# New horse



## NewToMini's (Mar 28, 2016)

I got a new horse today. The girl that sold me my last horse gave me this one, because it didn't get ridden anymore. It does have a couple of problems, which is probably why it was free (needs a joint supplement, one of her feet turns in, and she has stiff stifles, but she is sound for riding).

She is very underweight, though. They didn't get good hay over to he winter, and had too many horses on not enough pasture. So she lost a lot of weight.

I'm wondering if it's ok to ride her, or if I should let her gain some weight first. Her spine sticks up, you can see her tailbone and her hips, and her ribs.


----------



## chandab (Mar 28, 2016)

Weight first. Good hay will probably get her there with time, if you need to after a week or two, slowly add in your preferred grain (many like senior for putting on weight).


----------



## NewToMini's (Mar 28, 2016)

Thanks

I'll probably put her on safechoice senior feed in a week when I get paid (in the meantime, I do have good hay to feed). I do have a small amount of safechoice original, and some hay cubes. Would it be a good idea to soak a bit of the hay cubes and mix in some grain for her now, or just wait until I get a new bag of grain? The small amount I have left now isn't enough to last a week, even if I just give her a tiny amount.

I had her hooves trimmed and I dewormed her with zimectrin gold today, she did very well for that, and hopefully the Dewormer will help a bit with the weight gain.


----------



## chandab (Mar 29, 2016)

Just the hay to start so her system can get used to regularly scheduled feeding again, then after a week or two if she's handling that well, add some hard feed to her diet (the senior sounds like a good choice).

If you choose to add the hay cubes to her diet, they should be soaked; especially since she lacked consistent food supply for awhile, she might be a bit piggy and could possibly choke on cubes if not soaked.


----------



## Jill (Mar 29, 2016)

I'd have her teeth checked and deworm her. I'd go with complete senior feed (regardless of age) and good hay to add healthy / balanced weight. First and foremost, though, teeth and deworming so you aren't wasting feed that can't be used or is used by worms. Also, I'd make a red mineral salt block available if that's not already in place.


----------



## Jill (Mar 29, 2016)

PS, we always have dewormed any new horse as soon as he or she gets here no matter where the horse came from.


----------



## NewToMini's (Mar 29, 2016)

I dewormed her yesterday with zimectrin gold. And I should be able to take some money that I had put back for their vaccines to get her teeth done. I believe I was told she hadn't had her teeth floated in 12 years, so she does probably (definitely?) need it done.

And I have 3 different salt blocks available to them XD A white salt one, a brown mineral one, and a flavored horse one (it's not sweetened, though).


----------



## NewToMini's (Mar 29, 2016)

Should I exercise her any, or just let her rest until she gains some?

Also, if I hand graze her in the yard, how long would she have to graze to get enough to make a difference?


----------



## Jill (Mar 30, 2016)

Let her rest and move freely (not in a stall all the time if at all). I think she should really gain significant weight before being made to exercise. Best of luck. I think she's going to be a looker when her weight is up.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 1, 2016)

She got her teeth done today. She did really well for it and was really calm (only part that even fazed her was the thing holding her mouth open, and she just backed up - once he took it out of her mouth she just stood there for the rest of the floating). She needed tarter scraped off her teeth, too.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 2, 2016)

I made a small pen in the yard to let her graze on better/longer grass. I plan to let her graze in the yard for a couple hours per day. I don't know if letting her graze this way will actually help her get more calories, but at least it makes her happy and will get the yard mowed down a bit XD


----------



## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Apr 3, 2016)

Wow looking good already!


----------



## Ryan Johnson (Apr 3, 2016)

Look at all that beautiful grass ( very jealous) you will have her looking and feeling great in no time


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 4, 2016)

So it's been a week. She's only been eating hay and grass, and I can't tell if she's gained any noticeable weight (though it has only been a week, so maybe I shouldn't see change yet). But here are some update pictures.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 4, 2016)

Here are some side-by-sides. Left and top is last week, bottom and right is today.


----------



## chandab (Apr 4, 2016)

I think I see a bit of improvement.

If she's handling the regular meals of hay and grass, you should be able to slowly start adding in a commercial feed. I think senior feed is one that was mentioned, and it is a good choice for rehabbing. From the looks of it, she's a full-size mare, so can probably handle a bit more than a mini; but I'd still start small, like 1 cup 2x daily for a few days before slowly starting to increase 1 cup at a time (so after those initial few days, add a cup to one meal daily for a few days, then add a cup to the other meal for a few days, and work your way up to at least a couple pounds a day for a full-size horse). [Most commercial pelleted feeds are about 3 cups per pound (standard dry measure kitchen cup).] I'd probably plateau at 2# for awhile and see what it does for her before increasing more, but others may have different ideas.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 4, 2016)

Thanks for the tip on how much grain to start her out on. I was planning on starting her at a pound per day and working up to 2 pounds, but I was concerned that starting at a pound would be too much.

I will be getting her grain tomorrow and starting her on it Wednesday morning.


----------



## chandab (Apr 4, 2016)

NewToMini's said:


> Thanks for the tip on how much grain to start her out on. I was planning on starting her at a pound per day and working up to 2 pounds, but I was concerned that starting at a pound would be too much.
> 
> I will be getting her grain tomorrow and starting her on it Wednesday morning.


Well, 2 cups daily is about 2/3#, so pretty close. And to be truthful, 1 cup pellet (for a meal) for a full-size horse isn't much, but we are starting totally from scratch with a horse that was very down in condition, so we don't want to go to fast. [Perhaps I'm a bit too cautious, but that is probably better in the long run.]


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 4, 2016)

I'd rather start out feeding her too little (worst case scenario, she keeps gaining weight very slowly) than to start out feeding too much (worst case scenario, she colics, and could die...). So I think I'll use your advice to start with just a cup of feed morning and night and work up from there


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 5, 2016)

I got her grain and joint supplement today. They didn't have safechoice senior, so I got sentinel senior. It was a couple dollars more expensive, so hopefully it means it's better grain XD


----------



## chandab (Apr 6, 2016)

It should be fine.

Not all seniors are the same, and if it doesn't work as well as you'd like, next bag you can always try switching to the other next bag (with several days of change over so you don't upset her system); but give it time and with the good hay, she'll probably come around.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 6, 2016)

She loved her grain. It sounded like she was eating it too quickly, though (could have just been from the metal on her halter hitting the bucket, making it sound like she was eating faster - I wasn't watching her). Will she slow down when she realizes it's something she's getting every day, or will she have to gain more weight back before she slows down?


----------



## chandab (Apr 6, 2016)

She may never slow down, unfortunately that sometimes happens after a horse has been rundown. Hopefully, she'll slowdown after getting regular meals for awhile. If you can feed her her hay before preparing her grain meal (pellets in her case), she might not scarf the grain quite so fast, as she will have already eaten something (she doesn't have to eat all her hay before her grain, just have it in front of her, so she is less likely to rush).


----------



## Ryan Johnson (Apr 6, 2016)

^^^ like^^^^

I agree with Chanda in having the hay in front of her first for a bit. I have a big horse that eats the same way, he has his hay now whilst I go and make up his grain. She may also have been in with other horses/minis and when it was feed time. Some can be alot more overpowering and dominating than others, so at times she may have missed out and now thinks she needs to eat quickly so she will actually get some grain.

Have you tried a slow feeding hay bag/net?


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 6, 2016)

I put the hay outside on the ground because the horses are all out in the pasture together. She doesn't scarf her hay, so the only reason to get a slow feeder would be to avoid them wasting it, and I haven't had the extra money so far.


----------



## Ryan Johnson (Apr 6, 2016)

Now that she is getting regular meals , Im sure her feeding habits will change for the better, just give her time


----------



## chandab (Apr 6, 2016)

Since most of the hay is fed outside, just give her a handful while you mix up her grain, it will hopefully reduce her likelihood of inhaling her grain.


----------



## Mona (Apr 6, 2016)

To reduce the risk of choke, until she gets more used to having her pellets all the time, and until she slows down, I suggest putting some rood sized rocks in her pan or bucket so that she has got to nose around them to get the pellets.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 9, 2016)

I've watched her eat her grain a few times now. She takes her time to chew it thoroughly.

I did increase her portion a bit, and today I had to feed an extra flake of hay, gave them some soaked hay cubes, and let Star (don't think I've mentioned her name yet, so that's her name, lol) in the yard for a few hours to graze. There was snow on the ground this morning, so they were hungry and grouchy, and that's why they got the extra flake of hay and the hay cubes.

I made the hay cubes by filling the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket with the cubes, then filled it just over half with warm water, let it soak, then I mixed in about 2 cups of safechoice into the whole thing right before feeding it to them (split between 2 small horses and 2 small minis). They liked it better than plain cubes (though they get pretty excited about the plain cubes, too) and it added a little bit of extra vitamins.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 9, 2016)

She also got a new halter and lead a few days ago, and I bought her a bridle from the Equine Affaire yesterday (along with a really cute hoof pick)


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 11, 2016)

2 week progress. She's starting to look like she's gaining weight, and her back is starting to fill in slightly. Her bones are still easy to feel, though, and it's still kind of shocking how thin she is when I run my hands over her ribs, withers, and shoulders.

How much more weight should she gain before I start her on light exercise (just hand walking)?


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 11, 2016)

Here are the side by sides from today. Left and top is the day I got her.


----------



## Mona (Apr 11, 2016)

WOW, you are doing a great job with her!!


----------



## Jill (Apr 11, 2016)

You are making great progress!!! WTG


----------



## Ryan Johnson (Apr 11, 2016)

She is looking wonderful and all thanks to you


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 15, 2016)

She's starting to get friendly now



She was a grump butt when she first got here, lol.

The other horse is still chasing her around and kicking her, though


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 16, 2016)

I can feel fat over her ribs now! I feel like that's a huge accomplishment, lol. She still has a ways to go before her weight will be good, but at least she's just 'regular skinny' instead of 'scary skinny' now


----------



## paintponylvr (Apr 19, 2016)

She sounds like she'd doing good.

Personally, in regards to your exercise ?, you could hand walk her now, do ground work exercises and even do basic/light lounging. That way, as she's gaining weight, she is also getting stronger/fitter so that when she is at an ideal weight for riding, she'll be physically capable of being ridden (carrying the weight).


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 26, 2016)

I've increased her grain a little, since I've started her in work. Took her for a walk the other day, just went one lap around the crop field next to my property. It's a hill, so I did take her to the top of it instead of just walking around it, to work her back a little more. Today, I tried to lunge her, but I could only get her to go one direction. She seemed afraid to have me and the whip on her left side and I couldn't even get her turned away from me in that direction. So I guess I need to train her to lunge. I did do some work on yielding her shoulders away in both directions, and then did some turns on the haunches and forequarters, and some backing up, to work her muscles.

Will the work to train her to lunge properly help build her muscles? it will be yielding her shoulders away from me, yielding her hindquarters away, sidepassing, etc., but I normally train for short periods of time (10-20 minutes, until I'm bored and can end on an improvement), and I don't know if that would be enough work to build muscles.

I'm still not riding her, but I did get a saddle pad for her. It's a $150 pad that I got for $60 on amazon.com (with free shipping!). I had bought a 32x32 pad for $70 at tsc, but it was way too big. This one only has a 27.5" spine and after trying it on her, I don't think I would use anything bigger. The saddle doesn't fit her right now, I hope it's just because she's thin and doesn't have any muscles. It almost sits on her withers in the front, and the back of it doesn't touch her back.

I don't know if she's gained weight since the last update, but I haven't taken progress pictures.


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 26, 2016)

Here are some pictures.


----------



## Ryan Johnson (Apr 26, 2016)

I think your doing a great job and 10-20 minutes work would be ample time at the moment. Hills are great for building muscle. She looks really healthy in the coat and she is continuing to put on weight.

Keep updating us, Im loving seeing how she is coming along for you


----------



## Margo_C-T (Apr 28, 2016)

Just now saw this thread. Clearly the mare is looking noticably better, good for you! I would suggest being pretty cautious about how long she has access to the kind of rich green grass I saw in the photo of her 'grazing in the yard',I think it was? Rich green spring grass can be a real risk factor for laminitis/founder for about ANY horse; be sure to limit her time on it, AND only very gradually increase that time. in the photo of her wearing the saddle, it appears the saddle may be 'too wide' in the gullet for her,at least for now....looks a lot like the underside of the swells is about 'resting on' her withers ,even w/ no one in the saddle. Once she gains more, filling in more over her back, it 'might' be better...or maybe with a thicker saddle pad(though increasing the thickness of a pad is not a 'fix-all' for saddle fit, either.) Anyway, you have been doing an admirable job with her,and I hope you can look forward to many years of enjoyment of her!


----------



## NewToMini's (Apr 28, 2016)

She's only in the yard for a few hours per day, the rest of the time she is in the pasture.

Her withers are kind of hollow at the moment, so she probably will take a wider gullet when she fills out. I may buy a 'new' saddle anyway, this one was used when I got it 10 years ago, and it's just a cheap Abetta, so it's probably outlived it's natural life XD

The saddle pad is an inch thick, so I don't think a thicker one would be too good of an idea, lol. There was 1 finger width of space between the saddle and her wither when I sat it on her back without cinching it up or using a pad, so it's definitely too wide for her now.

She is filling out a bit more, her ribs are starting to smooth out, though they're still visible, her rump is starting to get some muscle, and her back is starting to fill in


----------



## NewToMini's (May 2, 2016)

I rode her today. Just for 2-3 minutes because of her weight.

I recently learned about carrot stretches. Do they help build muscle?


----------



## NewToMini's (May 3, 2016)

I should mention that I rode her bareback yesterday.

Today I bought a cinch and off billets. Tried it on her, and the cinch fits perfect, and I think the saddle fits better, too. Without the pad (or cinch) there is 2-finger width of clearance between her withers and the horn. With the pad, it sits up nicely off her withers.

She was so patient while I tried to figure out how to use the cinch (it was a 'smart cinch') XD


----------



## NewToMini's (May 3, 2016)

Is this the proper way to use a cinch with the buckle?

Also, a picture from our walk today. There are so many of these flowers and they're so pretty (and they smell good!)


----------



## Ryan Johnson (May 3, 2016)

I ride in an english saddle, so not sure if its the same seeing that you are riding in a western / stock saddle.

When I do the girth up on mine it comes thru the silver buckle and continues down in the direction in which the straps head. It doesnt come thru the buckle and head back up towards the saddle.

You should actually see the cinch touching the middle bar in the buckle , not the girth.


----------



## FurstPlaceMiniatures (May 3, 2016)

I'm always really lazy and just tie my cinch anyway, letting the buckle do what it wants. I'd rather it be the right tightness than 'in a hole.'


----------



## amysue (May 3, 2016)

I have always seen buckle cinches not tied, but buckled, then the excess strap fed through the loop in the leather tab attached under the swell. I prefer to tie my cinches, I do not ride western much, but I always tie mine. I agree with Ryan, I believe that you have fed the tie strap through the wrong rung of the buckle. Nice photos, hope you had a good ride.


----------



## NewToMini's (May 3, 2016)

It's the right rung on the buckle (it's actually supposed to go through the top rung the first loop, and then the bottom rung for the second loop and to buckle it - I looked it up after asking here) , it won't tighten correctly and can't be buckled if I put it through the top one.

It just looks so awkward, being pulled back up after being buckled. It doesn't look like it will hold (though I guess it will, 'cause apparently that's how you buckle a western saddle). I think I will stick with tying it, I don't trust the buckle XD

I'm used to riding English, but I don't have a useable English saddle right now.


----------



## Mona (May 3, 2016)

That looks like a "Smart Cinch" type of buckle, and it's made so you run the strap through the top one first, then loop and run it through the bottom one. I never have any trouble with tightening one of these, BUT, I never use the buckle, I always use the tie off method.


----------



## NewToMini's (May 4, 2016)

I rode her again today, this time with the saddle. She kinda acted exactly as I expected, lol. Didn't want to move when I wanted her to (I was told to invest in spurs when I got her, but I don't think I'm experienced enough to use spurs) and when I finally got her to move she didn't want to go where I wanted. I did get her to go a few good steps in the direction I wanted and decided to stop there. I figure she'll listen better the more I ride her.

The Arab mix wouldn't leave us alone either (she's for sale if anyone lives in Ohio...), so it made focusing on Star a little difficult.


----------



## NewToMini's (May 24, 2016)

She's gaining weight very nicely. Her ribs are still slightly visible when she moves, but her back is filling out, everything is starting to round and blend, and she's getting some muscles on her shoulder and rump. Her joints don't pop every time she moves now, either.


----------



## NewToMini's (Jun 14, 2016)

She looks so good now ❤

I think she's mostly done gaining weight. You can still feel her ribs without trying, but they're smoothing out. They're not really visible anymore. Her topline needs muscle, though.

I've been riding her 2-3 times per week, and she's listening better every time I ride her. Last time I rode her I took her for a 'trail' ride around the crop field next to my house. She shied at some weeds but wasn't even startled when we scared a deer off. She is very forward and it's hard to keep her at a walk when I ride her. She's also barn sour and it's hard to get her moving away from the barn XD She is getting better, though, lol


----------



## Debby - LB (Jun 14, 2016)

She is beautiful! so shiny and healthy looking now. It sounds like you are continually making progress with her, keep up the good work!


----------



## Ryan Johnson (Jun 14, 2016)

She really does look wonderful and healthy, so glad that you have shared her story with us and the journey you have started her on to get her back in good health


----------

