Bought skinny biggy, he's eating well ????

[myminis]

It's a long story but in a round about way I found this horse and he's VERY skinny. I don't have pics yet as I'm trying to buy him. The owners said they paid 400 for him and that's what they wanted, and he was REALLY skinny when they got him this spring. I just can't leave him there and I don't know what else to do. I was kinda looking for a biggy in a way, but who knows how long this poor boy has been deprived. His feet look good though. My question is if I do get him is it ok to give him free choice hay when he's in the barn at night? He's use to ONLY being on pasture and pasture ONLY. I have no idea about grain, I really don't want to give him grain. I feed 'Buckeye' feed to my minis. The grow and win, and growth. When do I stick him w/ flu shots and stuff? I don't want to over load him. Mainly I want to get the worms out of him and I'm SURE he has those. Any other advice would be appreciated. Are there funds from places that help people rescue horses so you don't take the brunt of it? I have 9 minis so this is going to take a ding in me. Thanks, myminis

 

[shorthorsesmt]

morning, as far as the $$ thing i don't think there are any funds out there unless you are a recoginzed non profit rescue ( i could be wrong) now the horse you can let the local humane society know as the horse may have been thin when the owners got it in the spring, but it was their responcibilty to get him up to weight by now. I would work up to more and more hay where he has been solely on pasture, you don't want him to impact. When i have had biggies come in under weight i use a soaked down ration of beet pulp to start ( usually i start with 1/2 of a large coffee can with enough water in it to cover all pellet and about 1/2 inch passed, i know of some who also add veggie oil to it) it does take alot $$ wise and time wise so please give it is some serious thought, but if he is that bad do notify the proper authorities. hope some of this might help

 

[Sue_C.]

The owners said they paid 400 for him and that's what they wanted, and he was REALLY skinny when they got him this spring.
I just can't leave him there and I don't know what else to do. I was kinda looking for a biggy in a way, but who knows how long this poor boy has been deprived. His feet look good though.

Well, if he was worse when they bought him, and his feet are in good condition, I would say that is likely what they have invested in him since THEY "rescued" him from where he was before. It doesn't sound to me like he is now being deprived, sounds like he is "on the mend"...but not knowing the whole story...could be misinterpreting what I read.

I am not sure in this case, that sicing the Humane Society on them would be a good idea...if they DID take him from a bad environment, and are bringing him back slowly, (you do not KNOW how terrible a condition he was in) you could very well be getting the wrong people in trouble, and prevent them from ever considering saving another horse in the future. You have to know the WHOLE story. What else do they say, these folks who have him? Why are they selling him? What feed/hay is he getting now?

Reason I say this...a good freind of mine has been reported a couple of times by people driving by her place. She has taken in, fed up, and re-homed quite a few horses...and people don't give her a chance to explain, they just call and report her. She had to learn the hard way she would have to HIDE her skinny rescues. Such a shame; she doesn't take many now.

Just playing Devil's Advocate here.

BUT, if they bought him, did nothing, and simply want him gone...ask around...maybe some freinds will pool the funds for him.

 

[Miniv]

I'd also ask about any vet records the horse may have. And worming history?

We've taken in big horse rescues too......unofficially. The marginally thin ones did very well on pasture with supplements. But our one very thin one had to have additional hay, equine senior grain, and alfalfa pellets for several months before showing improvement. We also wormed the puss outa her!

 

[myminis]

Thanks for your valuable input it helped a lot. They said he is 'better' then he was that he's 'improved' since being there, so I hate to call the authroties on them. But they 'were' suppose to call me last night and tell me yes they accepted the offer as he was waiting on his wife he was cool with it. I didn't hear anything.

So I called this morning and she said "HE" was having a hardtime giving him up, that he'd call me she assured me at 430. Well it's 415 and I've been there twice now at 4 pm and he's been home. So I may be barking up a tree with no leaves. If they DON'T want to sell him. I don't know what to do. I guess inform them the consequense of a starving horse. I don't know what else to do. I'm so upset. I hate threating them as they did rescue him in a round about way.

He told me if he sold him he was going to buy a pony for his daughter that's the reason why they bought the horse, he's just on pasture now.

When I talked to the wife I assured her he could come over and visit him as we only live a 1/2 mile from each other. She seemed happy with that. Whether he will be remains to be seen. This has been dragging on for several days and I'm about ready to pull my hair out. I don't think I can take another day of it, I'm a nervous wreck. I told them I wanted him and would take care of him. It's like "well now that's someone's interested, NOW we don't want to get rid of him, just maybe he's worth something." ERRRRR, so frustrating......

I never thought of Senior grain that might be a good choice if I get him. Beets too, forgot about that also, I do have a WHOLE tub full of them..... I'll just slowly give and give, I do hope I get him, he really likes me and I really like him.

I'll have to find out about a worming history, good point Miniv.... AND guy's I NEVER thought about hiding him from the neighbors I will GET a reciept showing I just bought him, cause I live on a main dirt roads. Cars go by here all the time, plus I'll have a witness with me.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

Hi-

This is a great article for feeding starved horses. Warning- there might be some graphic pics and language, but the information is good.

http://fuglyblog.com/?p=2245

 

[myminis]

Gee, thanks for the article I learned a lot from it. I got him tonight.

He's so sweet. After talking to the people I think they really were trying he's heavier then I thought he was. I'll take pics of him tomorrow I was just to tired tonight. At his other home he had plenty of fresh water so that was good.

I gave him grass hay tonight and some beets and grain, MAN he chowed that down in 5 min flat. That article said to start them on strongid c worming med so not to shock the system, so I'll get some of that tomorrow. I 'was' going to get his teeth floated but it said not to till he gained weight because they medicate them and that's to hard on them.

I asked them about worming and the husband said no but that he needed it. And he hadn't had his teeth done that they had just got him a few months ago this spring and they hadn't had time.

They gave me the name of the guy they got him from and they said they were told he was papered and they'd get his phone number for me. I thought that was super nice of them. Their poor little girl was crying. I told her she could come over and visit him and see the minis too. Mom said they spent some of the day out with him so they'd have a good day with him.

I really liked them after talking to them I think they were doing the best they could with him. They rescued him from the other guy and they bought him. He got out of his pasture wandered into someones yard, that guy called my friend, we went over and looked at him and "I FEEL IN LOVE" went home and cried like a baby. I wanted that horse, but the guy was waiting to find the rightful owner, but I was worried cause to send him back and me never find out to who and me never see him again......

Then I went back and he told me yes the owners came and he knew who they were. The rest is history, NOW I have

"Whiskey Scout" as I call him. Scout for short.

Thank you for your input, tomorrow, I'll put pics on. Maybe you can tell me how to feed him a little bit better after seeing him.

 

[shorthorsesmt]

i am really glad that things worked out and that things were as bad as they first appeared

 

[myminis]

Here are a couple of pics of him. I've been feeding him 3 x's a day starting today. It's so funny now he expects it. He's eating salt like crazy and even though he had lots of water at his other house he's drinking a lot here. Maybe cause of the salt, huh?

I'm feeding him shredded beets, oil, strategy type pellet food, alfalfa pellets. I wet it all. He loves it.

 

[Charlene]

what a pretty boy!!!

 

[myminis]

what a pretty boy!!!

Thanks Charlene. He's really a sweet boy too.

 

[myminis]

I have a couple of questions. When do I put him out to pasture? Right now I have him in a small paddock as I'm trying to control the worms, and picking up after him 3 x's a day. There are worms, little ones and BIG round ones. Do I not put him out till their all gone, just keep looking at his poo?

I was going to get the strongid C and daily worm him, but I couldn't afford it,after buying him all his feed, so I wormed him with ivermectin and he seems to have tolerated it well, I only dosed him for 750 lbs.

Do you know how long I should continue to feed him 3 x's a day with his mash, or I guess until he reaches a healthy weight? He seems so hungry ALL the time. I know more give it to him he gobbles it down and he's ready for another batch. I try to get a 4th feeding in there if I'm home at 8 or 9 pm, but sometimes I don't get the 3 pm one till 5 pm. He ate almost all 4 flakes of hay last night.

I touched his private area and he seemed to tolerate that well, who KNOWS how long since that's been cleaned. I thought I might try cleaning it this weekend. If it doesn't go well I'll wait till he gains some weight and have it done when I get his teeth done.

I've never rescued a horse before, so if there's ANYTHING I need to be doing please tell me.

I was calling him Scout but he didn't seem to like it, so I called him Whiskey Scout and he didn't like that, so I called him Whiskey and he came to me. Their little girl called him Sparky= NOT!!!!!!!!!! I chose Whiskey for a special person.

 

[Marty]

You really need to be very careful about feeding him. Three times a day is a good thing without a doubt, but be very careful you are only feeding him a little bit each feeding. You can easily make him founder or colic with too much of a good thing so keep your feedings including hay in small doses and don't try to rush any progress.

Sounds like at the moment you are feeding his worms so I would get him a de-wormer that is very gentle at first like a tube of Strongid and begin there. Its cheap and shouldn't stress him out or shock his system and wait a few weeks and then hit him up with zimectrin but you may want to confirm that program with your vet. Worms are a crazy thing. Even when you don't see them anymore, he'll still have them so its important to keep him up on a good program.

I'd turn him in pasture for about an hour a day the first week, then increase it slowly after that.

You have a big heart. Hugs.

 

[Rocket's mom]

He's gorgeous!! I love his spots! Hope he continues to thrive and lives a long and healthy life.

 

[myminis]

Marty, it is soo hard not to resist the temptation to over feed him and I agree with you, I'm feeding those NASTY worms. I've NEVER seen so many before in my life. I went out at 1130 and again just a minute ago to feed him and clean his paddock and his manure was FILLED with HUGE worms and little worms, so many I couldn't count. ICK!!!!!!! He's SOOO hungry, all he wants to do is eat my mash I fix for him, he keeps nickering for it. I feel so sorry for him. I looked for Strongid and couldn't find it, I guess I'll order it on line cause no body in this town carries it except in the big tub and it's daily for 43.00, gulp.

Another AMAZING thing is his SHEATH is so very clean!!!!!!!! I just told a friend this morning, that 'thing' is probably filthy. But, tonight I went out there and he was dropped and I went over and got most of the white scaling off of it and he stood there and let me, till he pulled it back up. I was so shocked he let me.

Thanks for your input I needed that as I have NO idea what I'm doing.

Also, thank you Rocket's mom, he follows me around like a puppy. A friend took me out today and I know it's to soon, but we went and got him outfitted with a saddle, and the works and a NICE THICK electric blue and white pad for when he gains weight and can be ridden. I also got an electric blue halter and cotton blue lead rope for him. I think he's pretty well set except for a winter blanket. EVERYTHING came to $750.00 I didn't think that was bad and that was EVERYTHING. It's not an expensive saddle but I couldn't afford one, I bought the most that I could afford. I took in measurements, and a wire hanger of his topline. They said when he was able to ride if the saddle didn't fit I could bring it back and trade it for another one.

 

[Miniv]

Seems that he's told you what he prefers for his name, eh?

That happens to us a lot.

Glad you took up the worming as a possibility for his weight. I would worm him again in a week, but for 1000 lbs. with Strongid. Do it again in another week with Ivermectin. Both wormers are mild enough that you won't hurt him.

After rotating the wormers on him, have your vet do a fecal exam. Hopefully you will be able to put him on a normal 8 week worming schedule.

Once the worms are under control, I bet you'll see a huge weight gain and you won't need to feed 3 times a day.

He's a very handsome fellow, btw.

 

[myminis]

Miniv thanks you and Marty have been most helpful. I'll do what you both said. I'll let you guy's know how he does. Thanks on him, I can't believe how pretty he is, but someone chopped his mane all up so I have to get that to grow. But, he does have a nice tail.

I picked up his feet tonight but he wouldn't let me pick up his right back one. I tried and tried. I tied him up and tried. I don't know if he was buffaloing me or it hurts him. He doesn't limp on it, but when he stands he cocks it and doesn't stand straight on it. I'll have to have the farrier look at it.

 

[HGFarm]

You already wormed him with ivermectin? That is why he is dumping all those worms...

He will need to be wormed again, and probably again (I had one I had to do 4 times before putting him on a regular schedule) so yes, I would have your vet do a fecal also to see where you are at.

He doesnt look quite as bad as I thought he would and I think you will find that once you get rid of all his 'guests' and have him on a regular worming program, he will bounce back very quickly!

Bless you for helping him out!!

 

[myminis]

Yes, I did it before I read about the Strongid, but he seems to be doing well. No signs of colic and like you said he looks better then I thought he did. I thought at first he was REALLY bad, but when I brought him home he didn't look that bad.

He dropped again and was able to get some more dry stuff off of his penis and I opened up where the urethra is and a WHOLE bunch of YELLOW and WHITE like cake goop was in there and I think I got most of it. He wasn't happy about it, I was trying to feel around for a bean and hurry and get that gunk at the same time. I'm hoping to have another look, he's pretty good at staying dropped. That gunk is real sticky and hard to grab it plus hold onto him and try avoid getting kicked. He's not purposely trying to kick me, he just doesn't want me messing with him down there inside.

 

[HGFarm]

Well he sounds like he is really very good natured, all in all. Poor guy.