does this horse look neglected?

lincolnlady

lincolnlady

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 December 2011
Messages
357
Visit site
my friend has just sent me this photo last week saying her friend (an ex friend of mine) put it on fb saying does my horse really look that neglected? n people were commenting n saying no!! someone said looks like she needs a good feed n she replied with she doesnt need feed as grass will be growing soon so doesnt need feed!!??

now my friend has just sent me a message saying this horse and another has been siezed by the rspca.
 
I wouldn't be happy if it were my horse or a horse on my yard!

but not sure if you might get in trouble for posting a pic of someone elses horse on here?????
 
Unless there is an underlying medical condition or is very old, then yes I would say this horse looks a bit neglected, definitely needs a hard feed!
 
Define neglected.
RSPCA case, then no.
Poorly managed, yes.
The horse looks poor and in need of extra tlc, I'd be embarrassed if it belonged to me
 
It looks poor and has no muscle, and if she was feeding it and trying to build it up I would say no its not neglected. The fact she thinks its ok makes me feel it is neglected :o

Our 29yo tb drops weight in winter, but it's something we're aware of and try to stop.
 
I wouldn't say she looks neglected to the point of needing the RSPCA to intervene in that photo but impossible to give a real opinion without more back story.
 
ihatework said:
Define neglected.
RSPCA case, then no.
Poorly managed, yes.
The horse looks poor and in need of extra tlc, I'd be embarrassed if it belonged to me
Click to expand...

This.

I would be concerned about it and would want to see an improvement, not a decline in it's condition.
 
I actually think the horse is probably worse than the pics show, would be interesting to see a photo taken from behind. Its easy to make a horse look better or worse than it is by changing the angle or lighting you take it in.
 
Looks poor but I personally dont think its neglected as such, its hooves look fine etc. But it shouldn't be this thin of course. Some horses really struggle to keep weight on over the winter - one of mine was slowly losing weight over the winter and then has lost quite a lot over the past month, purely because we got yet another bout of very cold, snowy weather again (and he now seems bored of hay (eats his feed fine which Ive increased), he clearly wants grass now but the snow has only just cleared!).
 
Definitely underweight but my first thought was that the feet don't look too bad so it would appear that if the horse is neglected now it is fairly recent.

My horses have all dropped weight in the past month or two with this laughable spring and I m having to feed more than I was at Christmas.
 
Why?

Feet don't look too bad.... Hmmmm more to this then meets the eye I think, wonder what though..... Pure lack of feeding, ulcers , worms? I too would be worried if this did not pick up.
 
If the photos are public on Facebook then anyone can see and use them. It's been an endless debate and pet hate of mine so I am very careful with who can see photos and apply the basic premise of "would I want a work colleague to see that?" If the answer is no, then I won't post it.
 
I agree with Ihatework as well - Im amazed the RSPCA have bothered to get involved to the extent of removing (though the idea that the horse doesnt need food because the grass will start growing soon is quite worrying !!) Ive seen much worse that they havent been the slightest bit interested in. Having said that, I agree that youd want more photos before you could really say poor or not.

it doesnt look too different to mine back along, she was straight out of training to me, then field rested for 5 months, the muscle drop was incredible and I felt dreadful that she looked (to my eyes) so bad - especially compared to the round,muscular horse Id collected. Of course what had actually happened is that the muscle had all disappeared while she was just mooching about (shes not one for over-exerting herself!) and while shes very much shaped like a whippet, I was remembering a horse in full work and had forgotten that shes not doing that any more,so of course she wasnt going to look the same. Even after feed changes and extra fibre, she was incredible in herself, but still looked "poor" - but because she isnt being asked to use the muscles any more,shes not going to look like she did when she came. Shes away at stud at the moment, and shes still light - and I have to admit, now Ive found somewhere for her to live that has a lot of grass,I cant wait to get her back and on that. ( I have a lot of faith in Dr Green :) )
 
I'm surprised it has been seized by the RSPCA - I thought they took the line of educating the owner and keeping a check on progress. (James Grey and Carrot & Spud spring to mind :rolleyes: ). The horse certainly does look poor and could do with something to build it up whilst we are waiting for the grass to come through. Do her horses always look like this after winter?
 
I think a lot of people are struggling with the bad winter and lack of grass. It could look better but is not a 'rescue case' in my eyes although a picture can be deceptive. Our just turned 5 mare has lost muscle condition having been on box rest for months and she is also growing; she looks ok then her bum grows up and she drops weight again so can look awful and ribby at times but then evens out again and gets her tum back. I don't think you can judge by a picture alone...
 
For a split second I thought it was a picture of one of my horses from 2 months or so ago. Mine was also 5.

Infact he was probably skinnier. Anyone who knows me though, knows I don't starve my neddies!
He finished racing in October/November so he had no fat and was solid muscle. He was only ridden twice up until January. So all his muscle dropped and no amount of food would put the weight on. Since February he's slowly built up and he now looks amazing.
And to the poster who said they'd be embarrassed, I wasn't ;)


So no, doesn't look neglected. It may be, but it doesn't LOOK it.
 
Last edited:
LollyDolly said:
I've seen worse, however given it's age I would be very embarrassed if it was my horse.
Click to expand...

Me too , if it where mine I would be hysterical ( not strictly true i dont really do hysterical I am too lazy ) and exploring every thing I could think of to improve its condition.
I would not be waiting for the grass to come.
 
I saw a post today on a Lincolnshire horse group Facebook page from someone asking where the RSPCA place the horses they seize in Lincs. I wonder if this is the same horse?
 
Will be at Bransby if in Lincs , 4 years ago I took on my wonderful mare from another Bransby loaner who had just had a baby and couldn't work her but loved her loads-- 2 weeks later the rehoming lady (since moved on ) came to visit and said why was she so obese... duhhh new home , new horse, give me a mo, thanks...

Bransby like to see a bit of rib but now draw the line if other condition factors are there, feet etc or age , sadly very common in the area :(
 
This is not the best photo to judge by, however I'd say that fella has had a bad winter - but this winter has been very long and tougher than the last two - even for youngsters - let alone older horses/ponies. Thankfully it seems spring may finally be here - granted wet and warm but needed.

Without seeing the horse in the flesh it's hard to make a true judgment.

:)
 
Without knowing the complete facts surrounding the entire issue it is impossible and pretty pointless anyone trying to make any sort of judgement. There could be a lot more than meets the eye.
 
The RSPCA seized that horse? Hope they don't see mine! Although he is twenty and has always been a poor-doer. Think hairy skeleton :rolleyes: He is embarrassing but my fatties are a bigger source of embarrassment.

At five years old however, I think that horse is very poor and it's worrying that the owner doesn't think additional feeding is necessary. Education needed methinks. I'm sure there must be more deserving cases for the RSPCA to be dealing with.
 
Beausmate said:
The RSPCA seized that horse? Hope they don't see mine! Although he is twenty and has always been a poor-doer. Think hairy skeleton :rolleyes: He is embarrassing but my fatties are a bigger source of embarrassment.

At five years old however, I think that horse is very poor and it's worrying that the owner doesn't think additional feeding is necessary. Education needed methinks. I'm sure there must be more deserving cases for the RSPCA to be dealing with.
Click to expand...

You are making that judgement on one picture, put on a public forum. That person may not have the full details or story. There might be a multitude of other issues going on which combined together warranted the removal of this horse.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top