Ex Race horse on life time loan...

Riley Roo

Riley Roo

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Mar 14, 2008
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North Wales
Hey guys - sorry it's been a while just been enjoying the sun and been busy at work.

After a long hard look at finances have decided to take a horse on life time loan rather than buy. He is called Sarn, is 11 and 15.2 so an ideal size for me. Completely bombproof on a hack, doesn't join in with others silly behaviour and is really laid back - something we need to rub off on Riley :D . His only issue really is that he windsucks - as is often the case with ex racehorses - now it is controllable with a collar so i am not overly concerned and i know it is not a behaviour learnt by older horses. Would anyone else have concerns about having a horse who windsucks?

He is also quite lean for this time of year although the field he is currently in is quite sparse anyway. Over the winter the lady who currently loans him had him on ad lib hay and just some pony nuts and i think that was too little a feed for a tb and so he hasn't come out of winter well. He has virtually no top line and a narrow rump and i was wondering if windsucking can stop horses building up muscle? :confused: - has anyone any idea if this can happen? He will be on good grass when he comes to me so i am hoping a little tlc will make all the difference - what do you guys think? Will a bit of feeding up make a difference or do you think he'll always have a lack of muscle due to his windsucking?
 
Hi Ceiron,

I dislike the collars too but unfortunately it is my YO stipulation that it is controlled by a collar or he can't be on the yard :mad:. If i had my own place i wouldn't be bothered by it at all...

Would gastric ulcers have an effect on how he built up muscle? I haven't taken him on loan yet - i expect to have him at the end of June.
 
Riley Roo said:
Hi Ceiron,

I dislike the collars too but unfortunately it is my YO stipulation that it is controlled by a collar or he can't be on the yard :mad:. If i had my own place i wouldn't be bothered by it at all...

Would gastric ulcers have an effect on how he built up muscle? I haven't taken him on loan yet - i expect to have him at the end of June.
Click to expand...

tbh i would be moving yards personally.

yes gastric ulcers will affect weight.

they tend to windsuck to alleviate it, is the predominant cause of windsucking in most cases.

if you do take him on, a haylage balancer would be a good idea and not to over feed.
 
I have to agree with Ceiron :eek: If they are going to windsuck, they are going to windsuck - its also caused by stress so stopping them relieving their stress I would imagine make them likly to find another habit??

Ulcers make sense with a racehorse too as they are fed huge concentrates and left with gaps when training so might be worth investigating, although I didnt know windsucking was a symptoms of ulcers - learn something new every day! :)
 
Another hater of windsucking collars to the extent I would move yard. It is a bit like stopping a child biting its fingernails by putting on mittens...another stereotype will propably emerge.

Wind suckers almost inevitably are poor doers and adding probiotics and gastrogard will help with digestion if not stop the windsucking. Do be aware however that your nice quiet polite horse may change if you start feeding it up ..grass, hay and simple nuts with a probiotic/balancer is all most of our TBs have in winter and grass only in summer.
 
Thanks for the advice - i have been reading up on windsucking/crib biting and read about use of antacids to reduce acid and therefore the need to windsuck - has anyone tried settelex?

I know that people always say to avoid a horse that windsucks but if we all did that no race horse would ever be rehomed. I just want to manage it the best way i can - i don't want to use a collar as i don't think they work - they just mask the problem not treat it.

Does anyone have a horse that windsucks/ crib bites and if so how do you manage it?
 
sometimes they stop doing it when their regime changes, i.e more turn out, more relaxed, etc.

his lean-ness is typical of a tb at end of winter, but also similar to a windsucker as well, as they tend not to be good doers i.e he will eat a lot but it won't go on his bones.

good summer grass will help him and then you can assess for the winter and feed accordingly, the ex racehorse i had was senior food, with added oils, and also barley rings, and he looked amazingly well without being fizzy at all.
 
we have had them on the yard, we put thick rubber on door to prevent damage to teeth and let them get on with it and try and reduce stress, turnout as much as possible and investigate causes.

not tried settleex, have used aloe vera juice though with some succes.
 
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