feeding/handling advice - poorly horse

[bizzygirl101]

Hi,
My horse was diagnosed with heart failure and only 6-9 months to live. This was in May. At the time he was very ill, thin and quiet, i.e not his usual silly warmblood self! But ever since I have been to the vet he has put on weight has turned into a bit of a greedy g*t, where he had never been a foodie.
He is 17.1 12 y/o westfarlen, I feed him 2 scoops alpha a, and 1/2 scoop conditioning cubes twice a dayas well as basicall a whole bale of hay when he comes in, he was living out and coming in once a week (for a proper rest). He is just so full of himself I can't belive it, no one has told him he is supposed to be ill. It is quite a walk in from his field, he used to be such a good boy, but since a bird flew out of a tree at us (must admit scared me too!) he has bolted away from me back to his group twice now, and just prances around snorting and leaping on the end of the lead rope, cutting me up and generally being a right pain in the butt!! I am goin got bring him in every day now so he gets back into a routine, but it seems to me he is bored and has all this excess energy (which he shouldn't have) and he hasnt been ridden/ lunged for so long he has become a bit of g*t.
He is holding his weight nicely on the feed, but I;m wondering if anyone could suggest anything else? I have considered lunging him a little, but it seems a but cruel as part of his condition means he tires easily (although I have yet to see any evidence of this) and he is quite wizzy on the lunge to start with. But I though it might give him something to do and re-establish a bit more control etc

Any advice greatly appreciate. Although he is winding me up slightly and I do have a huge lump on my leg where he ran into me, I am pleased that he is obv feeling more than ok at the moment

 

[AmyMay]

You could maybe now think about taking him off the conditioning cubes which can make some horses very, very fizzy - and going back to what you originally fed him.

It sounds as if he is feeling really well in himself, and you must be thrilled that he's looking so good.

 

[Claireg9]

Sounds like he is having the time of his life

If i were you id probably be pleased he feels so good and do nothing else to change the way he is, if he wants to be out leave him out, the important thing is while he is feeling like this he is going to increase his life even further giving you more pleasure and him a happy en to his life.
Maybe take grooming stuff out to him pen off a small area put him in it to eat hay and feed, groom at the same time then turn him back out with the others.
Glad to hear he's getting on well though x
Long may it continue!

 

[bizzygirl101]

Hi Amymay

Yes I am thrilled really. No one can believe how well he looks, he actually looks his better now then ever has and yes he is having the time of his life BUT our yard has recently been taken over and I go on holiday and he horses have to come in at night. I nbeed to get him at least slightly behaving himself or they won't eant to bring him in, I mean I know he is a big stoopid softie but they don't and when he is giving it the big one he is about 25 hh!!! Hey ho, what do you siggest I feed him? He has pretty much always been on a conditioning feed of some kind as he has always been a bit skinny, obv I would like to keep him looking like he does for as long as his illness lets me. When I get my vet out again in November if he is still looking as good I know he won't be able to belive it!

 

[bizzygirl101]

Hi

I had been feeding him up outside his field and grooming him there, but as I have said in my below post to amymay, the horses are having to coome in in September and new owners will be doing this for me when I'm on holiday, so I need to be having a bit more control! Maybe a dually halter? Going to try his bridle tonight

 

[AmyMay]

Well if all the horses are comming in at night soon - then he may settle naturally, once he is in the routine of comming in with his friends. All you have to do for a little more control is to re-clip the lead rope so that it acts like a stallion chain.

As for when you go on holiday - well you do need to make sure that whoever is taking care of him for you handles him confidently. It's a little alarming that you've been told that he will be left out if he doesn't behave????

 

[bizzygirl101]

Sorry for any confusion amymay, he wont be left out, we have just been told that all horses have to be in early to protect our (really really crap) grazing which is fair enough. If you havn't got there to do it they will do it and charge you. They do seem to know what they are doing and are compassionate so hopefully he will calm down a wee bit and be fine, but I always worry when I;m not there that he is behaving himself as he is a big boy and some people get freaked out, don't want him hurting someone, except me, obv, as thats what I;m here for!!

 

[dwi]

Try a dually halter, my mare used to barge and she has never once managed it since I bought it. She has tried a few times, discovered that it didn't work and doesn't bother any more

Alternatively try leading with a lunge line rather than a lead rope. Because its much longer the pivot point (or something) is much better and you seem much stronger in being able to hang on to them than with a normal lead rope. Even if they do snort away for a few steps you can then reel them back in without them having galloped all the way back to the field

 

[bizzygirl101]

Thanks, I am deff going to get a dually halter. He just loses his brain, he is not normally at all rude and very ameniable for a big boy. I have also used a lunge line, but with his bolting routine at the moment I wouldnt want to see it trailing along behind him! In the mean time its the lead rope round the nose routine, although last night his nose ended up incredibly small!! Naughty boy!