JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
Years ago, I took an old pony for a few weeks while EMW made room for him. He was about 30. I took his ill-fitting rug off and was shocked to find just how emaciated he was - to go with the nasty ulcer on his wither caused by the rug. Called the vet - he managed to get a quick look at the mouth - bloody thing was going vertical. Dope him, said I. The vet was worried about the risk - but proceded to do so when I told him the alternative was a bullet! His teeth hadn't been done in at LEAST 5 years. They were done - and after a week he'd improved enough for me to dare worm him. He improved more. He went off to EMW where he lived another 10 years - and was, of course, PTS when the time came.
My 24 year old 3/4 TB mare dropped weight alarmingly at the start of the winter - along with a foot abcess. So she came in - and spent winter in the stable with me watching anxiously to see if the time had come (her teeth have been done very regularly becaue she is parrot-mouthed. She's now out with the other mares - a reasonable amount of grass at present - and I always make sure they have two haylage bales available as she isn't at all pushy. She's now looking good - at least condition score 3.5 She can have summer at grass - but I don't think she'll do another winter so I will say good-bye at the first sign of weight loss.
If a horse is very poor, there is always a reason other than old age.
My 24 year old 3/4 TB mare dropped weight alarmingly at the start of the winter - along with a foot abcess. So she came in - and spent winter in the stable with me watching anxiously to see if the time had come (her teeth have been done very regularly becaue she is parrot-mouthed. She's now out with the other mares - a reasonable amount of grass at present - and I always make sure they have two haylage bales available as she isn't at all pushy. She's now looking good - at least condition score 3.5 She can have summer at grass - but I don't think she'll do another winter so I will say good-bye at the first sign of weight loss.
If a horse is very poor, there is always a reason other than old age.
