I Keep Getting Reported To The RSPCA :(

[ QUOTE ]
here we go lol
Thanks
laugh.gif
how do you do it? just so i can do it myself in the future
smile.gif
x
 
How long ago was that taken? She has had an awful winter hasn't she...
frown.gif


I have to be honest - if I had seen your horse in her field while I was out walking, I would have reported it. I wouldn't have expected it to be a prosecution case (by which I mean I wouldn't have expected the horse to be removed, nothing more) but I would have called it in so you could get some advice and support. I'm not saying this to be nasty to you, but her weight loss has been serious and if I had just seen her without knowing who she belonged to I would have seen this as a matter for the pros.

You have some good advice on here and some ideas on where else you can turn to. You do need to get her sorted and get prepared for next winter now so that she gets on better next time
smile.gif
It is natural for horses to loose weight over winter, but not that much.

You might consider getting an open barn type arrangement for her if she panics in her stable - basically I'm thinking of field shelter with a gate on it, so that she has warmth and shelter but more space and a view. She may feel more comfortable with this next winter.

I am a bit disappointed that the RSPCA didn't offer you this advice to help the horse, but there we go.
 
[ QUOTE ]
How long ago was that taken? She has had an awful winter hasn't she...
frown.gif


[/ QUOTE ]
this was taken just after i got her a few years ago but its the best picture i could find to show you what she looks like at her normal weight. this is what shes like between about april-december-ish. shes doing really well and will be better soon in a matter of weeks
smile.gif
that picture of her lost weight was taken about a month ago when she dropped it in a matter of a week
frown.gif
but she looks so much better now compared to that photo
laugh.gif
 
It's good that she's looking better
smile.gif
But it's a bit worrying for her to drop weight really quickly - has the vet seen her?

She is a very lovely girly at her best, and I'm sure that you will be able to keep her lovely all year round with a few simple changes
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
It's good that she's looking better
smile.gif
But it's a bit worrying for her to drop weight really quickly - has the vet seen her?

[/ QUOTE ]
yeah she been under the vet since i got her and get regular visits from him
smile.gif
he says everything fine, and yeah it is worrying about how fast she drops it
frown.gif
it was weird cuz i took her rug off one day and was like "oh she hasnt lost her weight this year!!!" then a week later i took her rug off again and was shocked to see how thin and ribby she was!! but i had her rug off a few days ago shes looking so much better
laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Any chance of a more recent photo please?

[/ QUOTE ]
ill post one if you tell me how :P

[/ QUOTE ]

when you upload to photo bucket, click on a picture then if you look to the right theres a bit that says share this image. the bootom link of the 4 options.. IMG Code.. copy the whole thing and just paste it to a reply on this thread.
 
She is a lovely looker at her best. Do check under her rug daily, though - in case it starts to rub or she gets something caught under there, and you do need to be grooming her too under her rug at least 2/3 times a week, in case she gets a skin infection.
TB's are absolute HOT HOUSE ORCHIDS, massively time and resource consuming - they're not like Dales ponies, or natives. It can be such a pain sometimes to carefully manage a horse this delicate, but it is worth it.
 
She'a beautiful, and provided the vet says she's healthy I see no reason why she can't be like that all year round with a few changes to her management. You do need to sort it out, but you can do it
laugh.gif
 
We had a horse at the yard who actually shed the weight off when she was rugged, but kept it on nicely and looked marvelous if muddy) when simply left unrugged in all weathers.

Mine drops like a stone if he is left eithout a rug. Strange.
 
My big showjumper is a VERY poor doer, and have finally cracked it with -
breakfast -
1 scoop Diamond Condition and Show Cubes
1/2 scoop Blue Chip Original
1 scoop Kwikbeet
1 scoop Mollichaff Showshine
1 mug Corn Oil

supper -
2 scoops Cubes
1/2 scoop Blue Chip
1 scoop Kwikbeet
1 scoop Mollichaff
1 mug Corn oil

11pm -
as breakfast

He also has constant access to ad lib haylage - one medium sized bale out in the field per day, and 5 large slices of haylage in his hay bar at night, topped up at 11pm. If anyone notices that he's finished his haylage, he gets more!
He is in medium to hard work, and now looks fab on this!
 
I live about 15 mins from Eynsham - if you would like me to come over and help you tidy her up and sort out dietary requirements then I am more than happy to, PM me if you like
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I live about 15 mins from Eynsham - if you would like me to come over and help you tidy her up and sort out dietary requirements then I am more than happy to, PM me if you like
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]
oh awesome
laugh.gif
but i think im sorted now
smile.gif
where abouts are your horses kept then? id love to meet up some time
laugh.gif
x
 
OP this is an ongoing problem so I doubt it is "sorted" though hopefully you are on the right road now.
smile.gif

Please take Weezy up on the offer - it was extremely generous and we can all learn a lot from each other
smile.gif

Whilst I am sure you love your girlie I for one was rather shocked at her appearance. Also I would be concerned about riding a horse in that condition - and I bet the saddle hasnt been refitted since her weight loss so it will be sore for her.
frown.gif
 
I have a 28 year old who didn't winter well last winter.

This winter her feed and routine have been changed and she is doing well to the extent I have had to drop a feed as she put so much weight on!

If your mare is dropping weight like this every winter it would suggest that a new feeding regime is needed - the current/past ones are evidently not working.

My girl is on 16+, fibre beet and mollichop and that works for her. Every horse is different however, and what works for one might not work for another.

I echo what everyone has said about hay - one bale between 4 horses is not enough. Mine have ad lib hay as soon as the grass has stopped growing and they tell me when it is no longer needed when they leave it in favour of the grass when it starts growing.

I also know how difficult it is when you have a mix of horses in together. I have a cob who puts weight on just looking at feed, a Fell who is just right and Ellie who is a poor doer during winter.

Do up your horses feed to three or four feeds a day and provide ad lib hay/haylege. It will only take a week or two on an increased diet for you to start to see a difference.

Let us know how you get on! x
 
i have a good doer and a very poor doer.... for years i've moaned about how i cant get any weight off of my fat boy, he could live on thin air.... but now i realise that having a skinny minnie is by far worse.... the guilt you feel when you start to see ribs appearing is far worse and you feel helpless to stop it!

i have to say the only thing that helps my boy (who is only 4!) is ab lib hay and it really does have to be ab lib, meaning ensuring that all horses in the field have a pile as far away from each other as possible, numerous times a day!!!! we have a system where by every person that goes to the field hays the horses, there are 3 horses in our field, and two in the adjacent field and all owners hay the horses..... my big boy is in a completely different field, but the other 2 horses in skinny minnies field are good doers so prob dont need so much hay but their owners accept that horses, whatever their size/shape, are designed to graze and that their gut needs to be working for as much of the day as possible!!!
sometimes i've found that after i walk away little man gets chased away from all piles of hay by the big bully, so in this instance we've had to start bringing him in to ensure he gets enough hay.... its a right palavar but helps his weight..... he still looks skinny even with the constant feeding, so although he was broken in the autumn we wont do any more work with him till the grass starts coming through and his weight picks up. Incidentally even my very fat cob gets almost a bale of hay a day as i am a true believer that horses should graze, fat or not!

hope this helps...... maybe just increase your mares hay intake for now and just pray that spring hurries up and arrives.....but keep smiling and remember that in the world of horses, every bugger has an opinion on everything you do! X
 
Can't see the original pic - says its been removed? Can you post again?

Based on the fact that you agree your horse does struggle to hold weight - I would definately be doing as much as possible to deal with this. Has she had her teeth checked, wormed etc.? Is she well rugged? Perhaps changing her hay to haylage would add some more calories to her diet and you could feed more than once/twice per day. Try changing her current feed to a different conditioning feed (some work for some and not others), try adding soya oil to her diet etc.?

Otherwise, how about simply changing fields if possible?
 
Have you tried her on haylage? I know it's expensive but it might make the difference. I have a similar problem with my thoroughbred and what I use is Bailey's No 4 which keeps the weight on him like a treat. You feed it with chaff and mix.
Sorry, I have very little advice with regard to the awful neighbours :( Good luck with them!
 
Sounds like it would be a great idea to get someone to come out and help you. I had a look at photobucket and if this is the horse you are talking about I must say I understand why people are concerned about it, even if it sounds like they are not very nice about telling you. Please do take the good advice you have been given here on the forum, good luck!

http://s859.photobucket.com/albums/ab155/chuck2492/Lady/?action=view&current=ladylou-1.jpg
 
Have you spoken to the people and been upfront like you are on here? Perhaps they just don't understand. People see an underweight animal and immediately think abuse (same is not thought of with over weight animals though!! should be!) But perhaps if you explained everything in a way they can understand (speak slowly:D) then they may see you are not an evil horse abusing woman. Perhaps even print some info of the internet if you can regarding tbs and how they can lose weight. Is she rugged? they do need extra warmth in the winter as they can use a lot of energy to keep warm, but expect you know this. At the end of the day you know you are taking care of your mare and you can either move, or just deal with it each time it happens. Hugs :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top