How long does it take...

[Chamomile]

My mom bought a mini weanling from some wealthy well to do people that raise Quarter Horses and some "exotics" in this area. They had the minis out with the Quarter Horse weanlings which is fine except they fed them all out of big horse feeders. The minis, Tansy and her mom, got what fell on the ground. Which wasn't much evidently. Tansy was so sad, small, skinny, her skin felt like rawhide, and she had a terrible pot belly. They had let their kids halter break her and she was broken!! She was 8 months old when we got her, I brought her home the day I saw her in the back of a pickup truck. (We live close to these people, unfortunately. I called them this year and offered to buy whatever mini babies they had, but for "some" reason the mares didn't settle! Phew!) Anyway, Tansy was about 25" tall when we got her, she is now close to 34". She is going to be 3 in September. We had the vet out right away to tell us how to feed this poor baby and she of course had blood sucking lice, regular lice and every other kind of bugs and worms! We powdered her, wormed her, with the help of the vet, and just gave her a lot of love and attention. My mom slept in the goat shed we had for her, the first couple of nights. Well this mare, Tansy is still sickly sometimes. She gets goopy eyes and acts a bit lethargic, only sometimes though. We just wanted to know if she needs a couple more years to build up her immune system. I realize that all horses are different, but is there a time line that we could be following? My mom would like to breed her, but we feel that she isn't strong enough immune wise. We've considered spaying her, because when she cycles her eyes get goopy and such. What is your guys' advice on this? Here is a picture of her now (well last summer). She has filled out a bit more this year and is a little bit taller. Her neck is more round now.

Thanks for any and all help you can give!!!

 

[Chamomile]

Oops! Sorry that's my stallion!! I'll try again...

 

[kaykay]

Hi Chamomile

The first year of any baby human or animal is so important. When that first year is so lacking in care and nutrition it takes a very long time ot catch up. From the picture you posted I would say she looks pretty dang good. Another thing to think about is what breeding this mare came from. If the person you got her from is just breeding any horse to any horse then her health problems could be inherited. Goopy eyes in my experience can be caused by wind and debri or sinus problems. Has a vet checked her sinuses?? Are the goopy eyes frequent or just every once in awhile?? I would go with your gut feeling that she is not healthy enough to breed. She had a very rough start in life and probably needs to be a very loved mare instead of a broodmare. Thank you for taking her in and giving her so much!

Kay

 

[Chamomile]

It seems that she almost always has some goop in her eyes. She is my mom's baby and is the sweetest horse on the place. She is started with her cart training and has taken to it very well. We had to stop because we weren't sure if she was sick or just still recupperating. I'm thinking having her spayed would probably be the very best for her. She so wants to be a mommy and maybe having her fixed will eliminate that need. She is the herd babysitter as well so that could help "fill her up" as far as babies go. We are so proud of her and how far she has come! We where going to have her hardshipped with AMHR, but they raised their prices this year and my mom decided that it doens't matter to her if Tansy is registered or not! She did want to show her since she has filled out so well. But there are always open shows... Tansy loves to go out in public and see all the people. She will be a parade horse once we get her all the way well. Thank you for your thoughts!

 

[RockRiverFarms]

Hi Chamomile,

I would say the goopy eye problem is more likely a predisposition to allergies or irritation from dirt than a result of her recovery. However, I agree with Kaykay to wait on breeding, if breeding at all. I also have a mare on the farm that was very malnourished as a weanling. When I started taking care of her as a yearling, she was 23" but grew several inches within the first couple months of proper care and nutrition. Now she is about 29.5" at 3 years. She is very healthy and energetic, though her teeth have not caught up yet and are very tiny. We do not consider her to be her legal horsey age. I consider her to be a long yearling, because for so long she was not getting her normal growth. She is still making up for all that neglect, still fortifying her system. Likewise with your mare. I would say that because she seemed to relapse a bit after you worked her in driving, she may not be ready for that kind of physical activity yet. She may officially be 3 years old, but she is behind in maturing because of neglect, and may take even longer to mature than the average horse because of how malnutrition weakens the system. Have fun with her--she looks like a real cutie, and it's always nice to hear a happy ending.

 

[WeeOkie]

Tansy looks quite nice now. You've done a good job with her.

I just keep wondering what has happened to her mom, and if there were other mini mares at that farm.

Rita

 

[Chamomile]

They wouldn't sell the poor mom because their kids ride her, she is probably over sized a big mare at least...

Poor thing! The other mare was sold, I tried to buy her too, she was in foal when I picked up Tansy, but another gal had just bought her! Thank goodness!! The stallion looked pretty good, he had his own grassy pen and was fat, not happy, too lonely...