The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread TEN

See our "who's who" page! ^

[HairOfTheDog]

The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - Who's Who *pics*

This is a horse chat thread where we share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. In the previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.

I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!

I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and MissTargets will now be pinging everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.

So... like the previous threads, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.

Previous threads:

The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - thread ONE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread THREE!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FOUR
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread EIGHT
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE

New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!

[HairOfTheDog]

These have a seed top that is poison... the young plants don't get you, but the 'flowers' do. causes a rash of bumps like 20 mosquitos bit you wherever you touch them and they hurt like the dickens for a few minutes but they don't last very long.

[MissTargets]

Good Morning.

Kids picked up the two mares this morning. I took pictures in the barn, but they are too dark. If it stops raining, I will take some more outside. They didn't load very well and didn't want to go into the stalls. We gave them salt blocks and they dug into those. These will give you an idea how thin they are.

This one is sorrel roan with flaxen mare and tail.

The black one.

[tuffydoodle]

Good heavens! I didn't really expect them to be that thin. Post more pics when you can.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh dear... They really are in bad shape, the poor things. Thank you for taking them in! I think the key with them will be free choice hay, but a little careful with the grain at first.

[HairOfTheDog]

And these people had hay available that you bought right? Did they just forget to feed them or is the hay just really not good? I'd wonder. I think even crap hay, if they'd been given enough, they wouldn't be that bad.

[HairOfTheDog]

Hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of lightening them.

[Duchess47]

My goodness, they are in bad shape. I'm glad you took them in - they will soon be on the road to recovery. Free choice grass hay would be good and grain and supplements in small amounts to start. It looks like you already had their feet taken care of. I think you will see weekly improvements.

I loved the pictures of your ride. :)

[MissTargets]

No, we just got them and have not had any hoof care. Hair, no problem lightening them up. My daughter did a little bit, as they were really dark. They were feeding the 10% you get from TSC. There was a plastic cup in the bin that "maybe" held a half pound. The round bales in the pasture looked pretty new, so I bet they were not getting much before that. We wormed them. Both keep yawning a lot. Could be teeth problems??

[squarebarb]

You are so good to take them!

First thing I always think of when I see a thin horse is worms.

Some Zimecterin Gold will get rid of the parasites. They may shape up to be real beauties!

[squarebarb]

Yawning --- I know in dogs it is a sign of tension. Maybe horses too?

Looks like you have enough hoof to work with.

It's strange, there is a family here in this little town where I live, they are prosperous people with no money worries, and yet they had a horse taken away from them by the SPCA (neighbors turned them in) who was so thin he could hardly walk. He was a skeleton. It's hard to figure.

[Duchess47]

Yes, I can see their feet now. Man, they are pretty bad too. They may be yawning from stress, they are surely very weak and totally stressed by now since they don't have the energy to deal.

Try to keep them together or side by side for awhile and if they aren't accustomed to being stalled, outside would be better. You said it's raining there, but is it cold? If it's not cold, they should be okay. Worming would be good but give them a day or two to get some strength and settle in.

[Duchess47]

I just realized you already wormed them so disregard :)

[HairOfTheDog]

What is their age? Could be that among other things, it would benefit them to have their teeth floated so they at least are getting the most of the nutrition they'll be getting.

[HairOfTheDog]

You know, their feet look rough, but better than they could be... at least they've been moving around enough to wear them down, they aren't just big long skis. Unless they are diseased, maybe their feet won't be too much of an issue.

[MissTargets]

It's pretty cool here, not even 60 yet and raining. Jody and Biscuit are outside with their "jackets" on. The two new ones are beside each other and the stalls have bars, so they can see. We will have to switch out with turning them out. The pasture is fenced off to less then 1/4 its size now. I am going to spray for weeds and reseed. We won't want to turn all of them out in such tight quarters.

Did you see where I said they were Missouri Fox Trotter/Appaloosa cross? Both have characteristics, eye, mottling, thin manes and tails. It would be awesome if they gaited..:) They are suppose to be broke to ride, but I can see they have not had much handling. Oh, and we also got the bag of "horse treats". They sure look for those, when you go in the stall. No more hand feeding for them.

[MissTargets]

What is their age?

8 and 10. I wish I would have went with them this morning, to pick up the horses. I had a lot of questions. We will have the vet out to take blood and stool samples. Their manure looked ok. Not runny. My thinking is, that they just got those round bales and the horses didn't have any pasture to eat all summer. Plus, they were too busy too even care about them. Maybe, it's best I didn't go.

[Duchess47]

No, you wouldn't want them out with Jody and Biscuit yet. They need to settle in and you need to know they aren't sick :)

I think it would be great if they were gaited and I'm anxious to see more pictures of them as they gain weight. Did the people who owned them feed them horse treats?

Both Cleo and Fancy when we brought them home were distant and not people friendly. As they gained weight and healed, they both became much better. Cleo was not broke to ride but was very easy to break and train after she learned to trust a little. Fancy was broke but needed to learn more than throw a saddle on and run. She also needed to learn to trust and accept correction without expecting the devil himself to show up. Lots of the wild eyed look expecting the worst.

[Duchess47]

They are both young enough at 8 and 10 to recover quickly. And mature enough that if this hasn't been a long established treatment of them, there won't be any lasting effects.

[MissTargets]

Some Zimecterin Gold will get rid of the parasites.

That is what was given them.

Texas Humane Society would have had these horses. Around here, they won't do a thing as long as there is feed available. Doesn't matter if the animal is not getting any, just as long as it's there. Sad.

[MissTargets]

Did the people who owned them feed them horse treats?

Yes, the kids were feeding them the treats. When we looked at them the first time, one of the kids went to get a brush. He came out with a scrub brush, to use on the horse! It will take some time, but we will get them back in shape.