Magicmillbrook
Well-Known Member
My horse has been out on loan with a view to buy since last Jan. On Saturday she was returned to me (see previous posts for history).
She was lead out of the lorry by a friend (who I belive teaches the loner girl). My heart sank. She went away as a rather fab looking 6 year old TB, well covered, good muscle tone etc. She was well mannered on the ground and rideable, though a bit of an unpredictable butt head at times.
She has come back looking like a nag from Watton horse fair. Her coat is filthy, her tail dragging on the ground, her mane is about a foot and a half long. She had matts of grease
hair & mud stuck between her legs that two grooms later we cant still get rid of. Every rib is showing despite her winter coat, her hips are prominent, as is her spine and her
rump, neck and shoulders are scrawny.
From what I can work out she has been kept in a stable for the past two or three months amnd has not been ridden much. They havent been turning her out because she churns up the field. But they have still been feeding her leisure mix and mollichop. The dad said the daughter had been doing lonm hacks, but she said she hadnt ridden. Her tack is filthy and the bridle mouldy (more proof she hasnt been ridden). Her turn out rugs are encrusted with shavings and poo, so I would surmise she has been stabled in those. Her vacs have been given late, so if we ever wanted to compete we would have to start again.
I feel so ashamed. With hindsight the signs were there when we visited her in the summer. I just stood there and listened whilst they blathered on that she wouldnt make a show jumper because she didnt seem to remember what she had been taught from one lesson to another. I just wanted to scream out 'hat have you done to my horse you f*****g b******s'. If I had said anything I think I would have broken down, it was all I could do to hold it in until they left.
When thay had gone my partners response was 'bloody hell' He said that the freind had spoken to him when she used our loo and the family were out of the way, she wanted to give us a 'heads up'. Apparently she doesnt know what the hell they have been doing to the horse but it have been bargy and terribly badly behaved - hence her being returned!.
After a groom and check over we turned her out in a big field by herself. She galloped and galloped, bucked and frted and genraly let off steam. Since then she has been very relaxed and has come in to be handleed and done a little in hand and lunge work - no problems. I dont want to let my daughter ride until the saddler has been out, she has lost inches off her shoulders. We were going to try and sell her/rehome her ASAP as I am pregnant and daughter is working, doing A'levels and off to uni next Autumn. As she is at the moment I would be ashamed to even let anyone look at her as a brood mare or companion, so we will just have to find the time to work her, at least to get her back to some semblance of decency.
So advice please - I have never rehabilitated a horse to this extent before
1 - feed - she will be living out in all but the worst weather. I was going to just stick to grass, adlib haylage and a token feed with vit/min supplement (its what she used to be fed). Does anyone think she should have anything else? I was wondering a bout a digestive supplement as she has been under such stress - if yes whaty do you recomend.
2 - work regime, we thought perhaps in hand and a little lunging, trying to get her to stretch down and use her back - any other suggestions, when her tack and back has been checked what sort of ridden regime?
I am just so upset and ashamed of myself for letting things get to this stage
She was lead out of the lorry by a friend (who I belive teaches the loner girl). My heart sank. She went away as a rather fab looking 6 year old TB, well covered, good muscle tone etc. She was well mannered on the ground and rideable, though a bit of an unpredictable butt head at times.
She has come back looking like a nag from Watton horse fair. Her coat is filthy, her tail dragging on the ground, her mane is about a foot and a half long. She had matts of grease
hair & mud stuck between her legs that two grooms later we cant still get rid of. Every rib is showing despite her winter coat, her hips are prominent, as is her spine and her
rump, neck and shoulders are scrawny.
From what I can work out she has been kept in a stable for the past two or three months amnd has not been ridden much. They havent been turning her out because she churns up the field. But they have still been feeding her leisure mix and mollichop. The dad said the daughter had been doing lonm hacks, but she said she hadnt ridden. Her tack is filthy and the bridle mouldy (more proof she hasnt been ridden). Her turn out rugs are encrusted with shavings and poo, so I would surmise she has been stabled in those. Her vacs have been given late, so if we ever wanted to compete we would have to start again.
I feel so ashamed. With hindsight the signs were there when we visited her in the summer. I just stood there and listened whilst they blathered on that she wouldnt make a show jumper because she didnt seem to remember what she had been taught from one lesson to another. I just wanted to scream out 'hat have you done to my horse you f*****g b******s'. If I had said anything I think I would have broken down, it was all I could do to hold it in until they left.
When thay had gone my partners response was 'bloody hell' He said that the freind had spoken to him when she used our loo and the family were out of the way, she wanted to give us a 'heads up'. Apparently she doesnt know what the hell they have been doing to the horse but it have been bargy and terribly badly behaved - hence her being returned!.
After a groom and check over we turned her out in a big field by herself. She galloped and galloped, bucked and frted and genraly let off steam. Since then she has been very relaxed and has come in to be handleed and done a little in hand and lunge work - no problems. I dont want to let my daughter ride until the saddler has been out, she has lost inches off her shoulders. We were going to try and sell her/rehome her ASAP as I am pregnant and daughter is working, doing A'levels and off to uni next Autumn. As she is at the moment I would be ashamed to even let anyone look at her as a brood mare or companion, so we will just have to find the time to work her, at least to get her back to some semblance of decency.
So advice please - I have never rehabilitated a horse to this extent before
1 - feed - she will be living out in all but the worst weather. I was going to just stick to grass, adlib haylage and a token feed with vit/min supplement (its what she used to be fed). Does anyone think she should have anything else? I was wondering a bout a digestive supplement as she has been under such stress - if yes whaty do you recomend.
2 - work regime, we thought perhaps in hand and a little lunging, trying to get her to stretch down and use her back - any other suggestions, when her tack and back has been checked what sort of ridden regime?
I am just so upset and ashamed of myself for letting things get to this stage
