Progress report
Tetley had a good night. I checked him at 4.30am and he was fine. The main worry was that we would lose him from the stress of travelling in the condition he is in, but he's really bright this morning.
He is passing incredible amounts of poo, which smells sour. This is probably because his digestion is shot to pieces and he is not digesting the fibre. So all the volume is coming straight through. A change to haylage is both risky and beneficial. My vet has told me that since we are reasonably sure that he has been eating 3 kilos of hard food for several days that I can safely get it up to 6 kilos, given his size. He weigh taped at 580-590 kg this morning. I used to worm him for 700kg. And what's more, he has been weigh taped in Cambridge at more like 550kg. Given the state of him now - see the photo below unless you are squeamish, I just don't even want to think about what he was like then.
It's not only the starvation that is so upsetting, it's his mental state. He was so upset that he has been weaving so badly that he has worn a bare patch on the front of his neck. I've seen him weave here, but never for more than 30 seconds immediately after being left on his own when others were turned out. After a short protest weave he just used to stand quietly in his box. He must have been in mental anguish to turn into a confirmed weaver like he has. At 4.30 this morning, he even weaved as I left him to go back to bed.
I turned him out with the others just now and he is so excited to be home. Running around all over the place with his tail stuck vertically in the air. Seeing him and Zip together is like Little and Large, because he does it too. Tia seems a bit miffed that her authority has been usurped. She's definitely not that thrilled to see him. And Jazz, as he does bless him, got overfamiliar and got a warning double barrelled wallop on the rug. That will do him no harm at all -he needs putting in his place as we know. Zip was interesting. He marched up, checked credentials, and said "OK, you're a boss horse, I'm a boss horse, you're older and bigger than me, you're in charge" and pretty much touched his cap in respect.
So here's the picture you're all waiting for. Don't say I didn't warn you.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 11:43 AM
18 comments
18 Comments:
Caroline, that photo is far worse than I expected. He looks like he's degenerated further since Mary Lou's photo.
Is there any means, and do you have any intention, of reporting Victoria? neglect like that should not go unpunished. Just reporting her may be enough to lose her clients at her establishment if nothing else.
I'm utterly apalled at his condition.
Will say again how lucky he is to have been able to find you again, through Mary Lou.
Cassie
PS Protexin is a very good probiotic which can help the stomach grow the right bacteria quickly, worked well on Robin when he was fighting a particularly aggressive virus.
A further postscript - the forum http://www.saddle-up.org.uk/forums is a very friendly helpful place with some lovely people, when it comes to finding him a 'flat' home i'm sure you'd get some genuine responses.
This ps is getting long but I wanted to add how you've bowled me over with your swift and positive action to retrieve him from his hell, i'm sure that given a bit of time he'll relax back to what he knows.
Caroline, words fail me on this one. That dear dear horse, I hope I never come across the person who did this to him. Fingers crossed he makes a speedy recovery with you, send him all my biggest hugs and carrots.
I'm off to get a tissue.
xxxxx Tracey B
I keep wondering "why?" Surely someone running a riding school cannot be that unknowledgeable about how to feed a horse and the quantity of food required by a horse that big. And if she found herself financially unable to keep him properly she could have presumably contacted you and asked you to consider having him back? Just so, so worrying that someone who appears to be a kind, capable, perfect owner can let this happen!
Lots of good wishes to Tetley and to you for his speedy recovery.
Liz
What a nightmare! Victoria deserves to be locked in a cell with no food and water for a long time. Somewhere here in the US a judge sentenced a woman who had starved some animals to a sentence of bread and water to teach her a lesson. No bread for Victoria.
I hope there is something you can do legally. Are other horses in her keep in good condition? With your legal connections, do you think there is something you can do?
Tetley's condition as appalling. The weaving is clearly stress related. Keep in touch with your vet regarding how to bring him back. I've never dealt with this kind of thing, but I am sure you will do everything right for him.
How far away are the flatlands from you? I wouldn't want Tetley too far away once he's recovered.
I wonder if Tia will get over her snit and take on a motherly attitude towards Tetley. Heaven knows he could use some extra TLC. And, perhaps his presence will be a bonus if he puts a certain chestnut knowitall in his place once in a while.
How's the stabling working out? Do you have shelter for the odd horse in case the weather gets bad? That would be my only worry. The indoor, is, I guess, always an option.
God is watching out for you, Caroline. I have a feeling he has both you and Tetley safely in His hands.
/////He looks like he's degenerated further since Mary Lou's photo.
Mary Lou is a very clever woman! She wanted us to focus on saving him, not on the condition he was in. So she only sent me a photo that looked bad enough to make me act but not bad enough to make me sick. I nearly threw up when I got him home last night and took off his rug.
////you've bowled me over with your swift and positive action to retrieve him from his hell
It felt like a year to me Cassie! It took us six days to sort out everything so we could be sure we would get him out of there. Including checking with our friends who are in the police where we stood if we seized him (the answer was -locked up in a cell!!) Yesterday seemed two years long!!
The frightening thing, Liz, is that she is BHS Stable Management qualified! Of course, I must point out that there is a possibility that he is actually ill, not underfed. The next two or three days should show me whether I am correct in believing that he has simply been progressively starved.
Jean I'm only 5 miles from the Cheshire plain. He's going no more than 30 miles from home ever again.
///his presence will be a bonus if he puts a certain chestnut knowitall in his place once in a while.
I think you are right there :-)
My plan is to put all four of them in the barn tonight. There is plenty of room and they are getting on fine. I can put a pile of haylage in each corner. The problem will be that that amount of wee will make it smell, but we can live with that until spring comes.
I'm certain Victoria will be reading this folks, she is very sensitive to criticism and will want to know what I am saying about her. So I'm obviously not able to vent the anger that I am feeling quite as openly as I would like. If you think I sound strangely calm, that's why.
C
You won't believe this one.
Apparently, Victoria, from what I can tell, started a blog back in October. http://beckbrook.blogspot.com/
Her screen name? Tetley.
The blog has not been updated. I am still investigating. Am I correct in presuming this is the right person and place?
Correct Jean. Beckbrook it is. How very interesting!
C.
She wrote that blog saying how lucky she was to have him two days after he arrived. Allegedly, for I have no proof to hand, she leased him to Mary Lou less than four weeks later.
C
I'm just pleased you managed it Caroline - be proud of yourself.
Just wanted to add a note about something I thought of after my first entry which is Aloe Vera Gel (a juice used for humans and animals). It has lots of great healing properties and is often now recommended by vets. I've seen fantastic results with it myself and highly recommend it.
It's quite expensive but he should only need it for about a month - should help with the digestion, the immune system, his general well being and it also claims to help anxiety.
I'll be following his progress keenly and wish you every success in returning him to his former glory, which i have no doubt you'll achieve.
Cassie
Even, if, on the off chance, that Tetley was sick, where are the vet reports? Where is the medication? Where is the concerned "owner" who tried everything to get him back to health?
If you are reading this, Victoria, bow your head in shame. This horseman from "across the pond," has little respect for your skills.
I've just been back to look at the pictures of you jumping him on Nic's site. I can't believe its the same horse.
Sooooo angry.
Tracey B
What the F&$*!!!! I can't believe this, putting on my sensible head, is this worthy of an investigative blood test or is it purley a case of missmanagement? either way, I can't belive what a bloody mess Tet's is....heart breaking!
caroline, you have proof - you have mary lou who notified you of the position, has been evicted in consequence (per her post last night) and will presumably be more than happy to give evidence against victoria in court.
if she's a riding school, she has to be licenced by her local council. so report the facts to them preferably BEFORE you get tetley fattened up again (i know you've got the photos...... but you see where i'm coming from, you know about evidence and proof).
and report her to the RSPCA, the BHS, anyone else you can think of.
it may well be that Mary Lou knows of other similar issues there that have been covered up..
i cried again when i saw this photo .... how anyone can let a horse get to that state without realising she isn't managing it properly it totally beyond me.
I cannot believe that this is the same horse I rode in your indoor last march - almost a year ago now. it's unreal.
jean, i don't think she deserves water, let alone bread .. she clearly hasn't given tetley enough of anything.
i take it we're all piling into her blog to give her a bollocking (without committing libel or slander... mind, we'd have a hard job getting done for either on this......)
Poor Tetley. Well done to Mary Lou for finding you. Even if he is ill, and not "just" starved, you should have been informed and he should have been receiving veterinary attention.
Get well soon Tetley.
Judith
Careful guys, careful, please stick only to the facts we know at the moment. I have seen no actual proof of him being underfed other than his current condition. Anything else is hearsay at the moment, other than that when I rang Victoria in January she told me he had "lost a little weight" but made no mention of vets or illness.
If he is not suffering from an illness, then he will put weight on in the next few days and we will then have prooved that it was shortage of food that caused it. Things will get sorted out, don't worry. My vet is not concerned to take blood tests in view of how perky he is since he got home. He has told me what to watch for and we will bloodtest him if he fails to gain weight or appears depressed at any time in the next few days.
He's far from depressed tonight. Tia has taken him on and is shoving the other two away from him. It is so sweet. She was standing by him guarding him even though he won't share his haylage with her like he used to. (I wonder shy he's refusing to share his food??????????) What a lovely girl she is.
He's eaten a pint of live yoghurt with his tea, which was recommended to me once by a vet who gave my horse antibiotics and it stank afterwards. That should help his gut, which is making very healthy noises tonight. He was gurgling desperately loudly yesterday. Today you have to put your ear to his side to hear it, and then it is gurgling quietly just like it should be. He's improving every hour.
C.
My God..Im it shock!!
Ive just caught up and this is so not what i'd expected or wanted to see!!!
Poor poor boy...That 'creature'
who took such a stunning,
wonderfull horse and let him get into that condition should hang 'its' head in shame!!!
Im so angry, disgusted and upset so god knows how your feeling!
Im so pleased you found out and managed to get him back...Mary Lou
your a STAR!
Big hugs to you, SH and Tetley (in particular)...Fingers crossed he'll pick up quickly and be back to the big strapping,gorgeous horse he was before all this.
Just makes me want to weep and despair anyone could allow this to happen.
Take Care...
Nicola
i've found her address, she's approved by ABRS .... not for much longer one hopes, don't suppose they'll be very impressed either...
Hi NIcola, glad you're back.
Ah, but Claire the riding school horses are all very well covered and the yard is immaculate and very well run. As a riding school and a livery yard it would be extraordinarily difficult to fault. If I didn't know what I know now I'd pleased as punch to take a horse there myself.
C
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