED2010]

Horslyx (think that's how it's spelt) my horse is turned out this winter on his own and he loves the original horslyx (they come in different varieties). It is meant to be like a complete feed and contains all the vits and mins a horse should need. Mine has a big tub in his field shelter, they are designed for stable or field and come in different sizes. Might be good if your horse needs building up a bit. I don't treat it as a feed though mine still has two feeds a day and ad lib haylage.

 

[NewerRider89]

All of the horses that aren't on loan just have hay and grazing. He is a tb, and I know they need a lot of feeding, so I expect the hay hasn't been enough for him. He is adequatley rugged. He used to be in a feild with others but as soon as they are loaned they get their own feild.
The rescue center is run by one old lady, who can only afford hard feed for them is they are on loan. They all have to stay at the rescue center.

As for "giving his health a boost", I just meant any general supplementation he might need. Vitamins/ minerals etc or salt licks for electrolytes to top him up after work. I've heard feed balancers are really good for keeping them topped up with everything they need, but I think they had to be added to the hard feed?

I just want him to be as healthy as possible.

 

[s4sugar]

Not all "rescues" are genuine and this one rings alarm bells.

Sounds like a scam.

 

[NewerRider89]

No, it's definatley not a scam.
It's run as a charity and the old lady has done it for years. She has 60+ horses + ponies, aswell as pigs, goats that were neglected/ supposed to be sent for slaughter.
Some of the local (Newmarket) racehorses that don't make it get sent to her. That how I met mine (Dennis). His trainer often comes to visit him.

 

[s4sugar]

All of the horses that aren't on loan just have hay and grazing. He is a tb, and I know they need a lot of feeding, so I expect the hay hasn't been enough for him. He is adequatley rugged. He used to be in a feild with others but as soon as they are loaned they get their own feild.
The rescue center is run by one old lady, who can only afford hard feed for them is they are on loan. They all have to stay at the rescue center.

As for "giving his health a boost", I just meant any general supplementation he might need. Vitamins/ minerals etc or salt licks for electrolytes to top him up after work. I've heard feed balancers are really good for keeping them topped up with everything they need, but I think they had to be added to the hard feed?

I just want him to be as healthy as possible.

All of this shouts scam. Why are they separated once loaned? Why are they not adequately fed if not loaned?
It sounds like a money making racket - charity or not.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Not all "rescues" are genuine and this one rings alarm bells.

Sounds like a scam.

^^^^^^This.

Reputable/responsible rescue centres make sure that their horses are up to weight before they are loaned to any-one and insist that they have equine company whilst on loan.

 

[NewerRider89]

They are put in their own feild so that you only poo-pick their mess. She has about 30 feilds, it's not all horses in one feild apart from the loaned ones. One lady looking after well over 1 hundred animals, mostly on her own, with some volunteers, definatley has no ability for money-making. She takes them on so that they can be safe, away from abuse. If they are not ridden, or worked, many of them have no need for hard feed. After all, they exist in the wild on grass..
Me being able to loan him means that she can now afford to cover his costs. That's the whole point of loaning them. So she is able to do what's best for them. I'm sure if I asked her to put him in with others she would, But I haven't had him very long at all.
The charity is well known around here, and horses from all over the country come here.
Again, I can assure you it's not a scam. Many local buisnesses do fund raisers for her yard, and building firms help her with the yard work.

Maybe he is not underweight, I just picked the scrawniest one so I could give him a second chance.

 

[NewerRider89]

If you can can't answer my questions about likits and salt licks, then please take it elsewhere. Anyway, I'm not here to have an argument about a rescue center. All I know is it is better that he has someone to loan him, then no one at all.

Thank you to all those who actually answered my questions, I think I will try horslyx.

 

[kirstyl]

Hi, I'm intrigued by the 'loan scheme' you have. It sounds very strange to put a horse on his own all the time when there plenty of others there. Do you muck out, groom etc or does the owner? Is it a registered charity?

On the subject of licks, my TB loves his garlic Horslyx and it smells gorgeous!

 

[NewerRider89]

I do intend to ask her to move him back in to his old feild, with some shires. I poo pick the feild once a week, pay for his keep and farrier. I groom him when I visit, so 2-3 times a week. Before me, it was done by volunteers. People who have to do public service, also, get sent there to do yard work, grooming, poo picking etc. The owner gets up at 5 am and it takes her until lunchtime the next day to finnish the morning feeds, bless her. She's a very frail old women now.
I'm not sure if it's registered, I should think so. They have websites etc.

 

[kirstyl]

Well good luck with him. It's nice that he's got someone to give him some one to one attention

 

[Theocat]

If they're registered, the number will be on everything.

If they aren't a charity it's a business, whether or not she makes a profit - just be careful that everything else is in place that needs to be. Check you have your own insurance for starters.

 

[Borderreiver]

I always have a rock salt tied out for my ponies and they all enjoy it. It will last better undercover of course but that may not be possible.
I have to say that if this horse is a bit poor you should think of getting a worm count done on him. No point in feeding him up if he has a worm burden.

 

[PolarSkye]

I believe your original question was also about supplements, etc. you could give him to give his health a boost - without knowing what he's already eating it's hard to give a recommendation. If you let us know what he's already eating, how big he is, how much he weighs/his condition score, what his feet are like, whether he suffers with any arthritis, whether heh as COPD, what his grazing is like and how much forage (hay/haylage) he gets, then we can maybe give you some pointers. To be honest, though, I'd have thought you'd get a better steer from someone who knows him - knows what food intolerances he has, etc.

For entertainment purposes, a salt lick or a toy is an excellent idea . . . Kal has a treat ball in his stable which keeps him amused for ages . . . but I wouldn't give him a toy in a field with others.

P

 

[Lady La La]

A frail old lady that looks after over 100 horses on her own? Alarm bell number one...

What kind of insurance does she have, to cover people like yourself coming and playing with her ex racers? Why does she only feed hay to her rescues? Who poo picks the horses that are not loaned out?

Way too many concerns, what is the name of this rescue?