Feeling low and need help

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pottamus

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The situation is in short I have hurt my back and cannot ride for the forseeable future. Horse is a native so will get fat if not careful due to not being ridden. I am not on a yard so cannot get help with horse, cannot afford for someone to care for or ride him and OH does his best but has his limits to help.
So I have my horse on a small (now muddy) area and he has free access to his field stable. I strip graze the grass on a daily basis and the rest of the time he is on ad lib year old hay.
My problem is the hay is making him a bit coughy but can get no other as not cut yet and none around...cannot soak as have no water access at field and bad back anyway. So which is the worst of the two evils...let him eat grass instead but risk fatness and lami or keep him slimmer on hay but coughy???
Please help as I want the best for him but so fed up with situation with my back and now my horse is coughing.....
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Ah you poor thing! What about spraying your hay with hose pipe? I know you say you don't have access to water, but he must have a water trough? how do you fill that up? If he has his hay in hay net, spray it with hose, let it drain then hang up. Or if he has it on floor, spray it on floor, or poor a bucket of water over it? Even a kettle of hot water - you can steam hay as well you know, take the dust away.

Re his weight, what about his hay in 2 haynets, make him eat it slower, last longer and this way you could give him less?

Also, I know you say you can't get any help - but why don't you put an advert in your local paper - or local shop window asking for someone to hack him out a couple of days a week? Mention that you don't want any contribution to his keep, but a little bit of help with stable duties would be fab? You may find a mum that doesn't work, children at school in morning and would love to spend an hour or so helping and riding?

Chin up, things will get better, but you gotta be positive!

MX
 
Has ponio had lami before? if not then rebalancing hay and grass might work. If you move the fence a bit each day can you balance the intake of grass without him putting on too much weight and reduce hay to help the cough a bit.
Obviously if hes had lami before and can't have any grass you'll probably have to put up with the cough unless you feed a hay substitute like hifi.
If your back is a long term thing is there anywhere you can advertise for someone to exercise him, I'm sure with the summer (hopefully) coming someone would maybe help FOC.
 
I get the water from a water butt attached to my stable guttering. If I use that for my hay it means my OH has to start bringing containers full of water round every day so we would soon run out even with the weather as it is!
It probably looks like I am moaning, I try not too just feeling a bit damned if I do and damned if I don't really.
I had considered the advert for a rider thing but he needs someone experienced and calm as he can be a bit tricky (Welsh D with his own opinions)! It would need to be someone I know really and whilst they are available, they all charge of course!
 
Ah, OK, still think you should try and get someone to ride him? I've got a lovely experienced sharer (and after Jack's tendon injury last year, I am the most over protective mother ever) and she just pays for his shoes and rides twice a week, Good sharers are out there! What bout putting advert up in your local vets - or would your vet put the word about for you or put notice up in their practice? all worth thinking bout. Know you feel crap, but try and make the best of a bad situation - he's healthy and happy where he is. He's not lame, and if he has 6 months or so off, then so be it he'll still have his mummy!!
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Could you maybe try him on a bit of horsehage or a large tub of HIFI to supplement the hay ration? If you have access to Electricity agree that steaming the hay is a good idea too. We do ours in a large dustbin with lid on.
I know how crap you must be feeling. I am not well at mo and not being able to ride and do my horse jobs properly is really infuruiating.
Good luck and hope you get your back sorted.
 
Sorry to hear of your predicament. Firstly, do not lose hope that you will not ride again/for a long time. You may be surprised. I broke my back 18 mths ago- I was riding 6 months after the accident. Do what you can to improve your situation - maybe with physio/exercise??

I would go with steaming hay if you can. You will only need 1 kettle of water for a large black bin of hay. Steam it with the lid on. You shouldn't need much water to do that. If you can't get any electricity I think you may have to go to haylage or get some better hay. Hay is a better option than more grass IMO which would make your horse fatter and livlier in all probability. Use small holed nets to make it last longer.

I think your horse will be OK without exercise but agree that it could help to keep his weight down and energy levels down. If you can't get any help I wouldn't panic. Have you considered long reining/lunging/free jumping or hacking out in hand. The walking/exercise may well do your back good too. I lunged a few times/week 1 month on from my injury. It kep my boy occupied.

I hope things work out for you. Good luck.
 
shame your not near me(norfolk),ive got a new forest 2yr old for sale as i cant afford another for company for him,mate i shared with sold hers 8wks ago and hes pining and lonely,so he has to go,id have looked after yours till you got better.had natives for 20 yrs or so,id just watch weight isnt fluctuating and wet hay down,i think better off the floor aswell.chin up and keep chatting on here.
really nice crowd.
 
I would switch to high fibre horsehage ( blue one) its fine for laminitics, as my are and have been fine on it.
Put it in two small holed hay nets one inside the other.
If he is prone to weight gain, I would def. keep him off the grass at the moment as its shooting up faster than they can eat it!
 
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