Slightly depressing

[Fools Motto]

Feeling sad for the old boy. He has been stabled (no grass has passed his lips since mid November) all winter.
He gets turned out (week ago today with mine) and then left. No hard feed, albeit only oats and hi-fi on offer, and only I check him. I was sure he would get colic, but nope, I was sure he would gallop (or try to) around a bit and have a heart attack, but so far he is still standing. I was sure his thick heavy mucus from his nostril would soon start showing blood, but it is clearing and thinning slowly. (I've also had a few heart palpitations about infection spreading to mine).
He is so thin. You can feel every bone in his body, and it is only his long, very smelly hair which is covering it. His teeth are far too long to be any good at chewing, he drinks three times as much as both mine put together... yet owner (my father if people hadn't yet put 2+2 together) still 'adores' him.
Makes me feel so sad. I see mine looking fab and happy and bright.. he is dull, smelly and clearly not thriving. I don't expect him to be 'stunning' at his age - 31 or there abouts, and I know being a TB is totally different to a pony or a TB x.
I'm doing my best to groom him daily, but I have to be ever so gentle over his bones. My father has told me to 'leave him alone', but there are some things I just can't quite abide to.

I have NO idea what my filly is doing, maybe ''oh, you ARE a boy?''!

I know, that perhaps I shouldn't have posted the pictures as he isn't mine so say, I do look after him when allowed and I do adore him like my own and it is sometimes nice to show people what I worry about so if anyone has any bright ideas, please share.

 

[Princess Jess]

Aww its so sad to see them getting older and beginning to deteriorate
I'm afraid I can't really offer any advice, only that he's in his 30's so there's probably a limit to what you can expect from him...
I hope he picks up over the summer, its nice to see how much you care about him

 

[susieQ99]

To be honest I think that for a 31yr old tb he looks pretty good. His coats got a shine on it, he just looks old, if i were you i would carry on giving him love and attention for the summer and then reassess his condition and happiness before the winter sets in again. Just remember that its amazing how spring grass can put weight on even the oldest of horses

 

[Littlelegs]

Poor him & poor you. It doesn't really bother me how he looks at that age, but doesn't sound like the happiest of winters for him. But hopefully the spring grass & your care will perk him up a bit.

 

[Tammytoo]

He does look poor - I've seen tbs as old look better BUT spring grass is on its way and he may pick up over the summer. If he has been standing in all winter any muscle tone he may have had will have gone, making him look worse. I know you can't make the decision for his future, but is there a chance that if he doesn't pick up you could get the vet out on some pretext for your horses and somehow have him have a "quick look" at the old boy with your dad present?

 

[SusieT]

whats his breeding? He should pick up on the grass tbh.

 

[Fools Motto]

whats his breeding? He should pick up on the grass tbh.

He is french bred, his sire name escapes me right now. Full TB, chased and P2P'd. I used to ride him and did RC stuff back in about 1995/96.
He 'should' pick up, but after a week out I can't see any change (too soon to tell perhaps). I also worry that he really isn't eating well due to his very long teeth.

 

[mulledwhine]

My old boy got very thin in his last year, although I was feeding him twice a day , and giving him lots if attention, TBH by the time he went into his last winter he looked about the same ad that boy , just keep showing him that he matters, and he will be grateful.

Shame that his owners can't even be bothered to visit

 

[mulledwhine]

Sorry just read that it is your dads horse, keep on doing as you are, he looks happy enough x

 

[mightymammoth]

I know you shouldn't have to but could you scrape the cash together for his teeth? or ask your dad to give you some/all of the money for them to be done?

 

[SusieT]

Well then get his teeth done?

 

[Fools Motto]

Well then get his teeth done?

I would, but remember 'I'm not allowed to touch him / interfere'. I'm treading on egg shells as it is, just grooming him... I find myself looking over my shoulder when I do, just in case he comes out all guns blazing. - I'm not joking.

 

[Spyda]

Ditto that it's imperative for his teeth to be attended to. He'll not thrive even on spring grass if he cannot graze. Hopefully you can arrange for that to be done - with your Dad paying the cost. Otherwise, I see his NOT arranging to have it done as neglect. Sorry. What's the matter with your Dad? Why is he so aggressive about you handling and helping his horse? Seems odd to me. You'd think he'd be happy to have the old boy get a bit of extra attention.

 

[Fools Motto]

What's the matter with your Dad? Why is he so aggressive about you handling and helping his horse? Seems odd to me. You'd think he'd be happy to have the old boy get a bit of extra attention.

Well, that goes back to ''the cheque issue'' and everything since - previously posted in SB a few weeks ago.

 

[Spyda]

Well, that goes back to ''the cheque issue'' and everything since - previously posted in SB a few weeks ago.

Aaaah, haven't read previous post - sorry. I'll look back and read it.

 

[Puppy]

I would worry about relying on spring grass when he looks like he may well have cushings.

Poor old boy.

 

[Fools Motto]

He is french bred, his sire name escapes me right now. Full TB, chased and P2P'd. I used to ride him and did RC stuff back in about 1995/96.
He 'should' pick up, but after a week out I can't see any change (too soon to tell perhaps). I also worry that he really isn't eating well due to his very long teeth.

in fact, this is us together!

 

[Achinghips]

If you're that concerned, and feel there's nothing you personally can do, anonymously report to WHW.

 

[coss]

my late mare got very thin (but not quite as bad as above) when she was about 31 - due to stress. It took a year of a lot of conditioning feed but she then had til she was nearly 34 in fair condition.
Its a shame that your dad doesn't want the horse more cared for

 

[ladyt25]

I am really not sure if this is your dad's horse why you can't just set him straight? maybe you just need to get a bit tougher? I haven't read any of the other posts so don't know any issues - this horse does not look to be suffering per se BUT could probably do with his teeth checking to make sure he can eat properly and maybe needs some hard feed to help him a little bit? Why on earth has he been stabled for such a long time? Has he had no turn out at all? If so then that's another reason he's looking poor as has not been able to keep moving/building any muscle. Our 29 yo TB lives out 24/7 and has had a bit of a funny year - he does not hold weight that well but is 'ribby' all the time anyway even when fat (for him) as has such a thin coat and his ribs are so well sprubg you can always see them. He's suffered with a poor coat/balding this last year (no idea why, maybe too warm this winter).

It's not easy to keep them looking fab at this age and winter does take its toll but, if they are happy in themselves and not suffering then just keep an eye on them. I would be trying to feed him something extra to be honest but I don't actually think he's wasting away - you have to take in to account muscle wastage for the overall 'look' of him.

 

[nosenseofdirection]

Have you got any brothers or sisters, or someone who could take your Dad out for lunch one day and not hurry back, while the vet came and did teeth?

 

[horsey mad matt]

i'm a bit confused are you saying you dad is neglecting him or can you just not get weight on him??

 

[Fauvea]

Sneak in some Speedibeet (or any kind of unmolassed beet) to him. Make it sloppy so he can eat it easily. It is high calorie and high fiber so should help put the weight back. You can add oil to it (straight vegetable oil) but it will take some time for his gut to be able to properly digest the oil.

 

[Fools Motto]

Dad 'forgets' him, and when fed, didn't feed appropriately and no doubt due to his teeth and his age it is difficult to get weight on him. He has only been out in the field a week, after been fed poor quality hay, stabled on horrid badly managed deep litter and fresh water when I did it.

I do want dad to pay more attention to him. I have mentioned about his teeth back in the summer, to which I got one of two responses... he needs his teeth doing, or it isn't worth having his teeth done due to his age. Nothing more said or done.
I get his feet trimmed, out of my pocket (helps go towards my horses keep) I called the vet back in November when he had a really badly swollen hind leg (I was on the verge of thinking it must be broken, it was so painful for him). I've since been totally slammed for even considering the vet for that, as it cost dad over £100 for treatment!! I was told never to do that again. Dad at his worst!
I've mentioned before that there is little point in having him, he should be PTS before he deteriorates ... only to be told 'he is my mate'. Dad can't catch him in the field. The horse is not good with men. Feel sorry for all really, horse and yes, even my dad.. he can't see sense.

 

[cobmum]

Sorry but this isnt right. Report the horse yourself and let your dad explain his actions to WHW or similar. In the meantime make him some sloppy sugar beet if he is struggling with hard feed.

Sorry to sound harsh but no matter who's mate this horse is the horse deserves better which you seem to know. You are the only one able to help the horse, he cant help himself.

 

[HashRouge]

Tbh I'd arrange for the dentist to come and see him, at your own expense, when you know your dad isn't going to be around. His teeth really could be an issue and I'd really want them looking at in your shoes.

 

[honetpot]

I hate to say this but if he has had so little care he is looking not as bad as I would have thought.
I have a pony mare with Cushings who decided that she can not be bothered to eat ( seen by vet, teeth done, worm count etc) all she wanted to eat was next door farmers barley and was escaping to do it, and turned her nose up at hay,haylage, conditioning cubes. She looked worse than that 3 weeks ago, she went from thin shaggy to thin bald.
I managed to find her some fresh grass, stopped all her medication and she has now condisended to eat Topspec conditioning flakes and has actually put some weight on.
So perhaps docter green will help in the next month but I know that its realy hard to see this in front of you.
I do not know how old your father is but I think some of this is denial of the passing of time and a reluctance to except we all get old and our time comes. By not dealing with this he can pretend its not happening. My mother died a couple of years ago and when she was close to death my step father refused to see what needed to be done for her as he found it hard to except she would be gone soon. He was not intentionally unfeeling just a bit misguided, and men are never wrong! As you can imagine it put me and my sister in a bad situation as he was her next of kin and could have banned us both from the house, as we where just 'interfering'. Just bide your time and do what you can.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Age, weight loss, long coat that doesn't shed, exceessive smelly sweating are all text book symptoms of Cushings. An ACTH blood test need cost just the vet's time to take blood as talkaboutcushings.com (or dot-something!) are offering free tests at the moment. Betcha it would come back sky high in which case Pergolide/Prascend would completely turn this poor old soldier around. My 28yr old had ACTH of 200 (autumn count should be around 40) and was put onto 1mg Pergolide daily (subsequently upped to 2mg) and he is his complete old self again as proven by today. He has free range privileges and today I found him IN the feed/tack barn, having squeezed through a sliding door only just big enough for him. He'd prised off the lid of my mare and youngstock feed bin (sack top rolled down thank god) and was starting on another livery's alfalfa sack. Backing him out was good practice for trailer reversing! Cushings - Pergolide, job done. Can't believe his owners have left him like that!

 

[NoltonSeaShell]

If it was me id be having a quiet word with my dad about the horse, and what needs to be done, and putting my foot down and say if you don't get his teeth etc done I will! I also would not be making my dad look bad on a public forum. He's probably doing what he thinks is best! I think we are all guilty of that from time to time!

 

[Puppy]

Your father sounds to have some kind of mental health/anger issues, judging by this and your post in SB. It's really not right that the poor horse pays the price because of this. Get WHW out to see the horse and have a word with him.