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

[danischi24]

Four pages & STILL NO PICTURES????
Come on! I've been waiting for days to see some pics of him.

 

[Msbear]

I ordered a new cord almost 2 weeks ago from ebay... After I paid for it, I realized it was coming from Japan and to please wait 2-4 weeks for international shipping

So, I waited 1 day got anxious and ordered another from Amazon... 3-5 days shipping (they're only like 2 bucks but they are $15 at best buy) Anyway, today makes day 6

Hutch is doing very well. I can definitely see a different horse emerging. He's now a little demanding, still gentle as can be just has a little more friskiness to him. He's looking a whole lot more like 13 and not 30

 

[Msbear]

Dr. justin just left. He was great and came highly recommended. He is also an equine dentist. He said Hutch's weight wasn't too much of a concern. He's missing a lot of muscle and is slightly underweight but, that he looks like he can be brought back into good condition fairly easily. He wasn't worried so much about the grazing and actually commented that that would be the best way to get back a healthy horse. ..just to ease him into it... like we're doing.

His teeth were a mess!! Justin grinded down the points after he tranqualized him. He said he should be able to eat an apple now

(had real difficulty doing that) The lady told me he was 13 but, by looking at his teeth he could be anywhere from 13 - 18... or even older. Doc said he looked good though and the fact that the horse grinds his teeth on the stall gate, makes it super difficult to guess an age.

As for the hernia... It is called a "body wall hernia" and is one of the largest he's seen. He took photos of it for his... portfolio

and was going to call a few surgeons to see if repair is even possible and what problems may arise. Justin said that, if he's healthy and doesn't seem to be burdened by it, the best option would be just to let it be. It can easily be pushed back up inside but, Hutch doesn't have much muscle mass to be able to have it repaired currently.. we'd have to wait on something like that. He did say that, with it being so big, it should be too much of a problem with food getting lodged and twisted like it could with a smaller hernia.

Im walking out to the end of my drive now to see if that darned cord is in my mailbox

AFTER I take my "stink bucket" around and clean up this mess of stink bugs all over my windows

 

[Msbear]

double post

 

[theoldchick]

Thank you for the update. That must be one big hernia. Most vets do leave the large ones alone as repairing one can create stress on surrounding tissues which results in another hernia.

 

[EweSheep]

Glad that Hutch is doing well and got a thumbs up by the vet. Hope the hernia does not bother him later down the road. If and when he ever needs surgery, then it should be an easy repair before the problems arises.

Now I am patiently waiting to see some pics of that handsome man!!!!!

 

[slackwater]

Quote:
I know this is OBE at this point, since I have read past this, but...we are not all nay-sayers

I have taken many a horse, sight-unseen, w/o vax records or Coggins, w/o pictures, videos, or anything like that. While I cannot say these are the safest decisions, I DO have a place to quarantine (and, in your situation, you don't have any other horses to bring disease to)...and I am always prepared to handle the veterinary and farrier expenses. Not all of us get into this worrying about being gypped by being given a "free" horse that will be anything BUT free...some of us EXPECT that. My most recent "free" horse requires regular Adequan injections and is the biggest fly magnet and has serious weight issues. Oh, and he is blind in one eye. He is too arthritic to be ridden, and he requires special pasturing b/c of his vision problems and his gimpiness. But I take care of all of these issues and he will have a home until he dies (or until I have him put down b/c he is in too much pain). So...yes, some of us are suckers. But at least we go into it knowing what we are getting into!

I guess I had to chime in b/c I see so many WARNINGS about people getting horses...and little support.

 

[welsummerchicks]

People need to hear the warnings and have all the information and the possibles. If they still want to after hearing and considering and thinking about the warnings, and making sure they are avoiding problems, then it is right. Experienced horse people have watched many people get horses on an impulse, and then are often asked to help after everything has gone wrong. They get very, very reluctant to encourage people right off the bat. Often a person's reaction will put your mind at rest. If they give a strong, determined reaction and show they've thought it through and made sure they are going to avoid problems, then you can put your mind at ease. We don't know who the person is or how they will proceed, and are immediately worried about some of the disasters we've seen. That's why most old timers are not encouraging - at first.

 

[slackwater]

Quote:
Do we warn them about getting chickens? Make sure you know about Mareks, respiratory diseases, foxes, etc? Yes, we do...but we do it in a nicer "you will learn as you go, and we are here to help you" sort of way. Yes, taking on a horse is a much, much larger commitment - but I don't think that our chickens deserve any LESS respect or quality of care simply b/c they are smaller and easier to keep (as far as feed is concerned - I do find that they get sick and die a lot easier!). And, as much as I hate to say it, when worst comes to worst - there is always euthanasia. No one ever said anything about "if it simply becomes too much to keep this horse with the hernia, if he colics beyond what veterinary care can reasonably do for him, etc, then at least he will have been loved for however long before you have to put him down" - we cull chickens, can we not "cull" horses, if it simply becomes too much? I think we should have been applauding her for taking on the horse who is obviously in desperate need RIGHT NOW, giving her a few quick signs of colic and warnings that Haflingers founder easily, and giving her thumbs up...not criticizing her for taking on a horse w/o knowing the signs of colic. And then, in the event that it turned out that he really is not a horse that she can keep, and keep WELL...we should be willing to offer shoulders to cry on if/when she had to decide to put him down. Just like a chicken - if it would be too expensive to keep the animal alive in a comfortable manner, the best choice is a quick and easy death. Just because horses are bigger and more "romantic" doesn't make them any less deserving of a well-planned life and comfortable death. In the end, it is better to have lived a short life in a loving home, than a long life in a feedlot.

NOW - I'm not saying the OP's horse is in this situation...I just wish that we didn't present horses as all doom & gloom, yet welcome people to having chickens.

I guess I would just like to see more support when it comes to people getting horses. YES, they are a HUGE commitment (I have 8). YES they cost a lot of money (though I limit costs by giving my own vax & whatnot). YES they take a lot of time...but so can a lot of chickens. In fact, my 100+ chickens take more time daily than my horses. Yet, my horses are fat & happy...and my chickens are the ones that may have Mareks

Warnings have their place, and I'm sure the OP would have appreciated gentle warnings about what she was immediately getting into (as far as the potential for colic & founder), and then, IF SHE ASKED, about the potential for long-time cost of care. No need to describe years of high-cost vet maintenance & whatnot. Whether to take that on was her decision - and, like I said...she could always opt to put him down if it became too much. I wish more people would opt for that choice, instead of trying to pass on horses that no one else wants. But we are too afraid to see it through - easier for the next person, we think. The next "sucker."

OP - I applaud you for being a "sucker." It sounds like you will provide a great home for Hutch! He can join my Nash in the back pasture, living out his days as a pasture pet (though it sounds like Hutch is more functional than Nash).

 

[hippichick]

Erin, glad you got your vet out, and got some answers to some of your questions. I know nothing about a hernia, never had to deal with it. At least now you have some idea of what you're dealing with. Hopefully it's something he can live with, and won't have to have surgery.

And I'll bet he feels better already after having his teeth done. That alone should help put some weight back on him. Did you ask him about the SafeChoice? It's why the vet suggested it for Queenie-because at her age, her teeth aren't the best.

Anyway, listen to your vet. And take lots of pics-so that you can look back in a month and see what the changes are. I'm sure he'll be a new horse in a month.