Neglect... how to handle it tactfully?

Moomin1 said:
It's feet are curling up for goodness sake. This is not a wild pony, and it is now looking uncomfortable/stiff.

I give up with this forum sometimes. After reading similar nonsense from a different poster on welfare matters earlier on, I am beginning to doubt the integrity of some people on here.
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Don't often agree with you moomin, but you are spot on!
 
ester said:
OP are you sure the pony doesn't have lami and that is why it is looking stiff? Just as rocking back on heels would allow the feet to be curling up etc too.

I'm just suggesting it because I think that would make the situation a bit more urgent.
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I'd second this, especially if the other horses are okay it seems odd that just one has feet so bad. I'd check if the pony has raised digital pulses/is worse on hard ground etc and then telling the owner that you think the horse needs a vet if you suspect laminitis and needs getting off the grass.

Laminitis is an emergency situation so I wouldn't hang about if you suspect it may be that.
 
I'd just get to the point. Folk who make up little stories to avoid being direct drive me insane. Just ask her if the pony has something wrong with it as you noticed its feet don't look right, 'it's not laminitis is it'...
 
I tried to be tactful with a 'friend' who brought her ponies here in an emergancy for a few weeks, one of them came off the lorry hopping - I am not a vet and certainly not a horse expert but the poor thing might as well have had a neon sign above her head saying LAMINITIS! Owner told me it was probably a kick and her pelvis was stiff.

Every day for 2 weeks I dropped hints getting less and less subtle until we had a big arguement about it, I insisted on the vet and the vet barely looked over the stable to confirm Lami, I still feel bad now that I didn't have that arguement on day one. But the situation is different here as there is only so much winding up of the YO you can do without being thrown off.

Calm and quiet is good but I'd be straight and factual, say X asked me to look at the pony as he was worried about it and I noticed her/his feet are quite long, shall I get my farrier to do them when he is here?
 
noblesteed said:
Thinking diplomatically... If it were me I would ring her sounding flustered, tell her you brought the pony in and it came in very lame and pottery. You are very worried something might be wrong, and would she like your farrier to look at it when he comes? Though you think it may need seeing to sooner, emphasising that you are worried as it's 'desperately lame' - bit of exaggeration might make her realise.
Can you get someone else on the yard to comment to her that it's not sound as well? Maybe hearing it from a few people may help?
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You have to have a very good memory if you start making up stories! Whats wrong with just being truthful?
' Pony looks like his feet are in need of attention. My farrier is due, do you want me to ask him, or have you got it covered'.
 
benson21 said:
You have to have a very good memory if you start making up stories! Whats wrong with just being truthful?
' Pony looks like his feet are in need of attention. My farrier is due, do you want me to ask him, or have you got it covered'.
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Exactly! You aren't doing anything wrong by pointing out a pony that needs help, if she is spending loads on supplements then she can't be that hard up not to be able to afford a trim.

I'd go and see her, say you are concerned about the pony's feet/lameness and your farrier could trim if necessary. A decent yo would put their animals first, and if she doesn't then I don't know that I'd want to stay there tbh.
 
metalmare said:
I will. She's away at present so pony will have to bear out a couple more days, but at least he's had his feet picked out today.
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If this lad has sole charge in the owner's absence then surely he is entitled to take whatever action is necessary for the comfort of this pony.
 
Fellewell said:
If this lad has sole charge in the owner's absence then surely he is entitled to take whatever action is necessary for the comfort of this pony.
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Perfect answer, get the lad to get the farrier to come today - job done. A trim is only £20 ish so hardly going to break the bank for anyone, it's not like he'd be committing the owner to the cost of colic surgery in her absence!
He can just explain that the pony looked a little sore and he called the farrier to rule out lami/ abseces and while the farrier was there thought a trim would be a good plan.

No need to leave it a few days.
 
Hi all...

Thank you all for the input.

Just to update, my back lady was out to my horse yesterday... she saw the condition of the feet and decided to make a phone call and hoped that her action would protect me to some extent against backlash. I was planning to talk to the owner first when she arrived home to give her chance to act, however it's been taken to the next level now and out of my hands.

I plan to talk to the YO when she arrives home to explain what I saw (the condition of the feet), what my intentions were (to talk to her) and what subsequently happened (they were seen by an equine professional), so that the visit doesn't come out of the blue and she understands my role in it. It will undoubtedly look like I've gone behind her back while she was away, but that was never my intention.
 
I must add, I now feel terribly guilty, inept and naive, as this is clearly months in the making and I always assumed they were stiff due to age and never decided to look closer.

I suppose all I can take from it is to put it down to experience and to learn to be more nosey and upfront in future.
 
Is the call that has been made to the farrier? (sorry if it's me being dim but I wasn't sure from your post). I can't honsetly see much backlash for a £20 trim.

While it may be sensible to get someone independent (ie a welfare agency) to talk to her more widely, surely the first call should be to someone who can treat the pony in the first instance.
 
No, to welfare.

Apparently the farrier has been booked for Tuesday, however.

I am not the person who's been asked to care for the horses and the lad who is doesn't want to give any opinion, so I'm not sure where that would leave me legally re. making a call to a farrier.
 
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