Equine Senior Wins Again
Birdie came to me in June 1999. Two friends a local horse sale purchased her. They learned she had previously been purchased at a sale in a neighboring town that was selling a herd of neglected horses. They were told she was 15-18 years old and had recently weaned a foal.
I bought Birdie a week later. Her body condition score was a 2. I assumed she was closer to 20. She spent most of her days sleeping and we noticed she seemed to have a hearing problem. It is not known if this was from a vitamin A deficiency or just an extreme lack of energy. The next two years were filled with vet visits, teeth floats and a constant search to improve her feeding program.
Although Birdie did gain some weight and regained her hearing, she never reached her ideal weight. I began to ride her and continued my quest to improve her diet. I tried every grain hay combination I could think of. I tried dehydrated alfalfa and then moistened alfalfa pellets; I added corn oil and micronutrients. But she seemed to have reached a plateau.
I had taken her to several different veterinarians. It wasn't until I found a veterinarian who had enough knowledge in equine dentistry to correctly diagnose her problem. After 2 years and a dozen vet appointments the diagnosis was as simple as a severe dental problem. His recommendation was an exclusive diet of Equine Senior. After studying her teeth he placed her at 30 years old!
Birdie receives 18 pounds of Equine Senior a day. Today she looks like a different horse. She eats 540 pounds of Equine Senior a month. Her body condition score is a 5 and Richard Shrake gave her an 8.5 rating for conformation, plus 1 point for being 30.
We will spend the summer trail riding and taking Birdie to 4-H shows where my 10-year-old daughter will ride her in the barrels and poles classes. There are times I wonder why I spend so much money on this old grade mare, but she will always be very special to me.
The experience has been a reminder to me of the huge responsibility that lies in caring for these wonderful animals. After devoting their lives to us, the old horses deserve more than ending up in a can of dog food or bottle of glue. I cannot afford another horse. I could probably have a beautiful well-bred horse for the amount of money I've invested in Birdie. But I am willing to wait. Birdie is a wonderful teacher and a good friend. For me the return on my investment is immeasurable.
Author Unknown
