The absolute best resource is your vet. Each skinny horse is different. Matilda was starved for an extended period of time and our vet helped build a nutrition plan based on her blood work (extremely anemic). Consult your vet. Get blood work done. Feed slow and easy. Watch for colic. It can happen even months down the road. The farrier should be out very soon as well to see if there’s any signs of founder in her hooves. They may recommend a hoof supplement. Take everything slow. Equine senior is generally a safe feed, but, again, talk to your vet. Also, get a fecal sample to give to your vet when they come out or drop off at their clinic. Parasites will work against you. Good luck and best wishes for a smooth refeeding!
3 Likes
A good rule until the vet comes would be good quality hay and a lot of it, yes? No grain? @DaveYGunN is an absolute beginner at this and obviously wants to do the best for the horses.
2 Likes
I’m not familiar with Pennsylvania hay. They should be transitioned to alfalfa. That’s what our vet recommended for refeeding. Since no one knows what they were fed, it has to be slow. For all we know Bowie was giving them coastal. They need to call in a favor to their horse friends and maybe get their daughter’s riding instructor involved.
2 Likes
Oh gosh, a newbie horse owner won’t know the difference between dairy cow alfalfa and horse alfalfa. DaveYguN, can you get your daughter’s instructor out ASAP for advice on local hay?
4 Likes
Congrats!
Without knowing just how thin they are, it’s hard to know where to start, BUT, starting with the UC Davis Re-Feeding protocol won’t hurt in the slightest
you don’t HAVE to use alfalfa hay, but use as much of it as you can. If you have good quality grass hay and that’s it, that’s fine. Just follow the incremental feeding per above.
Don’t be quick to throw lots at them, even as they get to free choice hay and you start adding a good quality feed. One thing at a time. MOST of the time ,those simple, basic improvements in their diet will do the job. You don’t want to shove weight on them 
Only start adding things like fat supplements if you get to feeding something like 8-10lb of feed and they plateau (for weeks) at a weight that’s still too thin. Or you might change feeds to see if another one jump-starts weight gain again
3 Likes
We have been using chopped and cubed alfalfa that’s soaked in water thoroughly. Just to get us through until the Vet arrives & can advise us.
17 Likes
Maybe, hopefully 
Not all vets are well-versed in rehab of this nature, or in nutrition, but it will certainly be better than going it completely alone for a novice family. I’m still jaded from my experience with one very unhelpful vet, luckily for me (and the horse) it was not my first rehab rodeo. Hopefully these mares are young and healthy enough underneath to bounce back quickly and without herculean efforts, just need proper feeding.
In addition to basic bloodwork and a fecal egg count to check for worms, I’d be sure to ask for a dental exam to check for mouth issues. Chopped & cubed (soaked) alfalfa are excellent choices in this situation DaveYGunN, so good job there!
8 Likes
Chopped hay can get expensive. If you think you’ll be feeding chopped hay for any length of time then it would be best to invest in a leaf mulcher and use it to make your own.
Also, one 20 qt flat back bucket is roughly 5 lbs chopped alfalfa.
3 Likes
Dave, here are a couple of very reputable rescues in your part of the country that could give you excellent advice on getting these mares back to good condition. Both have Facebook pages as well.
Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation, rescue in NY
Heart of Phoenix, rescue in WV
4 Likes
Hang in there.
I just want to reiterate, I think it’s wonderful you all stepped in and rescued these mares. I hope this is a really positive, educational and rewarding experience for your daughter, and she develops a great partnership with the horses. That’s got the potential to be a great experience for her!
12 Likes
Well done!
@vxf111 can tell you how to measure your horses for blankets. I hope you take her up on the generous offer of horse blankets. They are expensive to buy new.
2 Likes
Work in progress! Dave sent me a video of the mares and they look much better on video than they did in the photos. Obviously I can’t 100% tell but they look thin but not STARVED. I mean, yes, they look poor, but not on the brink of disaster I don’t think. I think they’re going to perk up and come around quickly. They have lovely stalls and look all settled into their nice new lives.
42 Likes
Did both the mare and her filly make it to this family? Hopefully yes!
The chestnut TB mare did. I don’t know if the other mare is her filly or a different horse. I never saw the listing for the filly. It was already down when I clicked to look at the mare.
1 Like
I think the other chestnut is a different unrelated horse. It doesn’t have the same markings as the filly did.
The filly had a nice walk. I hope she landed somewhere good.
4 Likes
We got some new stall doors up this morning. Both girls are in good spirits. Vet initial appointment is in an hour. Fingers crossed.
55 Likes
They look great!
I like the doors.
4 Likes
Well done!
1 Like
Any update since the vet?
1 Like
