Obese horse (rant)

[TheBayHorse1210]

There is a VERY obese horse on my yard, weve spoken to the owner about it and she seems to do nothing to help, she doesnt ride it (at all), feeds it 2 large holed haynets a night, rugs it up heavily and feeds it hard feed. What makes this story so much worse, the horse is 4 years old. You can see she has trouble walking on her front feet, she walks very cautiously due to the imense weight she is carrying on her very thin legs (TB X Cob) yet amazingly she still hasnt come down with laminitis. Every suggestion we offer is just thrown back with an excuse (The horse is wild, therefore cannot be ridden, no time, she goes mad if she doesnt have hard feed, if shes not occupied by haynets then she annoys the other horses...) Anybody with any common sense will see that this rider is killing her horse. It has no life, in the nearly 2 years that she has been broken in, she has been on 3 hacks lasting about 3 minutes. She doesnt jump it or lunge it, the only excersize this horse is given is being drilled around the arena for 45 minutes and then left for another 5 or so weeks. Summer time is the worst, the owner feels that it is cruel putting it in the starvation paddock and refuses to aknowledge that her horse needs to go in there. She seems to think only ponies go in there, not 15.2hh horses. Last summer she wasnt exersized at all because her saddle didnt fit, so instead of lunging it, walking it inhand, freeschooling it and doing anything to help it get back into shape while looking for a new one, the owner decided it was easier to leave it in the field and wait for the new saddle to arrive with the widest gullet (the maxi cob wintec version) and that didnt even fit her. Remember that this is a TB X Cob, yet it resembles a hippo. I really feel sorry for this poor mare, she has begun to develop a very agresive mood towards her owner, doesnt run around the field like she used to and looks like she generaly doesnt enjoy life. The owner is going to college this summer and has decided to sell her. Her idea is that if by the middle of summer she hasnt been sold the mare will be going to the auctions (including slaugter auction), Id love to help this mare get a better start in life and am considering to offer to buy her if she will be going to the sales, get her weight back on track and then sell her on. This would be a good oportunity for us both and it means the horse will go to a better home once it has been fittened up and started competing with me. What is everybody elses opinions of this? Also any suggestions as what I could say to the owner to let her know that Im not intending to keep it for longer than 2 years as I too will be having university comitments in the future. (I have had experience working with fat horses before). Thank You!

 

[kal40]

If you are in a position to buy this horse and have the experience to deal with its needs then I would say that its a good idea to buy it.

This owner needs education though as I can see her buying another one and doing the same thing.

Some people.......

 

[BlizzardBudd]

poor horse... if you can buy her you should

 

[CBFan]

Por horse!! I would buy her and don't feel obliged to divulge that you don't plan on keeping her long term. The owner obviously isn't giving any thought to her future as it is so I wouldn't worry too much... maybe when it comes to it you could let her know that she is up for sale but you run the risk of her wanting her back....

You seem to know what you are doing but do be VERY careful with this mare's weight loss. I'd look at diet first and then very gradually increase the workload...you don't want her exces weight putting too much stress on those joints.

 

[AngieandBen]

Agree with the others, if you can buy her! If you do, make sure she loses the weight slowly though.......good luck and keep us updated.

Oh and give the owner a slap!

 

[beeswax]

it you do not buy it in the next 4 weeks, then get hold of the RSPCA or WHW because this is still a case of abuse and report it, for the horses sake.

 

[haras]

I think you should buy her if you can, so that she can have a better life, no, in fact a chance to have a life. In 2004 I acquired a very obese mare, who sadly had laminitis. After almost a year of a strict diet and exercise programme she looked and acted like a different pony and had six good years before I finally lost her due to on-going hock problems.

here is the change. First pic is actually a good 4 months after her diet began!

and a while later (yes it really is the same pony!)

 

[TheBayHorse1210]

Thank you all so much for your responses and support. I never would have expected this. It is extremely sad to see this horse, just today she was left indoors stuffing herself full of haylage (because she likes staying in according to the owner, however the noise coming from her after her food had finishes told us otherwise), and she had no expresion on her face. Hasan, those two photos look incredible! What a change! Unfortunately I cannot put photos up as I don't want to risk the owner seeing. She isn't for sale yet and I will only be offering to buy her at the last moment before her only option is the sales/auctions so that if anybody intending to keep her wants to buy her then they can. Will keep you all updated if I do buy her.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

it you do not buy it in the next 4 weeks, then get hold of the RSPCA or WHW because this is still a case of abuse and report it, for the horses sake.

Agree wholeheartedly with this, except to say call someone from the relevant charities NOW.......it's not only skinny horses who are suffering abuse, as you know

 

[Rosehip]

Having taken on a severely obese horse, I would say definately offer to buy her. Tell the owner she will get meat money and offer her that. I did.
This was Mel when I bought her -
March 07 when I took her on loan

3 months later after having her feet done for the 1st time in 2 years and slight weight loss

The day I bought her - Jan 2nd 08 - Id given up the 'loan' in Nov after owners constant feeding and ignoring my advice, she then half killed a friend of the owner and was put up for sale

Today (sorry, not a great pic)

Its taken time as she is EMS and cannot be ridden.

 

[jackscrag]

I can sympathise, new people on our yard have brought an already obese shetland with a history of laminitus, they been feeding way too much sadly due to ignorance, they dont listen to any advice, shetland now looks in foal and can hardly walk. I feel so sad for those owners, they dont know that laminitus can be so serious long term, i also see other fattys on yard that i know will drop like flys come summer turnout, but nobody listens, i have a greedy native myself, who was 24/7 muzzled most of last summer and in daily work to keep him from obesety, were on cow grazing so its high risk, one owner said 'oh i like my horse a bit fat' and hey presto he got lammie, my lads never had it and touch wood never will, too many people dont know what it is and its soo sad.
I also agree with others, if your in a financial position to take on the poor horse, and willing to put the hours in, why not rescue it from the idiot that owns it, but be careful ive seen a few owners do this and got their fingers burnt, i know i wouldnt like to take on problem horse as im not experienced enough, but good luck and let us all know.

 

[kimmy123]

This is abuse. Contact world horse welfare.

Do not buy her as the owner might do it again to another horse? Unless you actually like her to ride and she would pass a vetting then Id say do what feels right. God bless you

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Why do you feel the need to tell her you are only keeping her for 2 years, nothing to do with her once she's yours. 2 is very young to have been broken in ??

 

[NOISYGIRL]

I can sympathise, new people on our yard have brought an already obese shetland with a history of laminitus, they been feeding way too much sadly due to ignorance, they dont listen to any advice, shetland now looks in foal and can hardly walk. I feel so sad for those owners, they dont know that laminitus can be so serious long term, i also see other fattys on yard that i know will drop like flys come summer turnout, but nobody listens, i have a greedy native myself, who was 24/7 muzzled most of last summer and in daily work to keep him from obesety, were on cow grazing so its high risk, one owner said 'oh i like my horse a bit fat' and hey presto he got lammie, my lads never had it and touch wood never will, too many people dont know what it is and its soo sad.
I also agree with others, if your in a financial position to take on the poor horse, and willing to put the hours in, why not rescue it from the idiot that owns it, but be careful ive seen a few owners do this and got their fingers burnt, i know i wouldnt like to take on problem horse as im not experienced enough, but good luck and let us all know.

Sorry for the owners ?? sorry for the pony more like, someone only has to mention something to me and I'm researching it, ignorance it is plain and simple

 

[skydancer]

i agree with the others if you can afford it - buy the horse! I wouldnt bother telling her you will be selling her on as it got jack to do with her once money has exchanged hands!
It really annoys me that people think over feeding makes a horse happy. A few years ago i bought my daughter an 11.2 welshie who practically lived on fresh air. The yard owner was an elderly lady who kept trying to feed her more. One day i drove away from the yard and realised i had forgotten something went back and the old fool had given her about half a bale of hay - pure ignorance!

 

[Paint Me Proud]

i understand how it can be a very sensitive subject for the owners to admit and why the OP is reluctant to offer advise.

There is a pony on our yard who is fairly obese but is the apple of her owners eye. Showered with treats left right and centre, bag of chopped carrots everyday and even throughout summer gets a massive bucket of pony nuts each day.
But I cant say anything for fear it will be taken the wrong way and be construed as 'interfering' etc.

However if you are in the situation to be able to buy the mare i would say go for it. You will get so much joy from seeing the mare go from strength to strength just with basic appropriate care

 

[Tammytoo]

I don't believe she cares for her horse if she's prepared to send it to an auction where it could end up for meat. RSPCA are as much use as a sieve in a sandstorm, but WHW (or ILPH as it used to be) are pretty good.

If you can buy her I would, at least she would the chance of a better life!