It's Been A While, Hows she Looking?

Well ok but even if she's chasing the others that is still using energy up that she could be using to maintain her weight instead.:)
 
Keep up the good work. Nothing wrong in getting ahead of things and supplementing earlier than actually necessary. Just another word of warning with rugs on dippy-backed oldies - they can press down on or slip to the base of the withers if they have become prominent. A supply of old pillows used judiciously on the horse's back can prevent this. Also, all-in-one superweight type rugs can be a bit heavy on an older horse and if weighed down with rain, use up the valuable energy you are putting down her.

I second haylage as being better than hay and fibre being the best heat source available generally. Make sure an EDT checks her teeth before winter, too.

Looking good, though, especially since she has looked much worse and you have brought her back form the brink! Nice to see updates, too.

I hope you get some sort of shelter sorted for the winter as even if they choose not to use it, the option is there for them.
 
She certainly does look much much better!
That said, I think the advice you have been given is sound. Rug well (checking every day for rubbing, and start feeding her up in preparation for the winter. If you can get the weight on now, it will be easier to maintain than trying to improve on once winter has set in.
I am another fan of Calm and Condition, the stuff seems to do wonders with the TB types, and as its soaked, its easy for the older horse to eat. I have yet to fond one that will turn its nose up at it!
Have you thought about ebay for rugs too? Always good to have a couple in reserve should the one she is wearing at the time gets wet. If you can get a couple of different weight stable rugs, you could pop them under the turnout for extra protection against the elements.
And keep on nagging for that shelter....you pay your livery, you are entitled to have the damaged one replaced!
 
joeanne said:
She certainly does look much much better!
That said, I think the advice you have been given is sound. Rug well (checking every day for rubbing, and start feeding her up in preparation for the winter. If you can get the weight on now, it will be easier to maintain than trying to improve on once winter has set in.
I am another fan of Calm and Condition, the stuff seems to do wonders with the TB types, and as its soaked, its easy for the older horse to eat. I have yet to fond one that will turn its nose up at it!
Have you thought about ebay for rugs too? Always good to have a couple in reserve should the one she is wearing at the time gets wet. If you can get a couple of different weight stable rugs, you could pop them under the turnout for extra protection against the elements.
And keep on nagging for that shelter....you pay your livery, you are entitled to have the damaged one replaced!
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yeah thats a good idea

and yeah we do keep nagging, even got the old couple who live on the field to threaten to sue them as its falling into their garden!! still no progress though :(
we also stopped paying the rent to get their attention but they just sent us a letter reminding us our rent was overdue :( tbh we're paying for a field WITH shelter.....but atm we only have a field, so the rent should at least be reduced until something is sorted!! :/
 
She looks like a different horse, you have done so well x And you have acted like a very mature young lady with the help and critism you have had since the first post. Sounds like you are going to be well prepared for the winter. WELL DONE YOU !!
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
Yeah about a year ago she had a rug on for a while and it ended up rubbing her fur away and got a little wound about the size of a 5p which healed pretty fast.
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Did she have a rug on last year? Or did it put you off that her -fur- had been rubbed off the previous year?
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
yeah thats a good idea

and yeah we do keep nagging, even got the old couple who live on the field to threaten to sue them as its falling into their garden!! still no progress though :(
we also stopped paying the rent to get their attention but they just sent us a letter reminding us our rent was overdue :( tbh we're paying for a field WITH shelter.....but atm we only have a field, so the rent should at least be reduced until something is sorted!! :/
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Are you a BHS member? If not might be worth joining because then you can give their legal helpline a call. Alternatively, you could try calling the CAB about what you can do in this situation.

With renting a house if the landlord is bad about repairs you can withold the rent after a certain period of time to pay for repairs yourself, not sure if the same would hold true for this situation but it is worth looking into.
 
pastie2 said:
Did she have a rug on last year? Or did it put you off that her -fur- had been rubbed off the previous year?
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yeah she did have a rug on last year, the reason why she lost weight was because she had lice :( it took me a while to realise (and a few comments suggesting to look for them) i got them cleared up :) the fact her fur got rubbed didnt put me off
 
JadeyyAndLadyy - out of interest how big is she. I have some good quality rugs that belonged to my old tb, that don't fit my new pony. They're in really good nick, and she was a poor doer like your girl.

Another vote for haylege here! I used to give my girl mountains of it every winter :)
 
Spudlet said:
Are you a BHS member? If not might be worth joining because then you can give their legal helpline a call. Alternatively, you could try calling the CAB about what you can do in this situation.

With renting a house if the landlord is bad about repairs you can withold the rent after a certain period of time to pay for repairs yourself, not sure if the same would hold true for this situation but it is worth looking into.
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No im not but it might be worth joining to see if they help at all :)
And i didnt know that about landlords....hmmm.... :D
 
MissSBird said:
JadeyyAndLadyy - out of interest how big is she. I have some good quality rugs that belonged to my old tb, that don't fit my new pony. They're in really good nick, and she was a poor doer like your girl.

Another vote for haylege here! I used to give my girl mountains of it every winter :)
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Shes 15.3hh and think she uses 6ft 6 rug

this is a rather dopey question, but whats the difference between hay and haylege?
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
No im not but it might be worth joining to see if they help at all :)
And i didnt know that about landlords....hmmm.... :D
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We had a talk when we all moved out of halls at uni about renting and how not to be ripped off horrendously, it is the one thing that has stuck with me all this time:D

You could always try and find a friendly BHS member to call for you - I would but I cancelled my membership when I stopped riding regularly:)
 
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JadeyyAndLadyy said:
Yeah about a year ago she had a rug on for a while and it ended up rubbing her fur away and got a little wound about the size of a 5p which healed pretty fast.
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Where did it rub her? Before you buy winter rugs, you could try some from friends if they have the same size as Lady to see what fits her shape best. I've done that before with horses who have been with me when I didn't have their size to try. I borrowed off friends, different types for a couple of hours for the fit. It will help give you an idea and if you have someone there who could advise you that would be great.

I think you are doing brilliantly and well done!!
 
Spudlet said:
We had a talk when we all moved out of halls at uni about rening and how not to be ripped off horrendously, it is the one thing that has stuck with me all this time:D

You could always try and find a friendly BHS member to call for you - I would but I cancelled my membership when I stopped riding regularly:)
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Oohhh Fair Enough :D
 
Ah, she's a bit bigger. I liked the weatherbeeta orion rugs. They kept my girl warmer than anything else.

Tbh, i don't really know. All I know is that haylege has more calories than hay, because the vet tells us not to feed it to my very good doer pony.
 
Tormenta said:
Where did it rub her? Before you buy winter rugs, you could try some from friends if they have the same size as Lady to see what fits her shape best. I've done that before with horses who have been with me when I didn't have their size to try. I borrowed off friends, different types for a couple of hours for the fit. It will help give you an idea and if you have someone there who could advise you that would be great.

I think you are doing brilliantly and well done!!
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It rubbed just on her withers because it was a rug without a neck, now i use full neck rugs :)
all my friends who have horses all have rugs either far too big (like 7ft or more) or far too small (like 5ft 6) i think ive used 6ft 3 before but they were a tad too small so got a 6ft 6 and fitted comfortably :)
 
Haylege is squidgy;), it is not dried out all the way like hay is so it retains more nutritional content (I think, I might be wrong but someone will be sure to say if I am:D!). It comes in sealed bales, and once it is open you have to use it within a certain period of time as it goes off. Lots of horses prefer the taste of haylege to hay:)
 
Spudlet said:
Haylege is squidgy;), it is not dried out all the way like hay is so it retains more nutritional content (I think, I might be wrong but someone will be sure to say if I am:D!). It comes in sealed bales, and once it is open you have to use it within a certain period of time as it goes off. Lots of horses prefer the taste of haylege to hay:)
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So how much would you say it is per bale/per round bale? :)
 
Costwise you mean? Don't know, I suspect it would vary locally. It's probably worth ringing around to get an idea:)
 
Spudlet said:
Costwise you mean? Don't know, I suspect it would vary locally. It's probably worth ringing around to get an idea:)
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Think i might know a farmer i can get it reasonably cheaply
everywhere near me the hay price went way up to over £5 a bale (we used to pay £2 per bale) then found some perfect hay from the field for £2.50 a bale :D ill see what he has!!
 
I could have given you a rain sheet. I have one that is a 6'6. They are great for hard showers etc in the Summer but no Winter ones spare. :)
 
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