ahhh wish I had kept mare where she was!!!!

hihosilver said:
I bring her into the yard to give her hard feed. It is a DIY yard that does not have many horses living out- about 6 4 in the mares field and 2 in the geldings. As I said in the summer grazing is fantastic horses are happy they all get too fat! YO is actually very nice but for some reason does not like hay in her fields! I would have got a stable to get out of trouble but as I said all full up! My mare is not a welfare case she does not have ribs showing I am doing the best I can for her.
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It will very quickly escalate into a welfare issue... chosing facilities over basic needs op is not what owning a horse is all about. as for bringing in and feeding hard feed, well without fibre going through your mare its inviting trouble. can you get yo to let you fence off a section for your mare and pop hay down. if yo is worried about hay getting trampled or wasted there are special containers you can buy to put the hay in.
 
seems like the yard is over stocked. They cant expect to offer grass livery and not put hay out in the winter. If they dont want hay in the fields they need to be able to offer a stable for every horse. You need to move!
 
hihosilver said:
No she says they fight! and have just heard the fields are now shut as too bad but horse living out will stay out so there will be less horses. I could move back but moved her to get her back into work as the other place was just good grazing and no facilities.
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hihosilver said:
I just had the use of a stable in the day but now the fields have been shut until further notice. The yard is full up with a waiting list so the YO does not have to bother or worry about my horse. I am looking around to move her but is not as easy as people make out.
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Not difficult, move her back.

Horse welfare states, access to forage/grazing is a necessity... facilities are not
 
hihosilver said:
I just had the use of a stable in the day but now the fields have been shut until further notice. The yard is full up with a waiting list so the YO does not have to bother or worry about my horse. I am looking around to move her but is not as easy as people make out.
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When you say "shut" do you mean no one goes out and no one comes in at all? That is crazy! Our yard has an absolutely no feed or hay in the field policy but we have good grazing and everyone has a stable whether we choose to use it or not! In the really bad weather people bring in during the day or night and hay their horses. The yard owner needs to be told that horses need forage and hard feed is not enough.

Best of luck OP - I know it is a bit obvious and we have all learnt from our mistakes in the past but put a list of questions together before moving next time!!

Best of luck.
 
Seems crazy that yo is "shutting" fields but expect those that live out to not have hay ...... Bit backwards.

Have you asked yo outright what they would do, I know that isn't always the easiest of things to do but might be worth a shot if you want to stay but don't like the current situation.

At least if you leave you will know you tried instead of just walking which isn't as easy as some make out.
 
Personally if this yard was the be all and end all I would keep paying the livery to keep my place but take the mare back to the old yard for a month or so even if they made me pay through the nose for the grazing

I know this winter has been horrible and has followed a horrid summer but this whole thing would have warning bells ringing in my head and to me is a sign of 'strange rules' to come
 
She was out for 6 months in the other good field with no facilities. I moved her to get her back into work. She has had an injury and the vet now wants me to start working her again. When I moved her the field was ok. Since then we have had floods and snow and the grass has all gone. I have my niece at the same yard so was looking forward to hacking my mare out with her. Just bad luck really that the weather has been so bad. I will not let her suffer she has a good weight on her atm just feel sorry for her out in knee deep mud.
 
Being a YO our horses are in groups for winter those needing ad lib hay and fattys that dont. Cant understand why the yard you are at wont allow hay in the field, if you all pay for it, we move where they are hayed about so ground does not get poached. They all have a little row when hay being put out but soon settle and eat.
You should put your horses welfare first, if you move, have a list of questions you need to ask before you go.
 
So, ok....1st you are worried your horse has dropped a lot of weight in 10 days...and now you are making excuses to stay because you have an injured horse that needs rehab work.

imho if you have a horse dropping weight dramatically you are risking GI issues such as EGUS, Colic, liver/kidney issues etc. They are going to be stressed and the increase of cortisol levels in your horse will place more physical stress on him. If you rehab a horse liek this you are asking fro trouble, imho.

I think you are making excuses. Welfare should always come first. The weather is dire atm, know i dont know where you are but horses use fibre to keep themselves warm. Rugging helps but good nutrition is key. If you are depriving the horse of a need i.e. fibre, because of a want, then shame on you. The YO sounds crazy tbh!
 
hihosilver said:
Just bad luck really that the weather has been so bad. I will not let her suffer she has a good weight on her atm just feel sorry for her out in knee deep mud.
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Well not really, there's more to this than bad luck. Everyone's got the bad weather, that is bad luck, being banned from feeding the horses adequate food considering the circumstances isn't bad luck, it is a stupid rule. She will be suffering from hunger. I also think you need to move to somewhere else.
 
I don't know any vet who would tell a client to move their horse for what your saying they need moved for. I rehabbed a blown tendon on a horse with no facilities other than stable and grazing.

Move back it's simple OP the weather is pants so how much rehabbing are you getting done right now, all the rehab I was told to do was roadwork to fitten and harden the legs, what injury has your horse had ?
 
hihosilver said:
She was out for 6 months in the other good field with no facilities. I moved her to get her back into work. She has had an injury and the vet now wants me to start working her again. When I moved her the field was ok. Since then we have had floods and snow and the grass has all gone. I have my niece at the same yard so was looking forward to hacking my mare out with her. Just bad luck really that the weather has been so bad. I will not let her suffer she has a good weight on her atm just feel sorry for her out in knee deep mud.
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Sorry but this just made me really angry..you have gone from saying you are worried as she has dropped so much weight in 10 days, to now saying you just feel sorry for her in knee deep mud - because it is easier to stay than move it seems.

If she has lost so much weight in such a short time, she is hungry, that isn't going to change is it and I cannot believe any yard owner could deprive horses of hay. It is a basic need for horses. None of us are having a good time of it right now, but I guarantee getting your horse into a mud ridden foodless field to get her back into work is not the priority, feeding her is!
 
No not making excuses she is very loved and I have stuck by her for 3 years and she has not wanted for anything.... never been in this position before. I posted for advice about feeding... I have made a mistake by moving her to soon and will do my best for her. I have 2 weeks off so will be able to bring her in every day on Thursday. Please don't judge me so harshly. She is happy and not a welfare case and never will be!!!!!
 
Whether you mean to or not, you reaslly arent coming across great atm!

She might not have wanted for anything in the last three years, but right now she is clearly hungry and undernorished. So now she does want! The last three years do not cancel out whats happening now. Horses have evolved to be trickle feeders...that means they graze small quantities over a long period of time (usually 18-20 hours per day). So you bringing her in once or twice a day for hardfeed is going to oevrload her system in the short term and leave without food for long periods of time. You are risking EGUS and the shock could cause Colic.

Ive been up the vets a lot resently, there are a LOT of colic cases due to horses being cold and no nutrition in the grass....two have died in the last 12 hours. It is so incredibly sad but you are risking your horses health...this isnt about you nor who you might upset...this is about a hroses welfare...
 
Doesnt matter...sudden and significant weightloss is due to starvation or illness. It is healthier and safer for sustained weightloss to occur over a longer period of time with a balanced diet and regular exercise. Withholding feed or not allowing appropriate access to forage will cause a whole number of issues and place a lot of stress on the horses body, heart etc

But then, you are not going to listen, you just want a fight for justify what you are doing, which in my opinion is wrong, and i will say so.
 
OP, you aren't getting an easy ride as this is a tough, say-it-as-it-is forum, where horse welfare is all that is important.

If i had made your mistake ? Stuff the month's notice ! I would have my horse back where he was able to feed properly, even if I had to go on the game for a month ( or perhaps a year...) to pay for it. :eek: I kid you not.

EDIT - make that three years with a lot of IOU's..
 
Well, there is a mature response....please don't come on here wanting pity or advice again. I doubt you will get either.
 
Just a thought op, put the ball in your yard owners court, approach her nicely and ask how she would like forage fed, don't mention the fact its not allowed in the fields just ask her how she would like you to feed it as your horse needs extra due to weather!. If she states you cannot feed then I would very nicely state that you will have to move yards with immediate effect for the welfare of your horse and therefore won't be able to give months notice (make sure u have somewhere to go first) Good luck.
 
hihosilver said:
I hav'nt got either though have I !!!!
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Yes you did, you got plenty, you are just blind to all but those who say "aww there there poor horse owner how awful, stick it out and make your horse go without just so you don't have to move or pay a month's notice"...
 
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