Is 'we have no grass' an acceptable excuse for a thin horse?

[horsemad32]

On another forum, it seems acceptable to state that your horse is thin (as in, thin enough I wouldn't be riding) because of lack of grazing. I have been around horses all my life, and we have always put out hay/haylage ad-lib in the winter if there's not enough grass. If that's not enough to maintain weight, hard feed is added as necessary. Surely that's the normal way to do things? Or is it just round here?

 

[crazymaisey]

No it's not acceptable, either they are ignorant or can't provide this necessity. Either way it's not acceptable. If I see a thin horse that doesn't want for anything I'm fine with that, but thin horses without makes me so sad

 

[Greylegs]

No, of course it's not acceptable!! As you've said, if grazing is limited, then add forage and hard feed to maintain condition. This is basic stuff and anyone who uses "not enough grass" as an excuse for a thin horse should not be owning a horse IMO ....

 

[Capriole]

On another forum, it seems acceptable to state that your horse is thin (as in, thin enough I wouldn't be riding) because of lack of grazing. I have been around horses all my life, and we have always put out hay/haylage ad-lib in the winter if there's not enough grass. If that's not enough to maintain weight, hard feed is added as necessary. Surely that's the normal way to do things? Or is it just round here?

No, I don't think it is acceptable either.
Are other people actually saying the thin horse is in an acceptable state on the other forum, or do you mean that the owner finds it acceptable to state lack of grazing as a reason. Not sure what you mean exactly. I wonder if I know the thread you mean as I saw one that might fit the description the other day somewhere else, and if it is that one, no, no-one thinks it's acceptable but there are next to no comments on the thread as it's all been said before.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Certainly not. If owners in countries where there is little grazing, are able to feed their horses, anyone living in the UK should be able to manage. This is one of the wealthiest and greenest parts of the world.

 

[HaffiesRock]

That is not acceptable at all

I purposely keep my 2 natives on poor grazing and then supplement them with hay and feed to keep them a nice weight all year round. Yes it costs me more money than I need to spend as I could chuck them in the large grass field for the same livery cost but not have hay. But then I'd have 2x lami ponies to care for.
Another lady I know has the same type of grazing as I do, with 2 older horses and from 1st April stops all hay as it is now "spring" both horses are far too thin for my liking but what can you do about it?

 

[Pinkvboots]

No not acceptable both mine are kept on sparse grazing as one can get very overweight, they get plenty of hay in the summer as they have to eat, and having had one with Lami in the past I would rather keep it this way.

 

[FlaxenPony05]

The owner has stated that said horse is putting on weight and is looking much better. She has already said that she's been worried sick about it. No need for such a sly dig, OP.

 

[Dry Rot]

Such things should be reported to the authorities. Period. Then it is an experienced, uninvolved, unemotional, and professional judgement backed up by the power and money to do something about it if action is needed with no dangers of being dragged into court for defamation.

One person's thin is another person's fat.

 

[GinnyBells]

It's not an excuse but no grass does play a part I think. Even with ad lib hay and hard feed and all the rugs she needed my old arab used to lose a bit of weight in the winter, but once the spring grass came through she became as good as new!

 

[thewonderhorse]

No excuse at all. If the horse is dropping too much weight on just grass then a feeding regime is needed and hard feed/hay etc.

Saying that there is no grass is just bad management.

There is a difference between 'losing a bit of weight' in the winter to being thin.

 

[horsefeed]

While it is not an excuse at all it is impossible to get the whole story from a forum! I have an elderly arab on my yard (livery) he always looks like a hat rack come spring (despite array of vet tests, very regular dentist checks and physio etc) no amount of hay or hard feed will keep or put weight on him. He purely does not have an appetite and picks at everything you give him to eat. He refuses to eat point blank if stabled, I have left him in for over 24 hours before and he didn't eat a mouthful in this time! Turnout he'll eat grass but even rugged it is not enough to keep weight on him, as soon as spring grass comes through he balloons! So this is exactly the phrase I would use to describe this boy! All the others on my yard are fab weight so should RSPCA/other organisation decided to come and look its obvious he is not neglected.

 

[Goldenstar]

It's a reason not a excuse .

 

[Fides]

No it isn't an excuse. If there isn't enough grass to keep weight on you feed ad lib hay, if this still isn't enough you add hard feed. If this isn't enough you get the vet out...

 

[Marydoll]

No its not

 

[rowan666]

Absolutly not. We have no grass in winter field but feed adlib hayledge with good hard feed and non of ours are thin (except sec b when he had a virus and really nocked him for six but he got back on track,, without grass!)

 

[amandap]

Well it depends what thin is. However, with 'no' grass some hay should be supplemented to ensure enough fibre going through the horses.

 

[Dizzle]

Replace the word 'grass' with 'money'.

Lack of grass? We're nearly in June!

 

[*sprinkles*]

When I visited a yard in Spain where they had zero grass due to the heat they supplemented their horses diet with all kinds of things because hay was also extremely expensive - so they were feeding things like fruit to add bulk to what was mostly a hard feed diet. And not one of those horses was underweight or in poor condition, they all looked fantastic so really there's no excuse. You find other ways of doing things.

 

[PolarSkye]

Well, no, it's not acceptable . . . however, how do you know that horses are not being kept "thin" for some sort of medical reason? There was a post/thread on here recently about an owner whose vet had advised her to keep her horse (relatively) underweight (can't remember why).

P

 

[Fides]

Well, no, it's not acceptable . . . however, how do you know that horses are not being kept "thin" for some sort of medical reason? There was a post/thread on here recently about an owner whose vet had advised her to keep her horse (relatively) underweight (can't remember why).

P

Usually it's if they have a heart condition

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

The owner has stated that said horse is putting on weight and is looking much better. She has already said that she's been worried sick about it. No need for such a sly dig, OP.

Has the OP given the whole story? FlaxenPony05 seems to have read more of the post on the other forum than the OP & has given a different story. I think I'll reserve judgement on this, opinions formed on incorrect or limited information are seldon right.

 

[Pigeon]

Nope. Also 'it's a thoroughbred' isn't an excuse for all of it's ribs to be sticking out. It is indeed a thoroughbred, so feed it like one!

 

[PolarSkye]

Has the OP given the whole story? FlaxenPony05 seems to have read more of the post on the other forum than the OP & has given a different story. I think I'll reserve judgement on this, opinions formed on incorrect or limited information are seldon right.

This.

P

 

[risky business]

Not liking this thread one bit, not very nice of you OP to come here and post this.

I know the thread you mean and I think this post is quite incorrect. The horse wasn't skin and bone, slight yes and owner has stated the stress it's caused so I think your dig is unfair at best.

It has been said horse is getting hard feed so hardly being starved

 

[horsemad32]

I simply asked a question, without naming forum/post etc. If someone else wants to go on a hunt, thinks they have found what I'm talking about, and responds based on that - well they have too much time on their hands! The internet is a huge place. I could be talking about a forum based anywhere in the world, or anywhere in the UK - there are hundreds of them! You could probably find similar topics on several forums at any one time. I won't be drawn out to name it either - I asked a general question, and would like to keep it that way!

Thanks for answering my question, to everyone else!!

 

[FreshandMinty]

no matter how poor grazing is there is no excuse for not providing adlib hay / haylage. bit of a no brainer really.

 

[risky business]

There is no need to go on the hunt for anything. Got nothing to do with having to much time. When your a member and frequent other forums it's not hard to work out when someone is relating to a particular post.