My mare died last night

Ooh she is a bit ribby! Hope she settles in well and Irish gets on with her :slight_smile:

Tonight after I fed dinner I opened Grace’s paddock so she could join Irish. She joined him, wandered around a bit and everything was peaceful - no snorting, biting or running on either side. I checked about 20 minutes later and they were side be side at the round bale. Irish came to see what I wanted, and Grace was following at his heels. Hopefully soon I’ll have some better pics.

Vet comes out the day after Memorial Day to do shots and check her out. She is up to date, but I’d like to have her checked. It was probably unwise to buy her without a vet check, but she seems sound and for $700 I’m not risking much (except 20 years of heartache if she has navicular).

StG

Good news! It all sounds very hopeful. And she’s not one of the breeds especially prone to navicular, so…

Well, when I fed breakfast this morning, all was calm and peaceful. THe seem to be getting along famosly, in part maybe because Grace seems to be a pushover. She may be skinny because she won’t even put her ears back if someone else comes over to eat her food. I’ll start feeding her separately.

StG

Sounds like everything is working out great. I look forward to more pictures of the kids!

Update?

Glad to hear Grace is picking up the atmosphere there, St. Germaine. I looked at the ad, then looked at Grace, and wondered how an ad could display such interest and care with the horse for so long, and yet she is so skinny? A half-dozen years ago, my sister ended up taking in all kinds of horses abandoned because for some reason hay was expensive and scarce, and people were just letting their horses roam publically to forage, it was so sad. So I wonder if something like that has hit where you are, though from the lovely pictures of Grace I am quite envious of all the green! I hope you get to plump her up a little, and she seems like a sweet doll. :slight_smile:

I know, it is heartbreaking for me, when I see horses that have been tossed out in a field to forage and they’re just skin and bones. With the terrible drought and economic conditions here in North Texas the past few years, there wasn’t a whole lot to keep the poor guys alive. Thankfully the tide seems to have turned - lately I’ve been seeing cattle that are so fat they look like they can barely walk, and the horses at the nearby rescue ranch look very happy and healthy, though I understand that they are still not accepting more horses currently, even though they have people calling every week trying to find a new home for their horse. :frowning:

Hay is still very expensive around here.

I’m feeding Grace separately and she seems to be gaining weight. She follows Irish everywhere. She seems to like human attention and petting, but hasn’t been into treats yet.

She’s…not lame, but rests with weight off her left foreleg. Vet will be out in a week for shots, floating and to consult on the leg. She readily trots and canters and doesn’t head-bob at the walk. Her feet look fine and there’s no heat. She’s off the track, so it might be an old injury, or just a habit. Even if she’s not 100% sound, she has a lifetime home with me and Irish.

Hay is reasonable here. I’ve ordered my hay for the year and 100 square bales is going to be $475, delivered and stacked in the barn.

I’m still nervous. I’ll get up and check on the horses just because it feels like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.

StG

100 bales for $475? Wow. I’m paying $7.00 per bale for 40/50-pound grass hay bales here in Massachusetts, grown on the farm where I rough-board, and that’s a very good price.

I’ll be interested to hear what’s up with that left foreleg.

ETF - These are nice solid 50lb bales, too. I heart my hay guy. $35 for a delivered 1000lb round bale. I just don’t much like feeding round bales.

StG

Wow… that IS a nice price, St.G! I’ll be interested to hear what the deal is with her leg, also. Maybe it’s just her favorite “pose”? :slight_smile:

How is Irish liking his new little shadow? :slight_smile: She sounds like such a sweetheart.

Sarabellum - Actually, I was looking at her elbow today. It’s all raw, it looks like she had a bunch of ticks there (I pulled off a few). Maybe a fungal infection? It could be that it’s just not as itchy/painful when the leg is forward and the skin isn’t bunched up under her leg. I’ll clean it well tonight and put some goop on it and see if that improves.

StG

I just found this thread St. Germain, so sorry for your loss of Nakota.

The vet came today and gave Grace her shots. She said she thought the resting with her weight off one foreleg was because her toe is too long (and heel too short) on the one leg. With the unevenness, it throws her weight over on that leg. It should be corrected with shoes on front. Possible trimming, but the vet is suggesting shoes at first. She needs to gain 200 lbs.

Daisy had her teeth floated. She choked three weeks ago and has been losing weight. Hopefully this will help both those situations.

So all is well on my little farm. Irish is warming up to Grace, and she follows him everywhere.

StG

** idyllic music plays softly **

Glad for the good news, St. Germain. You can post pictures any time. :smiley:

Excellent news! So glad to hear that.