[Heavenly Jumper]

Alrighty, my hubbys paso fino (he was moved back up north to my MIL's farm for a few months while we were buyin a house and moving) and probably a morgan mare who belongs to my MIL will be on loan to me as well. They will be here (so far as I know) in a couple of months. So I'm doing research ahead of time.

1st question: What should I be responsible for with the mare? She doesn't belong to me and I am fronting feed, exercise and board for her on my property. I didn't ask for the loan of her, my MIL is being generous. I plan to pay for feed and farrier. Worming as well. How can I ask that my MIL pays everything else. (especially emergency vet care). Is this fair?

*sorry that was off the topic in general oops*

Second Question: What kind of feeding program should I put them on?

They are both 16ish years old. No medical problems. Both easy keepers and the paso gets fat off air. They are currently on pasture 24hrs with a grazing muzzle and 2-4 flakes of hay per day. They also gets 12% sweet feed and countless supplements. This is all at the hands of my MIL, she is supplement crazy! Both horses are NOT worked, at all and are on the chubby side.

When they get here, I would like to have them out 24 hours except for feed time. Do they need grain? Or would just pasture and hay be fine? I plan on riding them at least every other day (alternating). If not more.

[Shotgun93]

No, they don't need the grain. Take them off that. I would also limit the hay until they start to get to a better weight, then start to add more hay. If you have to add more grain after a while, don't do sweet feed.

[Blistering Winds]

If you do a lease, you cover EVERYTHING that occurs from the result of you. Including emergency care that resulted from something you did.

You can write up that a "fluke" emergency would be her deal....horse runs into fence, horse colic's for no reason that is directly contributed from you and your feeding regimine, etc


But you need to put it in writing.


More than likely, they don't need grain. Especially if they get fat on air.

However, she can stipulate in the lease, that you follow her feeding regimine.

Honestly, this might be a bigger mess than you can ever imagion.

Outline EVERYTHING in writing. ESPECIALLY with family.

[Shotgun93]

Oh ya, I forgot about your first question. Like BW said, get everything in writing, everything.
I would draw up a contract that stated that you will feed the horses the regime that you see fit as they will be in different conditions with you.
The vet care can be paid for by you or her, you just have to agree on it and write it down. think of every little cost you might have and right down who pays for it.
Then, find all the information on this forum about sweet feed and what it can do to horses, much less over weight horses and give it to her if she argues over the feed plan.

[Ryle]

Definitely on both of these horses watch what you feed them. Paso Fino's are more prone to metabolic issues (the getting fat off air comment makes me suspicious). Good quality hay and then supplementing with a higher fat lower carb diet as needed would be a good way to go. We tend to recommend Strategy and the Paso Fino breeding operation we vet horses for uses this as their main feed. In some of the older horses, Equine Senior is used instead. The Paso Fino mares there tend to get about 1/2-1 lb of Strategy a day along with hay or grass and stay fat even through pregnancy and nursing.

[Sue B]

I also recommend that you get a valid lease. If this is your MIL, then I would discuss it with hubby to determine what he thinks should be in the lease.

I agree with the others...take them off grain, but you need to supplement. Both of these breeds are prone to metabolic disorders and subject to laminitis...espeically at the age they are at.

Get something like a balancer pellet, Triple Crown 30% or other similar feed. It will add all the prtein and nutrients that you need without adding calories to the diet. I would not put them on an added fat feed...but if you want to put them on a feed....TC Lite is a good feed for working horses.

I would not let them graze the entire day either.

[Heavenly Jumper]

Alright, I will type up a lease and post it here later for a critique thanks on that one.

As for the feed, I will be putting them out in muzzles. Will that reduce their intake enough, or too much? The TC sounds like a good idea as well, I will see if my feed store carries it.

One thing that needs to be done, for the paso, is he needs to be IR tested. He shows too many signs if it for my comfort. He is cresty and looks puffy. Never shown signs of lameness, but I'd rather do the test to be certain.

[Sue B]

Sounds like a plan HJ....I wish you luck with the Paso. Better safe than sorry.