Amanda Seater
Grand Prix Poster
Listen to your horse you may be surprised what he may tell you about yourself
Posts: 3,866
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Post by Amanda Seater on Dec 14, 2010 10:43:39 GMT 1
Aw kate I have no great suggestions as it seems you are doing your best and others have made useful comments.
I would say that I don't understand how PTS is the cheap option at the moment either - that is expensive too and I imagine that there are more than a few horses about that are suffering becuase of this. If a horse needs to be PTS and a person can't afford it - what then?
Again our thoughts are with you and you are not alone in this situation.
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Post by clara81 on Dec 14, 2010 12:53:43 GMT 1
I feed my old mare grass nuts which are £7 for 20kg and they last ages. She has no teeth and I was on the point of having her pts 3 years ago but someone suggested grass nuts and she just blossomed on them. She was like a toast rack and really miserable but I gave her one last chance on the grass nuts and so far this winter all I'm having to feed her is a double handful of grassnuts (soaked) twice a day and a vit supplement. No sugar beat, no veteran cubes, no barley. She is fat! I'll have to cut it down before spring as even though the vet says she can't eat grass I know she can by her droppings! She is only 11.2hh but a bag of grass nuts lasts her a good 6 weeks.
Could you get a prescription from your vet and get the bute online? I'm not sure if that would cheaper or not. Also bear in mind if he's arthritic that he will be better off on the lean side to put less pressure on his joints.
This last couple of winters have been awful with the price of hay and feed and the extreme weather, I'm sure there are loads of people in a similar situation.
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Post by rosemaryhannah on Dec 14, 2010 16:48:42 GMT 1
My oldie with a wave mouth has these and they are wonderful - and low lami risk if that is a factor. They are so like grass and the neddies do so well on them.
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Post by taklishim on Dec 14, 2010 19:57:31 GMT 1
I am sorry to hear of your problems Gordo. I haven't had chance to read all your replies but I did keep seeing mention of speedibeet. That is expensive. A far cheaper option is mollassed sugar beet. That comes in 25kg bags, Mine is £5.35. You can easily remove the mollases by rinsing the soaked sugar beet a few times. I rinse sugar beet for 9 horses each day and it doesn't take that long but it works out so very much cheaper. I wonder if you could help your feed costs by using sugar beet with just a handful of flaked barley if he is fussy to make it nicer for him. Flaked barley is also cheap. I think it is around £5.5 for 20kg. Hope this may help you.
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Post by muddy boots on Dec 14, 2010 20:58:55 GMT 1
I know someone who uses `Copra` feed its very good for retaining weight and although expensive a bag will last ages, you add water to it and it swells up,its oil based.I know there is a feed supplier in Taunton(there arent many yet) it may be worth Googling it to find out if you think it will benefit your boy.Good luck and take some magnesium yourself for pmt.x
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Post by gordo on Dec 14, 2010 21:11:24 GMT 1
I want to thank all of you who offered supportive replies to this very emotive subject. Judging from the pm's I have received, I am not alone in this but I am sure people will keep their struggles to themselves for fear of retribution! I have had some amazing help offered from dg-ers to which I am eternally grateful and hope to be able to return the favour should they ever need it. I have had a look at things and will juggle the stable routine to reduce costs and ensure that his arthritis is covered as a priority, mind you watching the blighter run away from me putting his Bioflow boots on today showed that pain relief isn't high priority for him! I will source some ACV from local cider place and try to find a reasonable oil supply as it seems this is a vital component that I need to address. I will use the feed I have and then wean him onto something more basic but nutritionally suitable. So, a big thanks to all who helped me at my very low ebb. Gordo will always be safe and well in my hands. If I couldn't supply what he needed I would ask for help and when his Time is here, he will leave with all the dignity I can give him.
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Post by peppertop on Dec 14, 2010 22:33:21 GMT 1
I have been advised to have him PTS as a money pit but I don't see him as an item to be discarded when no longer useful, he is my responsibility but I am at breaking point! I'm glad lots of people have responded with the advice you wanted. Sorry for me reading this statement as you thinking about pts. I was just trying to offer my support. Jeez this discussion group is a strange place! I hope you are feeling better about it all now
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Post by anastasia55555 on Dec 14, 2010 22:42:32 GMT 1
Dont take it personally peppertop, sometimes there are so many ways of reading something, so easy to get the wrong end of the stick, often easier than the right end! Plus hormones, well they get the better of us all some times
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Post by gordo on Dec 14, 2010 22:46:05 GMT 1
Don't stress about it PT, it was cool and you were offering the benefit of your experience. Sadly tact is lacking on here at times and I, and many others, have learned this! Usually happy place if you say the right thing lol!!
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Post by gem on Dec 14, 2010 23:08:40 GMT 1
gordo - sorry to hear you are struggling, its a crap time of year thats for sure, though I do think all the replies on here have been fair and genuine, just some havent said what you wanted to hear - doesnt make them intend any harm
Not sure if its an idea but a friend of mine feeds her horses on cow nuts - miles cheaper and her oldies keep the weight on really well,not sure how nutritionally brilliant they are but could it be an option? other than that its all been suggested really - i'd look at the mollassed sugar beet too - its cheap as out of fashion but if he's not being ridden would it make a difference?? the only other suggestion is could you possibly get some work from home or babysit someones child one night a week to top up the extra bits?
for what its worth though, id have sold my soul to the devil to keep sky safe and well, so know just how you feel, now i have diesel to look after id do the same for him!
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