| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 12/30/2004 7:09:47 PM PST by Admin Moderator, reason:
Thread III: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1311311/posts |
Posted on 09/18/2004 6:56:23 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?
A few of us thought it would be interesting and informative to have a chat thread where we can 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 last thread we had a great time and were a great help to each other working through lessons and training, horse lamenesses and illnesses, questions and challenges and always just our stories we like to tell.
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 Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) 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 last thread, 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.
I was going to go get the label off the feed and read it, but we've burned all the feed sacks already so I can't.
We've been giving her Bay's senior complete feed, it's high fat and high protein both, and pretty equivalent to the higher-power feeds, only pelleted for easier digestion than whole grains. We've been giving her 2 one-lb coffee cans full morning and night, and in the last week I've been giving her another scoop at night.
I think it's making her hot though, she's been a little snotty, so I'd like to switch to a feed actually designed for her. There are good weight builder supplements out there that we could try.
What region do you live in?
Is/was your stallion just running with your other horses? Are you just letting them breed at will or did you not realize they would because you were new at it?
Not many new horse people up and buy five horses, a stallion and immediately start having babies all at once, so I'm curious about what your horse-plan is...
As for posting pictures, there are photo places, like snapfish.com or yorkphoto.com where you can upload pics, they are free initially, and only require occasional purchase to keep them.... Sign up for an account and load pics somewhere like that on the internet, and then we can give ya the next set of instructions ;~D It's not hard when you break it down.
To post pictures, you first have to post the pictures to a host web site. Yorkphoto.com is one you can do that free at.
Once there you get the URL address, to do that click on to the thumbnail size picture, it will then appear bigger. Do a right click, a box will show. At the bottom of the box it will say "properties" click that. Another box will show:), Look for the URL address, it's about in the middle. Copy that (do you know how to copy).
Then go to a posting box of FR. The HTML code is
<img src="http://url of the picture">
Paste your copied URL address where it says url of the picture. Be sure to enclose it in quotation marks.
It sounds complicated but it's really not once you do it once. When you preview your post it should show the picture, if not you haven't done it right.
Becky
Just to put my two cents worth in, when we got the horses, we were planning on one horse but got a two for one deal. Unfortunately at the time, we only had one pasture to put them in. We then bought (rescued) another mare in January.
Although we really didn't set out to breed them that soon, we didn't have any other choice, and frankly, I didn't mind. We now have 1 smaller pasture and a 40 x 60 pen that we are using for the maternity ward.
Lightning (the stallion) bred Misty the day we got them (Christmas eve), and again in January. He also bred Sugar in January. As far as we know, that was the last time for either of them. Both look like they're about to pop.
This is just what I would do. But I use a 3lb coffee can. I'd be giving her one of those full twice a day. I'd also cut her protien down to as little as I could too. Too much protein can cause one to loose weight (so I've been told) because they get hyped and wear it off.
Becky
WEll sometimes things happen, especially with animals.
Since the mare is biting at her sides, if nothing happens by this evening, for sure by morning and the behavior continues, I'd call a vet. Of course then you'd have to pay after hour fees if you call tonight.
JMO, but once the babies are here, I'd put the stud in the maternity pen:), seperate from the mares and foals. Have you heard of foal heat? Mares will come back into heat real soon after delievering, in just days. Unless you're wanting more babies, of course. Not to sound preachy but this isn't really a good time of year for foals to be born in. You'd want to wait till spring, so the foal is born in the spring when the grass is good.
Becky
OK - I was concerned because we already were feeding her so much more than I feed the other two.
Bay never gets more than one (1-lb) can of senior and a half-can of cob. Pony gets about 2/3 of a small can of cob. And they're fat... But easy keepers I guess ;~D
So relatively speaking, I was already feeding a lot. Plus they all get pretty much free-choice grass hay.
Well, I would read the package for feeding instructions, and feed the amount for a working horse. In my experience with sweet feed, that's 1 to 1 1/2 pounds to 100 lbs of body weight. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't just suddenly increase her all in one day, build up to it.
She looks to me like she should top out about 950 lbs., and that's a guess from looking at pictures. A 3lb coffee can of sweet feed, usually weighs around 4 lbs.
Becky
Thanks for your advise. We are keeping the stud seperate from here on out.
If she looks like shes having trouble I do have a very good vet on standby already.
Photo link is
http://home.hpphoto.com/servlet/com.hp.HPGuestLogin?username=sharnwillis&password=60993386
The first photo is our daughter Emma(10) on Sugar, then a photo of sugar, then Jacob on Sugar, Jacob (5) on Misty and a friend with James holding the lead rope, on Misty.
The photos are a year old and were of the horses when we first got them. They thankfully look much fatter and in much better condition now.
Sharn
Well, I'll save labels next time we buy feed. We also have another wormer to give her. I usually skip a couple cycles on wormer in the winter, but it's easy just to make sure worms aren't slowing us down.
As soon as we use this hay up, I'll also be buying her some better hay. The local stuff we are feeding now is just empty roughage mostly.
Well guys, we're out here for the afternoon. Going to go see if we can get my shop done.
See ya later.
Becky
My friend Tiff called yesterday.... wanted advice on how to build a foal feeder so the foal can get what she needs without mama stealin' it. The more we talked though, the foal is nearly 5 months old now and she ought to think about weaning.
She doesn't have room to seperate them well though, and the topic came up of moving momma here. I really don't have room though, not in winter. I think her choice now is to seperate baby for feeding times and if they haven't weaned naturally by spring, I could take her then for a month or two.
Good luck!
We're gonna get started on projects... we got those stalls 90% done over a month ago, and the last 10% keeps getting put off ;~D
The problem we had when we first got our horse Sugar was she was still in a field with her 15month old foal (who was bigger than she), and he was still taking milk from her! She was so thin and in need of some TLC that i pursuaded my husband James to get her. She is now very healthy and happy.
Sharn
Yeah - good mommas won't wean them and it really drags the mare down to keep producing.
I know. Every day after we got her you could see a big difference. It was remarkable how quickly her ribs filled in. She is no prize horse......but she is the gentlest and talks to me every day. She is now pregnant and I will make sure at 5 months the foal gets weaned.
Good luck to your friend!
I have to go now, my whole family has flu and even though relations have been told, we have the bunch coming today for thanksgiving dinner.(guess hwo gets to cook everthing!) URGH..........i just want to curl up in bed!
Good luck with those projects we have many of them too!
Sharn
Do any of yall ever have a problem with your foot after riding? I have been putting in a lot of time trotting and my left foot on the top of my big toe side sore and causes me to walk stiffly. Sarah Lee very bouncy and I expect the soreness in other areas. I can't think of anything else I have done.
Well we're home.
We got almost everything bought now. And I even got about a dozen shirts made from what we already had.
This is going to take some adjustment. I'm not use to being away from home so much:)
Tomorrow we will finish cleaning the windows, that's going to take some time to get the sticky stuff off that the tint was glued on with. Get the open sign hung. That's about it. Except for waiting for the new transfers to come in.
The horses and Susie are going to have to make some adjustments too:)
Becky
That's a nice house too. My husband and I also built ours (ourself) . We are just kind of pay as you go people. A 30 year loan would drive us nuts:') Ours still isn't finished yet but it's livable.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.