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Two rescue horses. Advice please!

12K views 145 replies 22 participants last post by  Glenknock 
#1 ·
Hey everyone,

Yesterday we rescued two horses. An 11 year old mare and a 2 year old colt. The place we got them from had zero grass. They were eating off a round bale of some type of hay. Both are very under weight. I am almost positive they have worms (they both itch their tails.) I want to deworm ASAP but I don't wanna use propac. Are there any others that would work just as well that can be bought at places like tractor supply? I am also worried about the chances of laminitis. I didn't have a choice but to move them to a pasture of grass. There are no stalls or any way for me to keep them from eating all day. I live in Florida so that grass isn't super nutritious but I'm not sure if that matters.

Anyone else have a rescue horse? I really need advice on the best way to go about getting them fat again. They seem to be in great health
 
#2 ·
Go buy grazing muzzles for them ASAP! It does matter... Fence of a section and get the blades of the mower at it's lowest setting to mow it down in that area. Get the clippings up as best you can before putting them in there and get it disc'd if possible. Then you can slowly introduce their systems to free grazing grass so that you don't, potentially, kill them with kindness.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but this is now your responsibility to do whatever is necessary to ensure their health as a rescuer. A lot of people seem to think rescuing is the immediate saving from a situation, but in most cases it is taking them from one extreme danger right over into another.

This is not meant to be rude or belittling and don't want you to read it as such.


3 things to know if you have what it takes to be a rescue.

1. Do you have the means to provide any and all needs of the rescued.

2. Ability to recognize what those needs are.

3. Compassion and desire to provide those needs as needed.

If you do not meet those basic standards then you and the one needing rescued are better off if you help find someone who does meet those standards. That is as rewarding as being the rescuer.

I have had to pass on a few horses because I couldn't meet those standards for those particular animals, but was able to connect another person to them who did.
 
#3 ·
I also want to point out that just because they didn't have grass doesn't mean they wern't taken care of. They had hay, many horses never get green grass. Do you have pictures? Most people tend to think horses are underweight when actually they are healthy.

Also keep that colt away from the mare. They need to be split ASAP or the colt needs gelding. Either way the colt should be gelded.

And please get a vet involved like yesterday.
 
#4 ·
a true rescue is saving a horse from severe mental or physical abuse, or removing it from a life threatening situation, such as starvation. It sounds like these horses were not particularly well cared for, but I doubt their lives were in danger. Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine. if I called every horse on the farm that wasnt in a perfect home before it came here a rescue, there would be a whole herd full.

there is a VERY high likely hood of founder, taking horses off hay and into fresh grass 24/7. as was mentioned, separate a section and mow it, then slowly introduce the grass, or try grazing muzzels.

and if that colt isnt gelded, the mare is likely pregnant as well.
 
#5 ·
I have been trying the get ahold of my vet all morning. We are wanting to get him gelded ASAP! The grass in the area they are in is already at about one inch. We cut it as low as we could before the big rain came yesterday. They do seem to be healthy. I think the ladies were trying to take care of them but just didn't have the means to do so. They have already warned me that animal control will be contacting me about the horses. This was not supposed to be a rescue case. We were looking for another horse and were interested in the mare. We then found out about the colt and decided to take them both. We were told they were a little under weight. It wasn't until we got there that we got the whole story/truth. We had no idea when we were even on our way there with the trailer that animal control was involved. I will go pick up some grazing muzzles for them now. The colt has no interest in the mare as of right now. She has been living with him and another colt for a while I guess. How long do they have to wear the grazing muzzles?

Thanks everyone
 
#27 ·
I have been trying the get ahold of my vet all morning. We are wanting to get him gelded ASAP! The grass in the area they are in is already at about one inch. We cut it as low as we could before the big rain came yesterday. They do seem to be healthy. I think the ladies were trying to take care of them but just didn't have the means to do so. They have already warned me that animal control will be contacting me about the horses. This was not supposed to be a rescue case. We were looking for another horse and were interested in the mare. We then found out about the colt and decided to take them both. We were told they were a little under weight. It wasn't until we got there that we got the whole story/truth. We had no idea when we were even on our way there with the trailer that animal control was involved. I will go pick up some grazing muzzles for them now. The colt has no interest in the mare as of right now. She has been living with him and another colt for a while I guess. How long do they have to wear the grazing muzzles?

Thanks everyone
Well being told I should have animal control help me place the horses in a more suitable place isn't exactly words of encouragement. Makes me feel like I'm the abuser. The horses are on a 2 acre patch of a 24 acre pasture. Vet fees here seem more reasonable. The call fee is $35, gelding around $150 if no complications and the palpation around $70. I am not a new owner. Just because someone asks a question doesn't mean they are new to horses. I've owned them for 18 years. I have just never had a pregnant mare before. I would love to upload pictures but I do not know how to do so from my phone. I am worming them tonight. I also checked them for sand and to my surprise there was very little to be seen at least. I am not worried about starting the colt. I have plenty of trainers around me.

Thank you!
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The bold part and you mentioning you were looking for a horse for your bf so you didn't have to share your QH was the only reason I mentioned asking AC about another home for them. I got the feeling there was some hesitation about this situation and thought they could help find another good home for the horses and allow you two to look for a horse that suited your needs.

I never meant any of my responses(even posted that I did not want them to be taken as belittling) to be offensive. I will get out of your thread now as I doubt any advice I offered now would be tainted with a bad taste in your mouth for me. My apologies as I exit.
 
#6 ·
He's probably not interested because she's already pregnant. You will need a vet to check that and you really need to get them separated immediately. They should wear the grazing muzzles while they are out on grass. Short/stressed grass is actually higher in sugars.

Maybe toss them some good hay to keep them eating that instead of the grass. If you can fence even a temporary area and put hay in there. They will quickly churn up the grass in a small space so it will be a dirt lot then gradually introduce them to the grass over a period of two weeks possibly more depending on their health.
 
#7 ·
We aren't able to fence anything off. I will throw them hay to keep them away from the grass. I will keep the grazing muzzle on them but at what point can I take them off? When will it be safe for them to graze freely? I will be getting the vet out this week to get her checked for pregnancy and get him gelded.
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#8 ·
Well typically you start with an hour per day and increse each day from there until they are out on it 24/7. But this isn't spring grass and they will be on the grass just in grazing muzzles. I would say they could probably do a few hours per day without the muzzle. Maybe at night? There are other's here who know more than I do about that. But I think the night grass is the safest?

You can't put a few t-posts up with two strands of white tape temporarily?
 
#9 ·
Why can you not get some electric tape and section an area off - you can extend that area a bit at a time so they only ever have a limited amount of fresh grass and cant 'over eat' and cause an overload of sugars into their systems
Your vet should blood test them for encysted worms and tape worms but I would have wormed them immediately with a broad spectrum wormer that targets pretty much everything - if they are heavily burdened your pasture is now contaminated.
I never turn a new horse out on my land until its been fully wormed - but I'm just really fussy.
Odds on the mare is already pregnant - you need to get this properly confirmed so you know how far on she is if that is the case so you can be prepared for the foaling.
I have you have a healthy bank balance!!!
 
#11 ·
We are on the east coast Sarasota area. Well this is definitely not what we bargained for. We wanted another riding horse. My boyfriend and I weren't having fun sharing my quarter horse. I will not just let them go now. They will get the care that they need. This isn't their fault.
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#12 ·
I applaud you for the caring part, but would really advise you to talk with AC when they contact you about helping you find a better suited home for them. I know it's not their fault, but you were just looking for another riding horse then you will not be happy very long with the decision to keep them after you get more invested in their needs and realize you are spending more time taking care of them than you are just enjoying them.

There is no shame in admitting you took on more than you are prepared for. The shame comes when a person doesn't do the right thing when that becomes obvious and it starts showing in the quality of care being provided... Hope that makes sense.


Good luck to you and the horses.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I think Roady was just pointing out if you were looking for a riding horse you ended up with something entirely different. While the mare may be rideable you are looking at considerable expense right at the start. Aside from the grazing issue which you can handle with grazing muzzles and controlled time on pasture you are having to deal with the unexpected cost of gelding and mare management as it is highly likely she is pregnant. Around here the vet cost to come out is $90, gelding another $300 without complications and then ultra sounding and preg checking another $100. You are now taking on three mouths instead of one and the mare will need down time once baby is born. The 2y.o. needs more time before starting and then you are looking at training time and or cost depending on your capabilities. You have so much to consider all he(?) is saying if it becomes too much there is no shame in rehoming. It sounds like you are willing and I am assuming able to work with the situation. Worm them, move or spread the manure so it is exposed to the heat and sun, muzzle them and figure out a schedule for grazing, get the vet out for preg check and gelding. Watch for signs of laminitis. If your area is like ours has been in recent years the grass quality is poor and the grass is thin so it may not be a worry. talk to your vet about that as well. Keeping a pregnant mare is not cheap and usually there are no issues with gelding but this year we had two done. First time ever I have had to have repeat vet checks and further treatment because something went wrong with one. They drop the cost of the call, they charge a recheck fee which is cheaper but meds are still full price and he got really expensive really fast. It adds up. Start putting aside for foaling. Expect the unexpected. With three due I have one live foal on the ground. One mare I am assuming slipped sometime this winter but the other we lost the baby and almost lost the mare due to dystocia. Another massive vet bill plus burial cost. Totally unrelated we lost our stallion to triple E. Again multiple visits, meds, and burial. All of this in a very short time. One thing right after the other. Bad luck all the way around and we are and will be paying on the bill for awhile. Most vets will work with you but there comes a point when the cost can be overwhelming. All of this followed having to have surgery on another for cancer. Can you cover the unexpected costs? It is something to think about. Good luck with your new horses and may everything work out. I'd love to see pics. We have a rescue mare that we spent most of a year rehabilitating. There is joy in seeing how far she has come.
 
#16 ·
Chess .. don't let people discourage you.

You did the right thing by:

being concerned
taking the horses
asking for advise/help

I trust that if you find yourself over your head that you'll do the right thing again.

Even the folks on here weren't born knowing everything they think they know about horses! We're all learning, and "rescuing" can definitely be a learning experience.

Enjoy watching them improve and bless us with pictures.

~tg
 
#17 ·
That is what I was getting at QtrBel. I even posted that I applaud her for taking them on, but there are a few foaling cost threads on here that put a cost at or around $3500 additional costs for Mare and foal care to get them on the ground. Then like you said, the down time of the pregnancy(if most of us are right and she is) as well as the colt needing matured before starting under saddle. You do not have another riding horse like you really had your heart set on.

I do not know your background, OP, and basing my responses as though you are fairly new to owning. I just hate to see fairly new owners get discouraged about having horses because of all free time being spent on care instead of on riding and enjoying. I am going through that situation now of all my time spent on care for six horses. My daughter was suppose to take her 2 when she moved, but her bf decided they were not a top priority. I'm stuck with them and looking at rehoming 3 to get down to a manageable herd that I'll be able to enjoy them as much on the trails as I do providing for them.
 
#18 ·
I'm sorry you feel that anyone is being negative - that's not the intent at all, the comments were made in your best interests so you can really understand all the problems & costs you might have to deal with. I've had rescue horses and in some cases the bills have been huge and sadly they didn't all end well
The blame isn't on those poor horses but on the people who've failed them in the past
I've followed the ups and downs of Poppy and her rescue horse Lizzie and all that she's had to deal with so I know whatever she says comes from real life hands on stuff
I hope you'll update us and post photos so we can share your experiences too
 
#19 ·
Well being told I should have animal control help me place the horses in a more suitable place isn't exactly words of encouragement. Makes me feel like I'm the abuser. The horses are on a 2 acre patch of a 24 acre pasture. Vet fees here seem more reasonable. The call fee is $35, gelding around $150 if no complications and the palpation around $70. I am not a new owner. Just because someone asks a question doesn't mean they are new to horses. I've owned them for 18 years. I have just never had a pregnant mare before. I would love to upload pictures but I do not know how to do so from my phone. I am worming them tonight. I also checked them for sand and to my surprise there was very little to be seen at least. I am not worried about starting the colt. I have plenty of trainers around me.

Thank you!
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#20 ·
To be honest I would have left them if animal control was already involved. It isn't the intial costs that you can see that are bad, it's the ones that you don't plan on. My rescue, Lizzy, was almost free when I got her. She "just" needed food. Well that was as far from the truth as possible. I haven't added up all the extra expenses as it will make me very depressed but I have spent more on her extras in the last year and a half than I have spent on 4 semesters of college. Speaking of which I have a vet bill I still need to pay.

But since you brought them home I would at least give the colt to animal control and then see if the mare is pregnant. If you have the thousands saved up to ride out having the foal then go for it. Then after the foal is born reasses with what the mare knows and if she will suit your needs.
 
#21 ·
Chess .. you don't have to justify yourself to anyone here. Only you know what your situation is, and you can choose or not choose to disclose as much or as little as you want.

I, as well as many others, would love to see the progress that they make, are willing to help you with our OPINIONS, and will support you in your decision to keep them or to place them.

Talk to your vet .. many are even willing to work with you in a 'rescue' situation ..

Have fun with them .. don't be discouraged. I trust that you'll do the right thing by them.

*hugs*
 
#22 ·
Animal control has not even contacted me. The colt is the one we would keep if it came down to removing any of them.

What problems came up with your rescue poppy? I took in a TB a couple years ago. She was in worse shape then these two. She had digestive problems. We put her on a supplement and she has gained all of her weight back. I placed her in a new home when we moved last year. She is now has a job doing beach rides and lives on 40 acres.
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#23 ·
The rescue lied about pretty much everything. She was full of worms after being in foster for 4 months. Never had a vet exam. Was extremely anemic and still 200lbs underweight. She is now 20 and and arthritic and is just a trail horse now. She wasn't even halter broke when I got her. We have had many ups and downs and she is due for some x-rays in a couple months. She was over 300lbs underweight when she was seized and now she's certainly gained it all back and then some. Turned out to be an awesome horse, just wish things would have gone down a little differently and she was a little younger.

But I can say I will never again adopt a rescue so long as I live. Too much stress, heartache and lies. It's not easy but can turn out great if you have the money to put into them.
 
#25 ·
Powerpac. Works great. The only bad thing I have heard and the only thing I can imagine going wrong is if the worm burden is so large that it kills to many at once and the dead worms create a blockage. But mine had been dewormed every other month at the barn she was at in foster so the vet wasn't worried about that.
 
#26 ·
I would offer long stem hay or good straw, free choice, so they can get needed fiber, which grass doesn't have. That would be my main concern, digestive upset, diarrhea to be exact, from the sudden change to grass, not laminitis. So I wouldn't muzzle. My horses always chowed down on straw when first put on pasture, even after they were started on it slow.
Salt is important, a vitamin/ mineral supplement. A fecal test before you deworm, to find out what's there, so you can go slow, if they're really loaded and won't risk colic. Once the initial worming is done, I'd do one for tapeworm, to cover that.
The colt, is it hers? The other one who was there, hers also?
I had mares and 2- year olds together and the mommas would NOT give their sons any chance at all, so you might not be blessed with another baby after all. Have her checked, tho. As was said, get the colt gelded and, should the mare be open, watch very closely for a while, since there is still a possibility even after he's gelded.
With rescues it's hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.
Oh, and here we really enjoy before and after pics * hint hint*;-)
 
#28 ·
No need to apologize Roadyy. I have discussed with him that it will be a long road ahead. He also knows that this will be expensive. To my surprise he is fully up for the challenge. He is very excited to see the outcome when we climb over the hurdles that are in the way as of right now. He bonded with this colt. I will place an order for a round bale. Any specific type that offers more fiber than others? Unfortunately, if the mare is pregnant, this will be her first. Neither of the colts were hers. I am desperately trying to figure out how to upload pics from my iPhone. Anyone know how?

Roadyy, your advice is still appreciated.
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