Someone sent me this ad and, as with many things on CL, it’s a real head-shaker.
“We have for sale 3 Beautifull horses.
1. Abby is a 18 month old Appaloosa/Quarter Horse filly. She is rope and halter broke and ready to start ground work and is very eagar to learn. She is $100.
2. Roana is a 3 year old Appaloosa/Morgan/Arab Horse filly. She is rope and halter broke and ready to start ground work and very sensible. She is $150.
3. Morgan is a 12 year old Morgan Horse mare. She is rope and halter broke, saddle broke, stands for ferrier, loads and unloads and is very sensible. She is $350 All horses are 100% sound and in good health. ”
OK, everything in the world is wrong with this. I’m guessing both fillies are out of this sad, emaciated bay Morgan mare. Mr. Tobacco Executive’s Dream there thought he was going to make money breeding grade horses. Nice round bale for effect - uh, looking at those horses and the grazed-bare pasture, we know that’s not a usual part of the scenery.
But the part that really got me was the last line about how the horses are in good health! Hey, Billy Beer Gut, ever notice the horses don’t have the same curves that you do? I’m not sure what he means by good health but clearly his idea of it is much different than the rest of the world’s. (As usual, e-mail me if you want the ad…they’re in North Carolina)
It does bring up a good question, though. What does it mean for a horse to be in truly good health? I know a lot of people who are happy as soon as a horse is fat, but a round butt alone doesn’t mean perfect health (any more than it does in humans!) There are a few obvious things you can look at to help determine if your horse is truly in tip-top condition and you are doing all you can to keep him happy and healthy for life.
Hooves can be a flashing neon sign about what is going on with a horse. Like our fingernails, they should be smooth and strong. A healthy hoof has a straight line diagonal profile down the front when viewed from the side - it’s not concave or dishy in appearance.
These hooves, while seriously overgrown and neglected, are not unhealthy. The kind of chipping you see at the bottom of the is normal chipping that goes on when feet are not cared for. This mare received good farrier care and was back to normal pretty quickly!
In contrast, this is the kind of chipping that reveals a case of White Line Disease, a very serious hoof condition. Basically, what happens is the hoof wall starts to separate from the laminae. If untreated, the horse can lose large portions of hoof and eventually may have to be put to sleep. Your horse might be hog fat and shiny, but if his feet look like this, he’s not healthy. The old saying “no hoof, no horse” always applies! If you have a good farrier, he/she should pick up on the first signs that the horse’s feet aren’t healthy, but as with everything, it is always a good idea to educate yourself. The more knowledgeable people a horse has watching over him, the more likely any problem will be detected early when it is simple (and cheaper!) to fix!
Another case where good weight doesn’t necessarily mean healthy is in the case of the Cushing’s/insulin resistant horse. The first sign most people pick up with Cushing’s is hair coat - the horse that simply does not shed. Even in summer, he has a long, often curly-appearing coat and it’s usually dull in appearance. I’ve met so many beginner horseowners that totally miss this and it’s so sad because they are missing their opportunity to treat it and buy their horse years of life.
A long coat, particularly one that is shedding unevenly in patches, can also be a sign of serious parasite infestation. These days most vets can do a fecal test for you at a pretty reasonable price to tell you what is really going on inside your horse. It’s a great idea if your horse’s coat doesn’t look good or if he is having issues gaining weight despite excellent feed - just another tool you can use as a responsible horse owner to make sure your horse truly is in good health!
I know everybody likes updates. Do you remember the half Saddlebred colt with the bad wire cut from the blog last year? Well, check him out today! He’s green broke and good on trails and available for adoption from Save a Forgotten Equine in the Seattle area.
(And yes, I am adding comments to the last two posts now! Check back later this afternoon to read.)
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