[goosepimple]

Thanks all - pony now right as rain.  Gave her bran (thanks to suggestion from Daisys Mum's daughter) and live yoghurt - she wouldn't take it as a sloppy mixture so put some dry with a few chopped prunes in which she ate, did that for a couple of days and she looks completely normal, brilliant.  Am aware this might change again so keeping an eye on but she looks great so far. 


They have hay 24/7 and I'm up the back of 6am, they're always fed at first light in the winter months, so they have a routine.  They're in with the pygmy goats and take over their shed occasionally and they all get on very well, the ducks and the geese giving them company throughout the day.  They're down by the river too which is quite noisy in bits so lots going on, it's not a boring grass/fence type paddock.


Haven't tried the radio but that's a good idea, they're must be a market out there for music for your animals, someone must have done a phd on which music they respond to, like babies in a mummy's tummy type thing     Thanks all.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Good news :-)


Apparently radio 3 is the best for animal listening...

[lord flynn]

glad to hear she's better. afraid I am a R1 listener and therefore so are my horses not too loud though.

[Herdygirl]

A tip that my vet gave me was if a pony has a mild colic (as mine does from time to time) try to get them to drink water sweetened with a bit of honey or soaked sugar beet, as much as they want, it helps to get things moving.  Worked for Ranger 

[goosepimple]

Good tip thank you, we've only had the ponies over a year so it's new livestock and I'm learning, good tips always welcome 




I put out some spring greens for the goats the other day to give them some winter veg, but the ponies scoffed the lot - does anyone feed veg / greens to their ponies? 


Also, is there anything they shouldn't get (presumably high in sugar things of course)?

[lord flynn]

I wouldnt feed greens (if you mean brassicas) to horses due to toxicity. small amounts are probably ok but I wouldnt do it on purpose.

swede, turnips, carrots, parsnips, apples,pears, citrus, raspberries, rosehips are all fine in moderation. obviously these all have sugar and should be fed in small amounts if you are worried about their waistline. anything evergreen isn't good for them either.

potatoes arent good, neither is bread (although have used small quantities of stale bread in marmite sandwiches to disguise medication).

horses are very susceptible to toxins-far more than ruminants.

[goosepimple]

Oh thank you that is helpful Lord Flynn and a good tip about the marmite sandwiches - personally I'd prefer the taste of medicine 


Anyone else offering tips I'm all ears, thanks in advance.

[lord flynn]

oh, and bananas are fine too! (without skins)

[goosepimple]

oh good, goats eat the skins actually, so that's that sorted 

[landroverroy]

oh, and bananas are fine too! (without skins)

Did you suggest without skins because yours won't eat skins, or because there's a reason not to feed them?
My donkeys and mule absolutely love eating banana skins, so obviously would want to know if there's likely to be a problem in feeding them.

[SallyintNorth]

Very glad to hear your pony seems to be recovered/ing, goosepimple

lts not a crime to love your animals, they give us so much pleasure they deserve it 
lm the same with all my animals hubby says l would have them all in the house if he didnt keep an eye on me 

BH is as bad as me, if not worse!

[lord flynn]

oh, and bananas are fine too! (without skins)

Did you suggest without skins because yours won't eat skins, or because there's a reason not to feed them?
My donkeys and mule absolutely love eating banana skins, so obviously would want to know if there's likely to be a problem in feeding them.

I expect they are fine, certainly the small fat one would eat them- but there is alot of pesticides associated with banana growing in certain parts of the world so am a bit wary. I guess organic might be alright but havent looked into it.

my old horse would sniff at bananas enthusiastically, but when he bit into it would pull the most disgusted face! Then he watched the small fat one scoff one and decided that they were indeed edible. I think the texture put him off  His favourite was dates (with the stones taken out-alot of fruit stones can form cyanide as a process of digestion-plus there's the potential blockage issue) and pears.

[kelly58]

Love the pic Sallyintnorth  I also have my neighbours horses leaning over the fence at feed time, its like they know you are a push over    Gotta luv em !

[mowhaugh]

We quite often have a shetland in the house, but only if OH isn't about!