daphi today (pics)

[jordanross]

As she was eating her tea 7pm (tonight) 16th sept...

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy170/jordanross/daphisept2009005.jpg

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy170/jordanross/daphisept2009004.jpg
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy170/jordanross/daphisept2009003.jpg

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy170/jordanross/daphisept2009002.jpg
http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy170/jordanross/daphisept2009001.jpg

[HorseHelen]

i cant see your pics :-(

[kinderegg400]

i can see your pics:)
she's lovely

[HorseHelen]

oops yes i can now ... what a gorgeous girly, really glad you have decided to keep her :D

[lauraandharvey]

:) lovely

x

[YASMiN___X0]

Oooh isn't she lovely! I was reading today in H&H that 74% of TBs are bay.. ha random fact there :) but yes - she's just my type. How's the RI hunting going? Or was that put on hold for a while? :)

[jordanross]

Thanks guys and yep yasmin it was put on hole But now im gonna start lookin around again.


rode her this morning she was good as gold... she always is. But deffo want to get some lessons, to help me improve.

[Cazie]

She looks so sweet.. Can I ask you if she is alone in the field or does she have a companion?

[jordanross]

yep shes alone in the field. she has cows and sheep in the next field though.....and trust me.... she is always trying to find a way over to them....not a good idea! lol

[Toffee_Monster]

She looks so sweet.. Can I ask you if she is alone in the field or does she have a companion?

I was going to say this as you can see where she has been pacing along the fence line :(
Is there no way some sheep / cows could graze with her?

[Cazie]

Jordan you are doing a great job and it is obvious that you love her to bits.. have you thought about finding her a place where she can be with other horses.. I know it isn't the be all and end all but.. there maybe times when you feel low, down and not in the best place to be.. you may feel you are the only friend Daphni has and that puts presure on you.. sometimes you will need the pressure taken off and if she has a field buddy or is on a livery yard, that might make a huge difference to how you feel..

I wish you were closer to me, I'd ride out with you.. I talk all the time though ;) the'd never be a dull quiet moment hehe.. glad you have decided to keep her, good luck, and if you should feel like you did before, then think ahead now while you are in a good place as to what you would like to do.. no more spur of the moment thoughts.. OK.

[jordanross]

LOL...

I knew this subject would be raised.


firstly let me tell you, the part of field in the picture is very dank/boggy/wet
she doesnt 'pace' she walks that route because in the middleit is very wet. the house( my house) is beyond the tamp fence you see, if im out. she ventures onto the wet and dank areato have a look what im doing or where im going . but normally she is ALWAYS well away from the fence. normally way over the other side next to sheep and cows.because she clearly doesnt like getting stuck in the mud.
if that horse paces, ill show my arse at the top of winter hill! LOL
Honestly..... she enjoys being by herself. and after the last episode with my freinds horses which we tried to introduce her with, i think ill keep her alone. it isnt a problem honestly... trust me on this one ok :)

[jordanross]

cazie got my name down for a livery yard. but it may get xmas time before a space comes up for us.

until then shell be fine... i promise x

[Harlequin32]

Oh, I missed a thread somewhere then- Your keeping Daphi?
I think you made the right decision for sure. I think she must be good for you and loosing something you love like Daphi could have done you more harm than good. ;)

[ginny!]

Aww, she's very pretty :) ( and SHINY:D)

You should see the paths of Vision - all the horses have little paths they prefer to take but Visions have no grass on whatsoever. She always has done it, she doesn't pace around, this happens with or without company. :)

[YASMiN___X0]

cazie got my name down for a livery yard. but it may get xmas time before a space comes up for us.



Good luck with the livery yard - i think it'll help you (and Daphi) come on in leaps and bounds, especially if they have a school and a RI who regularly visits! And friendly liveries (which i'm sure they will :p)

[jordanross]

Oh, I missed a thread somewhere then- Your keeping Daphi?
I think you made the right decision for sure. I think she must be good for you and loosing something you love like Daphi could have done you more harm than good. ;)


Totally agree! Id have been literally gutted. im just glad i didnt re home her...

Ive also enquired today about ( i know it isnt horsey) something ive wanted to do for a very long time , pass my water rescue course's! I have a phone call to make tomrrow but im really pleased about that too :)

[popdog]

Please get some electric fencing and place it behind that wire fence. It's not safe, she could get her leg trapped and skin herself.

[BlueWicked]

hey:D she looks fab, what a lovely girlie:D

hun - i know you were asking earlier about feeding/rugging etc. Its not very often I say this as i HATE to see a horse overweight and keep my own lad lean but Daphi is a bit too thin for my liking at this time of year with winter round the corner... youve said before she feels the cold and is quite thin skinned - she will be losing condition by keeping warm as well. DO you usually have her rugged, was she just naked for the piccie? id defo be looking at her feeds if i were you. feel free to PM me if you like and Il help you out as much as I can.

[scottishterrier]

hey:D she looks fab, what a lovely girlie:D

hun - i know you were asking earlier about feeding/rugging etc. Its not very often I say this as i HATE to see a horse overweight and keep my own lad lean but Daphi is a bit too thin for my liking at this time of year with winter round the corner... youve said before she feels the cold and is quite thin skinned - she will be losing condition by keeping warm as well. DO you usually have her rugged, was she just naked for the piccie? id defo be looking at her feeds if i were you. feel free to PM me if you like and Il help you out as much as I can.

glad you said it i didnt for fear of it coming out wrong

[jordanross]

But it was only 2 weeks ago you all said she was fine weight wise! I did mention it, if anybody remembers???


No she isnt normally rugged in the day time unless its raining.......and there again i did ask! ... and you all told me it was fine for her to be out yet until the colder weather comes! if anything its been warmer here the past week or so than it has been for a few weeks so i presumed she didnt need rugging!


LOL... now i really am confused!

[BlueWicked]

glad you said it i didnt for fear of it coming out wrong

i hope noone takes it as anything other than the genuine way in which its meant... i for one am truly delighted that jordan is keeping daphi:D

[cookster1975]

She looks really lovely, her coat is all shiny etc. She does look like she may need an incy wincy bit more weight on, now it's officially Autumn! That doesn't necessarily mean you need to feed her more, just get the feed/exercise balance right i.e. making sure the feed is right for her level of work.

Plus horses are herd animals! I am so pleased to hear you have your name down for a livery so she will have some company.:D

[HorseHelen]

But it was only 2 weeks ago you all said she was fine weight wise! I did mention it, if anybody remembers???


No she isnt normally rugged in the day time unless its raining.......and there again i did ask! ... and you all told me it was fine for her to be out yet until the colder weather comes! if anything its been warmer here the past week or so than it has been for a few weeks so i presumed she didnt need rugging!


LOL... now i really am confused!

have you got any side on pics, its kind of hard to tell what she's like condition wise from those pics

[HashRouge]

But it was only 2 weeks ago you all said she was fine weight wise! I did mention it, if anybody remembers???


No she isnt normally rugged in the day time unless its raining.......and there again i did ask! ... and you all told me it was fine for her to be out yet until the colder weather comes! if anything its been warmer here the past week or so than it has been for a few weeks so i presumed she didnt need rugging!


LOL... now i really am confused!
Okie dokie, I'll try and help. I think you don't live too far away from me (I'm near Ashton) so I'm guessing you've had the same weather we've had. Up to and including Saturday it has been lovely, but since Sunday temperatures have been down at night to 10 degrees and below, and during the day it has varied but been around 15 degrees. I would advise rugging Daphi up when it is under 15 degrees as a rough guide, as she has a fine coat and looks like she will be one of those horses who loses weight easily. This means that she ought to be rugged at night now, and possibly during the day depending on whether or not it is windy etc. I haven't been rugging my Arab mare, and she is not the toughest cookie but she is *ahem* on the fatter side of a normal weight :D

[jordanross]

Ive only got pictures of her from a few weeks ago. and back then everybody said she was fine.


I did say though to defend myself that i thought she was too thin... i said a person reccomended putting some oil in her food to fatten her up a little bit. but was advised against it....by you guys.


now im really worried! i wouldnt keep her underweight if i knew so, and yeah winter is almost here! thats why i was worried!


HELP!

[HashRouge]

Just another note. A general guide line for horse weights is that if you can see the ribs they are too thin, but you should be able to feel the ribs. But don't panic, Daphi doesn't look thin, just a bit underweight. You could always ring your vet and ask for a wee bit of advice - what he advises feeding wise etc (you don't need him to come out though, don't get carried away!).

[alwaysfallingof]

Unfortunately weight can go on and off quite quickly, a few weeks is enough for a horse to go from 'on the lean side of good condition' to 'could do with a little more.'
Don't panic though, there's plenty of time yet before it gets really cold. Bulk up her feed a bit, stick a rug on her and she'll be fine :)

[jordanross]

thanks hash! well she isnt kept out at night. she is in her stable and i put her a nice amigo quilted rug on. when i go in to feed her in the morning she is always toastie and warm underneith when i take her rug off.


I havent bothered putting a rug on when she goes out in the day because it hasnt been raining and didnt seem that cold.

saying that it has been cold at a night time. so maybe i should start putting her rug on at 7pm ( she stays out til about 11) just so she doesnt get that night air nip!


would that be better?


as far as foods go....i dont know? she gets hay when she comes in. and she has a feed in the morning and a feed at night (7pm) too! both big amounts really.

[happyhacker101]

Welcome to the world of horse ownership:D to rug or not to rug, to feed or not to feed:)

You'll get there - we all do in the end:D

Glad to hear that you're keeping her:D

[HorseHelen]

if she's stabled tonight then perhaps it may be an idea to put a fleece or light weight stable rug on her now, or whatever you have ... does she feel cold? a good test is to feel her ears

oops you've just answered that sorry!

[sarchie]

Wow she's lovely Jordan!! She's got an amazing shine on her coat!

Is she living out 24/7 or in at night? Is she on any hard feed? Or hay? :)

[jordanross]

but she only got saw by the vet about two weeks ago he didnt say anything was wrong then! :( god i feel rotten now! underweight and cold!


what else can i feed her then?

this is what she gets daily:


1 scoop of speedi beet.
1/2 scoop of pasture mix
big handful of chaff
3 or 4 big handfuls of reedi grass
2 carrots and 1 apple.

that meal twice a day. and hay in her net when she comes in at night.

should i change it all round? what will make her gain wreight faster then?

[devonlass]

Oh dear,just given you something else to worry about now JR!!

I wouldn't worry she's not exactly emaciated,and pics can be decieving anyway.Many TB's don't hold weight well,and what is underweight for some might be fine and perfectly within acceptable limits for Daphi.

Am fairly sure she comes in overnight,is fed hard feed and will be rugged when cold weather sets in?? If so I would carry on as you are and see how she holds the weight.Personally I would rather have one slightly underweight than over weight.
You've had the vet out recently as well I *think*,am sure he/she would have said if felt Daphi's weight was an issue.

On the company thing,I keep my lad on his own.Yes I do prefer to see horses with company,but sometimes needs must and all that and some horses manage perfectly well without company.Some even like it better!!
You know Daphi and know if she is ok on her own,she certainly doesn't seem stressy in the field or stable from your posts about her.

Missed the thread,but glad you have been able to keep her:)

[BlueWicked]

dont worry or feel bad jordan.. they can lose weight really quickly and in no time at all she'l cover over again:) Its not your fault at all..... and she is not'thin'. id just like to see her a bit more filled out given the time of year and her type. i do really think an RI coming out to visit you is your best option as it is someone you can rely on for advice; someone who is actually seeing you and daphi - instead of relying solely on a forum....

[jordanross]

yep helen i always rug her when she comes in. i class that as her cosey time! when she comes in from the field.... to a nice thick warm bed and some hay. and her coat on! its only one of those amgio ones.... the red quilted ones, is that thick enough?


thanks for all your advice everyone god im rubbish at this arent i!

[sarchie]

Wow she's lovely Jordan!! She's got an amazing shine on her coat!

Is she living out 24/7 or in at night? Is she on any hard feed? Or hay? :)

Ok, I didnt type it quick enough - you've just answered all of that! :D

[Kittycat]

Don't panic JR! She'll be fine, she's not skin and bone so please don't worry.:)

[BlueWicked]

yep helen i always rug her when she comes in. i class that as her cosey time! when she comes in from the field.... to a nice thick warm bed and some hay. and her coat on! its only one of those amgio ones.... the red quilted ones, is that thick enough?


thanks for all your advice everyone god im rubbish at this arent i!

lol, its like i told you JR, it depends on the weight of the rug.... it could still be 'quilted' and only be a 40-100g which is classed as lightweight. you'l need a mediumweight (200g ish) and a heavyweight (350gish) as well and you may need your mediumweight pretty soon if the weather turns!

[HashRouge]

From what you've said JR, it doesn't sound like you need to do much more! She is probably just naturally slender, and it sounds like you're on top of things with the rugs and feeding situation. Just make sure she has ad lib hay at night and start putting a turnout rug on her if it gets colder during the day - you don't seem to be doing anything wrong :).

[jordanross]

Hi nina i man the rug i put on her when shes in the stable.

thats one of those amigos. i think that does the job for now to be honest because as i say when i feed her in the morning i notrmally take her rug off while she eats... and she is always lovely and warm and toasted!

I take it of to wake her up before i put her out! LOL shes a lazy cow! LOL i find the cold air getting to her wakes her up a bit quicker haha...


ok so i need to stick her turn out rug on. and sort her feed out. grrr bollox! i thought i had all this sorted :(


what do you guys think about her feed? xxx

[HashRouge]

I'd leave the feed for the time being - just make sure she has plenty of hay :)
I wouldn't worry at the moment - it sounds like you have everything pretty much sussed. You could talk to ForestGump or Kc on here though (you can find them on the members list) as I think they both have horses who lose weight easily and I'm sure they'd be happy to give some advice if you sent them a PM :).

[jordanross]

thanks hash. but i am quite upset now tbh... cos i feel like, if she is thin enough for people to say so... then she must be? if ya get what i mean. god i feel like that person who had those two ponies that the people from h&h rescued!!! those poor thin ponies :( remember the chesnut one?


anyway... i always think her feed isnt enough... lord knows i ask about it often enough, here and at the tack shop. to be fair the lady trys to advise me the best she can but sometimes ( and im not slating her for this) i sometimes wonder if she knows what shes talking about.

im not happy with her feed plan and now people have said she is on the thin side... i have to do something! there must be something i can give her, is there no multi vitmins or something? you know what i mean? just something to help her gain a bit!


nina p.s cos i was going to re home her i didnt bother with a RI but nowim not dont worry its deffo on my list of to dos start of next week x


its a full time job this horse lark aint it! LOL

[BlueWicked]

hey jordan, stop stressing... you're doing a great job

stable rugs work the same as turnouts though chuck - you still need the different weights;)

[scottishterrier]

some horses who are rugged and stabled at night will feel the cold more if out unrigged in the day. a lightweight turnout or day rug may help.
she isnt badly thin and infact i like my horses lean(although all fattys now lol) but its just with her being fine and it coming into colder weather you may want to get weight on her now as its harder when weather is really cold. dont worry i myself had issues with being told my horse was too thin last year xx

[HashRouge]

thanks hash. but i am quite upset now tbh... cos i feel like, if she is thin enough for people to say so... then she must be? if ya get what i mean. god i feel like that person who had those two ponies that the people from h&h rescued!!! those poor thin ponies :( remember the chesnut one?


anyway... i always think her feed isnt enough... lord knows i ask about it often enough, here and at the tack shop. to be fair the lady trys to advise me the best she can but sometimes ( and im not slating her for this) i sometimes wonder if she knows what shes talking about.

im not happy with her feed plan and now people have said she is on the thin side... i have to do something! there must be something i can give her, is there no multi vitmins or something? you know what i mean? just something to help her gain a bit!


nina p.s cos i was going to re home her i didnt bother with a RI but nowim not dont worry its deffo on my list of to dos start of next week x


its a full time job this horse lark aint it! LOL
Definitely definitely send a PM to ForestGump. She has also had people jumping on her about her horse's weight, but at the end of the day he is just a poor doer and there is nothing she can do to change that. She may be able to cheer you up!
And you know full well that Daphi looks nothing like a rescue case :)
I'm not the person to advise about feed, as my mare is a fairly good doer, but I think things like Alfa A are supposed to be good for putting weight on. How much hay do you give her? If she has one haynet a night and has finished it by morning, you could just try giving her another net.

[IrishDQ]

LOL...

I knew this subject would be raised.


firstly let me tell you, the part of field in the picture is very dank/boggy/wet
she doesnt 'pace' she walks that route because in the middleit is very wet. the house( my house) is beyond the tamp fence you see, if im out. she ventures onto the wet and dank areato have a look what im doing or where im going . but normally she is ALWAYS well away from the fence. normally way over the other side next to sheep and cows.because she clearly doesnt like getting stuck in the mud.
if that horse paces, ill show my arse at the top of winter hill! LOL
Honestly..... she enjoys being by herself. and after the last episode with my freinds horses which we tried to introduce her with, i think ill keep her alone. it isnt a problem honestly... trust me on this one ok :)

How do you know she enjoys being by herself?
what exactly happened with your friends horse to put you off getting her a companion?
Honestly, horses are herd animals and NEED a companion, it is very rare I imagine for a horse to not like other horses. My horse seemed happy on his own but I got him a companion asap anyway as it's what is best, and now of course he is even happier to go off down the field etc wheras before he was always looking for human attention, perhaps he was even afraid to venture out on his own, as they are herd animals, they don't really feel safe on their own, perhaps she could be losing weight due to stress if she feels anxious on her own. about her weight though, she doesn't look that thin, horses like her are hard to keep weight on anyway. :)

[devonlass]

thanks hash. but i am quite upset now tbh... cos i feel like, if she is thin enough for people to say so... then she must be? if ya get what i mean. god i feel like that person who had those two ponies that the people from h&h rescued!!! those poor thin ponies :( remember the chesnut one?


anyway... i always think her feed isnt enough... lord knows i ask about it often enough, here and at the tack shop. to be fair the lady trys to advise me the best she can but sometimes ( and im not slating her for this) i sometimes wonder if she knows what shes talking about.

im not happy with her feed plan and now people have said she is on the thin side... i have to do something! there must be something i can give her, is there no multi vitmins or something? you know what i mean? just something to help her gain a bit!


nina p.s cos i was going to re home her i didnt bother with a RI but nowim not dont worry its deffo on my list of to dos start of next week x


its a full time job this horse lark aint it! LOL

Calm down,she's fine!!

See how she looks coming into proper winter,and if you still think she needs her feed changed then maybe ring up one of the feed company's they are very good at giving nutrition advice.

If you did want to get some weight on her without too much hassle,and give her a bit of 'central heating' on the inside so to speak,then try the oil route.One cup of oil to start with a day,and see if it helps.I found it great for keeping weight on a very big horse over winter and she was living out 24/7 as well!! I used corn oil as a preference,but there are others you can use.Veggie oil is also fine occasionally if you run out of other stuff etc,but wouldn't use it every day long term.

Really though she's not that underweight,and really you might find she's just a slender built TB,and that's how she will always look pretty much.

[sarchie]

Just a thought - has she had her teeth rasped in the past year?

[jordanross]

How do you know she enjoys being by herself?
what exactly happened with your friends horse to put you off getting her a companion?
Honestly, horses are herd animals and NEED a companion, it is very rare I imagine for a horse to not like other horses. My horse seemed happy on his own but I got him a companion asap anyway as it's what is best, and now of course he is even happier to go off down the field etc wheras before he was always looking for human attention, perhaps he was even afraid to venture out on his own, as they are herd animals, they don't really feel safe on their own, perhaps she could be losing weight due to stress if she feels anxious on her own. about her weight though, she doesn't look that thin, horses like her are hard to keep weight on anyway. :)


Ok im sorry if this is going to cause a fight. but i can only speak off my own experiance with my own horse.
she was kept alone at her last home... which i actually didnt know about until last month.

anyway what happened is my freind was going to keep two of his horses here for company for daphi. she played holy hell and kicked out. we tried again but was unsucsessful again.

I dont know daphi enjoys being by herself. but then again i dont know if she isnt! ?

she doesnt seem upset. she always behaves for me. she doesnt pace... like some people suggest she might. she goes out and grazes happily. ive watched her from my window many a time.

My opinion is .... ( and probably counts for nothing being a novice) but here goes...

daphi doesnt mind being by herself. shes adapted to that way of life. she is a domesticated horse, in fact arent all horses domesticated? some people might think its cruel having a horse in a stable,, or put in a field when they NATURALLY run free and roam.
Im not being rude but i dont buy the whole horses live in a herd naturally....explanation

these horses dont lead natural lives. they was born and reared by humans...they live to a degree the way we want them too.

besides the fact, i cant afford another horse financially or mentally at this moment in time.

i am however on a waiting list to go onto my local livery yard. where she will be with other horses.... how that pans out i dont know. due to past experiance im not looking forward to it. imho

[jordanross]

also ....while im on my box about horses being on there own...

lady above says... horses NEED a companion....


you asked me: how do i know she likes being on her own?

i ask you: how do you know they NEED a companion?

this isnt an argumentative question.... id genuinley like the answer, im still learning.

[jordanross]

sarchie Hi. her teeh havent been done in the past year as far as im aware. and a visit from the vet under two weeks ago showed her teeth to be ( not great)

however he said it wasnt affecting her eating. as she was eating at the time in her stable. she is however booked in for her teeth done at the end of this month.


x

[IrishDQ]

because they are herd animals. that's a fact.

also, it's perfectly normal for horses to do what looks like fighting, generally when horses are introduced they act weird for a while, running about, perhaps kicking out at each other but after a while (minutes in my case!) the novelty wears off and they settle down to graze.

tbh, a companion such as a shetland costs practically nothing to keep so not really a financial drain.

[jordanross]

they might be herd animals in the wild but i know quite a few people on here who have horses on there own and they havent had any problems to be honest. Im not saying what your saying isnt right but i think all horses are different. and in daphis case ( cos i can only comment on my own horse) she is fine being alone. she was before i got her and is again, except this time she gets looked after properly, or should i say....i try my best.

[jordanross]

*waves @ devonlass*


Hi not ignorin u hun xxx

[IrishDQ]

yes but what if she was even happier with a companion... mine was fine on his own too but is even happier now that he has a companion to play with and has constant company, not just a few hours a day of human company.

[jordanross]

yes but what if she was even happier with a companion... mine was fine on his own too but is even happier now that he has a companion to play with and has constant company, not just a few hours a day of human company.

true!!! and im not dismissing the suggestion. but im not buying another horse :)

as said im on a waiting list to go onto livery. a place will eventually turn up. until then shes quite ok as she is. x

[Harlequin32]

Totally agree! Id have been literally gutted. im just glad i didnt re home her...

Ive also enquired today about ( i know it isnt horsey) something ive wanted to do for a very long time , pass my water rescue course's! I have a phone call to make tomrrow but im really pleased about that too :)

Excellent- things are on the up then!
I was sure a while ago that re-homing was best for my horse, am so happy i didnt ever do it I would have just been so wrong and stupid had i done it.
Rough times actually do make things better in the long run, you get through them and it shows you can cope with more than you give yourself credit for.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Harlequin32]

lol, its like i told you JR, it depends on the weight of the rug could still be 'quilted' and only be a 40-100g which is classed as lightweight. you'l need a mediumweight (200g ish) and a heavyweight (350gish) as well and you may need your mediumweight pretty soon if the weather turns!

Red amigo's are 150g they only come in 150g- I know i spent about a month trying to find one heavier as i had my heart set on one only to be told red is only made in 150g:mad:

My TB is eating a fair bit less than Daphi and is in a thinner rug at night, he wears a l/w rug out in the day- I think she is probs fine in her amigo at night, if she feels ok in the morning.

Deep breath take things easy we are all still learning about our horses all the time;)

[Bangers & Mash]

JR you are doing a grand job with her she looks happy and healthy so people need to keep there opinions to themselves. If anything she needs more muscle than weight so just keep riding her as you are and rug her when YOU feel nessasary and she will carry on improving.

[jordanross]

thanks bangers and mash! thanks everyone in fact...!

sometimes i do worry myself to death over nothin x

[Cazie]

JR you are doing a grand job with her she looks happy and healthy so people need to keep there opinions to themselves. If anything she needs more muscle than weight so just keep riding her as you are and rug her when YOU feel nessasary and she will carry on improving.

HUH.. that's a bit of a contradiction if ever I saw heard one!! Other people keeping their opinions to themselves and then you go on to give yours!!

People care, they are trying to help.. no one has had a go, JR is learning..

[Skippys Mum]

JR - she wouldnt have the shine she's got if she wasn't doing well. Stop panicking. TB's are notoriously hard to get weight on.

For the record, horses are far healthier on the thinner side than on the fatter side. Being overweight causes far more bother than be slightly on the slimmer side.

She's looking good and I'm really pleased to hear you're on the list for livery - you will have so much more fun with some friends to ride with:D

[rtk]

People care, they are trying to help.. no one has had a go, JR is learning..

Yes but JR does tend to panic about every comment, he has no-one else around the way most horse owner do.

Hasty comments have made him ill and worry to the point of trying to give her away :mad:

In this case she might have lost a few pounds, mine do it regularly, I just adjust their feed and a week later they are back to normal. But from the angle those pics are taken its impossible to tell.

Jordan take a pic of her from the side and compare it with one from a couple of weeks ago. If you think she is a bit thinner then rug or feed her a bit more. Might be worth starting an album and check back every few weeks.

[Crystal Fire]

Jordan was thinking of giving his horse away because of his bad back and being unable to care for her.

[greymare]

You are doing well and keep up the good work!!!

If Daphiis a bit on the thinner side, I will suck some of what T has and sned down to you. I am having the opposite problem!!

Good to hear you have your name on a waiting list for a livery yard. They will give you the support you need, which I am always grateful for, especially in the winter!!

Keep the pictures coming and the main thing is ENJOY having Daphi!! :D

Jen
x

[AlwaysSkint]

Hi Jordan. I haven't read all of the replies, nor have I read the ones I DID read properly-I've just stopped mucking out for a quick coffee and a browse, but honestly, don't panic!

From what I can see of the pics of Daphi, she looks like she's a little lean, but by no means is she thin or skinny! Looking at her sides, where she goes in a little, she could just be a bit tucked up as she's a little chilly-not cold. Along her back she doesn't look like she's carrying a lot, but if she's anything like my TB boy, she'll need what I call 'proper' work to look like she's carrying weight properly, especially around his bum, my boy has a horrible bum unless he's worked daily.

Does she have hay out in the field in a day? Just a thought. I own an old lady who drops weight like crazy at the slightest thing, and even in summer I was advised to put forage out for her, as she doesn't really look for the grass. I don't know the nutritional qualities of pasture mix but maybe you could look into a feed with a bit more fuel for her? My only concern with her weight is that we're coming into winter and if she's anything like mine, a fair bit of weight can seemingly disappear in a very short period of time, but then equally, as a novice owner I'd be worried about introducing a conditioning feed that could potentially heat her up and make her a little too energetic for you to handle. There are some feeds on the market that are designed to add condition without heating up, Calm & Condition springs to mine, but I haven't personally fed it, maybe it would be something to look into? Splitting feeds over more meals will help too.

Is your hay a good quality? I've found that with my boy the quality of hay always makes an enormous difference, if you're worried could you ask at the local tack/fed shop? Maybe consider some haylage/horsehage?

Good luck, she's looking good!

[lilythepink]

Hi Jordan

Don't panic, she looks well, could just maybe do with a little more weight to take her into winter.

Try some pink powder as a feed balancer, it is fantastic stuff for poor doers (like TB's), also very good if they have been run down or poorly.

Here is a link to it http://www.naf-uk.com/products/detail.php?id=19 you will be able to buy it at your local feed/tack store. Does not fizz them up at all, just helps them digest properly what you are feeding them.

A nice, easy, relatively cheap way to get weight on your horse.

Glad your keep here :) Good luck.

[jordanross]

Hi guys well a few have mentioned pink powder so ill go and buy some of that today and see how i go. also i,ll put hay out in the field because grass does seem low now so maybe she isnt getting enough in the day.

I,ll take some pics of her side on in 10 mins or so.... and post in a little while x

[Denbenj]

She looks lovely very shiny and alert.

I think I would prbabley just up her forage intake. The field dosent look like theres much on it, and like you say its boggy to.

Her feed seems great for her, I would just chuck more hay out for her, especially as we creep into the next season.

[LokiSofi]

I must of missed the thread about you keeping her but so glad you are. She has a lovely shine on her. :D:D
Joey my tb has dropped quite a bit of weight the last few weeks as the weather has changed quite suddenly. Joey is rugged up during the day at present and at night though today it was lovely and hot so he was naked. My ID x TB Misty is also rugged as she is underweight and vet has advised to get weight on her bones before winter.
Pink powder really works for Joey as do calm and condition cubes. I'd also stick some hay out in the field for her that way if she gets cold during the day she can pick at the hay to warm up. The grass starts losing nutritioanl value around now so even lush grass often has no real content ot it.

If you want any advice or help just Pm me I'm happy to help :)

she is a gorgeous girl

[eventerbabe]

Absolutely echo bangers&mash, she looks spot on to me. Too many fat horses these days and people's perceptions of what is "normal" are totally scewed. i do agree maybe stick her out some hay. Don't panic!!

[Bangers & Mash]

HUH.. that's a bit of a contradiction if ever I saw heard one!! Other people keeping their opinions to themselves and then you go on to give yours!!

People care, they are trying to help.. no one has had a go, JR is learning..

Well i just feel sorry for JR with people saying he needs better fencing, better grazing, a field companion, to feed her more and to put a rug on her, when all you can see is a few photos and he hasn't actually asked for advice in this thread....

[Bangers & Mash]

Absolutely echo bangers&mash, she looks spot on to me. Too many fat horses these days and people's perceptions of what is "normal" are totally scewed. i do agree maybe stick her out some hay. Don't panic!!

Im glad someone agrees, if she was a heavy weight cob then I would be worried but she is bread to be a streamlined galloping horse.

[BlueWicked]

guys, I too am someone who hates to see an overweight horse. All I said was that she seems a bit too thin for the time of year. Probably shoudnt have used the word 'thin'... it might have been more appropriate to say she could do with a bit more cover-which i think i went on to say.

I know Jordan didnt specifically ask for advice in this thread - but he has on numerous occasions and we often exchange PM's, i hope he see's me as a friend and knows Id never have a dig at him or say anything to cause him worry...

knowing he is a novice owner who is relying solely (for now) on advice from here, and that things are about to change here in a big way shortly - I felt it was important to offer an opinion now, rather than wait.

given that winter is just around the corner and she looks the type that will probably not hold her weight particularly well, Id want to be upping her intake just a bit at the mo, although I agree it can be hard to tell from pics.

regarding rugging... well since that can be related to helping to keep weight on and JR and I were recently discussing rugging, it seems a good time to help out with that one as well. Jordan - someone has said the red amigo is 150g which is prob perfect for just now:) I was trying to explain that stable rugs as well as turnouts, also go up in weights (as JD had said he was confused about this) and you will need other stable rugs as it gets colder as well as your amigo.

I feel sorry for jordan being hassled over Daphi living alone, yet again. he's already explained that one to death. And yes, I am one of the people he knows who horse is also living alone and thriving! Yes - my horse IS happy; and I have confirmation (not that i need it:rolleyes:) from an equine specialist vet, my farrier, his old owners - who have never seen him so settled, and several very well respected RI's.

[Lucy_Angel]

I just wanted to say JR it looks like your doing a great job - can't be easy for you. Looks like you will have to invest in some rugs! A Rambo Duo is a great starting out rug and super snuggy! You can buy different liners and could then use them under you stable rug etc.

The shine on her coat is great so she is obviously in great condition. How much hay is she having? Enough to last her the night?

[Pale Moon]

i ask you: how do you know they NEED a companion?

this isnt an argumentative question.... id genuinley like the answer, im still learning.

Because they are herd animals.:rolleyes:

[abisheridee]

Because they are herd animals.:rolleyes:

Yup, just like dogs are pack animals and work better in groups- however if you spend a lot of time with them I suppose you become their 'pack'. You can't really live out 24/7 with your horse, doing a bit of mutual grooming, lol :)

[popdog]

Please do something about that fence, no one seems to care or comment. It is dangerous :eek:

[jordanross]

*sigh*


why is it dangerous?

[Alejandra]

QR
In my opinion, the horse looks healthy, but is underweight for a Tb.
If Jordanross does change her management as he says, by putting hay in the field, popping a middleweight rug on her, and feeding a bit more in her concentrates, then she should put the weight back on easily.

[abisheridee]

I never thought those fences were bad either, but my aunt's horse skinned her leg on one when she got it caught and panicked.

[popdog]

Because it is wire mesh...she could put her leg through it and do untold damage.

I am not someone on this board who looks for fights...I just want what is best for your mare and have already commented once about it with no reaction/response.

Please do not think I am here to have a go at you.

Regards.

[jordanross]

well today ive made some changes.


firstly i went and bought her pink powder as suggested by quit a few.

also i rugged her for turn out.

and i threw and entire bale of hay over. and tomrrow im going to fix a field manger up in the field to put the hay in.


Ive gotta say, i noticed the differance for her just bringing her in tonight. under her rug she was very warm all over. so im sure that,ll make a differance to her keeping some weight on!

Thanks for all your help EVERYONE.

[jordanross]

Ok one second... which fence do you mean? the two wires runing down? or the square mshing fencing all around the outer field?

[abisheridee]

Don't worry about a manger, it is actually more natural for them to eat it off the ground- it's a natural headset for them whilst they eat. Don't worry about it going soggy :)

edit: it's the big squares she can get her leg through.

[popdog]

The square stuff...they can get their leg through it and twist, then they get caught and skin themselves.

[jordanross]

Ok... but every livery around here as the same kind of fencing and i see numerous horses in fields and paddocks fenced with this stuff! Im sorry but theres no way i can start pulling down fences on the say so of people on a forum. I totally understand what your saying so dont get me wrong. but ive got to draw the line somewhere! How much money do you think i earn? LOL

I,ll have to take my chances on this one, all the other farms and liverys dont seem to be bothered by fencing there horses in this way.

[abisheridee]

Ok... but every livery around here as the same kind of fencing and i see numerous horses in fields and paddocks fenced with this stuff! Im sorry but theres no way i can start pulling down fences on the say so of people on a forum. I totally understand what your saying so dont get me wrong. but ive got to draw the line somewhere! How much money do you think i earn? LOL

I,ll have to take my chances on this one, all the other farms and liverys dont seem to be bothered by fencing there horses in this way.

You could always stick some electric tape up? Pretty ugly though and the fencing wouldn't be my top priority really..

edit: realised that makes it sound as though I think you've got loads of problems with Daphi, that's not how it was meant to be, lol :)
Tbh I had my horse in a field partially fenced with barbed wire, and although I wouldn't choose it myself there was very little I could do about it- he did hooney around quite a lot too and was never too cut up !

[kitcat2]

You could always stick some electric tape up? Pretty ugly though and the fencing wouldn't be my top priority really..

edit: realised that makes it sound as though I think you've got loads of problems with Daphi, that's not how it was meant to be, lol :)

Made me giggle - just the kinda comment I would make then realise how it could be taken wrong! At that point I usually dig myself further into the hole though:p

[BlueWicked]

ive got that type of fencing jordan... all ive done is run an electric wire on those kind of 'arms' that stick out along the top.

sounds like you have made some fab changes for her today:). How much of the hay did she eat? Ive not started putting hay out yet, but its looking like i might have to really soon....

[popdog]

Well if you want to take the risk that is your choice, personally I would buy some electric fence and tape off about a meter inside of that wire. That is what I said in my original post.

Erm but whatever...maybe just buy her some suppliments so she's all shiny and fat when she paces the fence and gets her leg caught :rolleyes:

[sheryl]

The square stuff is sheep wire. I've only ever known of one accident with sheep wire, in nearly 30yrs of horse ownership. The pony got it stuck between its hoof and the shoe. Luckily it stood waiting patiently until its owner cut it out:). TBH i've seen far worse in peoples fields, such as barbed wire, ragwort, farm machinery and acorns.
Why do Jordans threads always seem to go wrong?? Atleast he admits he has a lot to learn, and asks questions;)

[popdog]

Why do Jordans threads always seem to go wrong?? Atleast he admits he has a lot to learn, and asks questions;)

Maybe because he makes comments such as *sigh* ;)

[kitcat2]

It heard 2 stories about it - the RS I was at had a horse hurt itself and so they put elec fencing up as popdog suggested I think. Cheaper than vets bills anyway :)

[sheryl]

Maybe because he makes comments such as *sigh* ;)

See your point, but it must be quite exasperating. He does sound like he's doing his best, and we all had to start somewhere...

[ponygal]

The square stuff is sheep wire. I've only ever known of one accident with sheep wire, in nearly 30yrs of horse ownership. The pony got it stuck between its hoof and the shoe. Luckily it stood waiting patiently until its owner cut it out:). TBH i've seen far worse in peoples fields, such as barbed wire, ragwort, farm machinery and acorns.
Why do Jordans threads always seem to go wrong?? Atleast he admits he has a lot to learn, and asks questions;)

They dont always go wrong-he gets alot more positive responses than most and i suspect if he wasn't a guy he wouldn't get half as many!:rolleyes:

[vixie]

if you lot think that she's underweight you should see the tb's on my yard...you'd say they were emaciated haha.

[devonlass]

*waves @ devonlass*


Hi not ignorin u hun xxx

Just as well you put that,I was about to flounce off in a huff;):p:D

How do you know she enjoys being by herself?
what exactly happened with your friends horse to put you off getting her a companion?
Honestly, horses are herd animals and NEED a companion, it is very rare I imagine for a horse to not like other horses. My horse seemed happy on his own but I got him a companion asap anyway as it's what is best, and now of course he is even happier to go off down the field etc wheras before he was always looking for human attention, perhaps he was even afraid to venture out on his own, as they are herd animals, they don't really feel safe on their own, perhaps she could be losing weight due to stress if she feels anxious on her own. about her weight though, she doesn't look that thin, horses like her are hard to keep weight on anyway. :)

How do you know she doesn't enjoy being by herself?? Oh I know because horses are naturally herd animals right?? Well is a funny thing but they are also free roaming,non-ridden,un-rugged,don't eat hard feed etc etc.We seem to do the most unnatural things when it suits us,so why not this??
Is not always to do with not liking other horses as such,but there are horses that are just as happy to live alone,and there are some that once they get used to that don't take too kindly to suddenly being forced to be friends and share their space with another,perhaps Daphi is one of those??
I will agree with you that generally horses *seem* to prefer to have company,but I also think that it's unreasonable to say that horses NEED company,some really don't,and some really don't even like it when they do!!

Please do something about that fence, no one seems to care or comment. It is dangerous :eek:

I don't think JR posted the pics so he could get opinions on the fencing:rolleyes:
BTW do you have any idea how many horses are kept in fields with fencing like this,bl**dy loads!!
Nearly every farm will have this fencing,and even some livery yards I should imagine,as it's cheap and easy to put up,and is fairly secure.
I don't like it personally,but I am realistic to know it's very common and not something to react as strongly to as you did,have you not seen it before:confused:

I really don't understand why every one of JR posts go like this,everyone just seems to jump on him about something,and if they can't find anything valid,they just dramatise something trivial it seems,really don't understand it.

[jordanross]

Well if you want to take the risk that is your choice, personally I would buy some electric fence and tape off about a meter inside of that wire. That is what I said in my original post.

Erm but whatever...maybe just buy her some suppliments so she's all shiny and fat when she paces the fence and gets her leg caught :rolleyes:

you said you dont come here looking for fights but thats clear what your doing! and get your facts right before making statements! for one SHE doesnt pace the fence.... and until you have been here and seen her doing that i think you should keep quiet.

2, i find it HIGHLY unlikely shes going to get her leg caught in the fence wire, how many horses do you know that climb fences? ffs....

[kitcat2]

I really don't understand why every one of JR posts go like this,everyone just seems to jump on him about something,and if they can't find anything valid,they just dramatise something trivial it seems,really don't understand it.

Plz don't be angry at me for this folks but I think it's because JR has made it clear multiple times he is a fairly novice rider/owner so people just wanna help him out. Good point : atleast he is made aware of things; bad point: some threads (not this one) haven't turned out so well ... Just an observation, I personally don't have any particular view on the matter :)

[popdog]

Nearly every farm will have this fencing,and even some livery yards I should imagine,as it's cheap and easy to put up,and is fairly secure.
I don't like it personally,but I am realistic to know it's very common and not something to react as strongly to as you did,have you not seen it before:confused:


JR has stated that he sold his sports car and converted his garage into a stable. He has his own land...

No one said he was at livery! If you have your own land surely you could run some tape around it?

I've never seen this fencing (that wide - prob an 8 inch gap) used for horses. Yes you can use smaller holed sheep wire (I still don't agree) but this is just dangerous.

His fencing is dangerous, end of!

[jordanross]

Hi nina! xxxx


well this is the thing. she didnt seem to eat any of the hay i put out. maybe i should of added.... ( forgot) that is why im putting
/was putting her a mobile manger in the field, i thought maybe she didnt like it on the floor?


she was happily grazing when i brought her in before. so there must still be some legnth in the grass for her to get at?

[jordanross]

Your opinion is my fencing is dangerous. My opinion isnt the same. I dont think its dangerous. end of.

[popdog]

ffs....

Charming, them why don't you go back to HHO where they will rip you apart...ooops forgot you were banned from there for posting abusive stuff.

Grow up, if you don't want advice then don't post. Your fence is dangerous, I hope you don't have to deal with the consequences.

[alwaysfallingof]

I'm going to post something that I've been thinking for a while. I know that you don't know me, but please don't take it the wrong way.

You seem like a nice guy that really loves his horse. You don't have any horsey support or back-up at home and are fairly novicey. You are currently using NR as your back-up, but also seem to be very easily swayed by what people are saying. There's a phrase somewhere along the lines of 'nothing of use ever gets achieved by a committee'. Since I've read through your dilemmas of 'I'm going to sell her' or 'I'm never going to sell her', it seems to me as though the last thing you need is 20 people telling you 20 different things.
As a novice it takes a while to be able to 'prioritise' your problems. Some are serious, some aren't. Some need sorting immediately, some just need putting on a 'to do' list. You're not superman and you have your horse at home. You've been on here a while now, and it looks as though you've found people you trust. I apologise again if I'm speaking out of turn here, but my advice would be to stop posting quite so much on the general board because you are getting loads of people pointing out things that 'aren't quite perfect'. Use the friends that you've come to trust to watch your back and make sure you aren't making any serious mistakes, and while you're waiting for that livery yard place just chill out a bit, enjoy your horse and stop asking for advice from people that are going to point out every little imperfection because it WILL stress you out.
FWIW, I've seen hundreds of healthy horses in worse-looking fields, and she isn't in terrible condition. Chill!
Hope you take this in the sense its meant. I'm not trying to stop you posting or anything, just think its doing you more harm than good.

[vixie]

Grow up, if you don't want advice then don't post. Your fence is dangerous, I hope you don't have to deal with the consequences.

he wasnt actually asking for advice on his fencing though was he? ifact he wast even asking for anything, just sharing photos :rolleyes:

and as for HHO comment....they arent exactly a friendly bunch for novice owners asking for advice anyway

[BlueWicked]

you're right jordan - she will only eat the hay if she needs it, so there must be some goodness left in your grass:) As long as you are offering it to her, that's the main thing...

[jordanross]

Charming, them why don't you go back to HHO where they will rip you apart...ooops forgot you were banned from there for posting abusive stuff.

Grow up, if you don't want advice then don't post. Your fence is dangerous, I hope you don't have to deal with the consequences.





LOL!!!!! somebodys spit the dummy out.


actually... did i make this thread asking for advice? No :)


so do something for me... its 4 words ....( neck wind your in ) re assemble :)

[Howengold]

Once again it becomes a witch hunt.

I think the site becoming subs only will hopefully stop this nonsense. Why can't people just comment on the things they are asked and not rip everyone apart.

Sorry I find it very hard to keep my mouth shut anymore. All I have seen since arriving on this site is witch hunt after witch hunt and its sad because I like a hell of a lot of people on here. I see things I don't like but at the end of the day its nothing to do with me so I keep my mouth shut and my nose out, maybe others should too.

I totally agree with Alwaysfallingoff JR. xxx Big hugs and we never stop learning with horses...even those who think they know are still learning x

[jordanross]

I'm going to post something that I've been thinking for a while. I know that you don't know me, but please don't take it the wrong way.

You seem like a nice guy that really loves his horse. You don't have any horsey support or back-up at home and are fairly novicey. You are currently using NR as your back-up, but also seem to be very easily swayed by what people are saying. There's a phrase somewhere along the lines of 'nothing of use ever gets achieved by a committee'. Since I've read through your dilemmas of 'I'm going to sell her' or 'I'm never going to sell her', it seems to me as though the last thing you need is 20 people telling you 20 different things.
As a novice it takes a while to be able to 'prioritise' your problems. Some are serious, some aren't. Some need sorting immediately, some just need putting on a 'to do' list. You're not superman and you have your horse at home. You've been on here a while now, and it looks as though you've found people you trust. I apologise again if I'm speaking out of turn here, but my advice would be to stop posting quite so much on the general board because you are getting loads of people pointing out things that 'aren't quite perfect'. Use the friends that you've come to trust to watch your back and make sure you aren't making any serious mistakes, and while you're waiting for that livery yard place just chill out a bit, enjoy your horse and stop asking for advice from people that are going to point out every little imperfection because it WILL stress you out.
FWIW, I've seen hundreds of healthy horses in worse-looking fields, and she isn't in terrible condition. Chill!
Hope you take this in the sense its meant. I'm not trying to stop you posting or anything, just think its doing you more harm than good.



totally respect and understand what your saying xxx

[rtk]

Charming, them why don't you go back to HHO where they will rip you apart...ooops forgot you were banned from there for posting abusive stuff.

Grow up, if you don't want advice then don't post. Your fence is dangerous, I hope you don't have to deal with the consequences.

Oh get a life, as Jordan says this fencing is common for horses, it might not be perfect but you would not find anywhere round here without it, it keeps the sheep out.

Jordan they do actually climb the fences, I used to keep bolt cutters in both my cars to cut my oldie out of this wire. If he was feeling hungry he would stand on the stock wire in the middle of post and his weight would pull the posts together lowering the middle so he could reach further into the field next door. He regularly got the wire between his hoof and shoe. I found the answer to this was to make sure he was never hungry, he got hay in the field as well as in his stable at night. I could not change the fencing as it was not mine and there was no-where else to keep him that didn't have this wire. Our current yard uses it but with an electric tape in front of it, hadn't worked for the old lad we have still had to cut him out. Luckily there is always someone around and he just stands there waiting to be cut out.

[alwaysfallingof]

totally respect and understand what your saying xxx

Thank goodness :). Take care and good luck with that lovely horse of yours.

[devonlass]

JR has stated that he sold his sports car and converted his garage into a stable. He has his own land...

No one said he was at livery! If you have your own land surely you could run some tape around it?

I've never seen this fencing (that wide - prob an 8 inch gap) used for horses. Yes you can use smaller holed sheep wire (I still don't agree) but this is just dangerous.

His fencing is dangerous, end of!

I never said he was at livery either,if you bother to read what I posted!! My point was that many places that graze and livery horses have this type of fencing,there are probably thousands of horses grazing fields with fencing like this as we speak,how many of those do you suppose are currently stood there with thier foot stuck in the fencing?? Not many I'm willing to bet!!

I completey agree that it's not the ideal fencing for horses,but TBH most fields and even yards don't have the 'ideal' fencing for horses,and your first post about the fencing just sounded dramatic and OTT,in my opinion.

Do you post that on every post you see with a pic of that type of fencing?? You must get real bored of repeating yourself if so.


Charming, them why don't you go back to HHO where they will rip you apart...ooops forgot you were banned from there for posting abusive stuff.

Grow up, if you don't want advice then don't post. Your fence is dangerous, I hope you don't have to deal with the consequences.

Is that what this is really all about,an overspill from the HHO situation?? Suggest you keep it over there if so.

Not sure it's JR who needs to grow up TBH,he didn't post pics of his horse to get advice on his fencing I shouldn't think,so not only have you given him unwanted advice,you've also done it in a very rude manner IMO.

[rtk]

Once again it becomes a witch hunt.

I think the site becoming subs only will hopefully stop this nonsense. Why can't people just comment on the things they are asked and not rip everyone apart.

Sorry I find it very hard to keep my mouth shut anymore. All I have seen since arriving on this site is witch hunt after witch hunt and its sad because I like a hell of a lot of people on here. I see things I don't like but at the end of the day its nothing to do with me so I keep my mouth shut and my nose out, maybe others should too.

I totally agree with Alwaysfallingoff JR. xxx Big hugs and we never stop learning with horses...even those who think they know are still learning x


Agree but who said they are the people that are leaving.

It might become a board full of these people, we can pay to be abused ROFL

[sancho]

JR,

You've rugged Daphni and given her ad-lib hay which is great.

Soya oil is great for helping to keep weight on but get it from the supermarket - far cheaper!;)

Pink powder is a great balancer.

She has a lovely shine to her coat but it would be good to get a bit more on (if you can) to go into winter with which is just standard practice really, no need to panic.

TB's are notoriously hard to get weight onto, as are arabx's!;)

[VickyS]

This is sadly another post rapidly heading for a closing :(

I'd just like to say before it does that I'm thrilled Jordon is keeping Daphi,horses have helped me through a lot of hard/rough patches in my life and im sure daphi will do the same for Jordon!:) I also think he is doing GREAT job with her,everyone was a novice and some point and everyone has to learn and ask questions. you need to relax a bit and dont worry about what everyone says and like someone said above me (sorry cant remeber who!) maybe post in a particular section so you dont get as many general posts-e.g, Q about rugs,post in care section/food in metabolic- (but I appreciate this post was only to show us your lovely photos:D)
I hope you get a livery space soon as it will take some of the weight off your shoulders and you'l have loads of people around to ask advice off!:)
keep up the good work Jordon!
x

[jordanross]

thanks vicky! xxxx

[HashRouge]

My YO rents about 17 acres of land and it is all fenced with the same sheep wire as in the photos Jordan has posted. In the three years that she has rented these fields she hasn't had any problems with the fencing. It may not be the ideal fence for horses, but it is not the death trap people are making it out to be.

[HorseBird]

I agree with popdog that sheep fencing is not ideal BUT, I also agree with devonlass (as usual ;)) that there are 100s of horses kept with this type of fencing, and worse (barbed wire). My horses are currently turned out with fencing that in an ideal world wouldn't be there, but my options are, pay to electric fence 30 acres (not allowed to section any off), or keep my horses in. To be honest, horses are never completely safe whatever the fencing - I know a number of horses that despite having post and rail have put their legs through the 5 bar gate and broken their legs or done serious damage. I also know of 2 youngsters that in sheer panic have crashed through electric fencing whilst it was on, got caught up in it and burnt themselves to shreds. Where there's a will for a horse to hurt itself there's a way :rolleyes:.

Poor JR - I think he alone is the reason I don't post pictures :rolleyes:

[devonlass]

This thread is perhaps a good example of the need for a picture gallery on the 'new nr' as mikh suggested on her thread.Somewhere people can just post pics of their horses and recieve nice comments,from people who are *genuinely* interested.

[Howengold]

Agree but who said they are the people that are leaving.

It might become a board full of these people, we can pay to be abused ROFL

Sadly thats why I decided that I'd rather spend my £10 elsewhere.

JR you are doing great by me hun x

[Bangers & Mash]

AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

This thread is making me so angry!!!!!!! I actually can't belive how ****ing rude some people are!

JR you are doing an amzing job, and I bet you the people giving you advice don't even have the guts to post pictures of there horses, of fear of people judging them.

And so what you have a diffrent type of fencing she could be doing alot worse! I can't belive that people are actually making judgment from four pictures. Yes there is a risk from the fencing but everything has an element of risk when horses are involved.

Just keep doing what your doing and you wont go far wrong!!! If you were doing as bad a job as some people are making out it would have been obvious to you long before now!

Im really sorry you thread has turned out like this, Im sorry I stooped to other peoples levels also

[horse_crazy]

Hi Jorden, I've been folowing all your threds and I just want to say I'm very pleased your keepping daffy,and that your doing a wundiful job with her! In my experience, rugging/what type of rugs to use as well as feeds are the most difficalt things to figger out! And I think your doing great! I wouldn't stress hun.

[Jinxsea]

Hi JR, I think daphi looks great!
Also shes a very lucky girl to have such a caring owner, who is willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy/healthy!:)
TBO I've seen much worse from "experienced" horse owners. Keep up the great work, and jut try to have fun with your horse ;)

[Cazie]

I suspect those rude posts are HHO members come to give the weaker a bashing.. they like doing that.

[camel]

I'm going to post something that I've been thinking for a while. I know that you don't know me, but please don't take it the wrong way.

You seem like a nice guy that really loves his horse. You don't have any horsey support or back-up at home and are fairly novicey. You are currently using NR as your back-up, but also seem to be very easily swayed by what people are saying. There's a phrase somewhere along the lines of 'nothing of use ever gets achieved by a committee'. Since I've read through your dilemmas of 'I'm going to sell her' or 'I'm never going to sell her', it seems to me as though the last thing you need is 20 people telling you 20 different things.
As a novice it takes a while to be able to 'prioritise' your problems. Some are serious, some aren't. Some need sorting immediately, some just need putting on a 'to do' list. You're not superman and you have your horse at home. You've been on here a while now, and it looks as though you've found people you trust. I apologise again if I'm speaking out of turn here, but my advice would be to stop posting quite so much on the general board because you are getting loads of people pointing out things that 'aren't quite perfect'. Use the friends that you've come to trust to watch your back and make sure you aren't making any serious mistakes, and while you're waiting for that livery yard place just chill out a bit, enjoy your horse and stop asking for advice from people that are going to point out every little imperfection because it WILL stress you out.
FWIW, I've seen hundreds of healthy horses in worse-looking fields, and she isn't in terrible condition. Chill!
Hope you take this in the sense its meant. I'm not trying to stop you posting or anything, just think its doing you more harm than good.

One of the most sensible posts on this thread ... if one of our forum 'elders' posted those pictures then I doubt so much advice would have been tendered ;)

.. and fwiw - I think you are quite restrained with your replies JR :D

xx

[noodle]

JR she looks fine honey.
I have taken pictures of rosie before from the shoulder and for some reason the light has made it look like her ribs were showing !!!!!LOL rosie is more overweight than anything.
As for the fencing I know horses who have had accidents with post and rail{broke through them when scratching on them} got head stuck under while eating grass on other side.
barbed wire fencing causes a huge amount of damage and electric fencing wrapping round legs or like peach does, runs through it or under it{even 3 strands}
I would rather have your type of fencing and a strand of electric on top to prevent dogs ect from getting in and chasing horses ect

[posie]

jordon - take a deep breath! you'll always get lots of opinions - i think that's a good idea to just pm a few trusted peeps tbh - you'll get 101 confilcting opinions from a forum!

here's my tuppence worth ;) but feel free to dismiss anything you like of it becuase we all have our diffferent ways and none will ever be exactly similar :)

fencing - show me a field that does not have that type?! lol!!! yup - there are some - but TBH i'd say the majority do have it - dont worry - mine even had BARBED WIRE at my last place - quick - call the RSPCA ;) :p

hay - maybe try a leaf at a time in the field and add more as she eats it (or not!) i do that with my mare so she has the choice - at the mo she eats about a leaf every day - some days more some days less - just means you waste less and save money :D and give her the option. the grass is rapidly loosing nutrition so wont be providing her with that much now. as for a manger - good idea if the ground is wet as it will keep the hay mud free and nicer for her - yup feeding from the ground is more natural but whatever suits your situation ;)

your feed - i think the pink powder is a good addition :) and i'd make sure she has all the hay she can eat over night in her stable.

rugging - up here i rug from about 6pm now as the temp rapidly drops off from then... and take honey's off at 7.30am - it's still warm durning the day though - if the daytime is going to be much less than 15'C i tend to put her LW with fill on - say a 40-70gm filled rug during the day = i find the LW rainsheets don't keep her warm at all - odd horse! she is quite hardy though. she'll soon have her MW half neck at night on though as it's getting quite chilly now!

and don't worry - i'm 1 yr into horse ownership and still have a slight 'what rug?' panic every morning!! :o and at the mo i (slap me down for being a bad horse owner lol) can't work out when i last wormed honey so am having to guess for the autum worming dates!! Doh! lol

in fact - if i publically posted all my worries and wrong doing's i'd prob have her taken away from me by now thehehehe ;)

[Gruntfuttock]

I suspect those rude posts are HHO members come to give the weaker a bashing.. they like doing that.

Yup, they are all nasty HHO members who joined NR ages ago, simply to lie in wait for JR. What a silly comment.

[jordanross]

Hi posie well thanks for the reply! :)

is a leaf a flake? or a slice? thats what we call it ( i think) lol. or a cake!


great reply though thanks xx

Im glad people are giving me advice im always greatful.....but i was just reading back and its funny i wasnt even asking for advice! LOL But obviously as i say always greatful! x

[posie]

Hi posie well thanks for the reply! :)

is a leaf a flake? or a slice? thats what we call it ( i think) lol. or a cake!


great reply though thanks xx

Im glad people are giving me advice im always greatful.....but i was just reading back and its funny i wasnt even asking for advice! LOL But obviously as i say always greatful! x

yay - give her a cake lol! honey actually likes bread and cake - odd horse... and is currently going mad for those 'healthy' yoghurt covered fruit biscuit thingies (i get mobed for them if i eat them near her!) and rosehips and blackberrys on hacks....!
anyway - yeah - a leaf/slice/handful - just keep topping it up as it goes = then you wont waste it - i say i feed a leaf - it's actually an ikea bag full which equates to about the same - just makes carrying it to the field in my work clothes easier and cleaner ;)
and as for unwanted advice - dont worry - have a look through and you'll fnid it happens all the time - it's not just you ;)

[jordanross]

an ikea bag! LOL love it! ha ha

daphi like some sweet things but not many.... shes a monster for wotits crisp though! she loves them! LOL

and she hates teacakes! the chocolate covered ones with jam in i mean she stole mine a few days ago and got a nasty surprise when she bite into it LOL!!!!

[posie]

an ikea bag! LOL love it! ha ha

daphi like some sweet things but not many.... shes a monster for wotits crisp though! she loves them! LOL

and she hates teacakes! the chocolate covered ones with jam in i mean she stole mine a few days ago and got a nasty surprise when she bite into it LOL!!!!

see i'd NEVER share my teacakes!!! :eek: its a brave person (or horse) to try to get one off me :p

ikea bags rock - also means i can take her (smelly muddy) rug off in the field - chuck it in the bag and keep clean to carry it back :D and i use them to carry rugs home to wash etc - you can never have enough ikea bags :cool:

[Roxy's Mum]

I'm going to post something that I've been thinking for a while. I know that you don't know me, but please don't take it the wrong way.

You seem like a nice guy that really loves his horse. You don't have any horsey support or back-up at home and are fairly novicey. You are currently using NR as your back-up, but also seem to be very easily swayed by what people are saying. There's a phrase somewhere along the lines of 'nothing of use ever gets achieved by a committee'. Since I've read through your dilemmas of 'I'm going to sell her' or 'I'm never going to sell her', it seems to me as though the last thing you need is 20 people telling you 20 different things.
As a novice it takes a while to be able to 'prioritise' your problems. Some are serious, some aren't. Some need sorting immediately, some just need putting on a 'to do' list. You're not superman and you have your horse at home. You've been on here a while now, and it looks as though you've found people you trust. I apologise again if I'm speaking out of turn here, but my advice would be to stop posting quite so much on the general board because you are getting loads of people pointing out things that 'aren't quite perfect'. Use the friends that you've come to trust to watch your back and make sure you aren't making any serious mistakes, and while you're waiting for that livery yard place just chill out a bit, enjoy your horse and stop asking for advice from people that are going to point out every little imperfection because it WILL stress you out.
FWIW, I've seen hundreds of healthy horses in worse-looking fields, and she isn't in terrible condition. Chill!
Hope you take this in the sense its meant. I'm not trying to stop you posting or anything, just think its doing you more harm than good.


I agree - and as Camel said - glad there are people on here willing to give sound advice and sensible, productive, opinions instead of starting a fight.

The majority of the time it's not actually WHAT people are saying but the way they go about it. A simple question or 'hint-hint' about something will obviously not suffice for some and have to give a full blown nasty bash of a comment to get the full riled effect from other posters.

Shame at the levels of immaturity really but se-la-vie.

Best of luck Jordon, you seem to be progressing well. Try not to take the mean or bi*chy comments to heart. There are plenty on here willing to give sound, sensible advice, you just have to seek them out! :)

[Cazie]

Yup, they are all nasty HHO members who joined NR ages ago, simply to lie in wait for JR. What a silly comment.

Actually that is exactly what happens.. I have read some of the threads about JR on HHO in the past and yes.. a lot of the replies do insinuate they will continue to give him grief.. I'm not saying that constructive criticism shouldn't be given, but some posts are just down right rude and very reminisce of HHO forums.. so in answer to your "silly comment" I'll say.. whatever!

[wibble]

firstly Daphi looks great I love a good TB.

This is the second winter I have had Mischief and now know that he drops weight easily through the winter so have fattened him up in advance. I think its very hard to know how a horse will cope until you have seen it through a whole year, I have seen supposed experienced people do a lot worse than Jordan is doing.

I have also noticed that it seems to be common in the horse world to assume because a person hasn't been riding long they are wrong, a friend that I met on here sometimes mentions that she gets comments just because she follows more modern ideas sometimes. If I have learned one thing its to listen to advice, do research and get on with my own thing.

Also our yard has barbed wire and sheep fencing and in the 45 years my yo as lived there the only injury a horse has sustained is from a post and rail fence. Mischief gets scrapes from other horses but never from the fencing also it deters people from climbing in the field!

If you need advice about feeding I would recommend you ring one of the feed manuafacturers free advice lines, they will help with quantities etc. Our local feed shop tried to sell a fellow livery a top condition mix instead of a cool mix as they had run out, her already over excited head may have exploded had she not read the ingredients and the small print on the back and decided against it.

Good Luck oh and one last thing I find sticking my fingers in my ears and singing x factore reject stylee la la la la la very helpful if people are rude!

[Fizz]

Actually that is exactly what happens.. I have read some of the threads about JR on HHO in the past and yes.. a lot of the replies do insinuate they will continue to give him grief.. I'm not saying that constructive criticism shouldn't be given, but some posts are just down right rude and very reminisce of HHO forums.. so in answer to your "silly comment" I'll say.. whatever!

you know, this really gets my back up, do not tar all members of HHO the same, just as i wouldn't dream of taring the NR ones who stir trouble here or other forums!!!

JR, if i was you i would pick a few people who you can trust and ask them for advice etc.

[jordanross]

Please!!! everyone dont argue.... as far as im concerned...hho is history.... dont keep bringing it up....it really isnt worth it. I met one lady off there in person she was lovely and gave me advice and helped me quite alot... yes there are some nasty folk on there but im sure they arent all like that. I dont wish to ever talk about that site ever again though.... i know they still talk about me. i get told everyday. its pathetic too be honest.... but what i dont have to read doesnt hurt or upset me.... lets concentrate on this site! and how good its going to be after the 1st! xxx

[Cazie]

Well firstly I haven't knocked all HHO members.. secondly I was defending Jordan, thirdly I have a right to my opinion.. like you do.. what I said is true though, and because Jordan doesn't want this brought up again I wont name and shame.. but if you guys think for one minute it isn't going on, then you are very niave indeed.

Jordan, you love Daphi, you are doing the best you can for her.. I respect you for that.. ignore the posts that are just downright rude and have no significant advice to give..

[sarchie]

Hi Jordan

People have their preferences re fences. Here we have stock fencing with a strand of barbed wire along the top (the cattle and sheep take priority over the horses - appalling, I know!!! :rolleyes:), but I've never had any problems, and this is the type of fencing they've been in for years. The only problem is the odd tear on her rug from the barbed wire.

:)

[puzzles]

Blimey, what a fiasco - I'd be surprised if you had any nails left, Jordan my man! :eek:

Ditto alwaysfallingoff. These are all perfectly valid points, some of more worth & priority than others, but all you can do is the best you can for your horse and tackle each point one at a time, as and when you can. Your horse may be alright on her own, but it is one of the few difficult-to-oppose "facts" about horses than she would still be better off with a companion: you could advertise for someone to pay yout o share her field (and you could ride out togetehr& have some more support & help if you wish) or evena few sheep or goats would do! She will be calmer & less stressed, & also less dependent on you, develop healthy social skills & confidence with other horses, feel safer & more secure, and more emotionally balanced. Evolution hasn't made horses live together naturally for millions of years for nothing without good reason - and plenty of them! :p It is dificult to keep horses 100% "naturally", but we can do our best to let them live as nature intended, in as many ways possible. I would make sure that your horse has ad-lib hay at nigth and 1 haynet may not be enough; so if there is none left in the stable when you go to see her in the morning, then you could probably feed her some more. This - as well as night-time rugging & regular exercise - will give her the best opportunity to maintain a healthy weight. If she seems well in herself with a shiny coat & enough energy for her work, then you are definitely doing something right! She will probably often look on the skinny side, considering her breeding, and that's ok! There is a risk with the kind of fencing that you have, but for now it will do until you can replace it or get some electric fencing to avoid your horse coming into contact it.
She is utterly beautiful by the way, you should be very proud of yourself: it is not easy looking after a new horse on your own with little/no support, and you obviously care about her very much. Just make sure that you demonstrate this care by keeping her as safe & happy as you can, which will take time; noone has it perfect and everyone is on a learning curve with things to improve on. :)

((((Hugs)))))

x

[Wally]

My driving instuctor has strong views on horse weight. She is a farmer, first and foremost, so has a good stockman's eye for a good beast, whether it be a horse or cattle and sheep.

But is it a subject we will never see eye to eye on. She keeps her working horses lean, but they are very well muscled, they are not all fat hairy cobs, some are sleek racing machines.
I like to keep a bit more weight on a horse, simply due to where I live, they do need reserves for the weather up here.

Would you like to see a fat greyhound? obviously not, they are not designed to be roly poly like a bull terrier. TB's can stand to be lean, more damage is done by having over weight horses than ones that are a bit lean.

I don't like thae fashion for fat show ponies, there is a middle ground.

Come on you lot, hand on heart, have you ever had a horse in your posession that you have been 100% happy with his condition 100% of the time?

[Cazie]

Apart from the fact that my boys bottom wobbles, his coat isn't a shiny as I'd like, his mane is to thick, his tail to long, he doesn't have enough top line, I'm 100% happy :D:p

[amandal]

For a TB at this time of year she looks fine, you've bought some pink powder, use that and keep giving her hay in her field. She'll eat it when there's no grass left, so i'd just give her a slice at a time until she starts to eat it.

One of mine is a very good doer, coming out of winter is the only time I'm ever happy with her condition. I only feed her a handful of fibre based feed through the summer so she can have her supplements but she just balloons every year.

TB's are meant to be leaner, it's their build.

I would like to add that I do think you need to develop a thicker skin. Everyone has an opinion involved in horses and you need to trust those who you do and develop the ability to ignore everyone else (me included :D)

[crazyhorse97]

she looks fine hun :) king is starting to drop off now too, its just what TBs have a tendancy to at this particular time of year! he will start getting more ffed, switching from happy hoff of the summer to alfa-a oil (i found this easier and cheaper than dding oil to his feeds!) with a few more nuts and about a scoop of speedi-beet which will continue to fluctuate weekly over the winter depending on the weight he is. i dont think he ever gets the same feed 2 weeks running - it is entirely dependent on how he looks and what the grass situation is imo.

come the depths of winter (ie December onwards, probably until about february march time) all 3 of the boys in our field will have ad lib hay during the day between them, probably about a bale a day - they are all out 24/7 (a TB, TBx and a WB) and they all managed to come out the winter pretty much the same way as they went into it :)

dont panic hun, we all have to learn sometime; christ feed still panics me like mad! i am just lucky i have a very nice YM who helps me when i get confused. I am considering sunflower oil this year too as i have heard this i good for keeping weight on (some correct me if im wrong!) and is fairly cheap when you buy big bottles in the supermarket :D

enjoy her, so pleased you decided to keep her! :D:D:D

xXx