Malnourishment & growth

[EllieWarlow]

Hello! I'm looking for people with similar experiences to help me get an idea of what I can expect of my youngster.

Last year I purchased a rising 2 yo, she was quite malnourished when she arrived with me, she has since gained and maintained a healthy weight. I reached out to her breeders who owned her until she was a yearling, they had estimated she would make 14.2 (roughly) she is currently standing at 12.3hh at rising 3 years old so I do not believe she will reach her predicted height (but I could be wrong!)

Has anyone experienced a similar situation, did they make the height or have any other issues relating to malnourishment in stages of development etc?

I have attached photographs of her upon arrival vs a few months later

 

[TPO]

Yip, bought a very malnourished 2yr old. The photo makes him look heavier than he was (cameras DO add weight ?).

Yoi could see every bone, his teeth were worn below the gum line (EDT guessed the cause was him trying to eat bark and dirt), massive event lines on his very overgrown hooves (that also hadnt developed), rain scalded, mud fever and even although it was June he still had that whispy poor long winter coat thing going on and that was mattes to the skin on his stomach.

So a pretty poor mite...

This was him when he arrived June 2014 direct from the stud that bred him


This was him 6mths later, Dec 2014 and he was wintering out


He kept growing, out as well as up, until he was nearly 7. I haven't measured him but everyone puts him at 15/15.1hh. I think his dam was around 14.2/3 and sire 15hh so he has definitely met, if not exceeded, expected height despite having such a bad start to life.

 

[Red-1]

I think they do catch up in the main, to what they would have been, as long as they have good nutrition while still young (which yours is).

I had a 5 yo IDX make another hand by 7. He was so skinny as a 4yo that they didn't back him, and still lean as a rising 5. The vet told me no proper work for a year. He more than caught up. But, he was a horse not a pony.

 

[ycbm]

Yip, bought a very malnourished 2yr old. The photo makes him look heavier than he was (cameras DO add weight ?).

Yoi could see every bone, his teeth were worn below the gum line (EDT guessed the cause was him trying to eat bark and dirt), massive event lines on his very overgrown hooves (that also hadnt developed), rain scalded, mud fever and even although it was June he still had that whispy poor long winter coat thing going on and that was mattes to the skin on his stomach.

So a pretty poor mite...

This was him when he arrived June 2014 direct from the stud that bred him
View attachment 45549

This was him 6mths later, Dec 2014 and he was wintering out
View attachment 45550

He kept growing, out as well as up, until he was nearly 7. I haven't measured him but everyone puts him at 15/15.1hh. I think his dam was around 14.2/3 and sire 15hh so he has definitely met, if not exceeded, expected height despite having such a bad start to life.

He was TWO?! What was the stud doing, he's a prosecution case.

He's a beauty now.

.

 

[TPO]

He was TWO?! What was the stud doing, he's a prosecution case.

He's a beauty now.

.

Yeah, if it wasnt for his tail I would have thought he was much younger. Sold as 14.1hh...barely made 13hh at that point.



I didnt manage to get proper hoof pics before chunks of them broke off.


6mths difference


It's a long story but short version is he was bought direct from Evan's Quarter Horses.

Prior to him arriving lots of people messaged having bought their own EQH and how fantastic they are. I went quiet when he arrived because breeder sent him without passport and transporter called me after lifting and had a go at me for no passport (they shouldn't have lifted him, nothing to do with me) and how awful his condition was and that without a stopover to get hay they didnt think he would make the journey.

I contacted Pat, the breeder, immediately and I have everything in writing. She said he was fine and maybe a bit light just because of the stress and that people are too used to seeing overweight youngsters, a sentiment I agreed with. Then he arrived...

I stayed quiet on social media until I got his passport. During my quiet spell and with no "he's arrived" the previous buyers started messaging asking if he arrived in poor condition. They then sent pictures of how their you gsters had looked. All awful, underweight and matted coats but according to everyone Chip is the worst anyone had seen.

I saw pictures of a retired brood mare who looked to be in just as bad condition but thankfully landed on her hooves in a great home where she flourished.

Lots of other pictures were sent to me and I, along with two others, reported the stud. The website was shut down, one stallion died, at least one brood mare (Chip's dam) was sold and there have been fewer youngsters advertised.

Once I started posting pictures of Chip the same people who were congratulating me started contacting me to say it was well known on "the circuit" how awful the stud was and how poor all the horses were. Everyone knew about it but kept it behind closed doors ?

Ironically they have amazing bloodlines (a breeding geek friend in Oz paid an absolute premium to use the same grandsire lines as Chip so we had cousins 15,500kms apart!) and the breeder spent a lot of money importing mares and stallions.

Theres an even longer story about 10yrs of contact with the stud and almost buying a different filly a couple of years prior to getting Chip. But longer story short (sorry for hijacking OP) I wouldn't advise giving that stud more money to continue.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I remember your first posts about him TPO and how shocked everyone was. The full story is even more shocking... wow.

Ellie - it would be worth string testing your filly using the elbow to ergot method. It isn't perfect, but with most young horses it gives a good indication of their adult height.

 

[EllieWarlow]

Yip, bought a very malnourished 2yr old. The photo makes him look heavier than he was (cameras DO add weight ?).

Yoi could see every bone, his teeth were worn below the gum line (EDT guessed the cause was him trying to eat bark and dirt), massive event lines on his very overgrown hooves (that also hadnt developed), rain scalded, mud fever and even although it was June he still had that whispy poor long winter coat thing going on and that was mattes to the skin on his stomach.

So a pretty poor mite...

This was him when he arrived June 2014 direct from the stud that bred him
View attachment 45549

This was him 6mths later, Dec 2014 and he was wintering out
View attachment 45550

He kept growing, out as well as up, until he was nearly 7. I haven't measured him but everyone puts him at 15/15.1hh. I think his dam was around 14.2/3 and sire 15hh so he has definitely met, if not exceeded, expected height despite having such a bad start to life.

Oh bless him! I was thinking the same thing when I posted my mares before photos, it doesn't do how thin she was justice!

That is comforting to know that your boys growth wasn't too badly affected in the long run! You have done wonders with him, it's amazing what some love and proper care can do!

Awful that that stud operated for so long with people turning a blind eye!

 

[TPO]

Oh bless him! I was thinking the same thing when I posted my mares before photos, it doesn't do how thin she was justice!

That is comforting to know that your boys growth wasn't too badly affected in the long run! You have done wonders with him, it's amazing what some love and proper care can do!

Awful that that stud operated for so long with people turning a blind eye!

Your girl is gorgeous and looks so much better in your second photo.

I wish I'd taken more accurate "arrival" pictures but I was in shock and only thinking about getting him settled. My vet was out that day to my mums horse so got Chip looked at too. The EDT was out the next week along with the trimmer so poor boy got the works.

He's always been a year behind physically but I'm never in a rush for anything and have had lots going on so it wasnt a big deal to me. I know people with the same breed the same age as them and the difference from ages 2-6 was huge by comparison but hes made his height no problem.

What breed is your girl?

 

[Cortez]

I have had several very emaciated rescues, from foals to older horses (more so than the two horses shown - and yes; I know that photos usually don't show the true level of emaciation). Horses under four usually bounce back quickly with few problems, older horses can sometimes have longer term difficulties with absorption of nutrients and muscle growth. Height is mostly determined by genetics, so you have a good chance of your 2 year old reaching full size. Do the string test to get an idea of what to expect.

 

[EllieWarlow]

Your girl is gorgeous and looks so much better in your second photo.

I wish I'd taken more accurate "arrival" pictures but I was in shock and only thinking about getting him settled. My vet was out that day to my mums horse so got Chip looked at too. The EDT was out the next week along with the trimmer so poor boy got the works.

He's always been a year behind physically but I'm never in a rush for anything and have had lots going on so it wasnt a big deal to me. I know people with the same breed the same age as them and the difference from ages 2-6 was huge by comparison but hes made his height no problem.

What breed is your girl?

Yes, I know exactly what you mean! I'll never forget the lady who transported my mare saying "you do know what she looks like dont you?" Before unloading her!

Yes I'm much the same, I bought mine to be my next horse as my gelding is now 25 so beginning to slow down but in no real rush to completely retire him so she has plenty of time to grow and mature.

She is a QH X Welsh section C

 

[TPO]

Yes, I know exactly what you mean! I'll never forget the lady who transported my mare saying "you do know what she looks like dont you?" Before unloading her!

Yes I'm much the same, I bought mine to be my next horse as my gelding is now 25 so beginning to slow down but in no real rush to completely retire him so she has plenty of time to grow and mature.

She is a QH X Welsh section C

The driver said the exact same to me but as the woman if the office had already given me an earful I was aware.

I sent that picture to the breeder saying that hes arrived and she replied that he had dropped a bit with the journey ? along with his hooves growing, rain scalded and matted winter coat etc, sure thing...

My boy is QH too. Jealous that you have a buckskin/dun ? I hope you'll keep posting about her

 

[Mule]

The driver said the exact same to me but as the woman if the office had already given me an earful I was aware.

I sent that picture to the breeder saying that hes arrived and she replied that he had dropped a bit with the journey ? along with his hooves growing, rain scalded and matted winter coat etc, sure thing...

My boy is QH too. Jealous that you have a buckskin/dun ? I hope you'll keep posting about her

I don't understand why people recommended the breeder and then afterwards told you about how awful the stud was. Did you ever find our why they recommended it in the first place?

 

[TPO]

I don't understand why people recommended the breeder and then afterwards told you about how awful the stud was. Did you ever find our why they recommended it in the first place?

Nope.

There are several long stories about what people messaged and said after I made Chip photos public but the short version is horse people are wackadoodles!!