AmyMay
Situation normal
So did she not have asking hay this winter? And if your friend did th am feed and you the pm, who fed the 3rd??
Lady, One Week After The Move
- Thread starter JadeyyAndLadyy
- Start date
dingle12
Well-Known Member
I found the spillers conditioning mix alot better then D&H i had a old TB that came through a bad winter he went on oil, spillers mix and alfa a oil within 4 weeks he looked like a different horse and a fantastic coat.
MrsMozart
Just passing through...
Not read all the replies, and with regard to Jade and her care of her horse, well I guess one can only watch and see. From what I remember of what I've read, she seems to care about the horse.
But, I would like to point out that some horses do indeed lose weight if they don't have good Spring grass. Dizzy is a case in point. Every year, if the grass does not come through well enough, no matter what I feed her, she loses weight.
I've had her on: Baileys No. 1, 4, and their Outshine; Alpha A Oil; Blue Chip Pro; Saracens Releave and their Equijewel; sugarbeet; soaked oats. Feed has been up to four times a day. Haylage was ad lib. But, she would not put on weight. Vet has checked her over to within an inch of her life, but no underlying problems.
I have just moved Dizzy again to another yard as the March and April rains did not come and we just about ran out of grass. The two littlies are doing well, they have a good covering and I'm happy with them (as is the vet). But, again, it was not enough for Dizzy. Grey Mare was looking a bit light as well, so she's with Dizz at the new yard, where there is grass galore and they are both starting to look much better.
Note: they have both been in for a week whilst Dizz was on box rest. They've had more good hay than they could eat in a day/night and fed twice a day, but both started to look a bit light again. Now they're back out in the field, I expect their weights to improve again.
But, I would like to point out that some horses do indeed lose weight if they don't have good Spring grass. Dizzy is a case in point. Every year, if the grass does not come through well enough, no matter what I feed her, she loses weight.
I've had her on: Baileys No. 1, 4, and their Outshine; Alpha A Oil; Blue Chip Pro; Saracens Releave and their Equijewel; sugarbeet; soaked oats. Feed has been up to four times a day. Haylage was ad lib. But, she would not put on weight. Vet has checked her over to within an inch of her life, but no underlying problems.
I have just moved Dizzy again to another yard as the March and April rains did not come and we just about ran out of grass. The two littlies are doing well, they have a good covering and I'm happy with them (as is the vet). But, again, it was not enough for Dizzy. Grey Mare was looking a bit light as well, so she's with Dizz at the new yard, where there is grass galore and they are both starting to look much better.
Note: they have both been in for a week whilst Dizz was on box rest. They've had more good hay than they could eat in a day/night and fed twice a day, but both started to look a bit light again. Now they're back out in the field, I expect their weights to improve again.
AmyMay
Situation normal
Adlib not asking. Sorry on phone.
LadyRascasse
Well-Known Member
I haven't read the post properly but can I make a suggestion? I have an old boy he is 24 and has cushings he goes into depressions and refuses to eat so you can imagine how hard it is to keep weight on him when he goes through theses stages. Anyway cut the story short, all winter he refused to eat his haylage (regardless of supplier) so we left him with ad lib haylage and we feed him a 2 stubb scoops (dry weight) of AP Veteran Vitality for him to munch through over night. he was barely eating a section of haylage in 24 hours and there was no grazing. But this maintain a nice level of condition throughout the winter, no ribs in sight and he was fully clipped out.
Ok enough waffle what I am trying to say is I would throughly recommend AP veteran Vitality maybe not in the quantities I fed my lad but it is amazing stuff.
Ok enough waffle what I am trying to say is I would throughly recommend AP veteran Vitality maybe not in the quantities I fed my lad but it is amazing stuff.
PapaFrita
Well-Known Member
Jade, I've followed Lady's story with interest, although I've not posted much. I'm so pleased you've got her nearby now and will be able to look after her properly. I do know how it feels; I've had someone I counted on and trusted IMPLICITY neglect my horse, and feed me BS stories as to why she was skinny. For those who would like to cross-examine me, I am in an entirely different continent to PF, and sometimes you DO have to rely on people. Luckily I found her a better place and she's now doing brilliantly. I look forward to seeing Lady looking fab in a few weeks.
Fii
Well-Known Member
Ok you have come in for a bit of flack on this thread, again, but most of what has been said has been very good advice.
A week on good grass was not going to make a lot of difference visually, why not wait another three/four weeks then post some more pics, i for one would be interested in the change.
Durring this time if it were me, i would not ride her at all, just let her have the time eating and putting on weight.
Just remember in the winter, even if the grass is long and looks lush, it wont have a lot of goodness in it, so your feed and hay/hayledge will have to be upped, and maybe even think about cutting back your riding.
A week on good grass was not going to make a lot of difference visually, why not wait another three/four weeks then post some more pics, i for one would be interested in the change.
Durring this time if it were me, i would not ride her at all, just let her have the time eating and putting on weight.
Just remember in the winter, even if the grass is long and looks lush, it wont have a lot of goodness in it, so your feed and hay/hayledge will have to be upped, and maybe even think about cutting back your riding.
Tickles
Well-Known Member
Pleased Lady now has better grass. Urge OP not to ride until her condition is a fair bit better though. She may be improving but she has a long way to go before she needs working. Good luck.
ofcourseyoucan
Well-Known Member
sorry i think she still looks very poor, and your grass doesnt look fab either. keep feeding 2 to 3 times a day bucket food. i know you have worm counted but sorry i would do a 5 day guard. i defnetely wouldnt be working this horse until it has gained 200kg. i have 2 elderly (29 and 31) and i thought that they wintered poorly but they look positively obese compared to this. if she hasnt blossomed and bulged before oct maybe it is time to call it a day if she is such a por doer. or at least bring her in each night, and stuff the grub. have you had her bloods done? does she have a metabolic disorder and not absorbing nutrients? best of luck anyway. the poor doers are not easy.
missyme10
Well-Known Member
I have not seen your previous posts about your mare, but from what I can gather on this thread, you have had her for some time and she has been in poor condition before.
This tells me you already knew she was a poor doer this winter, so I tend to agree with many that poor grass isn't an excuse as it is up to an owner to ensure their horse is fit and healthy.
Its not difficult to monitor the condition of a horse. I have 3 horses/ponies and have to monitor their weight carefully. One due to being prone to Laminitus, the other 2 due to being hairy native types that can get fat just looking at good grass.
This only takes me 5 mins per week for each horse, it just takes a quick feel and visual look and using the weigh tape, you can carefully monitor your horses weight this way and adjust their forage and feeds accordingly week by week.
So my suggestion to you is to get this mare to her right weight, and monitor carefully week by week and adjust accordingly, if one week she's dropped 5kg, increase her forage and feeds so she doesn't drop a further 5kg the next week. If you do this, you will never have her in this condition again. There would be no excuse for her to ever be like this again, you know she struggles with her weight in winter.
I'd also say please dont even think of riding her until her condition has improved, everything should be aimed at her improving her condition right now, and when you do start exercising her, build up gradually and monitor the effect on her weight carefully.
Good luck with her xxx
This tells me you already knew she was a poor doer this winter, so I tend to agree with many that poor grass isn't an excuse as it is up to an owner to ensure their horse is fit and healthy.
Its not difficult to monitor the condition of a horse. I have 3 horses/ponies and have to monitor their weight carefully. One due to being prone to Laminitus, the other 2 due to being hairy native types that can get fat just looking at good grass.
This only takes me 5 mins per week for each horse, it just takes a quick feel and visual look and using the weigh tape, you can carefully monitor your horses weight this way and adjust their forage and feeds accordingly week by week.
So my suggestion to you is to get this mare to her right weight, and monitor carefully week by week and adjust accordingly, if one week she's dropped 5kg, increase her forage and feeds so she doesn't drop a further 5kg the next week. If you do this, you will never have her in this condition again. There would be no excuse for her to ever be like this again, you know she struggles with her weight in winter.
I'd also say please dont even think of riding her until her condition has improved, everything should be aimed at her improving her condition right now, and when you do start exercising her, build up gradually and monitor the effect on her weight carefully.
Good luck with her xxx
Shearer
Well-Known Member
Not going to comment on her condition as i think it's pretty much been covered already...
Glad you've got her closer now though it's definately for the best, where abouts have you moved her to i know you're not far from me?
Is there any way you could have her stabled/part stabled when the weather starts to decline, if she's not getting anything from the grass anyway she may aswell stand warm in a stable and munch haylage for at least part of the day or overnight?
Glad you've got her closer now though it's definately for the best, where abouts have you moved her to i know you're not far from me?
Is there any way you could have her stabled/part stabled when the weather starts to decline, if she's not getting anything from the grass anyway she may aswell stand warm in a stable and munch haylage for at least part of the day or overnight?
Fii
Well-Known Member
Not pandering so much, more educating, or trying to.
While you may be right, in that she does'nt have the knowledge of many on here, i think all anyone can hope to do is help the op and the mare.
Sanolly
Well-Known Member
Ah but Fii this isn't the first time the mare has come out of winter looking this poor:
Beginning of last year: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=355730
Last summer, still looking poor and no grass in the field or any signs of hay/haylage: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=391138
Bedlam
Well-Known Member
OK - you've convinced me.
For Gods sake Jade - get a grip and start looking after your horse!
You've been told a thousand times on here what you need to be doing. Get on and do it before posting anymore pics. I would love to see pics in a month's time of a well covered and healthy mare.
missyme10
Well-Known Member
I just took a look at the other threads and read through some of them, no wonder people are being so blunt. The advice has all been given before, this horse has been in this state before and has ended up the same way again.
Thanks for posting these threads, has fully enlightened me to the facts!
Poor mare
Fii
Well-Known Member
I know, i have followed most of them
I realy feel like shouting at her, but i just don't think it will do any good.
Jady, i think this is your last chance to get your act together, if your mare doest,nt improve dramaticaly, over the next few months, then you wont find people so helpfull and you may even have a linch mob on your hands!!
Mrs_Wishkabibble
Well-Known Member
I am not going to comment as I think it has already been gone over but can recommend and suggest alfalfa pellets from Dengie. You soak them like beet and they are really good for keeping weight on poor doers. I have a 21 year old TB that comes out of winter every year looking good. She is stabled at night in the winter with adlib hay and fed hard feed twice a day.
I think you and the poor mare need some help.
I think you and the poor mare need some help.
SophieLouBee
Well-Known Member
I think I can look at this with an open mind, my aunt has a 40 something mare, who has always had a sway back, but now she looks like a bath tub, she has no muscle, only one eye, and slight arth in hocks, oh yeah and she's partially deaf. If anyone saw her, without knowing her age, history, etc etc, god knows what they would say! This mare gets fed mash, veteren feed, chaff beet and oil twice a day, she also has access to hay/haylage all the time!
But to an outsider, I'd say people would still be concerned, because of how sway backed she is, and it makes her look 10000x worse (plus she has scratched all her hair off on a tree
), and I wouldn't blame people for being concerned! People can only comment on what they see, as is for many people on this thread, but you can't expect much else!
She is out with a yearling, who keeps her active and alert, but without being hassled, and she is much loved by everyone (I rode her when I was 6, she basically taught me how to ride!). I have a feeling she doesn't have long left now either.
Anyone can see that Ladys confo exaggerates her poor condition, and makes her look a bit worse than perhaps another horse would, but at the end of the day she still needs a lot of improving on your part. You have the advice and support from people on here, despite your past mistakes (everyone can get it wrong), and in the previous summer photos there was a dramatic improvement, even if the conditions were far from ideal, so imagine what she could be like! So PLEASE take the advice from people on here, from the feed shops, from other veteran horse owners, make those much needed changes for her sake! People won't be so forgiving next time, and you may end up having her taken away from you. I really do wish you all the best with her, you obviously do love her, but perhaps you need to get yourself up to date on caring for the older horse.
But to an outsider, I'd say people would still be concerned, because of how sway backed she is, and it makes her look 10000x worse (plus she has scratched all her hair off on a tree
), and I wouldn't blame people for being concerned! People can only comment on what they see, as is for many people on this thread, but you can't expect much else!She is out with a yearling, who keeps her active and alert, but without being hassled, and she is much loved by everyone (I rode her when I was 6, she basically taught me how to ride!). I have a feeling she doesn't have long left now either.
Anyone can see that Ladys confo exaggerates her poor condition, and makes her look a bit worse than perhaps another horse would, but at the end of the day she still needs a lot of improving on your part. You have the advice and support from people on here, despite your past mistakes (everyone can get it wrong), and in the previous summer photos there was a dramatic improvement, even if the conditions were far from ideal, so imagine what she could be like! So PLEASE take the advice from people on here, from the feed shops, from other veteran horse owners, make those much needed changes for her sake! People won't be so forgiving next time, and you may end up having her taken away from you. I really do wish you all the best with her, you obviously do love her, but perhaps you need to get yourself up to date on caring for the older horse.
*hic*
village idiot :D
Jade, you need to be reactive FAR more quickly, she cannot have just dropped the weight overnight, this statement got me really worried. I know it's difficult to see things happening day by day so how about you take a quick snapshot of her tied up in the same place and stood up the same every single week and keep them as a comparison.
Suzie86
Well-Known Member
She isn't elderly she's only 20!!!!!!
Jade are you sure she isn't any older? I feel sorry for you, you're obviously trying and love her to bits
Jade are you sure she isn't any older? I feel sorry for you, you're obviously trying and love her to bits
jokadoka
Well-Known Member
I think you've been had. The horse in these pictures is at least 6 or 7 years older( if not more ) than what you've been made to believe. My full TB is 20 this year and certainly doesn't look like that! ( Sorry to be harsh ).
I would post photo's but am too computer illiterate to work out how to do it (!)
And I'm also very old....
I think you'll need to feed her all through summer to make sure she goes into winter with at least some condition on her, meaning a lot more than she has now, so you can stay on top of the situation before it becomes irretrievable.
I read through your previous posts though and saw the original pictures from last year and she has improved, so good on you for making that happen, stay on top of the situation, and hopefully she'll keep improving!
I would post photo's but am too computer illiterate to work out how to do it (!)
And I'm also very old....
I think you'll need to feed her all through summer to make sure she goes into winter with at least some condition on her, meaning a lot more than she has now, so you can stay on top of the situation before it becomes irretrievable.
I read through your previous posts though and saw the original pictures from last year and she has improved, so good on you for making that happen, stay on top of the situation, and hopefully she'll keep improving!
ThePinkPony
Well-Known Member
only got to page 5 of the replies before i got too cross to read any more.
Im sorry but I agree with Amymay, No 20 year old horse should look like that. and for gods sake if you are going to own a horse then look after it yourself or sell her to someone who can, dont rely on people and then blame them, surely you went to see her everyday and would have noticed her dropping weight, then with the RSPCA thing, I mean get real, hundreds of horses are on crappy grass at the moment and none are looking like yours.
Mine is in a feild with zero grass at the moment, with two others and they look as if they were in a lush meadow, so its not an excuse at all. neither is blaming your mates, she is your horse, your responsibility.
And the way you say ''she is improving with better grazing and a BIT OF TLC''... it sounds like TLC to you is normal horse care to anyone else.
If a horse got into that state in my care i would be devastated and seriously considering my capabilities of owning a horse! theres no need!
Im sorry but I agree with Amymay, No 20 year old horse should look like that. and for gods sake if you are going to own a horse then look after it yourself or sell her to someone who can, dont rely on people and then blame them, surely you went to see her everyday and would have noticed her dropping weight, then with the RSPCA thing, I mean get real, hundreds of horses are on crappy grass at the moment and none are looking like yours.
Mine is in a feild with zero grass at the moment, with two others and they look as if they were in a lush meadow, so its not an excuse at all. neither is blaming your mates, she is your horse, your responsibility.
And the way you say ''she is improving with better grazing and a BIT OF TLC''... it sounds like TLC to you is normal horse care to anyone else.
If a horse got into that state in my care i would be devastated and seriously considering my capabilities of owning a horse! theres no need!
JadeyyAndLadyy
Well-Known Member
I contacted farmkey and they confirmed her real age and breed
Girlracer
Well-Known Member
That quote there made me think you were struggling to afford her care.... i could be wrong but that's what it suggests.
touchstone
Well-Known Member
Farmkey will only have the age that they were told she was when freezemarked though, it doesn't mean it is accurate as she could have been a different age in reality. I certainly wouldn't rely on that as proof of her actual age.
jokadoka
Well-Known Member
Farmkey can only go by what they are being told themselves by the person instructing them......or the bits of "documentation" they have been handed......and we all know passports are "known to be doctored occasionally"
It seems that this mare has been wrongly aged prior to her branding then, knowingly or unknowingly. I do not believe she is 20 years old.
One other thing, is there any reason you had to contact Farmkey over her age and breed, do you not hold her passport?
jokadoka
Well-Known Member
...Great minds and all that wot...!
Groom42
Well-Known Member
I don't think anyone can accurately pinpoint a horse's age by a photograph.
Some "experts" struggle to do this by checking teeth!
I think Lady's condition makes her look older than her years. That works as much with horses as humans. (Compare Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren - similar ages, but, my goodness, the photos would put a huge difference between them!)
It is obvious Jade loves her horse but, unfortunately, she has made mistakes along the way in her care. It is a shame that after all her hard work following last winter she should have made similar mistakes this year. Of course Lady didn't drop that much condition overnight. Jade, hopefully, has learned that in "oldies" condition can change very rapidly, and that thorough checks with rugs off are essential. Hopefully, she has also learned that the only person to trust with the care of your own animals is YOURSELF. Use the summer to get her condition way up for the winter, and make absolutely sure she has AD LIB, HUGE, UNLIMITED, haylage all winter. And that her teeth are allowing her to eat it. Someone else mentioned old fashioned "straights" are cheaper to feed than mixes..... it's true. Think "Ready Meals" against "make it yourself". A feed merchant/nutritionist should be able to advise you how to use them. Maybe some advice from somewhere like Bransby, who are experts in getting, and keeping, oldies in good condition? This year it is only down to you...............good luck, and keep asking for advice.
AmyMay
Situation normal
I think that the food being used is probably spot on - tbf. It's just the routine and management that's lacking. And of course once the mare is able to take advantage of the superior grazing I would expect the weight to pile on her nicely, at which point the OP will be able to reduce costs by reducing the amount of hard feed during the summer months.
Jadey has said in the past that Lady doesn't like to be stabled, which is fair enough. So one can only hope that - despite constant advice and ultimately pleas to do so - once needed the mare will in fact have ad lib hay supplied in the field in a manner which discourages fighting and bullying.
We can but hope.............
ThePinkPony
Well-Known Member
Its all well and good saying 'she loves her horse', but love alone doesnt keep an animal healthy does it.
I didnt realise just how long this has been going on! I just feel so sorry for the horse.
I didnt realise just how long this has been going on! I just feel so sorry for the horse.