Horse Talk

[Bunnylady]

Y'know, for most people, the Quarter Horse is pretty much the poster child for the term "easy keeper," so I have to wonder - what was the problem with those two you had, that they couldn't maintain weight on 24/7 pasture? Age, teeth, parasites? I mean, I have had to pull horses off of pasture for at least part of a day because they were getting too fat, and we don't have particularly good grass around here. Whatever; it's water under the bridge at this point.

But whatever his true ancestors are, one thing about a mustang - he is by nature a survivor. Mother Nature is heartless; you get it right, or you're dead. This is (as near as possible) a horse as a horse was meant to be; the worst thing you can do to a mustang is to lock him up and coddle him.

 

[abigalerose]

They maintained healthy weight, they just weren't fat like him, and I mean he was fat. But yeah, that's why I love mustangs, they're not a horse that someone has spent a bunch of money breeding just so they can use it for work, they're more.. Authentic feeling I guess is the best way I can explain it

 

[ChickenLover200]

They maintained healthy weight, they just weren't fat like him, and I mean he was fat. But yeah, that's why I love mustangs, they're not a horse that someone has spent a bunch of money breeding just so they can use it for work, they're more.. Authentic feeling I guess is the best way I can explain it

Hope youh don't mind me jumping in on this topic
I've thought of adopting a mustang.... There's something about them that just seems to naturally draw me to them i don't know.... It is definitely something i'd want to do in the future.... And make sure he/she has lots of space to run!

 

[abigalerose]

I feel you. They're just really amazing animals. I would do anything to get my first one back but I haven't been able to track him down. I would definitely say go for it though, there's nothing like them

 

[ChickenLover200]

I feel you. They're just really amazing animals. I would do anything to get my first one back but I haven't been able to track him down. I would definitely say go for it though, there's nothing like them

I'd go for one in a heartbeat, but at this time i have no source of incomeand have to take care of the two horses i have. This year i will be busy training my mini anyways. Just have to finish up some property enhancements like my round pen. I can't get my mini's attention at all unless we're in a fence with no grass.
I'm really hoping to workwithhim a lot because he is getting too "fat", hasn't been completelybroken for a cart yet, he's going to be 16 in May, and he isn't going to lose any weight just eating and not doing anything

 

[abigalerose]

Ohhh! Sounds like a project lol I always hate taking them out in a good grassy area becuase they turn into big pushy spazzes if they're not use to it! June gets so excited, she still partially listens though.
And yeah, if I was the one with the 60 acre farm and not my grandpa, id have a few mustangs.
My dream horse is a black mustang mare with a white face and blue eyes, and the BLM has literally EXACTLY that horse up for adoption right now, we'll only one eye is blue but it's pretty dang close. She's gorgeous.

 

[ChickenLover200]

Ohhh! Sounds like a project lol I always hate taking them out in a good grassy area becuase they turn into big pushy spazzes if they're not use to it! June gets so excited, she still partially listens though.
And yeah, if I was the one with the 60 acre farm and not my grandpa, id have a few mustangs.
My dream horse is a black mustang mare with a white face and blue eyes, and the BLM has literally EXACTLY that horse up for adoption right now, we'll only one eye is blue but it's pretty dang close. She's gorgeous.

I would love a mustang like just what you described or one of the grey ones with a black mane i have seen up for adoption for eastern states. There was one gelding i absolutely fell in love with last year... I wonder what happened to him and if he got a good home

 

[Talithahorse]

Y'know, for most people, the Quarter Horse is pretty much the poster child for the term "easy keeper," so I have to wonder - what was the problem with those two you had, that they couldn't maintain weight on 24/7 pasture? Age, teeth, parasites? I mean, I have had to pull horses off of pasture for at least part of a day because they were getting too fat, and we don't have particularly good grass around here. Whatever; it's water under the bridge at this point.

But whatever his true ancestors are, one thing about a mustang - he is by nature a survivor. Mother Nature is heartless; you get it right, or you're dead. This is (as near as possible) a horse as a horse was meant to be; the worst thing you can do to a mustang is to lock him up and coddle him.

There are two basic types of QH. True QH which hail from the old stock and Appendix QH which have thoroughbred bloodlines. I have had both and I can tell you my Appendix QH with a fine pedigree was the hardest keeper I have worked with and I have worked with close to a 1000 horses of all breeds. She required three times the food my 15.3 hand 1700lb Percheron cross took. In her old age I was feeding 4 meals a day just to barely maintain her weight (of course she was 35). Each horse is different but your hot bloods (Arab, Thoroughbred, desert breeds) tend to require greater food to maintain while your coldbloods (drafts, ponies, etc) tended to be "easy keepers". Most of your warmbloods are somewhere in between. Once won a bet that I could put weight on a thoroughbred whom the entire barn had been unsuccessful in putting weight on. In the course of the summer I put 250Lbs on her.

 

[abigalerose]

Yeah I think it just depends on the horse too, those two quarter horses didn't get fat easy but I've had another qh that did get fat easily. But I've never had an underweight horse, so either way it's fine. But I do prefer them a little fatter.
And I would love to have that mustang so much. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her, considering she's pretty much my exact dream horse. There was at least one bid on her last time I checked, so I'm glad she'll be getting adopted. Although, she was up last month too and had several bids, but I guess the winner didn't show up to get her or something because she's on again.
This is the first mustang I had, his name was Outlaw

 

[abigalerose]

Oh, and I checked and that mare has 56 bids now! Haha, looks like she'll get a home