I just bought my first cob! Introduction + feed advice + photos!

[Tracking_up]

That's a 'tash and a half!!

 

[Red-1]

Rigs is trucking on. I did a bit of schooling for the first time in months, he went in, did everything including a great canter on both reins and was very pleased with himself. I am always surprised at the quality of his paces, a real bounce to him but smooth as well. I know I did do a year of schooling but he has been retired for quite a while and I am always surprised when I apply a little leg and he bounds forwards, then have a little contact and he collects up, softly and in an outline. He is actually better than BH!!! He slept well that night though...



He also had his 6 monthly check-up with the vet. He had the dentist and was a super star. Just stood there, no sedation or anything, while the power tool did its thing.



I was expecting to arrange for another cushings test, but the result was so low last time, the vet thought he looked like autumn would be fine to repeat rather than now. He has a thick coat but is shedding like mad.

I had to admit Rigs had gained a few lbs. It is tricky to keep such a good eye with his heavy coat, plus I prefer he does carry a few lbs more in winter when it is cold and he has all weather turnout rather than grass. He is still slim, but for actual grazing it would be safer for him to be actually skinny. Because of this the vet though no EMS sugar test this time, as he says it would just show raised levels due to his extra lbs. Rigs is dieting again. Poor Rigs, but at least it is for the purpose of (muzzled) turnout.

 

[Red-1]

Rigsby has been great. First, he dropped a load of coat. Then, he has been begging to be ridden. I tie him up daily to give some attention and he has been really disappointed when he hasn't been ridden.


I have been riding once a week or so, just round the village, but he has been asking for more. A few weeks back I took him in the school and he loved it. I'm talking proud, tossing mane, forward and enthusiastic. Today, I had popped BH over some fences in my arena, and I decided that Rigs too could have a play.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7222637204118588678

Then, a friend rode by so we walked off together.

Finally, Rigs had his first bath of the season. Just a light one, don't want all his grease stripped.



Rigs is just wonderful. He champions the idea that older and sick horses can find a suitable home, with care. Plus, he is so worth spending time on. I know we don't know how long we will have together, but then, I am the one who bought a new, expensive and young horse, which dropped dead half an hour after arrival, so he didn't have much to do to beat that one!

I officially retire tomorrow, so maybe Rigs can step it up and do more. He is as sound as any horse now, not on any medication, not a hard keeper. He now travels beautifully too. It is nearly time for him to go back to the care home for a pat visit!

 

[Tracking_up]

Super Rigs, looks like he thoroughly enjoyed himself!

But ??? Not following this statement? Not your lovely grey????

who bought a new, expensive and young horse, which dropped dead half an hour after arrival

 

[Red-1]

Super Rigs, looks like he thoroughly enjoyed himself!

But ??? Not following this statement? Not your lovely grey????

It was a grey but as I only owned him for half an hour, there were no photos to speak of! The only person to meet him was mum, as he came off the box. A short time later, I had to inform her that he had dropped dead. Not my best day. Especially as I started a new job the day after so had to get a grip quite quickly. It was years ago now, but the memory still haunts me and makes me realise that nothing is guaranteed.

No, BH, my lovely grey, was also up and at it today. In fact, he did a little stressless dressage this week, no dressing up and it was his first outing since September. I had to buy two photos as I loved his flying feather It looks like he has fringed cowboy chaps

The less feathery one I bought as I am in a better position. In the flying pantaloons version I have nestled my heel into his very furry side!

 

[Tracking_up]

@Red-1 many thanks for the clarification, how awful for you in those circumstances (and phew at the same time.)

Lovely to see BH!

 

[ycbm]

It was a grey but as I only owned him for half an hour, there were no photos to speak of! The only person to meet him was mum, as he came off the box. A short time later, I had to inform her that he had dropped dead. Not my best day. Especially as I started a new job the day after so had to get a grip quite quickly. It was years ago now, but the memory still haunts me and makes me realise that nothing is guaranteed.

No, BH, my lovely grey, was also up and at it today. In fact, he did a little stressless dressage this week, no dressing up and it was his first outing since September. I had to buy two photos as I loved his flying feather It looks like he has fringed cowboy chaps

The less feathery one I bought as I am in a better position. In the flying pantaloons version I have nestled my heel into his very furry side!

View attachment 111593View attachment 111594

Crikey, he's packing on some bone! Looking very smart, too.

 

[Red-1]

Crikey, he's packing on some bone! Looking very smart, too.

I think it is more hair than bone; last year I clipped his heels out. This time I have embraced the fluff

 

[ycbm]

Nooo, just look at those hocks and the body on top

 

[Red-1]

Crikey, he's packing on some bone! Looking very smart, too.

The hocks are really hairy. The back legs have feather right up to his ass. In fact, his tail starts on his cheeks, he has tail hair on his buttocks, not just on his tail He has feathery bits right up the insides of his legs to his stifle and even to his sheath. Last year I kept it trimmed.

The body is both fat and hairy. And a bit more muscled than before, but mostly fat and hair. He inly had one clip, a very low blanket, in late December. It soon grew cat hairs to die for, which I never trimmed.

Those hocks are so hairy, they look capped, which they are not. I am confident that, with his summer coat, he will be looking a bit posher soon. I mean, he was always a chunky monkey, but he will be less like a Woolley Mammoth.

 

[Bionic Boy]

He looks very sweet. I hope you have lots of fun together.

 

[Tracking_up]

Loving the fluff up the whole of the offside foreleg - it looks like he's wearing some fringed chaps!!

 

[Red-1]

I think it is possible that fly spray is what sets Rigsby's asthma off!

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7228259964844805402

He had a lovely ride out today.



and has been enjoying grass!

 

[Red-1]

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7233018034011622682

 

[Annagain]

How’s the no fly spray experiment going, Red? I’m never convinced fly spray is that effective anyway.

 

[Sanversera]

Congratulations he's lovely and what a super caring person you are to take him on. I have an EMS cob who I will be rehoming soon as I am struggling to care for him due to personal illness, it's so heartening to hear that they can find good homes I am so worried about him going to someone who may get his care needs wrong. This thread has cheered me considerably, I wish you many many happy times together.

 

[Red-1]

How’s the no fly spray experiment going, Red? I’m never convinced fly spray is that effective anyway.

Not a cough since.

I will be annoyed at myself for not spotting it sooner if that is the cause! We are surrounded by natural ponds and dykes (no mains village drainage) so loads of flies, so I am assiduous in the application of fly spray for him as he found a fly rug to be too warm with all of his long mane and black coat.

I hope he will be OK though, as he has his indoor/outdoor arrangement and I am leaving the freezer curtains up for summer as fly curtains. He only goes out for 6 hours a day in summer, so we will have to make that out of the heat of the day.

I thought I was clever last year, got a full year's supply of inhaler on last year's prescription, just sitting there! Also a year's supply of antihistamines and Ventipulmin!!! Hey-ho, it will be all to the good if he is asthma free.

I'm not counting my chickens though, it is still very early season and he is worst from the beginning of August through to the start of September, so it is still just a thought. Wishful thinking, probably!!

 

[Red-1]

Congratulations he's lovely and what a super caring person you are to take him on. I have an EMS cob who I will be rehoming soon as I am struggling to care for him due to personal illness, it's so heartening to hear that they can find good homes I am so worried about him going to someone who may get his care needs wrong. This thread has cheered me considerably, I wish you many many happy times together.

Sounds like the situation Rigsby's previous owner was in. She had health worries, then Covid made the livery yard she was at turn the horses out on summer pasture all of a sudden and restricted visiting.

He was a bit of a gamble with just finishing the box rest portion of lami treatment, but his feet looked as if he'd had low grade lami for a couple of years, according to my farrier.

The stable alterations cost about 10K, LOL, so much for an economical companion horse , He has been a delight though. He is getting ready for his trip to the care home for his PAT visit, not sure he really loves it as there is no food involved, but the residents remember him from last time and seem to like to see him. The staff were scared as they *thought* I was bringing a Shetland, when I said small horse, and he does have to get through a human door/side to the conservatory to access the garden. Good job I keep him slim!!!

TBH, it was as a result of everyone saying that a compromised horse should be PTS that I started this thread. Old horses and those needing extra care are just as wonderful as others. Rigs just found his spot. I think he would enjoy being ridden more, now he is properly fit and healthy, but he is doing OK. He particularly enjoyed his one dressage show and his one X pole clear round show. He always tries to peel off to the show ground if we pass when out hacking.

I did have to change my mindset when buying Rigs, yes I paid for him, good money LOL, and I still balance what is nice for him and what is good for him. He is a little heavier than I would prefer for re-starting grass, but then I was upset when he got colic 18 months ago and slim Rigsby suddenly dropped to a Ribsby!!!

 

[Red-1]

Just so BH doesn't feel he is missing out, yesterday we went to the local country park for a solo rode round. Didn't see s single soul. Popped the odd log and rail, a ditch, trotted through the water and went up and down a step.

Apart from 3 times popping a small SJ rail, it is the first jumping we have done since September. I used to be soo keen on competing eventing, now I seem to mostly enjoy the hacking.

 

[Annagain]

Not a cough since.

I will be annoyed at myself for not spotting it sooner if that is the cause! We are surrounded by natural ponds and dykes (no mains village drainage) so loads of flies, so I am assiduous in the application of fly spray for him as he found a fly rug to be too warm with all of his long mane and black coat.

I hope he will be OK though, as he has his indoor/outdoor arrangement and I am leaving the freezer curtains up for summer as fly curtains. He only goes out for 6 hours a day in summer, so we will have to make that out of the heat of the day.

I thought I was clever last year, got a full year's supply of inhaler on last year's prescription, just sitting there! Also a year's supply of antihistamines and Ventipulmin!!! Hey-ho, it will be all to the good if he is asthma free.

I'm not counting my chickens though, it is still very early season and he is worst from the beginning of August through to the start of September, so it is still just a thought. Wishful thinking, probably!!

Don't be, it can often take a while for connections to be made even with vets involved. Monty always used to to get very itchy, scabby back legs that could bleed and get very sore if it got bad. It would start in autumn, last through the winter, go crazy in the spring then die off over the summer. We treated for mud fever - even though the fetlocks were ok, it was more up his cannon bones and around his hocks. We got a tail bag as we thought his tail was getting wet and irritating his legs. We tried all sorts of steroid creams, had skin scrapes done - all negative, we moved fields in case there was something in the grass that was irritating them.

About 4 years later, he went into autumn a bit plump so we didn't start feeding him and I suddenly realised his legs weren't flaring up. When we started introducing feed, we did it one thing at a time. Grass chaff was fine, his rash started a little when we added a cool mix so we thought it might be alfalfa as the was one of the ingredients but when we added molassed sugarbeet they went crazy. It was the sugar. It explained everything - starting with the introduction of feed in autumn, continuing over winter due to the feed, going mad in spring with the combination of spring grass and feed and going away in summer when the first flush of grass had gone and he wasn't being fed. Even a carrot could set him off. We managed it for a good few years with a very low sugar diet but sadly it was one of the reasons (along with a few other things) we let him go last autumn. It seems the less sugar he had, the more reactive he got to it when he did have some so things that were manageable 5 years ago (mostly grazing) were now a problem. Last summer, with very little grass that was mostly burnt he was great but as soon as the rain came, he even struggled with grass and there was no way we could keep him going with no turnout. He wasn't a big fan of hay and would eat very little while he was in and he was retired so we couldn't exercise him.

 

[Red-1]

Don't be, it can often take a while for connections to be made even with vets involved. Monty always used to to get very itchy, scabby back legs that could bleed and get very sore if it got bad. It would start in autumn, last through the winter, go crazy in the spring then die off over the summer. We treated for mud fever - even though the fetlocks were ok, it was more up his cannon bones and around his hocks. We got a tail bag as we thought his tail was getting wet and irritating his legs. We tried all sorts of steroid creams, had skin scrapes done - all negative, we moved fields in case there was something in the grass that was irritating them.

About 4 years later, he went into autumn a bit plump so we didn't start feeding him and I suddenly realised his legs weren't flaring up. When we started introducing feed, we did it one thing at a time. Grass chaff was fine, his rash started a little when we added a cool mix so we thought it might be alfalfa as the was one of the ingredients but when we added molassed sugarbeet they went crazy. It was the sugar. It explained everything - starting with the introduction of feed in autumn, continuing over winter due to the feed, going mad in spring with the combination of spring grass and feed and going away in summer when the first flush of grass had gone and he wasn't being fed. Even a carrot could set him off. We managed it for a good few years with a very low sugar diet but sadly it was one of the reasons (along with a few other things) we let him go last autumn. It seems the less sugar he had, the more reactive he got to it when he did have some so things that were manageable 5 years ago (mostly grazing) were now a problem. Last summer, with very little grass that was mostly burnt he was great but as soon as the rain came, he even struggled with grass and there was no way we could keep him going with no turnout. He wasn't a big fan of hay and would eat very little while he was in and he was retired so we couldn't exercise him.

That is the thing, isn't it, when they have conflicting conditions.

I know it is Russian roulette what will finish him off. He has many possibilities, although, it will probably be something totally left field that I'm not even monitoring! Surprise!

Meanwhile, he is a delight.

Today is cause for celebration. He had got up to 2 hrs a day at grass. Today we added 3/4 an hour in the morning to his 2 hours at night. He was delighted! I am going to ride to be on the safe side with his extra sugar. The things we do!!!

 

[Red-1]

The council was resurfacing the road outside today making hacking not possible, so I popped to a local livery yard with a hacking track/Xc course.

Not Rigsby, he was at home, but BH had a little play!

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7234907187468946714

 

[Red-1]

High excitement, we are organising another PAT visit for Rigs to the local care home! I love to do that and the residents love that he goes.

Meanwhile, he is still fly spray free and cough free, apart from the day the road was resurfaced and they kicked up a HUGE amount of dust that made us cough too. None since.

Yesterday he was out hacking, cantering here there and everywhere. He was loving it!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

The council was resurfacing the road outside today making hacking not possible, so I popped to a local livery yard with a hacking track/Xc course.

Not Rigsby, he was at home, but BH had a little play!

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7234907187468946714

This looks like fabulous fun!

 

[Red-1]

Rigsby today. He has a PAT type visit to the care home coming up and I don't think he has been on the horsebox since last time, last September!

Thank you to Mr Red for dropping us off on an adventure. Rigs thoroughly enjoyed it. Had a trot and canter, tossed his head and squealed with excitement.

I sometimes still feel guilty that he is here, doing so little, as I think he could be someone's dream horse. But then, he is safe and has everything he needs.

Did him a bath when we got back. Needs to be smart for his visit!

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7237893788562246938

 

[Red-1]

Today was the day Rigs went to the care home for his annual visit. We prepared well, he had a ride out this morning (where he had a bloomin' good canter!) and was then preened and oiled.

However, the day was weird. The past two times we have been, there have been cars all over with nowhere to park. Today, it was EMPTY. No cars whatsoever. I parked wherever I wanted...
I then rang the bell... no one. Looked through the windows... no-one. Rang them on the phone, no answer.

I started to think there was a fire drill going on!

A single car drove up with a visitor and they also rang the bell. Eventually, I found someone and we were let in. In the past, we have been inundated with residents wanting a stroke. Today, there were only a few. That is OK, there may only have been a few, but those few people had their day brightened, so I guess the trip was worth it. Rigs enjoyed himself anyway.

I guess there aren't as many residents there at the present time.

Staff took some photos of the residents meeting Rigs, which may go on their Facebook page.
Rigs was glad of more grass time when he got home.

 

[Red-1]

Yay, found a friend who rides Rigs out! He is loving some work and attention.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7245354002248912154

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Aw fab to hear Rigs getting out for some adventures. Love BH's Zebra look

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Omg look at Riggers go

 

[ycbm]

Harrumph! I can't see the video

ETA now I've posted, it's appeared!