# What condition did you buy your horse in?



## DancingWithSunny (Mar 13, 2011)

She looks brilliant, well done! When I get home I'll have to remember to put up some before and afters of Sunny
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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

I have more, just in work at the moment.. working hah!
Will upload when I get home!


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Great job, Duffy. Was there a difference in her attitude once she got all her weight and conditioning back? We've seen that so many times that an underweight horse changes into a bear once they become fit again. Fortunately most return to a good attitude once they settle in to a work routine and have been handled properly.

In my current case, Bonnie came to me a in good weight but flabby and lacking condition. After owning her for 6 months, she is in much better shape even with the extra 50 lbs or so that she's gained. A before and after picture would not show much.

I've taken in a lot of horses for myself and for friends that needed weight. I've gotten pretty good at in that regard and have a formula that works for me.


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Thanks iridehorses!
Well, when I turned up with her my trainer went mad. Her other half had come with me to assess the horse, and for my money, she was the best I was going to buy as she has the potential, and fit I wouldn't be able to afford her.
Ingrid said you have once chance, if she wins one single battle, you will have no chance with this horse!!

She is lovely, we've had only minor issues, but learnt behaviours from previous owners that were quickly ironed out! She's loyal, but she doesn't have a lot of respect for a lot of people, myself, my mum, and my YO's have no problems with her, but a friend said she'd put her in the walker, or change rugs etc and Duffy just evades. No ears back or threatning behaviour, just walks round the box or sticks her head up really, really high!

She did get a week where she was feeling FRESH and I had to lunge her in the first place, but I ofund it really helped getting her in this condition and setting the ground rules, so now she's fitter she knows no means no, and when I say go, she says how far/high/wide/fast etc 

She's on Barley&Oats three times a day with adlib hay, no field at the moment  Not enough grass, we tried her in it and she came in thin, so unfortunately she's staying in till she has more about her.. no stress for her though, she's real happy being in with one of the ponies with lung problems!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Wow!! Great job! She looks terrific! And that shine!! Oh my!!!


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## hillree (Dec 30, 2010)

Bliss was a fatty when I bought her! :lol: I've only had her for almost two months now so she's still really chubby, but I think she has lost weight!

Before I bought her:









After a little over a month:









Great job with your horse, by the way! She looks much healthier!


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## Tianimalz (Jan 6, 2009)

Wow, you did a great job!! Your mare looks amazing, and that shiny healthy coat!! 

I got Indie when she was 2 and a half... she was all legs and big head and nothing else :lol: Even after three years though, she's still pretty lanky for a grown horse. She has a dainty thin chest and butt and a well sprung rib cage, even when she's fat in the spring when I put her up with my neighbors Qh's, she looks like a baby! :rofl:


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## ladybugsgirl (Aug 12, 2009)

My horse was superly overweight when i got him


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Great job with her Duffy.

Here are some of mine.

Ace when we first got her










and a year on lol: Hard to find a pic of her without Angel in the way)










Raven when she arrived










And 6 months later










Mr G has also transformed, he wasn't thin just neglected











But his biggest transformation was in one day, well less than an hours grooming and trimming earlier this spring


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

You gs have done such fab jobs! I know myself I would prefer a horse with too much weight than too little now! Learn through experience I suppose! Dug out these too, think this was the 7 week point! Please note, no critique, I'm aware she ain't perfect build but I love her! OH, and thats my 5'2 mum haha!


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Apologies its not the clearest, got some lovely ones and between my camera and laptop they have deleted them, so will get some more tomorrow, but thought I would share this with you, had her 5 months on the 11th and think you can see the difference even compared to the above photo


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

We just hit our 8 week mark. 
Day 1 
















Earlier this week


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## ItzKayley (Jun 8, 2011)

Sub
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## gothicangel69 (Aug 2, 2011)

Flash was a little underweight when I got him, but the weight's comming on nicely. He did have a nasty bout of rain rot and thrush as well. The rainrots all cleared up, and the thrush is almost gone.
He is such a sweatheart and a big lovebug.
These were taken a week after I brought him home. (July)
















And these were taken last week.
















Oh, and his coat is usually all pretty and shiny, but that darn winter coat has come in and now he just looks like a giant puffball. Here's one with his nice shinny coat...


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

Jack's come a long way in a year. Even the vet didn't think I could save him


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I got my mare in pretty decent condition...physically...and for 'sight unseen'...that was a blessing. I had seen photos, and we had had several conversations, and I knew I was getting a definite project horse, but that is what I wanted, so I was fine with that...and mentally my mare was definitely 'damaged goods'. She was very flighty overall (I got her as a 'bucker bolter' under saddle...I didn't have any doubts that she was, when all I had to do was put an arm over her back and she was ready to jump and slither away) Groundwork was where I started...didn't even think about putting a leg over her until I knew she was thoroughly desensitized to everything I needed to use on and and around her in order TO ride her! I took about 2 and a half weeks just doing the groundwork and desensitization, and got on for the first time. She really hasn't looked back. 

On the ground, I can trust her with just about anyone...and have used her to help little ones learn how to handle horses, brushing, cleaning feet, etc. 

Undersaddle, is a different story; there are few people I would ever trust to ride her by themselves, because she is very sensitive to weight, and leg pressure...perhaps in a few more years she will get better, and become more forgiving of people's mistakes, perhaps not...either way, I love her. I can use her as a lead line horse, and she is fine, I would just never put her in a situation of "lesson" horse. She is one of the best minded trail horses I have owned; never gets effected by what antics other horses are doing, and could careless whether she goes in a group or by herself, no matter how often I get out on the trail with her. She is extremely smart, though, so arena work gets boring for her, but that's okay with me too, since it challenges ME to always be thinking up different lessons and always be mixing things up. We fit each other quite well really. 

I have now owned her for two years, and the photo below is something very special for sure...2 years ago...no way would she have come this close off lead to me, just for the sake of being close...that said, I am the only person she is this closely 'bonded' to; but I am also the only person who has actually worked for it as well.


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## amp23 (Jan 6, 2011)

mom2pride, your girl is gorgeous! sounds like you two have come a long way, congrats on that 

littrella, your guy looks AMAZING! gret job getting him back to health!

everyone's horses are looking good compared to the beginning pictures! my guy looks pretty much exactly the same, so no before and after shots for me


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

I didn't buy my horse in a very good condition at all. Taking on an undercondition *OR *overconditioned (Too MUCH weigh) horse is a very tiring, physically demanding and exspensive job. I hate seeing people who take on a horse that isn't of a good weight - over or under and:

A) Are not aware - feel that their horse is of a good weight and that their horse is 100% fine and aren't willing to put in the effort or accept that there needs to be something done about their horses weight.

B) The 'Oh I know.. We're working on it' story line & the horse has even WORSE condition 6 months later. CLEARLY, your idea or feeds aren't working. 

If people are going to take on a horse which has weight issues they need to be commited. It's hard, I'm sure many people who have been through it will agree that it is very challenging & stressful. Okay, rant over. 

But yeah, when I got my horse he was quite badly under weight, had a very unhealthy coat and different forms of skin infections. It took LOADS of work, money and time. But now he has a coat thats so bright you basically have to wear sunglasses near him and his nice and healthy. He wasn't being fed the correct diet (After coming off racing he was put onto minimal hay in a dry lot, due to he was 'no longer important'). His teeth got done urgently and a diet was created with a vet & it took a good six months. But with correct hay, grains AND full turn out we saw what this could do to him.


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## paintluver (Apr 5, 2007)

I got Romeo almost 4 years ago and this is what he looked like...








And this was the begining of summer this year


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

This is my horse when I first got her










And this is her now.


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

She is gorgeous Gidget!


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Great job Duffy, and everyone else that shared pics too! I just love before and afters, it's so nice to see the life of a horse improved. Not sure if it's just my girly tendencies or what but I also notice a difference of expression in a lot of these cases - from somewhat indifferent to having a spark in their eye. I think it's good for their mental health as much as anything.

Here's my girl Bobbie when I bought her:









Then about four months later:









And earlier this year:









She sure knows what to do with all that extra feed she gets these days!!


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## amschrader87 (Oct 30, 2010)

I actually send before and after pictures of Rocket to the previous and got no response. Turns out this women has had numerous horses taken by animal control. 






















And this is Artie Before and After
View attachment 78894

View attachment 78895


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