questions for horse owners

[evil dogooder]

I've only ownen a few horses and they were paints or appys.    In the recent storms one of our neighbors lost her horse shed. As she is nearing 80 she has decided not to rebuild as to find homes for her horses.

  Currently i am housing them until something permanent is found. However she only has retired thouroghbreds sp?  Ive never delt with actual race horses.  I raced in small county fairs but nothing like these animals...  They are all from Tennessee if that matters.

 

   Do they need any special care? Health concerns?   I'm asking because a 7 year old grey gelding and i kinda hit it off.  She just got him three weeks ago from a rescue.  I haven't ridden since i broke my back 12 years ago but I've really missed it.   He needs some chow but has great lines just really dainty compared to what I'm used to.

 

 Any help or advice is welcomed.  

 

 Also posting this in the mounted shooters section

[DocWard]

Per Mrs. Doc, who has been riding Appendix Quarter Horses (read: mostly thoroughbred) for a long time. Her current horse is something like 7/8 thoroughbred. OTT (Of the Track) Thoroughbreds can make very good horses. Some of the rescue horses are included in that. Some hunter-jumper types get their horses from rescues.  The question becomes why they were rescue horses. Often it is because they simply didn't have what it takes to be good race horses. Sometimes it is physical maladies. She warns that if the horse was trained to the track, it will have different training cues than a regular riding horse. They should have good ground manners though. They can also be very sensitive, that is, they can get their feelings hurt easily if they think they are in trouble. She compares them to Border Collies. Intelligent, sensitive, and in need of a job.

She suggests getting some help, but that seven is a good age.

[Dusty Wyatt]

Good advice from DocWard. I have had a Thoroughbred and an Appendix Quarter Horse. Both good horses. Put that Appendix Quarter mare down at 31 about 4 years ago. Had her for over 20 years. Never needed any special care until her late twenties. Good horse.

[Cat Brules]

Many rescue horses these days are there because their owners are financially unable to care for them or have grown tired of them and cannot or don't want to, care for them anymore.  

 

How big is the horse?  I'm guessing 16 hands.

 

If you don't ride much I wouldn't shoe ($$) the horse.  If you do shoe, they must be reshod periodically because their hooves will continue to grow out.  Even if you don't shoe, they must have their hooves trimmed ($$) about every 8-10 weeks.  If you do shoe, that same time frame is about the same.....trim and reshoe.  Don't do the hoof maintenance yourself; have it done.  It's hard, sometimes dangerous work and you must know what you are doing...not every "farrier" know what he's doing; be careful selecting a farrier.

 

You need to check and clean his feet with a hoof pick every day or two.  Be careful.

 

It will cost you about $1000 a year to properly feed provide any necessary supplements.  If you have good graze, it will be a bit less.  There's more to all the feed and supplement thing....learn it.  Don't let the horse get fat!!  Some horses are easy keepers and will get fat on a feed regimen that another animal stays slim on.   When you think he's a bit skinny (underfed), he isn't...he's about right.  A flake of good hay in the morning (6:30-7:30) and in the early evening (4:30-6:00) is about right.  They burn more in the winter staying warm.  There is also bagged feed, which you can feed in the winter to help keep them warm.  Best you can use in my opinion, is Nutrena Senior with (or without) molasses.  If the horse is exercised quite a bit routinely, you may wish to get the Senior mix with molasses.  

 

A blood test prior to taking ownership, looking for or a predisposition for, certain diseases is smart to do.

 

Vet bills for injury, illness and floating their teeth (periodically...another expense, must be considered.  If they get something going with their eye(s), that's a cost.  You'll learn to do the simple stuff yourself.

 

Fly control is another expense.  They'll get eaten alive by flys (sores on them) unless you use a long term treatment like you put on your cat or dog.  If you wash down/bathe the animal frequently, this can negate the long term fly control treatment.

 

You must worm the horse every three months.  There's different kinds; rotate the types so the parasites don't develop immunity.  Use the paste-type workers in a syringe tube....learn to do this so they don't spit it out in the dirt (they will if they can 'cause it isn't tasty).  Don't use the feed through stuff.

 

Of course, routine cleanup is a must.

 

It's a lot of work, and if you aren't a young man , think twice.  Don't get attached to an animal you cannot invest the time and resources in.  Tough call to make, and only you can make it.  If you aren't there, you'll have to pay someone to do it.  They will tie you down.  The here's sooo much more to this.....

[Jackson Rose, SASS #45478]

A lot of race horses make good trail horses. Cat Brules gives some good advice. If you  and the horse are already bonding that is a good start. I own a standard bred off the track. He is 28 now, had since he was 6. The worst thing about him is he still wants to race. He doesn't like to be passed, even at a walk, therefore he wears a red ribbon in his tail when we ride with other horses(kicks). He was trained to saddle easily. Round penning is a worthwhile venture.

[Guest Grass Range #51406]

Why do they need a shed? Mine if not being used in winter are turned out on a few thousand acres of grass and have to survive on their own. Never had a winter kill but horse thieves got 2 good ones. Thoroughbreds especially if retired runners need lots of wet saddle blankets. Do not get attached as they are expendable

[Utah Bob #35998]

9 hours ago, Cat Brules, SASS #14086 said:

Many rescue horses these days are there because their owners are financially unable to care for them or have grown tired of them and cannot or don't want to, care for them anymore.  

 

How big is the horse?  I'm guessing 16 hands.

 

If you don't ride much I wouldn't shoe ($$) the horse.  If you do shoe, they must be reshod periodically because their hooves will continue to grow out.  Even if you don't shoe, they must have their hooves trimmed ($$) about every 8-10 weeks.  If you do shoe, that same time frame is about the same.....trim and reshoe.  Don't do the hoof maintenance yourself; have it done.  It's hard, sometimes dangerous work and you must know what you are doing...not every "farrier" know what he's doing; be careful selecting a farrier.

 

You need to check and clean his feet with a hoof pick every day or two.  Be careful.

 

It will cost you about $1000 a year to properly feed provide any necessary supplements.  If you have good graze, it will be a bit less.  There's more to all the feed and supplement thing....learn it.  Don't let the horse get fat!!  Some horses are easy keepers and will get fat on a feed regimen that another animal stays slim on.   When you think he's a bit skinny (underfed), he isn't...he's about right.  A flake of good hay in the morning (6:30-7:30) and in the early evening (4:30-6:00) is about right.  They burn more in the winter staying warm.  There is also bagged feed, which you can feed in the winter to help keep them warm.  Best you can use in my opinion, is Nutrena Senior with (or without) molasses.  If the horse is exercised quite a bit routinely, you may wish to get the Senior mix with molasses.  

 

A blood test prior to taking ownership, looking for or a predisposition for, certain diseases is smart to do.

 

Vet bills for injury, illness and floating their teeth (periodically...another expense, must be considered.  If they get something going with their eye(s), that's a cost.  You'll learn to do the simple stuff yourself.

 

Fly control is another expense.  They'll get eaten alive by flys (sores on them) unless you use a long term treatment like you put on your cat or dog.  If you wash down/bathe the animal frequently, this can negate the long term fly control treatment.

 

You must worm the horse every three months.  There's different kinds; rotate the types so the parasites don't develop immunity.  Use the paste-type workers in a syringe tube....learn to do this so they don't spit it out in the dirt (they will if they can 'cause it isn't tasty).  Don't use the feed through stuff.

 

Of course, routine cleanup is a must.

 

It's a lot of work, and if you aren't a young man , think twice.  Don't get attached to an animal you cannot invest the time and resources in.  Tough call to make, and only you can make it.  If you aren't there, you'll have to pay someone to do it.  They will tie you down.  The here's sooo much more to this.....

He said he has owned horses. Just asking about Thoroughbreds.

 

[Cat Brules]

Well, okay then.  Thoroughbreds that have bee raced significantly can be prone to leg and tendon disorders later in life.

[Cat Brules]

Regarding owners' care of their horses, many won't try to do much to sell, give away or transfer their horse(s) to rescue, but instead put them down or turn them loose on National Forest land.  They also will sometimes just not go looking for them if they turn up missing

 

There was a problem and I don't know how much of a factor that is these days, of horse thieves stealing horses to sell to meat packers.  At one time, my understanding that legislation put horses off limits to slaughter as meat.  Unsure of that, however.

 

Regarding horse theft, some years back, I was awakened by the discharge of air breaks.  I took my business shotgun and a 9mm and went outside dressed in a long camo smock, confronted them by surprise as they were preparing to cut the wire.  I made sure they were unarmed and the three of them prudently decided to leave without argument, with their large trailer after I checked to see they had no animals in the trailer.  I called the Sheriff, but by the time they arrived, the could find no trace of the vehicle.  It takes the Sheriff 20 to 30 minutes to respond out here unless they have a patrol car in this area.

 

It's s a good idea to micro-chip your animals.  Some still brand their horses, but the micro-chip is what the auction people look for.

[Ben Beam]

On 6/12/2017 at 11:09 PM, Cat Brules, SASS #14086 said:

Many rescue horses these days are there because their owners are financially unable to care for them or have grown tired of them and cannot or don't want to, care for them anymore.  

 

How big is the horse?  I'm guessing 16 hands.

 

If you don't ride much I wouldn't shoe ($$) the horse.  If you do shoe, they must be reshod periodically because their hooves will continue to grow out.  Even if you don't shoe, they must have their hooves trimmed ($$) about every 8-10 weeks.  If you do shoe, that same time frame is about the same.....trim and reshoe.  Don't do the hoof maintenance yourself; have it done.  It's hard, sometimes dangerous work and you must know what you are doing...not every "farrier" know what he's doing; be careful selecting a farrier.

 

You need to check and clean his feet with a hoof pick every day or two.  Be careful.

 

It will cost you about $1000 a year to properly feed provide any necessary supplements.  If you have good graze, it will be a bit less.  There's more to all the feed and supplement thing....learn it.  Don't let the horse get fat!!  Some horses are easy keepers and will get fat on a feed regimen that another animal stays slim on.   When you think he's a bit skinny (underfed), he isn't...he's about right.  A flake of good hay in the morning (6:30-7:30) and in the early evening (4:30-6:00) is about right.  They burn more in the winter staying warm.  There is also bagged feed, which you can feed in the winter to help keep them warm.  Best you can use in my opinion, is Nutrena Senior with (or without) molasses.  If the horse is exercised quite a bit routinely, you may wish to get the Senior mix with molasses.  

 

A blood test prior to taking ownership, looking for or a predisposition for, certain diseases is smart to do.

 

Vet bills for injury, illness and floating their teeth (periodically...another expense, must be considered.  If they get something going with their eye(s), that's a cost.  You'll learn to do the simple stuff yourself.

 

Fly control is another expense.  They'll get eaten alive by flys (sores on them) unless you use a long term treatment like you put on your cat or dog.  If you wash down/bathe the animal frequently, this can negate the long term fly control treatment.

 

You must worm the horse every three months.  There's different kinds; rotate the types so the parasites don't develop immunity.  Use the paste-type workers in a syringe tube....learn to do this so they don't spit it out in the dirt (they will if they can 'cause it isn't tasty).  Don't use the feed through stuff.

 

Of course, routine cleanup is a must.

 

It's a lot of work, and if you aren't a young man , think twice.  Don't get attached to an animal you cannot invest the time and resources in.  Tough call to make, and only you can make it.  If you aren't there, you'll have to pay someone to do it.  They will tie you down.  The here's sooo much more to this.....

Wow. It's like owning a BOAT (Bust Out Another Thousand). 

[DocWard]

49 minutes ago, Ben Beam said:

Wow. It's like owning a BOAT (Bust Out Another Thousand). 

 

Higher