Horses??? Calling all horse people!!!

[tikeyas_mom]

No he doesn't have a bridal or anything on him.
He hasn't worn one in over two years the lady said.. So he might not approve on wearing one right away...

I am going to try giving him an apple. I heard before that you arn't suppost to give them the seeds in the apple? Should I remove the core?? I just want to make sure I don't make things worse lol. I figured out the growths on his legs are actually horse chestnuts? or horney growths?.. I read that they are normal, once he gets used to me I am going to rub cream on them till they soften up a bit, they look painfull...

Thanks for replying Karen

[Karen]

Spend a few weeks letting him get used to you before you try putting a bridle on him. Have an experienced person do that with you the first few times, as you don't want to spook him, or accidentally hurt him.

Have you had any prior experience with horses?

You don't want a dog to eat apple seeds, but I have never heard of them harming a horse! They will probably pass right through, no harm done. We never cored any apple before giving it to a horse.

[Vela]

Well just for some info, chesnuts are not painful, they have no feeling at all, horse have one on each leg. They are like fingernails, they are dead tissue, no pain. They grow long if they aren't peeled when groomed but even when long it poses no issue for the horse. Horses don't eat fruits and vegetables, they eat hay and/or grass. They ONLY need grain supplments if they are working hard and/or undernourished. If he's overweight, he needs nothing else for a supplement.

If he has trees for shelter he's doing fine. Horses can live even in winter with no shelter or blanket, although it would be best for him to have a lean to to go under to get out of the wind, they do not need to be stabled at all. My horses live outside 24/7. They have a lean to but they are healthier (respiratory wise) and happier living outside, rather than in stalls.

The horse should be fed twice a day, morning and night, if he's only eating hay. If there is pasture grass he probably doesn't need the hay in the summer/fall, only winter. He needs a clean water supply daily, a large trough filled with water that is kept full and dumped and cleaned out at least once a week.

I would not recommend riding him or doing anything else with him without an experienced horse person to help you, you will probably get hurt otherwise. You can pet him and get him used to you but I would refrain from doing much else with him until you get someone to help you.

Apples are fine, the seeds are fine, but honeslty he doesn't need much else. If you want to feed him something give him a carrot or two as well to "make friends" but he doesn't need any supplemental feeding if hes already overweight.

He would probably just like company and maybe some brushing if he's not scared of it but again, since he has not been handled much, get someone who knows about horses to come help teach you what to do so you are safe. It's really easy to get hurt. Good luck!

[pitc9]

Oh how sad!
Sure sounds like he's been forgotten about.

I hope you can make friends with him so he's not so lonley.

I'm sure brushing him and giving him carrots or apples once in a while will help to build your friendship quicker!

[IRescue452]

Sounds like they should find him another home. Poor horse. Personally, I'm against feeding 100% hay as its nothing but dead food with a few wasting nutrients. Is there at least some live grass in his pen? Are the pine trees big enough to provide shade and a good windbreak?

[Vela]

Well most food horses eat is "dead" unless they are on pasture, and pasture is actually NOT always good for horses. It all depends on the grass in the pasture, whether or not it has weeds and other poisonous plants as well, or if it's been rotated with other pastures and the soil reenriched to actually provide adequate nutrients. Just having "grass" won't do anything for the horse unless the ground has been rotated and is the proper kind and fertilized with the appropriate things.

Not to mention, an already overweight horse is at risk for laminitis if they eat too much grass in the spring. To safely put a horse on pasture they need to be gradually introduced to the grass in the spring and not allowed to graze too long as they are coming off winter hay and it can actually do permanent and even lethal damage to them if they are a single horse and allowed to eat all of the new grass. A larger herd will prevent any one horse from eating too much most of the time but some horses can NEVER be on pasture due to risk of laminitis. Horses like that are only able to eat grass hay to prevent permanent damage or death. A properly cultivated and fertilized hay field, cultivated at the proper time and put up without moisture actually has plenty of nutrients in it if it's fresh that year. Obviously old or moldy hay it not nutritious but that shouldn't be fed to them anyway.

Here is a link to how to properly maintain a pasture to actually feed a horse and maintain nutrition. There are also many other factors to take into consideration.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/...rsepasture.htm


Here is also an article from Viginia Tech about avoiding pasture induced laminitis.

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodica...5/aps-506.html


In any event, I hope you are able to enjoy each other's company and if he's going to be living there it would be great for you to spend some time with him, I'm sure he would appreciate the company!

[tikeyas_mom]

Vela- Thanks for all the advise! You are very knowledable.. Its good to know that eating hay alone is ok. I had no idea otherwise so, Its really a relief for me to knwo that much.. I am going to feed and water him everyday like you said - once I move in. Also I will indeed use the apples and carrots to bribe the friendship a bit lol.

I have to also say that I am sooo sorry about Ginger passing, I had no idea!!! poor baby I am really sorry... I hope your ok..


Karen- I actually have no horse experience, I have only ever riden one once during a trail ride with my family.. Other then that I have only gased at them from afare...

I will not try to put a bridal or sadle on him without help from my boyfriend (He has lots of horse experience, he used to break them as a carrier).