I need advice!

[horse_lover]

Hi everyone! I'm new here. I was just wondering if it's okay to feed a horse a cheeseburger. My cousin does and I know you shouldn't feed a horse anything dairy. Meat isn't good for them either. I've already told her once that it's not good but she acts like a know it all and says "it is too, she hasn't gotten sick yet!" She also feeds her chicken! So I need some advice. Thank you!

[MajesticCollies]

Well looking back into ancient times I cant seem to find a horse that was Carnivorous. I think not to feed it meat.

[horse_lover]

Yeah but when I tell her not to feed it meat she ignores me or yells at me.

[horse_lover]

Is anyone there? I'm worried about her horse. It's not a daily thing more like a weekly thing. I don't know what to do!

[MajesticCollies]

Do you have a vet friend that can call her and explain to her that she shouldn't be doing that. Vets are there to help. I'm sure the local farm animal vet would be happy to do it.

[horse_lover]

Yes I suppose the vet could help. Thanks so much! You really helped! :D

[Toby's my baby]

No, it isn't safe to feed horses anything that isn't regular in their diet. I USED to give my horse m&m's. I think I did it like twice, and stopped, it isn't safe, and they could get very sick. I'm actually surprised the horse would even eat meat. I've offered my horse other food besides fruit and veggies (not with the intentions of giving it to him, but just curious), but he doesn't even seem interested in it.

[Karen]

Horses probably cannot even digest the cheese and the burger itself, like we cannot survive on hay. Our digestive systems are made to handle different things. The bun may be okay ... But the rest probably gives the horse a bellyache, and if nothing else, makes him eat less food that he actually CAN digest and derive nutrition from because he's already eaten something.

Have a veterinarian explain to her how silly that is.

[horse_lover]

Does anybody think it could be a sign of malnutrition?

[areias]

Does anybody think it could be a sign of malnutrition?

Like, that she's not feeding it correctly? If she is feeding the horse soley on cheeseburgers...than yes. A lady I knew used to feed her horse beer, cake, chicken, etc. It seemed fine, but it was found dead in a small paddock when it was only 24, no symptoms of anything, maybe a heart attack? I'm sure this had something to do with it. If the horse is skinny, has a poor coat, lack of energy, bad hooves, it would show malnutrition. If this is the case, call your local animal control to take a look, even if they don't do anything, this might serve as a warning for her.

[horse_lover]

I would just hate for her horse to get taken away though. She doesn't grain her horses she only feeds them hay. And yes the horse is very skinny and it just had a baby. The baby also eats parts of cheeseburgers. She also has a poor coat and is skinny which is usual for baby horses but she is six months old and should be fattened up by now. Should I call the vet and ask them about it? THat's what everyone else suggested.

[buttercup132]

I would just hate for her horse to get taken away though. She doesn't grain her horses she only feeds them hay. And yes the horse is very skinny and it just had a baby. The baby also eats parts of cheeseburgers. The baby also has a poor coat and is skinny which is usual for baby horses but she is six months old and should be fattened up by now.:eek: If you really care for the horse call your spca and explain the situation.

[horse_lover]

Would they take the horse away though? Cause I don't want that!

[buttercup132]

Would they take the horse away though? Cause I don't want that!Probly but thats whats best.I know its hard but its whats right.

[horse_lover]

Yes but what about the baby?

[areias]

The baby is ready to be weaned. If anything, the baby is putting a huge toll on her mom. When they get over a certain age, they need to be weaned, especially if the mom isn't totally healthy. How much acreage are they on? Is there grass? If anything the horse should be getting grain, even if they don't get hay, especially if she has a baby. Baby should already be getting grain, too, to supplement itself. You need to call animal control, they will assess the situation and make their own judgements. There is a possibility they won't be taken away, but the girl does not sound very nice and it would be a great benefit to the horse if she was taken away. What do the girls parents say? Do they do anything?

[horse_lover]

The mom and the baby are in a little paddock where there is no grass and they can't run around at all. My cousin has seven horses and she thinks she knows everthing about horses when really she barely knows anything. She rarely grains them and when she does she feeds the cracked corn. Which is really dusty right? Here's another thing, my cousin is 24 and her parents don't know anything about horses. Her mom can only feed them hay.

[areias]

Please call animal control or the aspca. It is vital to these horses health. Where are you located? I can find the number for you.

How much hay are they getting? Do the other horses get grain, what kind of pasture do they have? Do their feet get done regularly?

[horse_lover]

I really don't think I could do that! Maybe if it doesn't get better soon then I'll call but I can't now! Yes their feet get done regularly and they get almost a bale of hay a day. I guess it's better than it was. She's started taking better care of them. But if I call animal control, and if they find out who called they would never talk to me again! She's just lost her father in-law and I would hate to have that hapen to her! Maybe I could call the vet and they could help the horses.

[areias]

Could you educate your parents, and have them talk to your cousin? Please try something...it will NOT get better, only worse.

[horse_lover]

Do you think the vet could help? She just lost her father in-law and it would be very sad to watch this. Also if they found out I called I would never be talked to again!

[areias]

It would be even sadder to let neglected animals suffer, when you can help them out. You know there is a problem. What about your parents?

[horse_lover]

What do you mean what about my parents? My mom wouldn't talk to her!

[areias]

I suppose you could start out with the vet, but I'm not sure if it will do anything. I am going to go now..please take my advice and consider calling animal control.

[horse_lover]

The horses aren't neglected anyway. They aren't as well taken care of as they should be but at least she feeds them and rides them.

[horse_lover]

thanks for you're help!

[buttercup132]

Feeding the hay only is fine. She dosent have to grain them. Infact not many horses ni my barn get grains. The one guy I know dosent feed anyhting toher then hay to his 15 horses.

When you call the Spca you can leave your name as annominous so she wont know or ever find out.

Riding them dosent mean they arent neglected. A pen where they cant run is not nice.

[areias]

But if the horse has a baby and is in a small dirt paddock? It would only make sense to grain them.

[Tralee]

Do the horse go into the barn at night? If not do they have some kind of shelter? I would try and contact the vet your friends uses, and discuss the situation.

[horse_lover]

Oh yes the horses actually have a big barn to go in. She was out of town so I had to feed the horses and that's when the momma and the baby were in the small paddock.

[horse_lover]

She has two older horses that go to the neighbors paddock where they have almost 5 acres of grass. I think she just needs help with the horses because she has seven and she has to pay for everything. I'm mean they get their yearly shots but I think they need to be grained because she rides them heaviley. She barrel races 4 of the horses including the momma.

[horse_lover]

I only feed my horses grain when I barrel race them or ride them alot. She does grain them sometimes but she feeds them cracked corn which is dusty.

[areias]

Well then that sounds fine. You had me thinking they were in the paddock 24/7. If you are concerned, still talk to the vet. To answer your question earlier, little pieces of hamburger every now and then isn't going to hurt them, but giving them whole hamburgers every day isn't all that good either. And it would be a lot more expensive to feed them on hamburgers. :p

-Edit... Cracked corn is not very nutritious, however it is very high energy feed. That is probably why she feeds it if she is barrel racing.

[horse_lover]

You're tellin' me! I thought that cracked corn was dusty though.

[horse_lover]

Okay but shouldn't she at least put mollasses or some supplements in it so it wouldn't be so dusty?