Hutch the Halfie **The Last Chapter on Pg. 18**

[Msbear]

Someone is giving me the horse and Im contacting a vet to see about repairing it but was wondering if anyone had any experience with this. I believe the horse has had this condition for a few years. He's 13 now and she calls it a "substantial sized hernia" not umbilical. I read up on the belts for post op... any other thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[patandchickens]

So if not umbilical, then inguinal hernia, or herniated colic surgery incision site, or what exactly? (It makes some difference, especially in understanding the bigger picture)

Usually the bottom line is that if the hernia is non-tiny, then to leave it unrepaired is to play colic roulette, as a loop of bowel can slip down there someday and strangulate and you may or may not catch it in time. My vague impression is that at least umbilical hernia repair surgery is considered reasonably low-risk and reasonably reliable, but I do not know for sure and definitely if you are not ok with the colic-roulette aspect of things then you would want to look into what the current state of the art is, what is available realisticially in your area, what the cost would be, and what the prognosis would be.

Horses being given away often cost more in the long run than horses you've purchased, although of course if you really *want* to 'rescue' this particular horse that's a different thing altogether.

Best of luck,

Pat

 

[Msbear]

Pat, you are always so full of usefull info!!

I haven't even seen the horse yet and the lady that has him knows little about his history. She says he's super sweet and makes a wonderful child horse (her young children have ridden him) Im going to visit him this week and check things out. Her vet has looked at him and said it could be a simple 300 repair.. he'd have to get in there and see. The vet said it wouldn't be more than 1500 but that she couldn't afford to do the 300 so, she was hoping someone else could.

I'd love to "rescue" him and every other horse that needs help and I have no problem paying the money if the cost is what was previously mentioned but, I cannot keep the horse if it is in pain or suffering in any way or the cost of surgery is much more than that.

She's sending me pics and Im forwarding them to my vet for his best analysis and am going to give it a shot and hope for the best.. I guess. I, honesly, don't know too much about horses. I used to ride a lot when I was younger (had a retired racehorse that must've finished dead last in any race he was ever in and an arabian gelding). I recently got back into it and wanted a little something for the kids to plod around on. ..don't care about how the pony looks... just that he's healthy and gentle... and I know this whole thing sounds like a big mistake but, Im kind of set on it.

so. I'll post the pics when I get them.. Thanks.

 

[michickenwrangler]

If you're in WV, I would try to go to Ohio State (or another vet college if there is one nearby) and have them look at it. There's some kind of new technique out for hernia repair. My friend did it for her mare down at Michigan State and it was less expensive than they originally quoted her.

 

[Skyesrocket]

I don't know much about hernias. But I do know Halflingers and they are great horses. I hope the cost and risk aren't too high and you are able to get him.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I would be cautious, of course. Not all sellers are honest. He may not really have been ridden by her children (or they may be professional bronc riders!) and her vet may not really have said it was a simple repair. People are not always honest when they sell a horse. In fact we have some absolutely notorious pinhookers in our area who have been selling dangerous 'kid safe' horses and 'horses who just need a little vet care to be perfect' for over thirty years.

Check these things out yourself. Have your children ride the horse in the open, not in a tiny little pen or dark indoor ring. Have a veterinarian check over the animal. Even if it costs more than the horse is for sale for. You would be amazed at how quickly vet bills can rise and how much more difficult it would be for you to get rid of the horse than to get it in the first place!!

If he's gotten to 13 with it, it might not even need repair, but who knows! Without more information, impossible to say. A hernia can be as desperate a condition as a loop of bowel entrapped in a weak area of muscle, going gangrenous and the animal going into shock, all the way to nothing more than a little cosmetic problem.

If you have the means to get a horse that needs some help (pasture, barn, paddock, money for veterinary care, feed, worming, shoeing/trimming...) that's great.

If you're barely scraping by and can barely afford an expensive animal like a horse and are trying desperately to figure out how to cut corners on care, feed, shoeing/trimming....then no. Sometimes if one hasn't the money, facilities or knowledge it's better not to take on the animal.

I do at times see 'rescued' horses that are not in good conditions because the buyer was not aware of what a big, strong animal a horse is or how much they eat or drink, or that not all of them can go shoeless and live off of grass in a tiny backyard, or that they actually need veterinary care when they get hurt. Then there's the one who jogged around a little on a dead quiet school horse and believes he can handle any horse, no matter how nervous or untrained it is! These are some of the worst cases. They won't get lessons or get a horse trainer to help, and things just go downhill.

That's where one of mine ended up(parents made me sell him when I went off to school), and he died.

Not before coming out the front door of their trailer and cutting himself to ribbons, then standing in a dirt pen for months with not one single bit of veterinary care, got an infection in the bone and tendon of his leg and died.

And these people sold him to a cheap horse dealer before he died rather than ask even ONE SINGLE PERSON for advice, they wanted to get back the fifty dollars they spent on him, not spend a single penny on him. I was finally able to find the horse dealer some months after they had sold the horse and he died. He was in there with nothing to eat but a little lawn and a little bucket of water about once a week. He ate the pine tree bark, he was starving so bad.

The infection by then had eaten away at his leg and the dealer got him veterinary care but it was too late. If the owners had taken care of it it would have been a minor thing. I asked the dealer about him, he took him knowing he was probably going to die...'He never put a foot wrong from the moment he stepped into my yard. He was a perfect gentleman'.

I'm still angry about it to this day, and for that reason I advise people to NEVER take on horse ownership wothout being informed, educated and very, very well prepared financially. Having ridden a little as a child or teen, getting something to keep the kids busy...may not work out. Children lose interest and the horse goes neglected.

On the flip side, if you're prepared financially, will board the horse or are willing to care for it yourself three times a day every day (AND have a backup person in case you get sick or hurt or are out of town or tied up at work), have an appropriate barn and fencing on your land, have knowledge and experience dealing with veterinary care and shoeing....go for it.

 

[Msbear]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

WC, I am so very sorry about your horse. I can hear the sadness in your post... so very terrible.

I am one of those people that cannot turn my back and walk away. Even if I don't keep the horse for myself, I would devote myselt to finding him a decent home. I have 25 acres... 15 pastured and the rest in hay. There is currently nothing in the field so, I think this may be the time to get a few projects and see what happens. I have looked at a few horses for sale and they are all nice but, nothing has totally grabbed me yet. They are currently in good homes and Im having a hard time spending money on a horse that I can just plod around on when there are so many that need homes and I can spend the money on vet or whatever else once and still just plod around on them. I do have the funds for vet,grain,worming,farrier,supplements,etc. I understand people can be tricky but, she's just giving the pony away and is honesty, I believe, looking to find it a good home. She got him from someone who was thinning down his herd before winter and thought no one would want him because of his imperfection ...so, he was going to sell him to slaughter. She said the pony was just too sweet so she grabbed him up but, just isn't financially able to give him proper care. She did say he's been like that for a long time and it doesn't bother him.

...still waiting for pictures

She's bringing him this weekend. I know! I know!!! sight unseen boy, I guess I am a sucker

 

[theoldchick]

I've rescued many a good horse who needed veterinary care the original owner could not afford. I was in a position to provide help the horse needed. It's a good feeling.

Anesthesia in horses has come along way. Just be sure if you do the surgery make sure the horse has adapted to his new home. He needs to be comfortable in a stall and have the temperment to be kept up while he heals. Nothing more heartbreaking to do all this work and have the horse tear himself apart while recouping in a stall.

Good luck with him! Can't wait to see the photos!

 

[denim deb]

WC, and that's why b4 I ever got my 1st horse I leased a horse for a few months. I knew nothing about caring for a horse, but had wanted one for as long as I could remember. I leased Cody for a summer, but decided not to lease her over the winter because I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to ride. Then, I got a call. Someone was trying to find a home for an older Arabian. The owner had died, and they just wanted to find a good home for her. Was I interested? Needless to say, I was. (Arabians are my favorite breed!) I boarded her at a friend's farm. I had her for just over 2 years, then lost her to colic.

2 months later, I learned about a whole herd of Arabians that had been seized, and they were looking for homes for the horses. Even though I was outside of the area where they wanted the horses to go, they let me get 1. So, w/just over 2 years experience of horse ownership, I got an unhandled, skinny, 5 yo Arabian mare. I've had her for just over 4 years now. I've done all the training on her myself. I still board her at my friend's farm, but I now do self care for her, and 2 ponies that I also own. It's the next best thing to having them in my back yard.

 

[hunterjumper999]

if you are willing to spend 1500 on the surgery then find a reputable clinic near the woman and bring the horse ( if you like him of course!) for a full check up. I think 300-1500 is a HUGE range and whos to say it wont end up costing you 3000 or 4500... you just never know. the horse could also have complications and die. I'd make sure it is exactly what you want before you rescue and then weigh the cost of a quote from YOUR picked vet vs. just buying one.