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Re: [RC] probiotics? - Laney HumphreyListen to your vet! Your horse is still a baby and he's had a lot of changes in his short life. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain by going slow with him. Grass and hay and lots of them, as well as lots of attention on the ground from you will produce the kind of horse you're hoping for before you know it. What's your hurry to get him saddled? He is the perfect age for lots of ground work. Believe me, the more of it you do now, the more you will thank yourself for years to come! I remember reading somewhere that an underweight horse starts adding fat internally before they start looking better on the outside. If that's true, it's another reason for being patient. His hair coat surely grew while he was under the stress of capture and holding. So he may not have a great haircoat til the next one comes in. It is hard to slow down, especially if you come from a show background but, as a Spanish Mustang owner, I can tell you that slow is way better than fast with mustangs. They are not horses that can be forced into a mold; they are very sensitive but rarely show it and they have unbelievably strong self preservation instincts. For all these reasons, do your horse the biggest favor of its life: go slow. Use this time to really get to know this special horse and figure out how to be a partner with him. The gift he will give you is to allow you to learn to shed the 21st century human demand for everything right now. As my farrier says, "be on horse time, take as long as it takes and you'll come out ahead." It's hard to do but if you can allow your horse to give you that gift, you will be rich for the rest of your life!Laney Jennifer Adam wrote: Hi all - general horse health question. I have a 3 year old mustang gelding I adopted two months ago. He had a rough trip out here, but recovered. He eats okay - but doesn't clean his oats - and has gained a little weight since I got him. I've wormed him, but he still looks rough and ribby. Hips stick out, etc. He is 14.3 hands and weighs right under 900 pounds. I asked the vet about ulcers (I did read all the discussion about ulcers a week or so ago) but they couldn't scope so couldn't make a definite diagnosis. I asked about starting ulcer treatments anyway, but they advised me not to. Vet told me to give him time and that being on grass and hay would help him heal on his own. That was 4 weeks ago. I have seen improvement, but not as much as I would like. I would like to start this colt under saddle (lightly, of course) soon but I'm worried about his condition. I'd like him to sleek up a bit - I'm considering starting probiotics but I've never had to do this with a horse before. Would that help him? Are there any negatives I should be aware of before using supplements like this? Does anyone have any comments or suggestions? His eyes are bright and alert, his energy is good, he's EDPP just fine - but he looks thin and kind of unthrifty. Thanks for any help - =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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