Unimpressive general horse management

[char3479]

Thoughts please. A fellow livery and first time horse owner with no experience (gets all his knowledge from youtube) is stressing me out because I feel he is mismanaging his horse. The horse is obese and has COPD. However, the owner likes to ride it out for a few miles seemingly as fast as he can. He has an app which logs miles. On return, the horse is literally dripping with sweat and breathing hard. He then washes it off with cold water, feeds it and leaves it in a wet rug all night. At rest the horse's breathing is laboured because of its COPD. After a hard hack, it looks like a horse after Badminton cross country. Yesterday, another livery said 'Gosh, he's puffing' and the chap agreed and joked that the horse would sleep well. He frequently tells the horse he loves it and genuinely thinks he's looking after it okay.
I think it's cruel and I'm increasingly frustrated by his ignorance. He is quite prickly about people offering him advice and generally doesn't listen. How can I improve the situation for the horse?

 

[Kaylum]

You need to talk to him or get the yard owner to talk to him about horse health. Not much else you can do other than that. Obviously needs help with understanding the whole horse health from feeding to exercise.

 

[SEL]

Do you know who their vet is?

I handled a slightly tricky situation by telling the vet I was concerned. They did ask questions on their next routine visit and then offered some management advice.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It is the role of the YO to advise on horse care/management issues, not of fellow liveries. So if your concerns are sufficient, speak to the YO, who has a legal duty of care towards the animals on their land.

 

[be positive]

It is the role of the YO to advise on horse care/management issues, not of fellow liveries. So if your concerns are sufficient, speak to the YO, who has a legal duty of care towards the animals on their land.

This, at least he has the excuse of not knowing any better and may take well meaning advice if given and become a better horseman as he goes along if guided the right way, unlike those who should know better and think they know it all so are not really prepared to learn or change.

 

[littleshetland]

I've been known to leave relevant magazine articles 'anonymously' on top of feed bins and in tack rooms. If they don't take the bait as such, you could be seen to reading it and then instigate a discussion about 'what an interesting article this is....'
Or, as suggested get the yard owner to have a word....

 

[PeterNatt]

Your local BHS Welfare Officer could deal with this. Contact BHS H.Q. for their contact details.

 

[MissTyc]

Your local BHS Welfare Officer could deal with this. Contact BHS H.Q. for their contact details.

^ This. We often get calls like this and are happy to visit. When asked who called it in, it's very easy to point vaguely to the general public that might have seen the horse our and about, unfit and wheezing.

 

[TPO]

OP your post could have been written word for word about a male I was once on livery with.

That YO couldnt have cared less as the livery was just for money.

He was regularly out at RC and I was very disappointed that not one person said anything about the condition of his horse never mind that he'd take horse out filthy and his saddle didnt come close to fitting.

The horse was the most genuine wee cob youd ever meet. Ended up with thoroughpins with him galloping and jumping an obese unfit horse when the mood took him.

The magazines are a good idea but I generally find those types have no interest in learning or changing.

The BHS idea might work and it might scare YO into being more proactive if they are horsey and care about reputation

I never managed it but somehow you have to make peace with not being able to save them all and just do the best by your own...