Does he count...?

Dusty1979 · 06-17-2008, 05:01 AM

Regardless of what you choose to call it, it is obvious that this horse needed some intervention before he lost any more weight. Maybe I'm a little too used to having horses that carry more weight than they should, but I would be panicking if I had a horse this thin. There is a problem somewhere and it needs to be found.

To me, rescue would be to remove the animal from a situation that was dangerous/unhealthy/unsafe with no signs of the present owner willing/able to make changes for the better.

Good for you in taking this horse on. Hopefully you will be repaid many times over with a loyal, willing companion.

Sheza_Angel · 06-17-2008, 11:38 AM

Hm, close to being a rescue indeed. We have one that was mid-serious rescue, and another that equivalent to the word in every shape and fashion [two days from death as the vet told us.. but she is now doing great, and is fat & happy!].

He is very handsome and congrats on him! Have fun with him.

My Dad's new 7yr old OTTB was at a similar weight to him. He's put on some weight since then [it's been about a month..]. He's got 20 acres all to himself to just be a horse and be ridden/groomed as needed. They are such wonderful horses!

Beeks · 06-18-2008, 09:59 AM

County-
I did not mean to offend you with my post. I obviously misinterrpretted your problem with the word rescue. My post was meant to point out, that you will be seeing the word to the point of saturation, if we do not soon get relief from the soaring feed prices. I fear their will be more to rescue, than people financially able to rescue them. It is a fear that is already coming to pass.

County · 06-19-2008, 02:57 AM

Oh I'm not offended at all.

Just curious this is a question to all not any one person.

If you see obese horses do you rescue them? To have one like that is just as abusive as a thin one all the vets I've ever talked to say its actually much more unhealthy then a thing horse is. Does anyone fight to get the obese horse or only thin ones? Anyone go out of their way to turn in people that abuse those?

prairienights · 06-19-2008, 10:58 AM

I believe there was a foundered obese pony that somebody on here was considering calling animal control about.

Dawn · 06-19-2008, 04:21 PM

The problem is that there doesn't exist laws in most areas to help the overweight animal. So legally, you don't have anything to stand on. Though I have seen many times people offer to buy an overweight horse in order to rehabilitate it. And I do see that as every bit as much the 'rescue' as an underweight one.

Beeks · 06-19-2008, 05:36 PM

An overweight horse is the product of too much affection and not enough action. You would be hard pressed to find an animal welfare group that would take that horse away from the owner. More likely they would tell them what needs to be done and that they will be following up to see if it's getting taken care of. These people obviously can afford to, and love feeding their animals and letting them be taken away is more than likely, not going to happen. Underfed animals on the other hand, are usually the product of outright neglect or lack of funding. Both situations are more likely to lead to the willing sale or turn over of the animal.

Dawn · 06-19-2008, 05:39 PM

That's not always the case. Many times, overweight horses are every bit as neglected as underweight ones. Turned out in a large field to graze can easily lead to a foundered horse even if they don't see a human for months at a time.

County · 06-20-2008, 01:39 AM

I've turned 100's of horses out on pastures and never had one founder yet I'd say its a rare case that does. I think theres some kind of mind thought with alot of people that over feeding an animal isn't abuse at all and theres nothing wrong with it. Sadly for the animal its still being killed, its so much easier to put weight on a horse then it is to take it off.

Dawn · 06-20-2008, 05:04 AM

You're very lucky that none of those '100s' of horses have been IR or had metabolic issues then.

06-17-2008, 11:38 AM	#22
Sheza_Angel Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Alpine, TX [Sul Ross State University] Posts: 1,014 Images: 21 Blog Entries: 1	Hm, close to being a rescue indeed. We have one that was mid-serious rescue, and another that equivalent to the word in every shape and fashion [two days from death as the vet told us.. but she is now doing great, and is fat & happy!]. He is very handsome and congrats on him! Have fun with him. My Dad's new 7yr old OTTB was at a similar weight to him. He's put on some weight since then [it's been about a month..]. He's got 20 acres all to himself to just be a horse and be ridden/groomed as needed. They are such wonderful horses! __________________ *PRO-SLAUGHTER* if done right! Sheza Angel - my grade QH mare *College Student that is ADDICTED to HGS!*

06-18-2008, 09:59 AM	#23
Beeks Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Washington Posts: 661 Images: 18	County- I did not mean to offend you with my post. I obviously misinterrpretted your problem with the word rescue. My post was meant to point out, that you will be seeing the word to the point of saturation, if we do not soon get relief from the soaring feed prices. I fear their will be more to rescue, than people financially able to rescue them. It is a fear that is already coming to pass. __________________ If wishes were horses, then beggers would ride.

06-19-2008, 10:58 AM	#25
prairienights Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,705 Images: 339 Blog Entries: 1	I believe there was a foundered obese pony that somebody on here was considering calling animal control about. __________________ ___() () _ ~/( o o) _~/ _ __\\ _~/ __ _ (,,)

06-19-2008, 05:36 PM	#27
Beeks Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Washington Posts: 661 Images: 18	An overweight horse is the product of too much affection and not enough action. You would be hard pressed to find an animal welfare group that would take that horse away from the owner. More likely they would tell them what needs to be done and that they will be following up to see if it's getting taken care of. These people obviously can afford to, and love feeding their animals and letting them be taken away is more than likely, not going to happen. Underfed animals on the other hand, are usually the product of outright neglect or lack of funding. Both situations are more likely to lead to the willing sale or turn over of the animal. __________________ If wishes were horses, then beggers would ride.

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06-17-2008, 05:01 AM	#21
Dusty1979 Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Minnesota (rural area) Posts: 565 Images: 7	Regardless of what you choose to call it, it is obvious that this horse needed some intervention before he lost any more weight. Maybe I'm a little too used to having horses that carry more weight than they should, but I would be panicking if I had a horse this thin. There is a problem somewhere and it needs to be found. To me, rescue would be to remove the animal from a situation that was dangerous/unhealthy/unsafe with no signs of the present owner willing/able to make changes for the better. Good for you in taking this horse on. Hopefully you will be repaid many times over with a loyal, willing companion.

06-19-2008, 02:57 AM	#24
County Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,117	Oh I'm not offended at all. Just curious this is a question to all not any one person. If you see obese horses do you rescue them? To have one like that is just as abusive as a thin one all the vets I've ever talked to say its actually much more unhealthy then a thing horse is. Does anyone fight to get the obese horse or only thin ones? Anyone go out of their way to turn in people that abuse those?

06-19-2008, 04:21 PM	#26
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,652 Images: 1283	The problem is that there doesn't exist laws in most areas to help the overweight animal. So legally, you don't have anything to stand on. Though I have seen many times people offer to buy an overweight horse in order to rehabilitate it. And I do see that as every bit as much the 'rescue' as an underweight one.

06-19-2008, 05:39 PM	#28
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,652 Images: 1283	That's not always the case. Many times, overweight horses are every bit as neglected as underweight ones. Turned out in a large field to graze can easily lead to a foundered horse even if they don't see a human for months at a time.

06-20-2008, 01:39 AM	#29
County Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,117	I've turned 100's of horses out on pastures and never had one founder yet I'd say its a rare case that does. I think theres some kind of mind thought with alot of people that over feeding an animal isn't abuse at all and theres nothing wrong with it. Sadly for the animal its still being killed, its so much easier to put weight on a horse then it is to take it off.

06-20-2008, 05:04 AM	#30
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,652 Images: 1283	You're very lucky that none of those '100s' of horses have been IR or had metabolic issues then.