Andy one week later after horrible loan home

You've done a remarkable job in just one week.
I have a horse who had a particularly horrific accident about 8 weeks ago (took the vet 4 hours to stitch her up) and after 5 days she had lost tremendous weight, it literally fell off her.
It took weeks and weeks to get her back up to looking decent again, she is just looking okish now and we live on a farm with exceptionally good grazing. Although admittedly angles of photography can be deceptive and used to advantage.
But lesson learnt - personally I have sworn that not only would I never take another loan horse again but nor would I loan out!
 
I will take better pictures today with a better camera, you can only see a glimmer of ribs now I can't believe he picked up so quickly but still want a bit more on him especially as we're going into winter.

Rara how can you not see a difference between the first two photos? Yes he'll never be fat and carry excess weight but there is a huge difference between the two.

Italy is a whole other story, I basically came back early, here's the kicker, rather then have him home because I was so happy with his home I got a project pony who led to me getting Louie.
 
Wow that's not good. I'm a loaner & my loan pony gets only the best. New saddle & tack. Chiro, teeth, rugs. Schooling programmes to suit her ability & fitness. A weekly update to owner plus regular invitations for tea & cake.(!). At least one lesson a week from a good instructor. Not all loaners would do this. Poor horse. Hope you're over the experience now :-(
 
Well done for getting him back into shape, I have had the experience from the other way round. I took a horse on loan that was seriously underweight, had had no schooling and had no future. Made him bright and happy again. After 6 months the owners saw how lovely he looked and said they were going to sell him. I couldn't afford what they were asking so he was sold. He would have been worth meat money before I got him.
 
Andy seems like one of those horses that it doesn't take a lot for him to go either way (rather than major neglect occurring, though I can understand your frustration having given them full instructions), given that he has never really been that well covered anyway and I suspect he stresses some of it off when in different places, a bit like when you first had him. Its the ones I have seen in the past that with a bit of grass in them end up like fatties that I wonder what their owner/loaners were doing with them.

I actually am not sure that the first 2 pics are the best representation, just because in the second he looks to be resting his near hind which makes him look much more angular hip wise and pushes his ribs out to one side.
 
ester said:
Andy seems like one of those horses that it doesn't take a lot for him to go either way (rather than major neglect occurring, though I can understand your frustration having given them full instructions), given that he has never really been that well covered anyway and I suspect he stresses some of it off when in different places, a bit like when you first had him.
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Agree with this.

Whether it is just the photos/angles but I don't think he looks really awful in the photos of him returning from the loan home, in comparison to the other photos.

My horse never holds weight well and if he has a stressy few days or goes off his hay for a day or two, he can look like he has lost about 100kg!

Glad you feel he is looking and feeling better though, I had a nightmare loan experience a few years ago which put me off loaning horses out but then found a lovely girl who adored my eventer and spoilt him even more than I did :)
 
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