meet our new rescue horse, "Big Daddy" (update post 22)

[IcarusSomnio]

I started my guy out on 15 minuets a day, then 30, one hour, two hours, eventually working up to 24 hour turnout.

I would also give him ProBiotics, definitely helps with the digestive system.

I fed Sammy Purina Strategy, 10lbs per day in small portions, plus unlimited hay once he could handle it, plus turnout. PLUS 1/4c corn oil, moving up to 1c per day.
After a good 2-3 weeks he was able to go out on full-time pasture. It took him about a year to fully recover, but his weight was terrible.


I'll get pics of Sam and NoName up soon. Their both pretty hefty.

 

[Diamante]

I just love Big Daddy. Belgians are one of my favorite draft horses, there are several farms in my area with them. Theres a farm were we see 2-6 depending on were they are in the pasture about 2-3 days a week because the farm is on the way to the stable i lease a horse at. He is really a big beautiful boy. I would love to rescue a horse someday when i have enough money.
Lisa

 

[AmCanyonStables]

Oh, what a great story - we have a draft too, our second one. Might I suggest since you are going to wait a little to ride him, to think about ground driving in preparation for teaching him to drive? It is what his breed was built for, and it is a lot of fun. And, you can start much sooner, because even though he is old enough to ride, you must treat him like a younger horse due to his malnutrition - ground driving, and even driving, is much easier on him. You could take lesson on this, but a lot of the ground driving part you could learn from books and videos and the help of your boarder. Then, by the time you start him to ride, he will much easier to train. Here is our Maddie her first day in the buggy.

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[technodoll]

So today my friend and I brought Big Daddy out to the little paddock that the stables open up into - we were standing around chatting and he'd wander over every few minutes or so to see if we were behaving, then go back to eating grass.

We had to go inside to check on something, he seemed to be doing fine so we left him there (in eyesight though).

Well.

After about 5 minutes who do we see wander into the stables, la-dee-dah, take a look around all innocent-like, making sure he wasn't abandoned... then he turned around and walked back outside to continue grazing.

Silly boy

 

[crtrlovr]

this is so heartwarming

 

[lurky]

Quote:
LOL....... he is so adorable checking up on you. You and he are so lucky to have found each other.

 

[MaggieRae]

What a wonderful story. It's always been my dream to have a ranch with chickens, goats, cows, and horses. Reading this just makes me want that dream to become a reality more!

(And by the way, I thought my two horses were big. Wow!

He has the same eyes/ expression as one of my horses.)