Buying a pony in bad shape

[ABS9590]

This is not a question of "should I buy" because I know I shouldn't but am going to anyway but more of a question of "is he going to improve in the next 2 weeks and what could possibly be wrong with him"
Saw a horse on CL, made an appointment to go look at him. In the CL ad he looks a little skinny, but when I go see in person he looks like this and it's bad. The owner is a kid and his mom pays relatives to care for the horse on their property but when we got there they had trouble finding him. As it turns out, the horse that I plan to purchase is locked in a shed at the back with no food or water. The kid started crying but still rode him. Horse looked pretty weak, his legs were shaky, and his tail and backside were dirty with poo. I gave them a deposit under the condition that if the horse hasn't improved by the time I go back on the 25th they refund it and the mom agreed. What do you think the chances are the horse will survive and doesn't have some hideous disease? He looked terrible, but the kids tears seemed real. But then again, I am gullible.
If he survives/improves before the 25th, I plan to make a lower offer and then take him straight to the nearest vet.
But what are his chances of surviving and improving?

Horse on CL vs. Horse when I got there. Pics were supposedly taken 2-3 weeks apart

 

[ABS9590]

If it's just lack of food I can definitely fix that, but worried about founder and colic. But what if he's actually sick? Supposed to be about 3 1/2 years old

 

[pennyJo1960]

He has not been cared for there is no doubt there slowly get the food into him water free choice but get the poor dear out of there now Please you fatten the poor dear of grains
might be a good horse under there

 

[ABS9590]

If he does make it through the 2 week period what do you recommend feeding him and how much at a time? I got some alfalfa pellets and some higher fat/protein performance feed, as well as some probiotic chews. Not sure what type of hay to get or if he should have it free choice.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Wow just wow! Over here that would be an animal welfare case. He’s seriously malnourished & under weight. That can’t be fixed in 2 weeks. He needs to built up slowly on the hard feed & ad lib on the hay and or haylage. If he were mine or going to be mine I would also have a vet do some blood work on him. A worm egg count and he more than likely needs a thoroughly good worming. I would also have the dentist out to check his teeth.

 

[StaffordshireLady]

If it's just lack of food I can definitely fix that, but worried about founder and colic. But what if he's actually sick? Supposed to be about 3 1/2 years old

Is there an animal welfare available. They should be reported for their treatment of this poor thing.

 

[Flashpoint]

I have had some you could put your hand between the ribs. This horse does not appear to have been foundered - can't say on the colic. Was he coughing or anything - other than being shaky? THAT would certainly be due to lack of food and water.

I had one that was in such sad shape, we could not agree on the age. After being fed up and he started to gain weight, he also started to get knobs on the side of his cheek bones. Turns out his body was stealing calcium from itself - and the knobs were from the bone growing back. I got him at about 13 hands - we thought maybe 10 years old. When he finished out, he was 16 hands and the vet said closer to 2 years old.

If it was me and depending on what they are asking, I would take a chance on him, but I agree with Penny that it should be now and not later.

Or call the humane society.

 

[ABS9590]

Is there an animal welfare available. They should be reported for their treatment of this poor thing.

They were moving the horse to another location when I left yesterday, plus there's another horse on the property that I'm trying to persuade then to sell me. I'm not about to offend them. The mom and kids seemed like decent human beings and they planned to settle the matter of the horses condition themselves.

 

[ABS9590]

They live a few hours away so I won't be able to go back until at least next weekend anyway.
YorkshireCoop-it can't be fixed in 2 weeks, but do you think it was honestly caused in 2-3 weeks?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

No I personally think that has been caused by more than 2 weeks of neglect for the pony.

Could you organise a vet to do some blood work where he is now? Or even get him fully vetted so you know it’s something that can be out right? In my opinion the people you are buying him from should be doing that especially as he looks like he does.