Need some help. Very inexpereinced looking after a horse?

leanne_dando

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Ok, I will try and keep this short.

My friend has a horse. She hasn't got the time for it anymore and it is sort of rotting in a field. I have always loved horses and she has said if I pay the field rent (£40pcm) I can do what I want with this horse?

I can ride basic... very basic and completely clueless to caring. I have so many questions for my friend but she doesn't seem helpful. It's as if she hasn't even got time to answer questions by text!

I have tried reading online and still no help. Anyway I don't plan on riding this horse anytime soon. I want to learn to handle her and take care of her first. She is sort of neglected...

Anyway. I finally put the halter on today and lead her out to groom her. took me a few days as she kept walking off from me and I have no confidence so she walks over me... (funny sight to see) Now summer is here does she need any feed? she is out 24/7. never worked... a tad over weight. but the grass doesn't seem too nice?

even though she is on grass while I groom her I wanted to occupy her with something... could I do that with hay? or is that pointless because shes on grass? are there any extras she should be having like nutrients?

My friend made a comment how you dont have to feed a horse in the winter. She hasn't fed hers in months and shes fine.... So she hasn't got a very healthy diet.

It's been months since she was last rode could I lead her and just walk with her while we both get used to each other? would I gain anything from this?

See.. I am completely clueless but my friend hasn't got the time to teach me and I actually feel bad for this horse. This is why I wouldn't even try and get on her... I just want to be able to handle her and care for her but not screw her up or piss her off.

Shes a 15.4hh Cob. and i'm hoping I could build a relationship with this horse and experience then maybe my friend will sell her to me? not sure but can anyone give me tips and advice and her diet and bonding?
 

smellsofhorse

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Firstly 15.4hh would make it 16hh.

You need clear advice from owner,they should know the horses individual needs.
If they can't even be bothered to do that, then step away.

Go on the bud website, find an equestrian centre and take horse management lessons, riding can come later.

Feeding a small amount of hay, basic chaff, wil do no harm and occupy horse while you groom.
Even an over wright horses needs a general vitamin and mineral balancer.
There are low fat versions too.

Read.lots and loom om line.
Attend lots of courses and insure you have proper safety equipment.
 

alainax

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Another small point, if you are sure you want to take this horse on, and pay its livery + Upkeep - make sure she is yours. otherwise you could pay for her for years, for the owner just to sell her. You need written transfer notice and her passport.

The rest is read, ask and read some more! Hopefully try to find some horsey friends near by :)
 
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Myhorseeatsmoney

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Do you not know anyone who can give you advice? This is going to be a very steep learning curve and to be honest unless you have someone who has experience and is willing to give up their time to help and advise you I would not attempt it. Letting any horse be the boss is never a good idea as the situation could deteriorate rapidly. If you are intent on doing this I suggest you move to a yard where you can have lessons and usually there is always someone willing to tell you how to do something but like people horses have a will of their own. If you really cannot find someone to help it would be kindest and safest for the horse to go to a rescue. I am really sorry I sound so negative but when I look back over the last 10 years I realise how far I have come and I was lucky I had a lot of knowledgeable people behind me. Good luck whatever your decision.
 

gnubee

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Friend? Your "friend" has said you can pay £40 per month for the privilege of looking after her horse with no support and no idea what to do, and you have gone for it? Advice to follow, after I say that I would run away from this deal and this friendship. If you want to get a horse, spend the money getting lessons. Spend your time helping out at stables, in an environment where you will be guided on what to do and have support when you need it. Then look for a horse that is right for you and what you need, not just one that happens to fall in your lap. Seriously, it is unlikely you are doing yourself or this horse any favours in the long run.

Assuming that you are going to ignore all the above.
- If the horse is overweight, it doesnt need feed. How confident are you that it is overweight though if it hasnt been fed all wither and grass is poor? Cobs are naturally a rounder shape than other types, so you need to be careful that you are really looking at the horse. Condition score using the descriptions in the link to check that the weight is really right. http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/BHS/Files/PDF Documents/Condition Scoring Leaflet.ashx

- Although it doesnt need feed, if the grass is poor a broad supplement may be helpful. This can be fed with just lo-cal chaff if the horse is overweight. Its not necessary though, unless there appears to be something wrong with quality of coat (dull looking, patchy), or hoof (talk to farrier).

- Talking of farriers, the horse should be seeing one every 6-12 weeks (I am assuming she is unshod) to have her hoof trimmed. This is going to cost £20+ per visit.
- She will also need regular worm counts (and worming as appropriate). This worming program is helpful. http://www.westgatelabs.co.uk/info-zone/worming-programme.htm. Worming is not easy, particularly if the horse is not cooperative and you are not experienced at handling. I strongly suggest you find a horsey friend to help you the first time. Westgate labs do counts and provide a step by step guide for counting. Counts are c. £10 per time, wormers c.£15
- Vets - the horse should be vaccinated annually. Get her vaccination records from your "friend". She should also have her teeth checked by the vet or a qualified equine dentist at least annually (ideally every 6 months) and rasped as required. Expect annual bills for this including call outs etc to be around £100 if no major work is required.

- you can occupy the horse with hay whilst you groom her, but she doesnt need it if already overweight, and most would prefer the grass anyway. If you really want to occupy her with something, consider getting a lick-it that you can fasten to the fence near where you tie up to groom.

- if you are letting the horse "walk over you" you are already screwing her up. She is learning not to respect you, or your space, and unless you are lucky the stituation is going to start getting dangerous. You need to adjust your attitude and body language to take control of the situation, even if you do think this will make her not like you. When you go into the field to catch her, make it pleasant by offering her a treat, or scratching her somewhere she enjoys it. Then put the headcollar on. She should walk respectfully next to you. Keep the rope short enough that she cant get her head down to eat whilst you are leading. Work on leading her round in a pattern, always turning her away from you on the corners. If she starts to charge in front of you or across you, change direction and continue in a straight line again. If at any time you feel like you are at risk, please walk away from this entire scenario and follow my advice at the top of the post. If she is pushing into your space and you cant fix it, there is a very good chance you are going to get hurt, which helps neither you nor the horse.
- You will bond with her by having her respect you and enjoy your company. The first will happen as you get confidence to lead her etc and perhaps eventually ride. The second will happen through you doing things with her that she enjoys - feeding, grooming etc.
 

leanne_dando

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I knew I would get negative comments. I would tell somebody to stay away as well. That is why I wanted to just groom her and look after her first.

I did use a treat to get her halter on. That is how I finally done it. once I put it on and walked her out of the field she was good. Walked next to me. I was stroking her and speaking and she seemed calm. Then I groomed her and returned her to her field.

I would be happy to pay for her care such as teeth. My "friend" did say she would take care of all that and I didn't need to but I know that means the horse will not be checked or treated.

I offered my services to a livery and they just wanted me to muck out when I tried to ask questions I was ignored. Another place they seemed very stuck up and treated me like their scivvy, telling me to fetch things for them like their mobile! and spoke down to me. The next step is a horse management course but I was hoping I could do that and still try and care for this horse?

I wouldn't try anything extreme with out getting facts. That is why I was asking about food instead of just going and getting it and feeding it to her.....
 

smellsofhorse

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A agree ownership issue.
You are paying ans doing all the work, yet your friend still owns horse.
This situation has been done and gone bad lots of times before.
Get a contract to have set what both your responsibilities are.what would happen if horse was badly injured while you were there?
Who would pay vets bill?

If you buy or get given this horse, make sure you have its passport and a receipt.
 

Adopter

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Taking responsibility for a horse is never easy, if the horse is being ignored and possibly neglected by the owner. Someone needs to sort the situation out for the sake of the horse, well done for caring

If local equestrian centres will not help you, is there a local equine charity who you can go to for advice on how to care for the horse. The bhs have welfare officers who can offer advice and the WHW also say they will advise people.

There is nothing wrong with learning, get a good book, and follow it. The pony club Manuel covers a lot of basics. Most of the feed companies have good advice lines for you to get information from, in winter a horse should have 2% of its bodyweight in hay etc as their is no goodness in the grass.

Taking it slow and building trust is a good way to start, personally I prefer to put a few high fibre nuts in a bucket rather than give treats.



Regular visits from the farrier and worming are important.

Good luck, I hope it works out for you and the horse.
 

Echo24

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I would strongly suggest getting an instructor to come out and give you a bit of support. Yes you'll have to pay for it, but I think for your safety it's crucial you have someone with you to offer advice and support, particularly if your friend isn't helping out! Horses are very unpredictable and if your horse starts to play up, the instructor can tell you what to do to deal with the situation. It may only be once a week, and perhaps they can give you some homework to work on for the following week. Good luck!
 

diamonddogs

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I would strongly suggest getting an instructor to come out and give you a bit of support. Yes you'll have to pay for it, but I think for your safety it's crucial you have someone with you to offer advice and support, particularly if your friend isn't helping out! Horses are very unpredictable and if your horse starts to play up, the instructor can tell you what to do to deal with the situation. It may only be once a week, and perhaps they can give you some homework to work on for the following week. Good luck!

I agree with this - someone who can come to you and work out a training schedule won't come cheaply, but a very good long term investment, and when you're ready, you can carry on with the riding side. But for the health and happiness of the horse and your own personal safety, this needs to be done sooner rather than later.

It's perfectly possible to keep this horse as a giant pet if that's what you want as long as her basic needs are met, and you keep safe handling at the forefront of your mind.

If you prepared to put the time and effort into this horse, it'll be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do.

Stay safe and good luck!
 

boxcarhorse

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The RSPCA have published a book called "The Complete Horse Care Manual" by Colin Vogel. You can buy it on Amazon. It's a very simple, easy to read basic guide on horse care and I'd strongly recommend you read it. But as others have said, if you can get some sort of help on the ground that would be best.

Also, as mentioned before you'll need to have the horse's feet trimmed by a farrier at least every 8 weeks. And it'll need to be wormed at least twice a year with a special horse wormer.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Horse-Manual-Colin-Vogel/dp/1405362774
 

Alexart

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Hmmm - call me sceptical, but what's to say this 'friend' will let you pay to have her teeth, feet etc done, get her handlable again and maybe even ridden, then sell her on after all the money and time you've spent on her - sounds like a dodgy friend to me! I know it's hard not to care but I would save your money and get lessons and your confidence in the basics like handling etc. If you are determined to keep on with this horse then I would as others have said get a contract drawn up, which states who pays what and a time period, you also need to check this ladies third party insurance, if anything did happen to you and you get seriously injured you need to find out where you stand. This friend doesn't sound like a very nice person to me, she owns the animal and it is upto her to pay and look after it, or sell it if she doesn't want it, by paying her bills for her she then has no incentive to do anything at all with the horse, but if by having a contract for it which states she has to pay for the farrier, dentist etc - which she should be paying anyway - it may make her sell it on or give it away which would be better for the horse really, especially if the poor thing is on its own!
 

kassieg

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1st I completely understand why you want to keep this mare as I was exactly like that when I didn't have a pony I would take anything & think it was amazing !
2nd you are doing the right thing asking for advice ! I can imagine there are a lot of people in your situation who just crack on & wind up either getting hurt themselves or unintentionally harming the horse in some way neither of which anyone wants
Where are you based ? I would happily come & show you the basics if you are near me but no doubt your miles down south ! haha
I agree with the others you definitely need a written agreement of who is paying for what etc this will mean you are protected if god forbid the mare hurts herself & you won't wind up with a vets bill spiralling out of control ! :)
 

dunkley

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This post makes me sad. Sad for the poor horse, who has been discarded like a toy, and sad for you, who means well but are likely to be completely taken advantage of by a so-called friend. You obviously do love horses, but, truly, that isn't enough. It is a huge responsibility taking on the care full time of a horse, even when someone has 100% more knowledge than you. IMO, taking it on in the same circumstances - ie on your own, in a field, is a disaster waiting to happen. For both of you :( The cost is far, far more than £40 a month - not just in financial terms, but in time. Despite the example you have been shown by your 'friend', it is a 24/7/365 responsibility. Whatever the weather, Christmas, Birthdays, family celebrations - your horse will need checking, possibly feeding, and poo-picking. (How big is the field? Will you have to make it smaller to restrict grazing, or will you end up with no grass in August, having to feed hay?) IF you really want to take this horse on, the best thing you can do is take it to a decent yard - part livery to start - and spend every minute you can working with the staff, with your horse, and learn, learn, learn. In this situation you will probably scare yourself witless at how little you know! Work hard, and in a few months you may be confident enough to go onto DIY, but still have the knowledgeable support around you. The Manual of Horsemanship is a must, and the RSPCA guide is good, but no amount of books will teach you 'feel' and the ability to recognise a problem. Ask yourself honestly, if you were on your own could you recognise if your horse maybe had colic/laminitis, or what you would do in the case of an injury? The most important thing is to set in stone who owns it, and who is responsible for what bills. It strikes me that you will be 100% responsible for it all, therefore I wouldn't even consider it (for all the reasons above, from other posters) without also being 100% the legal owner. How old is it? Is it properly broken? Has your 'friend' had it long? Are you certain it isn't in foal? What about tack etc? If you can get on a yard, and then get a proper instructor to guide you, and you have well-fitting tack ................ get on and ride it. That is the way to get a working relationship, and respect and cooperation from a horse. You need to be firm, and consistent - don't 'ask' it to do something, tell it. You can tell it nicely, but you must still TELL it - if it knows you are lacking in confidence and starts to boss you around, it will be horrible for you, and ultimately horrible for the horse. Good luck in what you decide, but I would say don't even think of it. Spend your money on proper lessons, and look for a horse completely suitable for your needs when you are confident you can manage it, practically and financially. :)
 

diamonddogs

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Sorry, I meant to address a few of your points!

...Anyway I don't plan on riding this horse anytime soon. I want to learn to handle her and take care of her first. She is sort of neglected...

Very sensible :)

...It's been months since she was last rode could I lead her and just walk with her while we both get used to each other? would I gain anything from this?...

Yes! You'd get to know one another and build a bond. I'm not saying that you can't get close to a horse when you're riding, but starting from the ground up (literally!) really is the best way to go, specially if you're inexperienced/not confident.

... I just want to be able to handle her and care for her but not screw her up or piss her off...

If you get the right sort of help, and soon, this is unlikely to happen. However, muddling along on your own you will, and maybe you'll even get hurt, so have a look at the BHS Register of Instructors, and search your local area, or Intelligent Horsemanship for one of Kelly Marks's RAs.

I wish I was in your area - I love a challenge!
 

dunkley

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DD - reading your post, I can see my own was somewhat ambiguous with regards the riding! I don't advocate just getting on and riding by yourself, with no help - definitely not! IF she is physically well enough (the 'somewhat neglected' comment), and you have experienced help and supervision, then yes, ride her. If she hasn't been worked for months, she won't be up to too much, anyway. I just don't think that spending weeks leading in hand etc in those circumstances, at the expense of getting on board is good - it should all be amalgamated together. It is, however, just my opinion :)
 

lelly

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Where are you based? I would gladly come and help you out and point you in the right direction. Free of charge. I admire you for wanting to help this horse, I would do the same. As others have said though you need to have something in writing as to what you are responsible for. Its up to you what you decide to do then. Pm me if you wish.
 

diamonddogs

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DD - reading your post, I can see my own was somewhat ambiguous with regards the riding! I don't advocate just getting on and riding by yourself, with no help - definitely not! :)

Actually I wasn't responding to that comment - we cross posted! :D

But I agree, if OP has a strong support network and someone with her, she should get on and ride as soon as she feels confident enough. It's getting the balance right, isn't it, between getting on too soon and leaving it too long.
 

dunkley

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Actually I wasn't responding to that comment - we cross posted! :D

But I agree, if OP has a strong support network and someone with her, she should get on and ride as soon as she feels confident enough. It's getting the balance right, isn't it, between getting on too soon and leaving it too long.

Abso-blummin-lutely! :)
 

Noodles_3

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I think it's lovely the people offering to come help you Op :) hopefully you may consider this if they are near you.

You do definitely need some support with the mare and gain experience but sometimes and I know I may get shot down for this, people like yourselves who start not knowing anything but are 100% committed to learn usually make the best owners. Good luck keep us updated x
 

Sugar_and_Spice

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OP I'm going to go against what some of the others have said , not because they're wrong, but because I think some are fussing too much. You've basically been offered a horse on part loan, with you doing all the care and the owner paying part costs. There's actually nothing wrong with this, as long as you're happy with the situation. Be aware that if the owner decides to sell, this horse that's currently not worth much could be worth a lot more after you've got it sorted and rideable again. So if you want to buy its in your interests to buy now. Pay attention also to vet fees, as if the owner isn't interested they may choose to PTS when the horse could be cured and you don't really want to be in the position of paying vet bills for a horse on part loan, which could easily happen if you become emotionally attached to the horse. It's another reason to buy. The plus side of a loan horse is you can give it back at fairly short notice if you become seriously ill or get made redundant or if the horse develops a long term health problem that ends its ridden life. 40 pounds pcm for part loan with unlimited riding is good value. If the horse isn't checked daily by yourself that's not ideal, but as horse is currently not checked at all by owner I'd say the horse still benefits from the loan too. I see any care you give as a positive rather than any lack of care from you as a negative.

As previously mentioned a freelance instructor is a good idea. Someone can show you how to catch, lead, tie up and groom in an hour which would be beneficial. The books mentioned are good too. You'll almost certainly need an instructor for riding as privately owned horses are not as easy as riding school horses and things will quickly go downhill if the horse realises it can take the mickey with you. You need to learn about getting a horse fit, the walks out in hand will be a start on that.

Good luck and come back with any further questions, this place is full of info. :)
 

Sugar_and_Spice

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Wanted to add, someone either OP or owner needs to pay for farrier and dentist as those are essential care for riding, but vaccination isn't essential it depends if owner minds their horse PTS from flu or tetanus.
 

Voxhorse

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HI OP. You sound very sweet, If you were near me I would happily come and show you the ropes :) for nothing! . It's easy to say she's no friend etc etc but, looking at the positives, you like horses and this is a great opportunity. Either way you can learn and your willingness to learn shows you would make a great owner, you just need to gain knowledge.

Get lots of books, research, speak to people as much as you can but an Instructor would be best if you can.

Good luck :)
 

Crazy_cat_lady

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If you can find a riding school/ centre for stable management lessons, if you've got a spare morning or day each week once you know the basics how about asking if you can help out for a day or so each week depending on how much time you have? Will give you lots of hands on experience and working with.lots of different horses which each have different requirements. It will also help you be more confident when it comes to handling your cob you're looking after.
 

mandwhy

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Honestly people make such a big deal sometimes.

Yes you can learn most of what you need to know from books and online. The horse may well not need bucket feed at any time of year, horses need grass and when the grass is poor they need hay. They mustn't eat too much grass or they will get laminitis (due to sugar).

You need to learn about handling first and foremost, you can't learn that online although you can get tips once you've got basic stuff sorted. Get an instructor to help you, it will cost about 25 an hour and you will learn a lot in that time. You might not need many lessons to get your started as it's pretty simple. You need to specify what you want in your lessons I.e. No riding just yet and find an instructor who will do that. There are horsey Facebook groups that will help you find someone.

The field rent is cheap, you can probably afford to give it a go and make the best of the opportunity. Plenty of us have looked after horses without knowing everything and been fine, you learn as you go.

Learn what laminitis is, learn what the signs of colic are and what to check in situations where the horse looks sick or lame (warmth of hooves, throbbing digital pulses, is it sweaty, restless, breathing hard, rolling over and over again). Learn about worming, farrier visits, vet and/or dentist visits.

Day to day I handle my horses, I fill up their water, theyre out at grass so I don't feed them at this time of year unless I am bringing one in to ride in which case she gets a token chaff feed, I pick up their poo, I ride one occasionally, I check the other one doesn't have warm feet. Sometimes I put fly spray on them, that is my day to day summer care.

I would happily come and help you too and message me any time if you have a question, doesn't matter how silly!
 

diamonddogs

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Can I just add that you can learn everything you need to know from books and websites, but the only way to learn is to do it!

When I got my first horse I'd been riding for about three years, and helping out round the riding school. I could muck out, tack up, groom, bring in and turn out, and thought I was ready for horse ownership, but once we moved away from the riding school to a private yard, I forgot everything I'd learned, and there I was, totally responsible for half a ton of muscle wrapped round a frame that was about four times my size! I can tell you, I had to remember PDQ what I knew!

And sometimes you'll always have a sticking point - after nearly forty years around horses, I still can't get a full neck combo rug on in under five minutes. Those things are the devil's spawn, and I highly recommend them if anyone plans remakes of the Krypton Factor.
 

misskk88

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don't know if anyone has sent you this link (and I think they are on week 3 or 4), but there is a free horse management course available:

https://www.coursera.org/course/thehorsecourse


Might be of some help for some more knowledge?

As others have said, assuming you are going to agree to this situation:

-Invest in a good instructor
-If you have any other horse related friends (your friend however sounds just horrid for essentially abandoning her horse and responsibilities- sorry jusy my personal opinion and not a reflection on you!)
-Read plenty of books, read this forum (its helped me and I have been around horses all my life!), and ASK lots of questions
-Try and find another suitable yard you can maybe offer help at in exchange for gaining some of their knowledge
-Make sure you are clued up on key things like colic, laminitis, foot care etc
-When riding, it would be good to have the support of an instructor or experienced friend with you, at least to begin with
- Ensure horse has access to food and water at all times. This may include hay, and feeding hard feed depending on his requirements, or just grass (ask for support from a feed specialist if needed)
- Set basic rules and boundaries. Don't allow the horse to 'be the boss', otherwise you will come unstuck. Building a mutual respect is important, and this starts with basic manners like leading properly, standing for grooming, moving over/back when asked, no nipping etc. Start small and build on it.
- Read up on horses body language and learn your horses usual behaviour- you will learn a lot from knowing how to recognise changes in her normal character, and knowing the signs of pain, fear, temper, happiness etc. This is a vital part of ensuring your horse stays well cared for and knowing when to call in the professionals
Most of all, I hope this situation works out for you and horse. And lastly, NEVER be scared to ask for help and assistance :)

P.S, please keep us updated!
 
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