This isn't my horse, but was on the old yard we were at. Consequently the horse was starved and almost certainly badly treated.
It has now moved, but is owned by someone of limited means, and I think with limited understanding of horses. I saw her last week in the nearest town and she told me she thought her horse was dying (in almost those words) - the vets were doing blood tests (she couldn't have them back for two weeks though). I have today driven to see the horse.
She said she 'couldn't keep weight on it' - that's true, this horse is absolute skin and bones - but it's bright eyed, came over to the hedgeline in response to my car stopping alongside the field, and was interested and alert.
However when it walks it's backend and legs are NOT right - it's pastern is 'dropped' so when it walks it's back legs drop too far down towards the ground, and the pastern is almost parellel to the ground - it also 'lost' it's legs a couple of times and it's hoof went down onto the toe, almost like a ballerina - at that point it stood still and sort of 'found it's feet' again - it couldn't keep walking.
Anyone ever heard of it.
Recklessly I said to her last week that rather than shoot it she should give me a call............. I know I can afford the vet bills, it's a lovely horse (my daughter rode it last year for some time and adored it) - it WAS a lovely horse - and I have too much grazing and space for a fourth on the farm I am at........
But I think rather than the weight - which I thought was her problem and why she was saying the horse had no future - I think her problem is the hind quarters.
Anyone ever seen this/ heard of it/ need a better description?
It has now moved, but is owned by someone of limited means, and I think with limited understanding of horses. I saw her last week in the nearest town and she told me she thought her horse was dying (in almost those words) - the vets were doing blood tests (she couldn't have them back for two weeks though). I have today driven to see the horse.
She said she 'couldn't keep weight on it' - that's true, this horse is absolute skin and bones - but it's bright eyed, came over to the hedgeline in response to my car stopping alongside the field, and was interested and alert.
However when it walks it's backend and legs are NOT right - it's pastern is 'dropped' so when it walks it's back legs drop too far down towards the ground, and the pastern is almost parellel to the ground - it also 'lost' it's legs a couple of times and it's hoof went down onto the toe, almost like a ballerina - at that point it stood still and sort of 'found it's feet' again - it couldn't keep walking.
Anyone ever heard of it.
Recklessly I said to her last week that rather than shoot it she should give me a call............. I know I can afford the vet bills, it's a lovely horse (my daughter rode it last year for some time and adored it) - it WAS a lovely horse - and I have too much grazing and space for a fourth on the farm I am at........
But I think rather than the weight - which I thought was her problem and why she was saying the horse had no future - I think her problem is the hind quarters.
Anyone ever seen this/ heard of it/ need a better description?