[NorthernDust]

Hey -
So we passed a couple of horses today, and I have questions -

1. When you can see a horse's ribs from the road, is this too skinny?
2. What do super skinny withers look like? One horse almost had a lump at his withers, with the skin streched over it.
3. What are the reasons a horse would strip a tree of bark? I know it can be out of boredom, but will they do it if they are super hungery? (there is hardly any grass in their pasture)
4. What is the ethical thing to do here? Call Animal Control, or Mind my own Beeswax?

I didn't take pictures - my friend advised me not to.
Thanks for your help in advance.

[PollyWog]

If you can see: ribs, hips, and back bone at a road their EXTREMELY thin.

When a horse gets SUPER skinny their organs slowly begin to shut down.

A horse will survive as long as it has the will to live. Most generally a horses' body will feed off itself eating the fat first, muscle second, and eventually whatever is left besides bones.

***EDIT***

Took the pictures off.

=)

[PollyWog]

You should have taken pictures. It wouldn't have hurt. And showed us. That way we could tell you whehther or not to call the AC. If you feel or have a gut feeling their skinny and don't have hay, no grass and there are trees striped of bark. You certainly bet those horses have been eating whatever is left so they don't feel as hungry. The bad thing is the bark can poke, bruise, scrape, punture, etc to their organs. Making them sick with abcesses, alcers, upset stomaches etc. Which really messes with their systems.

[NorthernDust]

I'll take pictures on monday when I pass them again -

The one looked a little worse than the second picture - and the withers were MUCH worse than the pic you posted.
I'll keep ya'll updated ASAP.

[PollyWog]

Now I'm REALLY interested in seeing pictures.

Here is another picture. An OTTB I rescued a few years back.

When I first got him:



Here is him getting somewhat fatter but still under weight:

[NorthernDust]

sigh. thanks, pollywog. I am SO thankful for the help sorting thru this.
How long did it take you to get your OTTB un-skinny?

[cminor]

I personally would not advise to post pics of someone elses horses in that shape that you might possibly report. You don't know who on here knows who and they may very well retaliate if they find out it was you. I would take pics that could be shown to ac and call them. But remember this is the world wide web that everyone has access too. I had posted pics of a neglect case, but I had no fear as the owner knew it was me that called on him. I ended up bringing the horse to my house caring for it, and everything had a happy ending, but that may not be so for you.

I personally think you should call. It does sound like they are in bad shape.

[PollyWog]

It took FOREVER. He was a very HARD keeper.

He needed A LOT of dental work. When he was eating, he basically chewed sores/holes into his cheeks.

After a lot of dental work, mush feeding, eventually working up to more solid feeding, LOTS of worming, 24-7 coastal round bale under a shelter from the rain and wind.

It took a good 6 months to get him were I wanted him. Which was fat & muscled.

This is how his owners treated him after he got too old for racing. He had earnings of like 30,000$'s or so.

[NorthernDust]

cminor-
hmmm....okay...
I don't want to get in trouble...I'm just worried.

pollywog-
ah. TBs can be tough. lol.

[PollyWog]

cminor - I googled these pictures.

They are rescue horses. If your truly uncomfortable with me having the pictures up. I will remove them. Other wise I was merely trying to show the OP something. =)

*Edit* - The prominent withers horse was googled also. He/she isn't a rescue case. But he is a good example of prominent withers as google shows.