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| Discussion on Hanks WWD 2 help me make it to spring | |
| Author | Message |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 16, 2008 - 12:54 pm: I really didn't want to start another thread on this, but the other one takes awhile to load. IF I can just stay tough until April we will have this licked I think. I so don't want Hank getting fat again and I can't make up my mind if he is. The tape and the hair thing isn't working. Some days I can feel his ribs and some days I can't (weird huh).You fellow members have been such a help I took some pictures of him to get your opinion. Your honesty keeps me in line.  
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| Member: shirl |
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| Member: rockin |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 16, 2008 - 4:51 pm: The "rain gutters" is another thing that throws me . His hair stands up on both sides of his spine definitely giving the appearance of one, but I don't think he has a "real" one. I would consider his back flat...I think. I brushed him before pics, the poor thing hadn't been brushed for weeks. Hank LOVES to be brushed and well relaxed and let it all hang out. I had some better shots of him, but didn't want to post them. He then proceeded to yawn and go to sleep. Not a cooperative subject today. |
| Member: mysi |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 17, 2008 - 8:17 am: I don't know from the pics his tummy looks good, he still has a bit of a crest at the neck. I don't know if that will ever go away...it was so huge before his diet. The boy was born with that huge hind quarters, but it doesn't appear that fat is accumulating between his rear. Vet always says half his weight is his hind quarters. I have been giving them extra hay and pellets in this extreme weather.Hoping when the fur is gone he will be in ok weight. His pasture buddy Sam looks really fat, but I can feel his ribs easily...almost to easily. Just goes to show how hair can really throw an owner...be it skinny or fat. Here's a pic of Sam he looks fat but is actually a little thin. 
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| Member: ekaufman |
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| Member: sunny66 |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 17, 2008 - 11:04 am: Oh Elizabeth, you've just made my day My horse is short coupled too and while he is holding/losing his weight, he still looks fat. Diane I think Hank looks great. The weather you're having to endure is nothing short of severe. The fact that you're "on top" of any changes is going to save you a lot of heartache in the spring Give Sam a body rub and see if you can move any fat around. How old is Sam? |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Feb 17, 2008 - 11:56 am: Sam is around 21 and mostly arab, I have had him since he was 3. I believe he has cushings...thus all that hair. He sheds half way then quits and I get to shave the rest of it.One thing about those short coupled horses they are strong. In his hay day Sam at 14.1hh could carry my husband (who is not small weight wise or height wise)all day and still have energy left. over. He's a good boy and other than all that hair pretty healthy. pics after shaving Even ponies don't get the hair this boy does in the winter. 
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| Member: mysi |
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| Member: sunny66 |
Posted on Monday, Feb 18, 2008 - 10:18 am: I would never have guessed 21!! A testament to your great care I have no experience with the severity of your weather or older horses but I too think he'll be fine
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 23, 2008 - 12:36 pm: Beautiful sunny winter midwestern day...looked out the window and Hank and Sam were galloping through the snow...up and down the hills snow a flying. Traffic stopped to watch them. When they finally wore themselves out I went out and Hank had a bit of a sweat going, thought it might be a good time to weigh him with the tape since his hair was laying flat from being a bit damp. I looked at my last written down official weigh in of the pigs witch was 11/02 they were not quite as fluffy then in Nov. Hank-938#'s Sam-784#'s Flash807#'s At that time I was happy with their weight WELL the tape put Sam and Flash at the exact same weight as Nov. FAT boy went964#'s I am SOOO Happy we are ALMOST thru winter with pretty much no gain and maybe a little loss considering the hair. Hank is so very sound now I love watching him glide thru the snow. He even walks/trots on the hard irregular stuff now with no change in stride. Hopefully 1 more month and spring will be here....Almost a year into his diet....he foundered April (friday) the 13th. following his rabies shot, he also weighed in around 1200#'s then...that's being generous! I think he was closer to 1300#s. Anyway YIPEEE!!!! and thanks!!!! can't wait to see what he looks like without all that hair....which is starting to shed now. |
| Member: canter |
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| Member: rockin |
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| Member: dres |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Feb 23, 2008 - 2:53 pm: Thanks....I hope I have helped people with my observations. It is surprising how weight loss helps with a number of different lamenesses. Definitley not a cure all for everything...but at least very helpful in comfort levels. Sam and Flash being senior citizens have arthritis. I really considered putting the old girl down for winter thinking about how uncomfortable she has gotten over past winters. Especially when the snow is deep she can't walk through it...bending those old joints seemed to make it impossible. She doesn't blast through the snow like the boys, but this year we have had record amounts of snow fall. some of it is up to there hocks. She goes up and down the hills with the boys and actually does very well she don't look uncomfortable at all. When in normal snow she "picks them up and puts em down" very nicely. I usually give her legend through the winter....haven't had to do it this year . The last 2 times the farrier was here she galloped away from me and wouldn't let me catch her we had to herd her into the corral. It actually made me happy!! Hank has had an AMAZING turn around in his comfort also, and so has SAM. I really didn't know fat horses were so much unhealthier. Hanks diet has made a believer of me. It's just very hard with easy keepers and this wicked weather. This thread has been mostly about Hank, but the other 2 have amazing results also...without My vets, Dr.O.'s and you members help and encouragement (very important)I am afraid I would still have 3 maybe 2 fat unhealthy horses. So kudos to you all for my success! 
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Mar 9, 2008 - 9:58 am: I am having quite a feeding dilema. The horses turned up their noses at my hay from this year because of the cat pee, so I got some 2 yr. old hay from the farrier. They ate that at first but now are not eating that well. My horses are NOT fussy eaters. They had hay in front of them yesterday and instead chose to eat their own poop. I have been looking but can't find any suitable hay at this time. My dilema.....should I up their safechoice/alfalfa pellets more, considering they are easy keepers?? They are loosing weight, but that is ok, hopefully we will have some grass soon, but that too must be limited. The 2 older ones concern me more they are really DrOpping weight...Hank looks good, all he needs to do is breathe to hold his weight . I can feel his ribs easily too tho. Right now they are getting free choice hay (because they don't eat it) 1 lb. of safechoice and alfalfa pellets twice a day plus a vitamin supp. Should I just let them continue to loose weight considering grass should be growing in the next mo.? Hank is still full of energy, but the seniors seem to be less energetic. |
| Member: zarr |
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| Member: scooter |
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| Member: zarr |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Mar 9, 2008 - 6:39 pm: Cindy are the timothy CUBES real hard? I had been buying the alfalfa cubes but even after soaking overnight they were still hard! I need to soak them because of choke problems. The alfalfa pellets have been fine they can even eat them without soaking. Those cubes were like bricks tho
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| Member: zarr |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Mar 15, 2008 - 9:44 am: I am doing the they got to stay slim chant over and over as I watch the snow melt and the grass starting to make an appearance.. I hope I am not starving them I have really knocked back the feed and hay since the temps have moderated. Hay is about 10#'s each a day and feed (alfalfa pellets/safechoice mixed) is 1# each per day. Still very hairy...but shedding some. I can see Hanks back rib even with all the hair, I can feel the rest, but they are covered well. The other 2 are about the same. Arab gelding a little thinner, but not bad. Weight taped Hank at 934#'s yesterday and the other 2 lost a little. Our ground is now a frozen rutted icy tundra and MY man Hank can walk on it with no problems YEA!!!!!! First time in a few years that type of ground hasn't knocked him off his feet!!!!and sent us plummeting into a very lame horse. I rode him yesterday on the gravel drive and the hard blacktop road and he didn't miss a beat. His feet are still a little funky looking, I hope the rest of the diseased hoof goes this next trimming so I can x-ray and see where we stand. THANK YOU SO MUCH all of you for getting us here. If you only knew how many times I wanted to throw in the towel, then would post here and feel encouraged to keep at it. I am going to brush some of that hair off today and get a pic. |
| Member: rockin |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Mar 15, 2008 - 2:00 pm: Before and after pics The 1st is from early Mar. of last year (couldn't walk well then. Today VERY SOUND  
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Mar 15, 2008 - 6:32 pm: Thanks That grass coming thru has me jittery. It isn't warm enough to grow yet so hoping it is ok to let them graze 24/7. I can't use the fat pen yet it is too muddy and slick + can't get stakes in the ground...still froze.Lilo I'm glad your horse is loosing weight, these easykeepers are a nightmare to keep under control! It has definitely paid off for me in many ways. The vet will be coming the end of the month. I hope he thinks Hank is in good weight. This winter is the first I haven't seen the vet at least bi-weekly because of lameness.
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| Member: ekaufman |
Posted on Saturday, Mar 15, 2008 - 11:18 pm: Gosh Diane-- his legs got a lot longer! Watch that spring grass. They look great. |
| Member: paardex |
Posted on Sunday, Mar 16, 2008 - 5:06 am: Hurray for Hank! He managed to drag along Grasse and she has RIBS to!Now we will need to ride to keep it that way and perhaps even I will loose weight in the end  Jos |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Mar 16, 2008 - 5:17 am: LOL funny you say that I have been thinking he looks taller. Guess that's because his fat isn't dragging on the ground. At almost 11yo I'm pretty sure he is done growing. That top pic makes me sick to think he was that fat. I really got to wonder how I didn't see it. I think he looks fat all the time now! He isn't thin by any means so today I am going to try to get the fat pen ready. I don't think Hank is capable of thin even when in training and getting worked hard he held his weight well, this is about as "thin" as he gets. Yesterday when I was brushing them I could feel the ribs on the seniors, the brush kinda bounced on their ribs....not Hank tho....sigh
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Mar 29, 2008 - 12:33 pm: Well I have learned a lot this year Hank has been on his diet for a year now. They made it through a rough winter without gaining weight AND he remained sound for the most part. So I guess I can wrap this up and handle it by myself. Dr.O. and everyone thanks for your help and encouragement, Hank weighed 930#'s 2 weeks ago, that is at least #300#'s lighter than last spring at this time.Hank says thanks too for making his body much more comfortable THANKS Dr.O. and HA members 
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| Member: mrose |
Posted on Saturday, Mar 29, 2008 - 11:40 pm: Hank looks great, Diane. Hats off to you! I know how hard it is; these guys go around giving you looks like they haven't eaten in ages, even when they just finished a pile of hay half an hour ago! My "beet pulp" diet girl can see me through the window when I get out of bed in the a.m. and immediately starts calling like she's going to go toes up any second! It's pityful! . It takes nerves of steel to ignore her. I'm sure Hank isn't any easier. Is your knee continuing to get better? We've been in Portland, OR this past week and I noticed the cold and rain affected both of my knees. I had to grit my teeth to go down a flight of stairs. |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Mar 30, 2008 - 5:37 am: Thanks, yes when the lights go on the whinnying starts and the stare down of the door I go out.My knee is doing so well it's almost scary, I was going to post it under the other thread, but was scared I'd jinx myself. I caught myself running the other day without a thought. Steps are normal finally. Once in a great while it "pops" and then aches until it pops back in. That use to happen a couple times a day.....now maybe once a week, if that. I'm thinking I'll make my self imposed deadline of May. Sara I don't know if they are helping me or not, but my knee seemed much better when I started wearing the spira shoes. They feel like regular shoes, with a big price tag . Maybe they would help your joints too. Thanks for asking
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| Member: paardex |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Mar 30, 2008 - 4:21 pm: Thanks Jos. When he is all shed off and shiny I'll have to post a skinny pic of him without all the hair..
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| Member: scooter |
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| Member: ekaufman |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Wednesday, Apr 9, 2008 - 4:02 pm: Thanks Elizabeth the vet was here and said the horses including Hank looked AWESOME he kept repeating it. He said Sam wasn't thin, I just am not use to horses looking like they should, he said keep them on the thin side and just give a little more food when it's yucky out. Sams teeth checked out fine. He said it's time for the spring "lock up" . Thought it would probably be ok to go with my plan of letting them out in the small lot 24/7 at least until July and if I can maintain their weight they can probably graze more then! Hank did wonderful on his lameness exam, walked, trot, canter on hard ground sound. Hoof test negative! feet look good! So I guess everything is AWESOME according to the vet. Horses got their EWT shot today WNV to follow in 2 weeks. hoping everyone does well thru this. We decided to try the intervet rabies shot this winter when Hank has no founder triggers and hopefully I keep him slim. Thanks |
| Member: scooter |
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| Member: dres |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Apr 19, 2008 - 4:11 pm: Thanks Ann I am so thrilled I could do flips. Last year at this time he couldn't even walk. Here's his canter https://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t90/scooter_098/?action=view¤t=024.flv |
| Member: mrose |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Apr 19, 2008 - 7:31 pm: I have a difficult decision tomorrow, the Midwest horse fair or ride. Finally 70 tomorrow and no rain or earthquakes predicted, but very muddy so I am leaning towards the horse fair....hubby even said he'd go, he loves the food stands there
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| Member: mrose |
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| Member: dres |
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| Member: paardex |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 - 6:46 am: Thanks Jos, How's Grasse doing? Hank is still out on the pasture, which is making me a little nervous. The grass isn't really growing yet, but this week I'm sure it will take off with the warm temps.When weighed yesterday They all have DrOpped a little bit still. The farrier sold me some very nice grass hay and said he could supply my horses this year . He likes seeing Hank sound too and didn't want me getting any alfalfa No Horse Fair today it is so foggy we couldn't see where we would be driving and have to go about 100 mi. so Hank will be rode today, hope he can behave himself....he's been rather full of it.
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| Member: paardex |
Posted on Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 - 7:59 am: Grasse was already locked up in a small part and still gained an enormous amount of weight in the last week. The weather is just as with you getting warmer so I locked her up in the little sand arena with some grass under the fences and nighttimes in her box. She has been ridden for about 1,5 hour each day[but calm] but still started drinking about 80 litres[about 150 lbs] a DAY again. I am at my wits end with her. But seeing Hank keeps us going Jos |
| Member: sunny66 |
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| Member: frances |
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| Member: scooter |
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| Member: mrose |
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| Member: scooter |
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| Member: dres |
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| Member: ajudson1 |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 - 7:48 pm: So Ann what did you decide to do about the grass?Mine are still on the small pasture, but it does make me nervous. There is nothing better than a soft, relaxed eye in a horse and you are right it was as if he was smiling. I still can't get over it! I really have known he was a soft horse, but those hooves and fat obviously made him uncomfortable. He has had sore hooves since the day he was broke....even before his founder. Sounds like your boy will be a great lesson horse, I would have appreciated one like that
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| Member: dres |
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| Member: mrose |
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| Member: canter |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, Apr 20, 2008 - 9:02 pm: Thanks all of you.. Your continued support has helped us get where we are! I can't bring the horses in after a few hours, right now I have been working 8-10 hrs. a day. I'm going to try to keep them on the 24/7 watch the weight closely, and keep a good eye on Hank for any signs of "footiness" . I hope I don't regret it. The arena should be done in May sometime, and then I can work him regularly. His hooves are going to be x-rayed in a couple weeks when they get their WNV shot. I hope they look as good as he feels. Thanks again
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| Member: jowidner |
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| Member: scooter |
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| Member: sunny66 |
Posted on Monday, Apr 21, 2008 - 11:15 am: Woohoo!!!!!!! Congratulations again!!!! I too agree with the pain causing issues
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| Member: vickiann |
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 - 6:15 pm: Thanks Lilo, the farrier was here today and when I was bringing Hank in he said Gosh he does look good I can see ribs when he walks.. I am leaving mine out 24/7 in a small lot which so far they are keeping mowed down. It is SOO green tho it is a bit worrisome, and our yard is growing rapidly. Mine still coming galloping up for hay and their alfalfa pellets, so I'm pretty sure they aren't getting much yet. Like you said when the grass is tall enough they will not come in for anything until I make them! |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Friday, May 2, 2008 - 7:59 pm: The small lot turnout is working very well, when I'm feeling nice I let them out for an hour or less on a taller more lush pasture. Funny how on this small ate down pasture they are holding their weight. I give them 1 leaf of grass hay AM and PM (5 lbs. total for the day) plus a handful of alfalfa pellets. They seem satisfied and remain very mobile all day.Hank eating his pellets and his mother wanting him to share his (fat chance)!. See his RIBS...he is in good weight and I smile everytime I see my "skinny" healthy horse. 
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| Member: paardex |
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 4:41 am: He looks wonderfull Diane! The fact that the horses remain content with this way of living gives me hope for poor Grasse![Though she looks like Hanks mother all day at five others standing up to their knees in grass] I need to give her a bit more pasture ech day in staid of hay but I think it works! How often do you ride Hank during summer on this 'diet'? Jos |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 6:19 am: Jos if it ever quits raining I usually ride 3-4 times a week. I'm hoping if it ever dries up enough I will get my arena built and ride more often.I do not change his rations at all when I am riding him more often. If he looks like he is loosing too much weight (never has happened before) I will allow a little more grazing on different pasture. It's finally getting easy to keep their weight under control and since the results have been so good, I know it will remain easy. (I HOPE) Giving more pasture and taking away the hay has proven to be the most challenging. With the very short pasture I didn't think they would hold their weight this well. I haven't been able to tape them for 2 weeks because of the wind...the tape just blows off of them. This is Hank working on the sparse pasture and looking good, I still can't get over how good he looks when not a bloat. 
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: dres |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 10:17 am: Ann in my experience with my horses it really doesn't matter what stage the grass was in...they gained weight no matter. I think Dr.O. put it quite right in one of his posts, basically it is quantity NOT quality that makes the difference. That went against the things I had read as far as lush vs. "dry grass" but leave it to Dr.O. to be logical. It is working well for my horses they are on a pasture that would make the grass people scream....short,VERY green and lush. A foundered horses nightmare. So in a nutshell, I have learned to limit how big of mouthfuls they can get, regardless of the type of grass...more grass=more weight gain, quite simple isn't it? Who'd of thought it could be that simple!
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| Member: paardex |
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 11:55 am: Wow Diane if you say sparse pasture you really mean it! I suppose that's the reason I so far haven't found ribs yet not sparse enough.. Working on that and 3 to 4 times a week work I will be able to fit in. Your faithfull student Jos |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 12:05 pm: LOL Jos, that's all I need is a student. The pasture isn't quite as sparse as the picture above, he was standing in a bare spot when I took that pic.here's what the pasture looks like  
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| Member: dres |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 7:19 pm: Ann maybe you should get some cows . That's one nice thing about having them around, eat grass...then put horses in. On a good year you might even make money on a bad yr. you can write them off..
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| Member: dres |
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 7:56 pm: Ahhh Diane funny you should say that. My neighbor gets cows every winter.. he has no horses.. but the cows do a great job on his pastures.. and HE makes bank on em too.. He does not have to do anything other then have water out for them.. BUT he is set up for it.. he has a a a 'cow rack' for lack of better words.. >shoot< and a cattle trailer..My guess for me .. to just have to limit / micro manage my pastures till late Aug..  On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
| Member: scooter |
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| Member: dres |
Posted on Sunday, May 4, 2008 - 9:55 am: Remember Diane I have a two year old and i know he would challenge those step in lines.. heck he is not to overly concern about my 3 strand electric ribbon i have up now.. I will just have to pull them off the grass earlier, I have cut back their grassy/alfalfa ration to 5 #'s a day only.. and today have cut back their pelleted feed to 6 #'s.. was 8.. So pasture 3-4 hours , 5#'s hay 6 # pellets.. And of course almost daily exercise.. Lets see how this works.. On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 9:16 am: Was able to weight tape the hogs between rain/wind storms. Hank has lost just a tad more he went #921 and the other 2 are staying the same. Perfect weight for all 3. Can see ribs slightly and around a 5 on the body score. The small pasture idea has been a Godsend, they stay busy all day scrounging for morsels and not acting as if they are starved. A couple times a week I leave them in the big pasture for an hour, what HOGS! their heads go down and the grass is stuffed as fast as possible in their mouths. I get my exercise trying to get them back in. We had some nasty weather last night and today and I was able to give them a whole bale of hay inside without worrying about their fat status...what a nice experience. They even looked at me like WOW a whole bale of hay, what's the matter with her. I still check Hanks pulses daily and in the evening he has a very slight elevation in them. I think (hope) it is just normal, the other 2 also have a raised one in the evening also, and gone in the morning....So I have been going with Dr.O.'s advice of keeping them in their place, and not worrying about it.(pretty much anyway). Their diet is still consisting of the small pasture, about #3 of alfalfa pellets and #5-#8's of grass hay daily. I fight the urge to let them graze more in the bigger pasture, and with their attitude of running away from me when I want to bring them in helps! Takes half an hour to get them back in, but they get a good work out galloping around trying to get away from me! |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 - 7:37 am: Well in a mos. time Hank has managed to balloon up, he looks really fat to me again. He is pushing a 7 now on the body score. The "short pasture" is a lush pasture because of all the rain, so I guess that didn't work! On a normal year I think it would have. The 2 other horses haven't gained much, but when 1 is locked up so are the others. Back to "starvation mode" in their eyes anyway. Last week they were locked in the "dry lot". I let them graze a couple hours a day so they remain use to the grass. Exercise seems to be the missing key here, but the weather has not cooperated in that respect. Fat boy UGHHHHH 
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| Member: lilo |
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| Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 14, 2008 - 8:53 pm: Thanks Lilo, he hasn't turned into a tub of lard yet anyway. With the price of bedding and hay I can't afford to lock them up, so I halved their pasture today will see how that goes. I know what you mean by the amount of grass they can eat in a couple hours. Their heads don't come up! I ran him around the pasture today and he looked good as far as stride, they were VERY happy to get out and run,buck and stretch their legs! That's about all the exercise I can give him right now other than riding on the road, and I refuse to do that anymore. |
| Member: lilo |
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| Member: paardex |
Posted on Monday, Jun 16, 2008 - 3:37 am: Diane, I know how you feel Grasse is falling from one problem to the other too due to never getting her head of the ground[and if she does it is just to eat a part of the hedges].The grass is growing and growing, only good thing is the hay over here will be abundant and cheap.Especially as I look at the other horses in big fields : playing eating sleeping and staying healthy like that, Grasse has me frustrated to bits. To top Hank's suffering she is locked up alone! I even got so far as to reflect on breeding her[STUPID] or buying her another foundered Companion[even more STUPID] Frustrating to feel like conducting animal cruelty whichever way you choose Jos PS At the rate the grass is growing she will need the grazing muzzle in her 'dry lot' |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Monday, Jun 16, 2008 - 7:17 am: Jos maybe you should start a France fat farm and we can ship all our fatties to you for the summer to keep Grasse company. My dry lot also has plenty of grass this year. We FINALLY have a week of dry weather predicted so hopefully the arena can start progressing again, tho I doubt it. The guy who is doing my dozing is also a farmer and I bet hay will be getting cut as fast as they can cut it this week ( in the fields that aren't underwater) anyway. If Hank hadn't started the spring in good weight I'd hate to see what he'd look like now! |
| Member: paardex |
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 17, 2008 - 6:12 am: I suppose it would work if they SWAM to France! First hay and then every other kind of work sounds familiar! Jos |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Wednesday, Jul 2, 2008 - 7:50 am: Well Hank made it to the summer solstice without foundering...while on pasture. Something I thought impossible. He has put on weight and fatter than I would like, but I think he has peaked and is going the other way now. I can still feel his ribs, but not see them so I would put him at a 6-7 on the body score. I haven't rode much this summer which isn't helping the cause any. His diet through the spring/summer consisted of small, short pasture. Handful of watered down alfalfa pellets with 1 carrot...YES he can have a carrot now! 3-5#'s of old stemmy hay a day and a hoof supplement. Vet asked me the other day if he was fat again . I hesitated in my ans. so he took that as a yes and I started getting the fat "speech". I asked him how many times he has been out to see Hank since I got his weight under control including recently. We looked at his old schedule and he hadn't seen Hank for lameness issues since the fall of last year. Last spring/ summer he almost lived here!! He is a bit of a tenderfoot on hard ground, but since the monsoons quit that seems to be improving. Last night as I was getting ready for bed, with just enough light to see out the pasture. I saw the shadow of Hank walk by in the bottom. He was walking so well, with a spring in his step. I couldn't believe all we had been through and he was sound and springy. My neighbor is going to put her pony down because of founder this week, she keeps turning it out on lush grass and it is sooo fat. I feel so bad for the pony, I have tried to tell her to get the weight off and keep off grass, but it falls on deaf ears. She quit using my vet because he was blunt and told her the same thing. If nothing else this will help keep me honest with his weight. Hank staring at the house for his meager breakfast, with ugly shaven Sam. 
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| Member: paardex |
Posted on Friday, Jul 4, 2008 - 2:10 am: Tip from France to Diane: Invite Sara and your horses will start to loose weight miraculously!She arrived, looked stern at the bunch[even Akacja feeding a foal was deemed to fat  ] waved with the grazing muzzles and I swear in six days they all have lost weight [from fright?] Jos |
| Member: scooter |
Posted on Friday, Jul 4, 2008 - 6:04 am: LOL Jos I don't know if Sara could even "scare them straight"Vet was here yesterday for Pukey. I was sick so wasn't able to go out. I looked out the window and here he had DrOve over to the horses fence and was staring at them...I thought OH OH I knew I should have hid them somewhere. Went out on the deck and said MMMM this is a cow call quit looking at the horses! He turned around and said they look REALLY GREAT. Good thing they were at the bottom of the pasture . Fat speech avoided Pukey had an ovarian cyst. No pneumonia. |
