I Keep Getting Reported To The RSPCA :(

I am sorry to have to say this, but if I had a pony that looked like this a few months ago:

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and she now looks like this:

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I would be concerned that I was doing something very wrong. And be seeking urgent advice. People are being very kind on here, for the most part, but seriously something needs to be done for the good of this poor mare. :(
 
Has anyone actually looked at the photo and compared the two conditions without the fluff involved? Because if you do you'll see there isn't the huge big difference everyone is making out.

She's all shaggy and has very little muscle, but that swan neck is obviously part of her conformation and it's just make to look worse by the scraggly mane. He shoulder blades aren't obvious and her hips aren't sticking out - her flat un-rounded bum is just her pelvic conformation. Obviously the saddles in the way but her ribs aren't obvious either.

She has lost weight and could do with a little more but she really isn't that thin, it's just a very unflattering stance she's got!

OP - does she have a standard neck rug, so her neck shows? If so I suspect that's why the interfering old bags keep reporting you - your girl has an unusually slim 'swan' neck and generally that kind of neck goes with emaciation, which your girl ISN'T.

You obviously need to make a bit of adjustment to your feeding of her (lots of good suggestions, but adlib good hay and a nice thick full-neck rug should really help (ebay the rug!) but she doesn't look as terrible as some are trying to make out, so don't let it get you down. At least you, unlike many, as asking for advice and help! :)
 
Hey :) Thanks for the comments and advise. :)
yes i do actually have a rud that covers the neck :) and im planning on trimming her mane very soon because, i agree, its getting very long :p

yes i have changed a few things in her feed, shes now on a different build up food + chaff + oil :) so hopefully this weekend when i get to spend the day down the field i can get her rug off and take a few photos to post on here and see if theres any imporvement :) x
 
sarahsum1 said:
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 :)
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Hehe you made me giggle :) but yeah on a serious note :p we have talked to the other people, after the came raging over and had a PROPER go at my friend :s she even admitted to knowing we look after my mare and she knows shes well looked after, she was just doing all of this for attention and to make me look like a bad person :/ x
 
Has anyone actually looked at the photo and compared the two conditions without the fluff involved? Because if you do you'll see there isn't the huge big difference everyone is making out.
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She has lost weight and could do with a little more but she really isn't that thin, it's just a very unflattering stance she's got!
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And you own a horse(s)???????? Words fail me.


Jadey - really hope you took Weezy up on her offer, and that your management has been comprehensively reviewed for your lovely little horse.
 
Ruscara has said exactly what I'm thinking. You've had plenty of advice earlier up on the thread about getting her more forage, the right diet, more frequent feeds. You could try following it for a month and see what she looks like then. Apart from that, if she still looks as she does in that ridden photo, you shouldn't be riding her. If she needs a leg stretch take her out in-hand.
She's not even that old...
 
She is a lovely looking horse. I would take weezy up on her offer as it can be hard when you feel people are getting at you to be objective. Weezy would be able to see the horse in the flesh, see how much it has/hasn't improved and help you out with some suggestions.
You have had some really good advice on her I'm sure you will get her sorted soon. I will add that I think you need to consider how you would react if this was someone elses horse and you saw them drop this amount of weight in such a short time I think your neighbours are just concerned, but yes they could have handled it a bit better.

Good luck :)
 
The horse is rather thin and I'm sure the OP will be able to follow the various pieces of advice given on here so she will gain some weight. But I have to agree that she isn't all THAT thin, and I am in no doubt that her conformation just adds to the effect. She isn't put together very well; yes she has a kind face, but there do seem to be one or two bandwagon-jumping, reactionary posts on here which I don't think help the OP.
 
I haven't read all the replies but looking at the pic of your girl I'd say that unless there is a physical reason she does look neglected and underfed. clearly you are trying your best but a TB living out with very little grass in one of the coldest winters we've had for 30 years needs a thick full neck rug/s ad lib hay (a bale is no where near enough) and at least two feeds per day.

which should consist of something like alpah a oil, (two scoops per feed) Sugar beet, you can give up to 7 scoops of soaked speedibeet a day (in her evening feed) a broad spectrum vit/min and a good conditioning feed like TS Cool and condition cubes.

Her wooley coat is because she is cold.
 
amymay said:
And you own a horse(s)???????? Words fail me.
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I have to agree. The mare is in very poor condition in that second picture. My oldie is significantly older and I would be mortified if she looked like that. :(

For nearly all of winter my veteran has had her own separate paddock (done with electric fencing) so that she can have ab lib top quality haylage. I'm talking about up to 25kg put in her hay hutch at a time, costing over £30 a bale. Yes, it can be expensive, and troublesome to do this (lord knows keeping my other horse, a good doer, out of Star's paddock has been a headache and a half), but that's what my oldie needs to keep her well, and thus my duty as her owner to give her.

This is not just aimed at OP, whom I applaud on asking for advice, and I hope is taking it, especially Weezy's kind offer... Quite frequently on here I see posts where people can't keep weight on their horse, but make excuses about why they can't feed a greater amount/quality forage, because their horse is out with others. Well, then change that fact. Instead they are filling them with large hard feeds, which is not the best thing for the horse's weight or health, and complete false economy. :(
 
Puppy said:
Quite frequently on here I see posts where people can't keep weight on their horse, but make excuses about why they can't feed a greater amount/quality forage, because their horse is out with others. Well, then change that fact. Instead they are filling them with large hard feeds, which is not the best thing for the horse's weight or health, and complete false economy. :(
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Got to agree with this entirely!
 
That horse hardly looks strong enought in the second photo to be carrying its self around, let alone a rider! She looks dull and withdrawn. Im sorry but i too woudl report you to the RSPCA if i saw you riding that horse around. Not all horses can winter out fully , and yoru horse looks like the type that would benefit from acess to a stable over night. You need advice from an equine nutritionist, many feed companies offer you this service and can advise the amounts to be fed. If she where mien i would be having blood tests done by my vet to rule out anything underlying. Every bit of weight is precious to your girl at the moment, and riding her is not going to be helping her. She is obviously lacking somewhere.

For those of you that feel that horse in in exceptable condition to be worked , i am shocked!! She lacks the muscle and strength to be ridden comfortably. How the does the saddle still fit?

Im sorry but the likelyhood is that intill something constructive is done to help this mare, you are going to keep having the rspca call. Simply chucking otu a few more chunks of hay just isnt going to cut it. You cant even be sure of what amouts she is eating.
 
MrReally said:
I think your neighbours are just concerned, but yes they could have handled it a bit better.

Good luck :)
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How could of they do you feel?

I don't knwo the Op in person so obviously i can only go off the information in thsi thread. However every bit of advice and concern seem sto have been met with an excuse or a fob off from the OP. Giving me the impression that if i where her neighbour, and i had approached the op about my concerns the same pattern of behaviour would occur. So that leaves only the choice of calling out the rspca.
 
Sorry, havent read all the posts, but just want to say that a TB living out should have complete 24/7 access to hay, such as the big round bale ones or hayledge. If putting small bales out, there should always be a bit left when putting fresh ones out so you know she has plenty. If I feed small bales, I always up the amount given, if its all gone when I go to feed again. If she grows a lot of coat fast, that takes up to 80% of her feed, especially when growing a new winter or summer one.
 
And now the worst of HHO....

IMO, bear in mind I have cobs who spend their entire lives getting fat on thin air, is that the horse is not a big horse. She looks slightly fatter in the good photo because of Jadey hiding her hips by lying on her.
The second photo is a horrific angle, making her hips stick out, and her neck look long. However, inspection showed her condition to be not as far off as it looked. Anyone would think we were talking about a skeleton.

Bear in mind this is a TB who has been out all winter, slightly misguided maybe, but not cruel. Extra hay is always good, I loathe people who go for feeding up by feed (that said, I've stuck Dorey on some hard feed because her feed intake has dropped due to being preggers!! Only exception, imo!). However, sugarbeet, topline cubes and a fair bit of chaff won't hurt for weight gain.

End of the day, we're not perfect. No one is. Jadey loves her horse and made a mistake. The fact that posts have taken a spiral downwards is sad.

Mine was naked, pregnant, on limited haylage and no feed all winter. How are you supposed to know what's best for your horse unless you try it?
 
£60 a week thats way too much for grass livery, I pay £30 and live in Surrey. Is she rugged ???? that can make a massive difference to weight in the winter, and I would have her on 3 feeds.
 
Have to agree with the above! Some horses are greedier than others, top-ranking and those lower down will get maybe some snatched mouthfuls here and there while they are constantly shifted along from piles of hay/haylage by other horses. I watched horses at a livery yard a few years ago and a mare who must have been lower ranking would stand and try to settle at a pile of hay, within a few seconds she was moved on so she had to walk to find another empty pile where again within maybe half a minute she was moved on again and the pattern repeated. So she was using more energy than the others AND getting less forage. It is vital she get's what she needs. Good luck :)
 
"Bear in mind this is a TB who has been out all winter, slightly misguided maybe, but not cruel."
FGS. TB's are perfectly capable of living out if cared for properly.
I think what some posters are struggling with is the fact that many people can see that this horse hasn't been cared for particularly well, and have given good advice, and they seem to be wasting their time.
 
Tinypony said:
"Bear in mind this is a TB who has been out all winter, slightly misguided maybe, but not cruel."
FGS. TB's are perfectly capable of living out if cared for properly.
I think what some posters are struggling with is the fact that many people can see that this horse hasn't been cared for particularly well, and have given good advice, and they seem to be wasting their time.
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Who Seems To Be Wasting Their Time Doing What? -_-
 
For a start, I'd cut off my own hands before I took ALL the advise I was given by an internet forum!

I'd probably go to my feed merchant, or my vet. But I would most certainly NOT jump through hoops set by a bunch of internet weirdos.

But you actually backed up by post by saying that TB's can live out. Some can. Some it's down to the owner, others it's down to the horse. If the OP thought her horse could cope with a winter outside, then the only way she'd find out otherwise was like this.

Horse is rugged, forage increased, aside from sucking up to everyone I don't see where you're being ignored, tbh.

Like I said, the worst of HHO is showing itself.
 
Tinypony said:
"Bear in mind this is a TB who has been out all winter, slightly misguided maybe, but not cruel."
FGS. TB's are perfectly capable of living out if cared for properly.
I think what some posters are struggling with is the fact that many people can see that this horse hasn't been cared for particularly well, and have given good advice, and they seem to be wasting their time.
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Why are we wasting our time.:confused:

Jadey has responded throughout this thread politely and maturely.
 
_HP_ said:
Why are we wasting our time.:confused:

Jadey has responded throughout this thread politely and maturely.
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yeah im quite confused at that comment, no one is wasting their time, i asked for advise and was given some :) i took it all on board and made changed. no one is wasting my time and i thank everyone for their help :)
 
I agree that 1 bale of hay between 3 horses, especially a TB living out, is not really enough. We have one that lives out as hes hopeless in a stable. We feed him 3 scoops of condition mix, 2 alfa a oil, sugar beet and carrots split into 2 feeds (he did have it in 3 feeds until he got a friend who is only fed twice a day) He is also given haylage to eat in the field. He still looses a little weight in the winter but doesnt really put a lot on in the summer.

If these people feel your horse really is thin enough to report it then maybe you should consider feeding it more to keep its weight up.

Can you copy and save the picture from facebook and upload it to somewhere like photo bucket so you can post it here. People may be able to help you more if we can see what condition the horse really is in
 
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