Barbaro Enjoying Quiet Holiday Weekend

yahoo.com ^ | 5/28/06 | unknown

[HairOfTheDog]

It was in the article above... which seems to be based on this update.

[Rte66]

Tell me about peppermints!

On the daily schedule, it said they feed him carrots, apples or peppermints in the morning. I saw that lots of people were also sending him peppermints.

What kind of peppermints do you feed to horses? Are they like little red/white striped "Starlight" mints hard candy? Or are there special "horse peppermints"? I assume it's OK for horses eat them, obviously - but it seems like such a funny thing. Is it like the lumps of sugar we non-horse people also think horses like to eat?

I guess I'm asking - is this OK for their teeth, lol?

[Beaker]

Wow. Ok, I missed that part about his diet. That is interesting about keeping up the sweetfeed. I'd think that they'd at least cut that out, and if they still felt the need for grain, and leave him with pellets if they're just worried about him maintaining weight. I'm sure these guys know what they're doing, but it is puzzling.

[AnAmericanMother]

It does seem like they're feeding him pretty high for a sedentary horse that's come suddenly off hard work.

Maybe they're reducing the quantity significantly, and feeding him frequently to give him something to do.

(my mare likes to bounce her feed tub off the stall wall so that the feed jumps out on the rubber mat floor, then pick it up grain by grain. I guess it keeps her occupied.)

[Rte66]

Doc Richardson said it in the interview yesterday or today with Thoroughbred Times, which I posted a few posts back.

[Rte66]

I just *assumed* by "picked," that meant it wasn't "cut."

[HairOfTheDog]

Who knows ;~D They're spoiling him, is the point, I think :~D

[AnAmericanMother]

Peppermints in reasonable quantity (a handful a day) isn't going to hurt anybody. Most people give 'em the ordinary Starlight mints (unwrap them first please!) The popular wisdom used to be that feeding a horse sugar or peppermints would "give him worms." Obviously that's not true.

If a horse is a little pushy, feeding him peppermints may make him tend to nip, but that's true of any hand feeding. I've never heard of sugar giving a horse tooth decay - there's plenty of sugar in sweet feed, it's loaded with molasses. Most of the dietary supplements have a molasses base to make them palatable.

My mare doesn't like peppermints - she'll run them around in her mouth for awhile, then drop them on the floor.

What she likes is these:

She'll run over you for one if you're not careful. My dog likes them too. Mostly oatmeal, chopped carrots, and molasses.

[Rte66]

I hope that *is* what Barbaro is doing! It's not like he follows the soaps on TV or does crossword or jigsaw puzzles. Poor thing when he figures out he won't be running again. I hope they have horsey Prozac or something similar.

[AnAmericanMother]

It sounds like they're trying to keep him interested and occupied, hand feeding him a lot, grooming him frequently, and just keeping him company (and leading the mares by from time to time to perk up his interest.)

I'm sure they're thinking that an active, interested horse is a happy horse, and it'll help his health.

Horses are so darn adaptable, he'll probably adjust to the gimpy foot with time. I'm sure they're worried about letting him off the lead shank for the first time, but maybe they can work him on a longe or in a small round pen so he can't really get going.

[Rte66]

Mmmmm, sounds yummy!

[AnAmericanMother]

They taste pretty good . . . even though "NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION" is all over the label.

A lot of doggy people hold their dog treats in their mouths to have them handy during training . . . so an oatmeal-and-molasses treat is no big deal.

(I will carry bits of cheese in my mouth, but I draw the line at liver treats. Many people carry those around in their mouths . .. but I won't. I hate liver.)

[Rte66]

I just remembered they said he loved to munch buttercups at Fair Hill, so maybe someone is also *hand-picking* some of those and taking them to him.

Good thing I'm not there - I'd be sleeping in the stall with him, just to spoil him. I feel so sorry for him! *sigh*

[AnAmericanMother]

Somewhere I have a photo of my mare lying in her stall with her feet stuck straight out sideways, feeling sorry for herself because she just got shod (she hates new shoes with a passion, I think she has tender soles and all that hammering makes them ache).

I went in to commiserate with her, and somebody snapped a pic of me sitting holding her head in my lap, stroking her forelock and crooning, "Oh, poor mare! Oh, poor mare!" in a suspect tone.

[Rte66]

Ack, I drew the line at that, too. Pig's ears! P.U. My late furbaby (dog) was spoiled with treats but I never tasted any of them, although the peanut butter cookies did smell good!

Of course, vice versa, she liked *all* of my food.

[AnAmericanMother]

Did you ever get your dog a "bully stick"? They just go nuts over them, but boy do they smell bad once they've been chewed on some.

I make my dog keep hers outside.

[Beaker]

My mare doesn't like peppermints - she'll run them around in her mouth for awhile, then drop them on the floor.
I know an appy that was like that. Refused to eat them until I popped one in his mouth for him and a lightbulb went off in his head. Now he can't get enough of them.

[Rte66]

Ha ha, how cute. Don'tcha just know that feels icky? Imagine putting 1000s of pounds of pressure on tootsies that are smarting a little bit. Like a full day of shopping in high heels or new shoes or something, for me.

[AnAmericanMother]

I can put it back in her mouth twenty times, she'll hold it for a minute and then spit it out.

Silly girl

[beyond the sea]

LOL!