well ya'll weren't kidding...

[circlesinthesand]

When ya'll said you can't have just one. I wasn't even seriously looking but I always browse when I saw a local ad for a free mini to a good home, she's a sorrel with flaxen mane and tail just like the old mare I just lost this week. I felt Nug was telling me something so I clicked on the ad and emailed the lady last night, she replied this morning, I called her and we went look at her and picked her up this evening.

Being free of course she's not registered and she's got a few health issues. But I think we can eventually get these under control. The lady bought her for her kids, she took her to her farrier and found out she was foundered, tried to return her and the original owner wouldn't take her back. So she did the right thing by the horse and tried to find her a non-riding home with a life of relative ease that won't do as much as her kids would do with her. Which is where I come in. Yes she's been foundered but she's sound, a little stiffness occasionally but we can deal with that and I'm not looking to do any kind of heavy work with her, just occasionally pulling a small cart for my husband so we can take our (now two) mini's out for a jaunt occasionally with my dad and step mom (he has a mini he bought when I bought mine, a donkey and a draft with cart and harness for all of them) We want to just take a few afternoons a month and just travel the quiet roads and trails at a leisurely pace with all the carts. Our own mini parade...lol.

My dad is a retired farrier and he just worked on the neighbors foundered B sized mini (who I loved to pieces, and my new girl looks alot like, in size and expression) and she was alot worse and he has her sound enough to ride again. I'm hoping we can get and keep her comfy and get her to drop a few pounds (she's a big fat poof ball at the moment) She said she had already lost quite a bit. They were feeding her hay only, with a little turn out and were able to get her to drop some weight but she's still a long way from trim.

She's 9 years old, really sweet and gentle, not spooky at all, walked right through our chaos into the barn with no issues. Looked really hard at the goats but didn't spook at all.

She is a bit cresty and so if anyone has hints for helping that...I was thinking Remission will help? I'm gonna put her on it for the founder anyway. And what kind of feeding program I should be considering? IR diet? I dunno. This is the first one I get that's cresty like this.

It's too late to get pics (camera phone no flash) but I'll try and get some tomorrow. I need to get some of my boy too. I don't think I ever shared his yet. I was kinda hoping to get him clipped before I did

Also... She needs a name. They had a name for her but I dunno if I like it yet. It's not bad but I'm not sure it fits her. That will come in time as we get to know her and I'll ask for suggestions once I get pics!

 

[MBhorses]

congrats.I sure she will be in Heaven. Heavenly is good name for her

 

[eagles ring farm]

Congrats sounds like she found the perfect home with you

We of course need pictures when you can

 

[targetsmom]

Congrats!! Yep, they are kind of like an addiction.

I have one with a cresty neck that was tested and is insulin resistant. She is on Remission and a low carb diet, which is grass hay, plain soaked beet pulp (no molasses), and a low carb grain (she is our all around performance/driving mini so she needs the grain). Right now I am using the new Nutrena Safe Choice Special Diet and like it so far. She is on a dry lot and gets grass VERY rarely as a treat. She is not fat and does pretty well in halter classes even as an 8 year old. She wears a neck sweat 24/7.

 

[circlesinthesand]

Congrats!! Yep, they are kind of like an addiction.

I have one with a cresty neck that was tested and is insulin resistant. She is on Remission and a low carb diet, which is grass hay, plain soaked beet pulp (no molasses), and a low carb grain (she is our all around performance/driving mini so she needs the grain). Right now I am using the new Nutrena Safe Choice Special Diet and like it so far. She is on a dry lot and gets grass VERY rarely as a treat. She is not fat and does pretty well in halter classes even as an 8 year old. She wears a neck sweat 24/7.

hmm, I doubt I'll sweat her, of course I also have no intentions of showing her, just want to get her healthy. I fed her just bermuda grass hay tonight. I know they sell regular Safe Choice at TSC, but I don't think I've seen a 'special diet' variety. I'll have to check. I have 2 dry lot areas and with the drought we're in the barn yard is becoming a dust bowl too. With the other minis I've been letting them graze and turn out in the round pen for no more than like 2 hours at a time. I had been up'ing their exercise (slowly they're only yearlings) until this past weekend when things just shut down. I'll have to restart that again so she'll fit right into that schedule. I think getting her feet right and getting her moving some is gonna help bring down the weight and I really need to figure out what I want to do for a slow feeder. I'd like to stretch that hay out as much as possible during the day.

 

[HGFarm]

Hmmm, I would have her tested for insulin resistance and for thyroid deficiency if she is cresty. This may have something to do with why she foundered. Yes they are addictive aren't they!!?? LOL I only bought one in the beginning with NO intention of even having a second one... yeah right. Little did I know!