Under-fed horses...at what point should I do something?

[Dadnatron]

As one who has been called on, I can tell you there are many reasons for a skinny horse. In the horse world there are two types. Easy keepers and hard keepers. With easy keepers a pad of hay and a cup of feed will keep them mud fat. Hard keepers can stand over a round bale 24/7 and never gain anymore than a hay belly,making them look pregnant.

You mention declining health,so I guess they are Sr horses. As a horse ages they tend to have dental problems that don't always get taken care of. A horse needs their teeth floated a minimum of every two years. A horses teeth continue to grow and their gums recede. Biting rocks and the abrasive nature of their diet creates points on their teeth,making it hard to chew,and causing dropped and wasted feed. This by te way is where the saying long in the tooth comes from.

Another factor could be the breed of horse. Gaited horses are built with high withers, protruding hips,and a light cover of fat over the ribs. These features along with age cause a horse past their prime to be miserable looking creatures.

Maybe instead of calling right away you should observe a few things first. You say you can walk up to the feed pan. Observe that and see if the owners are using it. Horse can be very pushy when they think someone will give them a treat. Do they have a good source of grass or hay. A horse only needs 1 to 2% of their weight per day, but can dump around 50# of manure and urine a day. Is their water clean and not green or frozen? You say they probably need a farrier for their hoofs. Are they so long that they curl back under? I've always wondered who does the wild horses feet.

If all this checks out maybe you could have someone talk to them about senior horse diets. Maybe suggest wetting their hay down to make it more palatable or using chopped forage. Or testing for worms and start a good deworming program. But the real truth of the matter is if these horses are 27years old or older they are lucky to have a place to stand and live the rest of their lives. Lots of horses in today's economy have become disposable,abandoned or sold to kill buyers.

Walkin... teeth are still the responsibility of the owner. It is not an excuse.

The reason wild horses don't need 'Vet care' is that they are running around in the scrub and rocks. They are not cooped up in a pen on dirt. They wear their hooves on the rock and their teeth on the scrub upon which they browse.

If they are hard keepers getting adequate care, it isn't a problem. If they have teeth/feet issues and/or are underfed, it IS a Problem.

 

[jerrybob]

Sounds like you have some idiot neighbors.......Walking Horse gives some very sound advice but.....if you are not a horse person.........it's hard to diagnose. Call the authorities as others recommend........let them decide.

 

[kcflhrc]

I wouldn't hesitate to call if you thought they were being neglected. Let a professional figure it out. Right now it's all speculation.

 

[mobilus]

Thanks all. Since we've never owned horses, I was looking for exactly what Walking Horse recommended. Will do. Thanks again!

 

[rgr33]

I called the local Humane Society regarding some sheep owned by a neighbor. They watered about 16 sheep out of a few 5 gallon buckets, which were always tipped over. In the hot summer, there was absolutely no place for the sheep to get out of the sun. No water and no escape from the heat.

One hot day, I drove past the place, and the guy left his garden sprinkler on, the sheep were desperately trying to get to the sprinkler, the buckets were empty. I tried calling the owner, but they were never home, and never returned my call. I called the authorities, a week later the sheep were gone, and now the pasture is a bramble patch.

The owners left 2 years later, deciding it was too much work to live on acreage. The new owners have deep pockets and hire everything done. The place is immaculate.

 

[Amelia Farms]

My wife works with a local horse rescue operation and we have fostered a few over the years. As has been stated, some older horses just look bad no matter how well they are cared for. That being said, we have taken in a few that were on the verge of death from neglect, and it is amazing how they can bounce back with proper diet and care. Use your best judgement and try to do the right thing.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Contact the local sheriffs office. Try to find the non emergency number and they will have or another county agency will have a livestock division. They will come investigate and seize if necessary and animal abuse which it sounds like is happening. Owners are required to ensure shelter, water and food. If they aren’t, they are negligent.

Brett

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My neighbor had someone "report" his horse for similar reasons, only it was just an old horse, and they were doing all that could be done to let an old horse live as long as it could, without putting it down. Animal control came, the horse was looked at, and they agreed with my neighbor. Unfortunately, because of the hassle, they put it down sooner than they would have, just didn't want another passerby nosing into their business.
It can be a tough call.

 

[ning]

We have an old horse (literally out to pasture, not ridden any more, but she's fed grain & alfalfa to supplement what little grows on the ground) that was starting to really show the bones, and we fed her very well.

Our farrier ("horseshoer - we don't use the name farrier around here") suggested rice bran and it's really helped fill her back out; it's possible that the owners do feed, the horses, but what they're being fed isn't the right stuff to keep weight on the horse.

Regardless, someone needs to talk to them about how to take care of the animals - or, someone needs to take them away and take care of them.

 

[teejk]

My neighbor had someone "report" his horse for similar reasons, only it was just an old horse, and they were doing all that could be done to let an old horse live as long as it could, without putting it down. Animal control came, the horse was looked at, and they agreed with my neighbor. Unfortunately, because of the hassle, they put it down sooner than they would have, just didn't want another passerby nosing into their business.
It can be a tough call.

And that is the dilemma...maybe the neighbors know what they are doing, maybe not. Regardless, reporting them (even on a "no-names" basis) might make for one of those Hatfield/McCoy situations. I personally would stay out of it.