Hellooo, Tommy!

This is my success story! This horse, HotRoddin Tommy, was purchased on May 1, 2009 with an emaciated black quarter horse mare for $400 (for both horses). This is how he looked the day we picked him up. We took them both directly to the vets before they were taken to quarantine. Tommy is a 15.3 hand, 12 year old, registered quarter horse gelding. In this first picture, he is taped at around 580 pounds. It's hard to see through the unshed winter coat the true condition that he is in, but believe me when I say you could feel every bone in his thin body.


Here is Tommy in June 2009. He has had his feet trimmed, been wormed and fed LOTS of groceries...



This is Tommy on September 12, 2009. He has been wormed a couple more times, had his feet trimmed, again, and still getting lots and lots of groceries.



These pictures were taken today, April 4, 2010. Not even a year after his 'rescue.' To his dismay, he is being fed a regular diet - no more extra meals to help with his recovery and weight gain. He tapes out at just over 1100 pounds. He has gained almost his whole body weight all over again. He is on a regular worming schedule, a regular trim schedule and getting his spring shots this month for the first time in 5 years. He is also getting a dental check up and having his sheath cleaned.

AND... we went for our first ride today. He was a little apprehensive and wasn't quite sure what was going to happen to him, but he did great. I'm going to keep working with him so he doesn't think he has to go 100 miles an hour every time someone gets on his back. All I did was walk him around the pasture. He is a very smooth ride.

So, it only takes a little time, some commitment and lots of groceries, but horses can be rehabilitated if you have the commitment. There were NO underlying reasons for his emaciation. All his blood work came back within normal limits. The only reason for him being so thin was lack of FOOD.

Nothing he has to worry about these days, though!