I've been pasturing her during the day and putting her up at night. Tonight is upposed to be warmish and dry so I may let her stay out . Of course, it is only 6 pm., so we shall see.
I know arabs look nice with a long pretty mane, but she has dreadlock type hanlks of hair as thick as my 2 year olds leg. I have already cliiped most of it off with scissors anyway..kind of too late to go back now, ya know.
This horse was in a pasture near my house for almost 2 years. They put her on a one acre piece, and left her there in summer, ostensibly to eat down the grass so no one had to mow. Then they just..left her there. Last year she almost starved to death, and I reported them to animal control. The owner came ut and fed her for awhile..until she no longer looked as if she was going to die..and then quit. I took up feeding her that spring, and quit around June. Well, we had a really, really dry summer and the pasture she had was dirt and stubbed grass from her eating it down so low. So, in august I saw she was losing weight ands started to feed AND water her gain, because not only were they still not feeing er, they also were not making sure she had water in above 90 degree heat. More than once over summer I went out and saw empty water barrels on their sides after she had flipped them over, trying to get the last drops out.
She also had no shleter, and no shade. No mater what weather we had, she got to stand out there in that pasture and take it..and that was AWFUL to see !
So, I made an offer, and they thought about it, and in the meanwhile I spoke to people who did animal rescue and horse rescue in my area, and I fretted over ti a lot, and eventually the owner decided that she would rather me buy the horse for a small( 500 bucks) amount, as opposed to dealing with animal control officers again.
Supposedly the horse is worth a lot of money, and she is of champion blood lines, at one time some person offered her $4,500.00 for the horse,yada yada..all I know is that they parke ehr near my house, walked away, and treated ehr like an old shoe. I have never seen anyone ride her or work with ehr at all, and since I have never had a horse before nad don't know how to ride, etc..I am taking things verrryyyy sloowwwwwlyyyyy.
You should have seen me try to figure out a frekaing halter. That was sad.
Right now I am feeding her about 2 or 3 flakes of good quality hay per day, an occasional smidge of alfalfa..like, maybe a piece the size and thickness of a lsice of pizza..and apple slices to lure her to the halter. I haven't given her any grain because I do worry about her getting colic, and due to her feet needing trimmed ASAP ( hopefully this week) I worry about foundering as well. I tend to err right now on the side of not exactly feeding a huge amount. I would rather she not get ill due to over feeding.
I have access to all the sawdust/shavings I can use, because my husbands family runs a sawmill..so I just use that instead of buying anything more spendy.
Tomorow, I have to go and haul all her stuff away. I got most of it piled up, and then my daughter fell oer a garden hose face first into mud..so we had to go inside and fix owies and then go to pre-school and etc...Not the most productive day eve, but better than nothing.
I wish I knew a handy teen age horse loving gal who wants to clean my stall..but as it is right it is only me..and I guess I can consider teh horse my very own gym ! I am sure using muscles I haven't in a lng time, cleaning that stall out !
